Submitted by Penny “Pan” Roberts
Meadow Mountain Ranch near Allenspark, Colorado, will be the site for two very special events in the summer of 2015.
Women’s Week launched for the first time in the summer of 2014, and nearly 45 women from all over the country gathered for three days of fun, food and fellowship. There was such a resounding expression of support, enthusiasm and encouragement that it’s easy to offer it again. This event is open to any adult women, ages 18 and up, in any location, even out of state. It is not necessary to be registered Girl Scouts, just have a love of camping, the Colorado High Country and meeting and having fun with new and old friends. So bring your daughters, friends, neighbors, old camp buddies, GSCO Staff members, or just yourself whether or not you have ever attended camp, or always wanted to!
We most enjoyed playing like we were campers again – – – doing crafts, hiking, experiencing nature activities, singing all times of the day and night, archery, tai chi in the meadow, campfires and most especially, the outdoor cooking. The weather cooperated so we could cook out every single meal and we experimented with old favorites like stick cooking, one-pot meals, bean-hole cooking, and a special chili cook-off! There was even a Coffee Queen who made sure the brew was fresh and hot at all times of the day and evening.
Early morning hikes took us to the top of Vista Spur, a big circle tour acquainted and reacquainted all of us to the larger view of MMR and a few even ventured into Rocky Mountain National Park to see how the old familiar trails, bridges and natural settings had fared following the 2013 floods.
The History Group of GSCO launched a permanent history display in the Homestead House and we also reinstalled the Time Capsule near the lodge for another 25 years.
Core Camp for Troops is being offered for any Girl Scout troop who wishes to have a special experience in Colorado’s High Country. The Women’s Week and other alumnae volunteers will be available to help with program and coverage support if needed. Core Camp used to be offered every summer after resident camp was over, and this provided a time for troops to come up with their leaders, and have special programs offerings by experienced camp staff. We are offering two sessions for flexibility of scheduling, and Core Camp is open to all age groups Brownies through Ambassadors.
Anyone with questions or who needs information can contact the volunteers listed on the flyers at any time. We hope a lot of you can join us to make these events a huge success!