With immediate effect, it will no longer be possible for third party
organizations to reserve or use any part of Girl Scouts of Northern
Illinois’ (GSNI) four camps: Dean, Far Horizons, Mary Ann Beebe Center
and McCormick. A third party would be considered any non-Girl Scout
group. We are happy to report a significant increase in usage from our
own members, which is leading to tight capacity. Additionally, we will
soon begin phased construction work at our camps as part of our Long
Range Property Plan, which will further limit availability and
capacity from time to time, but will lead to great improvements in our
year round capacity to accommodate our members and provide more indoor
and outdoor activities.
So what does this mean? If you
are a GSNI troop or Service Unit or adult member group needing camp
for trainings or similar events, you can continue to book all or part
of our camps up to a year in advance, as you have always been able to
do. Please note that in the case that construction work may be
happening at the camp or unit you have reserved, we will work with you
to reduce the impact. In rare cases, we may need to ask you to re-book
to a different date or location. We may also have certain parts of
camp un-reservable for the time period you seek because of planned
work.
No volunteer member of any Girl Scout Council is
permitted to book, reserve, pay on behalf of or bring other youth
organizations to camp. Any youth using our camps must be a member of
Girl Scouts and adults who accompany Girl Scouts to camp should mostly
be members themselves (see Volunteer Essentials or speak to Customer
Care for further information). Why is this? It is our members, through
their participation in the cookie program and fall product program,
who are substantially contributing towards the fixed costs of owning
and running four camps. With capacity restraints, it is not fair that
outside youth organizations who are not contributing in this way to
the fixed costs of camp, get to benefit in the same way as our own
Girl Scouts. Secondly, youth organizations who are not Girl Scouts but
are booked as such are not covered by our insurance and expose GSNI to
liability. Any youth organization that is booked in this way will be
turned away upon arrival.
Council events which are open
to the family and/or members of the public will be clearly identified
as such in all communications.
Registered Girl Scouts
from another Council will be able to book activities and accommodation
up to 6 months in advance, together with all the benefits and caveats
that members of our own Council have. Girl Scouts from outside our
Councils pay a higher rate for many bookings.
There may
be some occasions where we are able to accommodate other
organizations, particularly school groups during the week. To begin
the discussion, please speak to Customer Care at 1-844-GSNI-4-ME
(1-844-476-4463) or email customercare@girlscoutsni.org.
Existing third party bookings will be honored, and those organizations
will be contacted if their booking coincides with potential or actual
construction work.
Girl Scout troops and groups can view the exciting adventures any of
GSNI's four camps have to offer and make a reservation here.
