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Love Is Girl Scouting!
The Girl Scout Mission is to inspire girls with the highest ideals of character, conduct, patriotism, and service so that they may become resourceful citizens.
This page is dedicated to the testimonies of current and former Girl Scouts, who would like to tell how Girl Scouting has effected their lives. Add your name to the list below by sending me an email at
Please include your email address in the message, if you'd like to receive correspondence from those who read it! Who knows...you may make a lifelong friend!
Scroll down to read testimonies from:
- Virginia Williams
- Joanne
- Leah N. Smith
- Amy Wehner Wentley
- Louise Carr
- Leah Luchsinger
- Melanie
- Christy Joyce
Virginia Williams: I started in Girl Scouts at the age of 6, as a Brownie. My fondest memories were when I went to Girl Scout camp EVERY summer. First as a camper, then as a Counselor-in-Training (CIT), and then finally as a full-fledged counselor. I'm originally from Southwestern Pennsylvania. I started at the age of 6 at Camp Riamo (Farmington, PA) for 4 years, then to Camp Henry Kaufmann (near Ligonier, PA) until I was 17, and then was a counselor at CampRedwing (Renfrew, PA) until I graduated from college and had to get a "real" job! If anyone is familiar with any of these locations, I'd love to hear from you! Please email me at marketunltd@marketunltd.com.
Joanne: Girl Scouting has provided an arena for my daughters and me to learn, play, and enjoy each other while doing great services for those who needed our help. The skills Girl Scouts has provided are remarkable and timely in this fast paced society. I've met many great ladies and kids and believe that this organization is one of the few worth my volunteer time. :)
Leah N. Smith: Hello Virginia. My name is Leah Smith and I too am originally from Southwestern, PA. I grew up around Virgin Run. Virgin Run is a fishing lake about 40 miles south of Pittsburgh. We were about 13 miles from Connellsville. My mailing address was RD1, Vanderbilt. I now live in Silver Spring, MD. My family is in San Diego, CA. I was a Girl Scout for many years from the time I was in 2nd grade to high school. I went to Camp Riamo I think when I was around 11 or 12, which would of been around 1968-69. I loved camp. I wished I had saved my autograph books from then. I remember some things so vividly, KP duty, the latrine, attempting to hike to Fort Necessity, etc. I was trying to think of some of the cute things we used to sign in our autograph books just a couple of weeks ago and I couldn't come up with anything. I had done a search just for fun and plugged in "Camp Riamo" and that's how I found your entry. If you would like to email me-feel free, My address at home is lsmith4992@aol.com. Have a great day! Leah N. Smith
Amy Wehner Wentley:
It's the camp along the bumpy road
Camp Riamo's its name.
From the rising sun
Til the day is done
There are lots of fun and games.
Where the water's deep
We go to swim
Come right on in with us.
We got the eats to make you look
And the best of cooks to cook
At the camp along the bumpy road.
It's Camp Riamo
The camp along the bumpy road.
Hi! I found your names on the internet with your stories about Girl Scouting. This week I dropped my 10-year-old off at Girl Scout Camp, Camp Occoneechee, in western North Carolina. Dropping her off brought back tons on pleasant memories of my time at Girl Scout camp. I went to Camp Riamo in 1970, 71, and 72. I was in Sherwood Forest the first year and Hilltop the others. Later on, after Riamo closed as a summer camp, I went there with the High Adventure program through the GS SWPA. I always thought little Camp Riamo was just the best camp around, even if it didn't have flush toilets like Camp Kaufmann!!! The last few summers I've been going to Touchstone Center for Crafts in Farmington, PA. They have week-long art programs for adults and run a kid camp concurrently. While I was up there a few years ago, I asked about Camp Riamo and was given directions to where it used to be. It's now a campground for RV vehicles and tents. The pool is still there (believe it or not), the lodge is still there, and the camp director's cabin is still there. But they've cut down almost all the trees all the way up the hill where the tents used to be. Go figure....you'd think people would want to RV and camp around trees!!! It was kind of bittersweet to see it again. I just thought I'd say hi to you and thanks for bringing back some memories. Cheers, Amy Wehner Wentley
Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow; it only saps today of its strength. A.J. Cronin
Louise Carr: Dear Virginia, I have been a leader for 3 years now. I am fairly new to the girl scout traditions. My daughter is in the troop I lead and she has experieced many benifits thru scouts. From visiting the local elderly homes with crafts and cookies, to planting trees. They have had many good experiences. They have seen many good things and learned some lessons about human nature. Sometimes those are not always good. But we weathered thru them and came out stronger in character. We are always learning something new. We would like to see the scouts become more software active in the future. Books are fine and definately have a place in my heart. But there is always room to grow and I hope that the interactive scout software isn't too far down the road! I'm proud to be associated with many of the fine women in Southwestern Pennsylvania Girl Scouts! Oh yes, I was a junior scout and my scout leader was an inspiration to me,(Thank you Barb Hartnett!) Louise Carr lnncarr@earthlink.net
Leah Luchsinger: Hi this is Leah Luchsinger "Tikka." I am 18 years old. I have been in girl scouts since age 6 starting out as a brownie. This year I started my brownie years over again as a girl scout leader. No I do not have a kid I just want to give back some of what was given tome. The confidence to be my self and the ability to be proud of it. I also went to summer camp and am now a camp counselor, which is an interesting experience let me tell you. But I would not change any of it for the world. I will even be back next year. I believe that women need a place to grow without worrying about the failures that can come, girl scouting can be and has been that place for me. Leah Luchsinger cliffl@pe.net
Melanie: Hello Virginia! My name is Melanie and I am originally from Uniontown, PA. I came across your website when I did a search for "Camp Henry Kaufmann," and I was thrilled to read the messages from all the former campers! My own daughter became a Girl Scout just last year, and lots of memories have come flooding back to me. I've lived in New Hampshire for the past twenty years, but I too grew up in southwestern PA. and continue to visit there often. My very BEST childhood memories are of Girl Scout camp. I attended Camp Riamo (Gypsy unit) in the summer of 1966, and continued to attend camp every year thereafter. I was in Mountain Haven during my first year at Camp Henry Kaufmann, and then Maple Ridge for a few years after that. I remember how we were instructed to place the unit name on the front windshield of our car when we drove in, so they could direct us to the proper place. . . the excitement was almost unbearable at that point!! I was a CIT at CHK and then at Camp Redwing for the second year. I stayed on at Redwing as a "handygirl" that same summer, and was thrilled to have spent six weeks there! My camp name was "Buzz." I notice that Amy posted the words to the Camp Riamo song. . . I have the lyrics of the CHK song and the Redwing song if anyone is interested. I also recently came across a notebook of camp songs that I put together way back when. . . Thank you for the wonderful memories! ~Melanie~
Christy: Hi Virginia! I saw your post on a website when I was looking for info on Camp Henry Kaufmann. I went there as a kid every year I was in Girl Scouts and always had a GREAT time. I did the father/daughter camp thing, and my mom was there with me a few times, as well as when she was a Girl Scout. I was so disheartened when I heard it was closing after so many years; I just wanted to cry. Anyways! I thought I would write you and share that I, too, was a CHK Girl Scout :) Have a great weekend! Sincerely, Christy Joyce :)