Local Girl Guides join ‘Camp at Home’ event
GIRLS from Millmount Girl Guides, Drogheda joined thousands of Irish Girl Guides to take part in a nationwide Camp At Home initiative recently.
The Irish Girl Guides (IGG)Camp At Home initiative saw girls from age five upwards camping with their families in tents in their gardens or in makeshift dens or shelters they made indoors.
Many of the girls made campfires outdoors on which they cooked their dinners and made s’mores – toasted marshmallows eaten between two chocolate digestive biscuits – a favourite of Girl Guides throughout the world.
To encourage participation in the event, IGG produced a Camp At Home resource pack (available on the website www.irishgirlguides.ie), which includes a variety of games, activities and challenges. The scavenger hunts, crafts and puppet shows proved especially popular, as did the traditional campfire songs.
Camping and overnight events are an integral part of the Guiding experience and, given that this year’s trips have had to be postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, IGG came up with the Camp At Home initiative. ‘We were thrilled with the response,’ says Sinéad Crilly, Drogheda Area Commissioner. ‘Our youth members loved taking part in the Camp At Home and their parents were delighted with the idea. They told us their girls loved taking part and that it was a great boost to everyone.’
‘Children and young people are experiencing stress and anxiety at this time, just like adults are. They are missing their friends and usual activities, so it’s important we come up with creative ideas and initiatives to boost their spirits
‘IGG excels at encouraging girls and young women to develop confidence, resilience, independence, teamwork and leadership skills as well as a community spirit and it’s great the organisation is continuing to provide non-formal educational opportunities for girls and young women at this time.’