| Girl Scouts go InternationalGirl Scouts hosted the first Northern California International Camporee this past week. at Treasure Island smack dab in the middle of San Francisco Bay. Troops from all over the world and all over the US converged on TI last Saturday July 12 and left Sunday July 19th. I had a minor part as a volunteer on the committee who has been planning this event for over two years. My job was supposed to be the cook for the core staff and workshop leaders. The troops actually do their own cooking in their units. Anyway, to make a long story short I was not able to do that cooking gig, but I did help out this past weekend and as much as I could. 
Originally Treasure Island, the flat stretch upper left, was constructed, it is a man-made island, for the 1939 World Exposition. You can see the exposition hall still there in the near left corner of the flat area. The big white curved building.. The hill in the forground is actually another island, Yerba Buena. That one is a natural island where part of the Bay Bridge sits. The flat part was then supposed to be demolished but they decided it could be a great Navy Base. The Navy controled it until just a few years ago and now the City of San Francisco controls it. They have various services on it including the Job Corps and low-income housing. The old Officers club and the chapel are in really nice shape still and are rented out for weddings. The rest of the place is pretty delapidated and in need of major renovations, including the Nimitz Conference Center, a great old art deco ballroom and event center. The TI Camporee used the large grassy area along the western side and the library. Worked great and seemed to fit the needs of the staff and the girls.It is very windy and foggy this time of year out there, though and the sweatshirt concession was doing a booming business. 
What a great event! Here is a link to the homepage of the event to give you some background. The directors and the staff did a fantastic job and the girls from all over were so fun. They had troops from Hong Kong, New Zealand, Belarus, Anglia, Wales in addition from Texas, Wisconsin, Oregon, Alabama, and of course California.Over 400 people total and all Girl Scouts or Girl Guides. Everyone was a bit taken off guard by the weather though. Denise, the director, was awesome getting things donated or at a huge discount including Alhambra water stations throughout the encampment. The campers had the opportunity to see lots of Northern California including a real 1849 mining town, Columbia, in the Sierra foothills. They went whale watching, Bay cruising, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Sailing on Tall Ships in the bay and excursions into San Francisco. Horseback riding on the beach. Marine rescue center trips, Point Bonito Light house, Guidedogs for the Blind, kayaking in the bay, and so many more.They even had a "Worlds Faire" on Friday complete with cotton candy, rock wall, jousting, surfing, hotdogs and popcorn. Everyone had a great time and the director and her staff were so tired on Sunday afternoon it wasn't funny. I stayed and lent a hand. After all, I had only been there for the weekend, and they had been there since last Saturday. As soon as the pictures are available for the actual goings-on I will try to post them. |
