When Troop #5196 were Juniors, we visited the Girl Scout center on Commonwealth. Betty Beene was the executive director and had her office on the second floor. She invited the girls into the office and told them about the Council and then proceeded to spin each girl in her office chair. Ms. Beene did this so that the girls would remember that they owned a part of San Jacinto Council. And why did they own a piece? Because they had sold cookies which contributed to the purchase and maintenance of Girl Scout properties!

Today we are entering a new era of raising funds for our Council. We have launched a capital and endowment campaign to provide for needs at our camps because cookies just aren’t enough anymore. The girls will soon see a new lodge, new camping units, a covered riding ring and a sail house, just to name a few of the improvements that will be made possible by this campaign.

I believe that girls should have ownership in these projects. Consequently, at the Fall Council Meeting, we launched the next phase of the capital campaign that will include troops as donors. It is hoped that each troop will discuss the needs of the campaign, plan, and then budget so they will have ownership and be a part of the new exciting building projects at our camps.

Our board of directors (34 members) has given generously and is at 100%

participation in the campaign. The 110 staff members have also given 100%. We have contacted, and are still contacting, foundations, corporations, and individuals to help us reach our goal. Numerous committees have been formed with board members and community people working diligently for a good cause. Volunteers have been involved both during the planning stages and now with discussions about the asking process. We are at more than one-fourth of our goal of $12,000,000. The numbers are impressive for the start of the campaign which will continue until 2006. You may have already seen the Fishing Village at Camp Agnes Arnold. This is just the beginning. As the money comes in we can start construction of the additional buildings.

What do we expect of our troops? We would like to see them raise $500,000 toward the renovation of Lakeview Dorm at Camp Robinwood and conversion so that it will be a state-of-the-art lodge with a new kitchen, eating space, meeting rooms, and a porch where we can all relax and look at our successes. The old lodge will be razed and replaced with a camping unit. The half million dollars will match other funds that have been raised and will result in a lovely new facility that will be a lodge we are all proud of.

Start your planning. Set your goals. We’re all looking forward to even bigger and better camping!