Camp Tahigwa should be included in every girl's "thoughts of summer" Summer camp registration begins this week

Snow is melting and summer is approaching. Adults are planning vacation time and kids are planning trips to the swimming pool and looking for the summer camp they would like to attend. Wouldn't it be great if there was a camp right here in Northeast Iowa that could boast beautiful meadows, wooded areas, a rippling stream and modern facilities that would offer many opportunities for fun and adventure?
Well, there is, and it's right in our back yard. Camp Tahigwa is located on 315 beautiful acres of rolling hills in Allamakee County in Northeast Iowa and offers an unforgettable stay.
Camp Tahigwa was established in 1965 and is an all girl camp owned by the Girl Scouts of Conestoga Council. It is accredited by the American Camping Association and consistently achieves high standards in areas of personnel, program, site administration, and health care so it is a very safe and diverse environment for girls.
Camp Tahigwa welcomes all girls from first through 12th grade to attend. Each year nearly 1,000 girls attend camp and many of them are not active in the Girl Scout program in their community but do choose to be girl campers. However, once the girls get a taste of all the opportunities scouting does offer they may want to become more involved in Girl Scouts.
What makes Camp Tahigwa so special to young girls is that it is not only an excellent outdoor classroom but it also is a great place for girls to learn about themselves. While enjoying their camp experience girls will explore, develop and expand their senses of self-respect, self-identity, and self-efficiency. They will be amongst other girls their age and will develop creativity and community involvement skills along with recognizing the value of respect and honesty. Positive development is what camp is all about and it happens at Camp Tahigwa.
When asked, "What makes Camp Tahigwa so special?", camp staff member Amber Kuecker said, "Camp Tahigwa is a place where the girls can be who they want to be without the pressures they face every day at home and at school. They don't have to worry if they have on name brand clothes or if their hair is wiggin' out, they can just relax and have fun in a safe environment."
The benefits of attending Camp Tahigwa go far beyond just giving girls a fun place to hang out for a week during the summer. It not only gives them a chance to challenge themselves mentally and physically but also lets them interact with people from all walks of life. The girls not only get a chance to "be on their own" but they also interact with great role models and experience self-exploration that helps builds life skills.
Gene Averhoff, Property and Camp Operations Manager, said, "When it comes to benefits of camp, the very bottom line is confidence building. A girl camper will gain insight into her self-worth and will learn that many barriers are usually ones put there by herself or society and that they are not set in stone. She will do all of this in a safe, fun and educational environment without the pressure of 'gender competition'. All of these things will become part of who she is. Some will not be evident or realized until later in her life but they will affect her life in a subtle, but important way."
While staying at camp the girls are offered a few different options for lodging such as log cabins, platform tents, adis, and treehouses. The log cabins at camp offer girls the chance to sleep in traditional log cabins with bunk beds. Platform tents are canvas tents on wooden platforms where the girls sleep on cots and mattresses. Adis, which were recently rebuilt in 2004, are three-sided log cabins that offer a rustic sleeping quarter. Finally, the treehouses are especially elevated units made of quaint wooden structures that sit off the ground on stilts and the girls sleep on cots and mattresses. Wherever the girls end up staying for the week will surely be unforgettable.
Meals at Camp Tahigwa are eaten in the main lodge in a family-style setting, so that it will feel just like home. There are counselors at each table to talk with the girls about how much fun they are having at summer camp. After each meal there are songs taught by the counselors for the girls to sing, which is always a blast.
Camp Tahigwa offers numerous activities that will satisfy any interests girls may have. Girls will find magnificent places to hike, tube, and explore nature's wondrous surprises or do other outdoor activities like archery, canoeing or cave exploration. Camp Tahigwa boasts the silliest camp songs, an amazing horse program, the excellent "challenge by choice" tower for rappelling, rock climbing and zip-lining, and finally a huge mud pit made just to play in.
Camp has warm, welcoming campfires and an endless variety of activities to help girls learn teamwork, expand their confidence, make new friends, and learn cooperation. Other daily activities that girls can take part in are arts and crafts, playing games, exploring the pond, slip 'n' slide, dutch oven cooking, and s'mores.
The staff members at camp are dedicated, enthusiastic and well-trained individuals who will provide endless laughter and adventure for girls of all ages. Camp Tahigwa has become a very special place in the hearts of thousands of girls and adults who have shared in the magic.
"Camp has seen me grow and change as I have moved from camper to counselor over the past fifteen years. Camp was my playground to discover who I was and who I wanted to be. I have switched my major in school in order to have a professional career working in camp settings," said Kuecker.
Those who may be wondering why they should consider sending their daughter or someone they know to camp should realize that the answer to that question is unique to each person. Do they want their loved one to be in a safe and educational environment? Do they want her to be in a place that is free of gender competition? Do they want her to know that she is a winner no matter what? Do they want her to meet new people and try new things? These are just a few questions to be asked when deciding whether or not to send a loved one. If the answer is "yes", then Camp Tahigwa summer camp is the place. For even more information and photos visit www.girlscouts-conestoga.com.
"The smiles, giggles, waving arms and tears that accompany a camper as she arrives and leaves are priceless. It gives me a feeling of satisfaction knowing that what I do here at Camp Tahigwa counts in her life," grinned Averhoff.