EAST TROY, Wis. — The Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast celebrated a milestone this month: 100 years at Camp Alice Chester.
The anniversary celebration on Oct. 5 drew in alumnae, current Girl Scouts and their families to the camp.
The day was filled with fun activities, including rock climbing, dancing, singing and making s’mores around the campfire.
Carol Hayes, a former Wisconsin Girl Scout, returned to camp to relive the moments that shaped her youth.
“Girl Scouting is an amazing program,” Hayes said. “My life would have been completely different without it.”
Hayes joined the Girl Scouts at 8-years-old, alongside her two sisters.
“Scouting has just been such a big part of my life,” Hayes said. “There was always something to do. There were people to know. There were things to do and places to go.”
Fifteen-year-old Gemma, who did not want to provide her last name, has been a Girl Scout for more than a decade.
“I’ve made so many memories here that I’ll like never be able to forget,” Gemma said. “I’m really happy that it is 100 years here and I’m hoping we can spend 100 more. That would be really awesome.”
Hayes said Camp Alice Chester has always been a place where girls can learn to grow and develop confidence through challenges and teamwork.
“It was just doing things together,” Hayes said. “I mean, just projects, cleanups, building things, all sorts of stuff girls generally, you know, 60 years ago just were not encouraged to do and it’s kind of like, ‘Women can!’”