The sound of chatter and laughter has started to fill a central Alberta camp where nearly 3,000 Girl Guides will spend nine days in the great outdoors.
Guiding Mosaic 2016 is a Girl Guides of Canada camp and is only held every four to six years. It allows girls in the Pathfinder and Ranger programs (between 12 and 18 years of age) to take part in a variety of activities meant to challenge them to be more confident, resourceful and courageous. It’s also meant to engage them to make a difference in the world.
“It gives them the opportunity to push their personal limits they have now in a safe setting,” camp director Brigitte Trau said. “This camp offers (a) very different type of programming which is really exciting for them.”
The campers take part in service projects, field trips to the Calgary Stampede and the Royal Tyrrell Museum, fencing, raft building, dragon boating, hiking and biking. All of the activities are meant to build self-esteem and confidence in the thousands of girls who take part.
“They are among friends, they are in a safe environment,” Trau said. “They don’t necessarily have to prove themselves.”
We found Edmonton camper Katey Dambrowitz out on a sailboat. She said meeting new friends has been the best part of the experience.
“You can go out and talk with people and not be worried that they are going to judge you,” the 13-year-old told Global News.
“I’ve got a whole bunch of girls backing me up,” Dambrowitz added.
Girl Guides is the largest voluntary organization for girls and women in the world. There are 10 million members worldwide in 145 countries.
Twelve of those countries are represented at the camp near Sylvan Lake.
“They want to get along, they want to work together and they are,” Trau said.
The camp is focused on women teaching girls what they’ve learned.
Trau said the leaders are all great role models and added she hopes the guides that take part in the camp will soon want to become leaders themselves.
The camp wraps up on July 17.
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