By-laws Review Task Group

  • By-laws Review Task Group
    The By-laws Review Task Group is an informal (i.e. not Board appointed Task Group) organized by the CEO to review the By-laws, gather input from members, and provide input to the Board about the By-laws -- in particular, input on the system for delegate elections, and possible amendments to the by-laws. Task group review members volunteered to serve in the position and interested members need only send an email to Marina Park at mpark@girlscoutsnorcal.org, to sign up. Current members: Patricia Buckley (Novato); Esther Heller (Menlo Park); Michelle Luster (San Mateo); Kari Thompson (Alameda); Jenny Hood (Los Altos); Peter Miner (Los Altos), Susan Lekberg (Milpitas)

Board Property Task Group


  • The Board Property Task Group will work with Council members and staff to develop an assessment of the Council's outdoor program and camp properties and make recommendations to the Board regarding a long-term strategy for program and property. Task Group members are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Board. Arletta Cortright, Chair, Board member (Fairfield) Leslie Carmichael (Los Altos) Teresa Gisske, Board member (Chico) Byrd Lochtie (Eureka) Dan Walters (San Leandro) Staff Support: Marina Park, CEO Andrea Bride, CFO Michelle McCormick, Chief Program & Membership Officer David Poock, Senior Director, Property Sari Van Otegham, Senior Director, Outdoor Program

June 30, 2009

Rainbows End

In mid-June members of the Council's Property Task Group, Board of Directors, staff and several interested members joined a tour of nine camp properties.  I travelled with my "Flip" video camera and narrated what I observed and learned along the way – If you catch any mistakes in what you hear me saying (I was trying to repeat what I was learning along the way), feel free to post corrections via comment below.   We also enjoyed reading property histories prepared by Ann Watrous and Lynne Armstrong, members of our Heritage Committee.  If you have additional history to share, we would love to receive your comments. 

 

The videos are very home made – I will try to stand still more next time --  but they may help give you a sense of the range and beauty of the Council's camp properties – as well as the resources required to maintain these properties – every road, gate, fence, drainage ditch, pool, bridge, gutter, roof, cot, tent, toilet, stove, water supply, and the list goes on. 

 

Understanding our properties and the resources required to maintain them, as well as the history and the value that our members place on the unique outdoor program experiences each property offers, are important parts of the Outdoor Program and Camp Property Assessment.

 

Tour Video 6.20.09:  Rainbows End (used for Camp Metro Day Camp -- East San Jose) 

 

History:  We do not yet have a written history for Rainbows End and welcome your input!

Camp Hidden Falls

In mid-June members of the Council's Property Task Group, Board of Directors, staff and several interested members joined a tour of nine camp properties.  I travelled with my "Flip" video camera and narrated what I observed and learned along the way – If you catch any mistakes in what you hear me saying (I was trying to repeat what I was learning along the way), feel free to post corrections via comment below.   We also enjoyed reading property histories prepared by Ann Watrous and Lynne Armstrong, members of our Heritage Committee.  If you have additional history to share, we would love to receive your comments. 

 

The videos are very home made – I will try to stand still more next time --  but they may help give you a sense of the range and beauty of the Council's camp properties – as well as the resources required to maintain these properties – every road, gate, fence, drainage ditch, pool, bridge, gutter, roof, cot, tent, toilet, stove, water supply, and the list goes on. 

 

Understanding our properties and the resources required to maintain them, as well as the history and the value that our members place on the unique outdoor program experiences each property offers, are important parts of the Outdoor Program and Camp Property Assessment.

 

Tour Video 6.20.09:  Hidden Falls (Santa Cruz Mountains, near Soquel) 

 

Camp Hidden Falls History Prepared by Heritage Committee (June 2009)

 

Location:  Santa Cruz Mountains near Soquel

Description:  90 acres in the Santa Cruz Mountains near Soquel and 20 minutes from the beach

Acquisition:  Hidden Falls was purchased by Girl Scouts of Palo Alto in the 1950’s.  Money was raised from individuals in the community as well as some of the new Silicon Valley companies.

Facilities:  Outdoor sleeping in 6 camping units each having a fire circle, potable water, tools and biffys with flush toilets, open aid covered dining hall, commercial kitchen, large activity field, heated year-round lodge with wrap-around porch for all season camping, heated swimming pool with showers, art and nature center, 30’ x 50’ performing arts stage at campfire amphitheater, Director’s cabin.  Hiking trails and 2 waterfalls are on the site.

Program: Available for troop and service unit events.  Summer resident camp program focuses on theater arts, swimming and other sports, archery, sea kayaking, surfing.

History:  Before being purchased by the Girl Scouts, the camp was a nudist colony and was full of small buildings and trailers.  Many of these had been abandoned and were full of rats or mice.  There were torn down during a family work weekend and the debris was used to build up areas of the road into camp.   There was also a large kitchen and dining facility which was used the first year of camp but then replaced.  The old dining hall was torn down by enthusiastic volunteers equipped with crow bars and hammers.  However, the supports had to be pulled out by Donald Lamons’ GMC with his wife Helen and Ruth Robertson weighting down the vehicle.  Water came from a spring on an adjoining property.  It too, required work as the storage tank had rats in it.  The property on which the spring is located was later purchased by the camp.  The property was logged once, up the hill from the camp and it made a large mess.  The money earned from the logging was used to build a new dining hall and improve the units. 

The birdhouse shaped biffies were designed by Nora Lynch (camp name Chickadee) who was a long time professional in Santa Clara County. 

A favorite building on the camp property was the living redwood house that stood near where the parking area is now.  Winnie Doty (daughter of Helen Lamons) remembers her brother living there with other male staff members during summer camp.  The program focus was on outdoor living skills.

 Hidden Falls became a council camp with the merger of Santa Clara County into one council.

Skylark Ranch

In mid-June members of the Council's Property Task Group, Board of Directors, staff and several interested members joined a tour of nine camp properties.  I travelled with my "Flip" video camera and narrated what I observed and learned along the way – If you catch any mistakes in what you hear me saying (I was trying to repeat what I was learning along the way), feel free to post corrections via comment below.   We also enjoyed reading property histories prepared by Ann Watrous and Lynne Armstrong, members of our Heritage Committee.  If you have additional history to share, we would love to receive your comments. 

 

The videos are very home made – I will try to stand still more next time --  but they may help give you a sense of the range and beauty of the Council's camp properties – as well as the resources required to maintain these properties – every road, gate, fence, drainage ditch, pool, bridge, gutter, roof, cot, tent, toilet, stove, water supply, and the list goes on. 

 

Understanding our properties and the resources required to maintain them, as well as the history and the value that our members place on the unique outdoor program experiences each property offers, are important parts of the Outdoor Program and Camp Property Assessment.

 

Tour Video 6.20.09:  Skylark Ranch (Santa Cruz Mountains, near Ano Nuevo) 

 

Skylark Ranch History Prepared for Skylark's 5oth Anniversary in 2003

 

1953                 225 acre camp purchased by Santa Clara Valley Girl Scout Council

 

1954                 Used for primitive camping only

Mrs. Harvey Miller & Mr. Fred Byl served as Skylark Development Committee co-chairs

 

1955                 1st organized resident camp - “Freddie” Tedford, Director

Original kitchen & dining hall named The Byl in honor of Fred Byl

 

1961                 233 girls (5th grade and up) at resident camp

      Camp evacuated after 3 weeks due to extreme heat, no water, and imposed fire ban

 

1962                 Gazos Creek Fire burned 3/4 of camp (all buildings saved)

GS Board decided no resident camps this summer - troop camping only

 

1963                 New burro came to live at camp

New water wells dug

 

1964                 Toby Baysinger became 1st Camp Ranger

 

1967                 New 2-seater “biffies” built - designed by Nora Lynch and funded by Girl Scout calendar sales

515 girls at resident camp

 

1968                 541 girls at resident camp

 

1970                 New kitchen & dining hall completed - The Byl became office & infirmary

Memorial redwood grove in Outpost unit dedicated to Gerda Godon, troop leader & professional staff

585 girls at resident camp

 

 

1971                 1st international counselor at resident camp - from Yugoslavia

 

1972                 610 girls at resident camp

 

1973                 “Redwoods to the Sea” regional event held at camp

 

1974                 1st Family Camp

                                    1st Skylark Trail Days

 

1975                 Camp Review Task Force formed to evaluate camp program & usage

 

1976                 1st combined Northern California Girl Scouts Camps brochure

Hosted the Israeli Friendship Caravan

 

1977                 Skylark Ranch Ecological Report written by Karen Kobey (naturalist) & Anne Weaver (ecologist)

Activity booklets prepared for use in camp program - “The Redwood Forest”, “The Elfin Forest”,

“Not-One-or-the-Other-But-a-Little-of-Both Forest”

 

1978                 Resident camp ran 1/2 summer at Hidden Falls and 1/2 at Skylark Ranch

 

1979                 Resident camp ran 1/2 summer at Hidden Falls and 1/2 at Skylark Ranch

Cookie Camp Credit program began

 

1980                 Resident camp ran 1/2 summer at Hidden Falls and 1/2 at Skylark Ranch

 

1981                 Resident camp ran 1/2 summer at Hidden Falls and 1/2 at Skylark Ranch

GSUSA sponsored environmental workshop (an Elliott Wildlife Values Project) held at camp

Your Meadow unit renamed Toby’s Meadow in honor of retiring Camp Ranger Toby Baysinger

Chris Morgan became Camp Ranger

 

1982                 Huge winter rainstorm damages camp - creek washed out portions of White House Canyon Road

Resident camp season expanded to 6 weeks

 

1983                      Discovery Center remodeled with “hands-on” approach by Carol Silva & Mary Cox

BBQ pit at main campfire dedicated in memory of Anna Klein, longtime volunteer

 

1984                 Horseback riding offered for the first time at resident camp

“Come Fly with Us” program offers 1st resident camp experience for 18 girls with disabilities

 

1985                 Market Research Survey conducted for resident camp

751 girls at resident camp

 

1987                 Visiting Girl Scouts from Japan stayed 3 days at camp

Chuck “Keeper” Arseneau became Camp Ranger

362 girls at resident camp

 

1988                 Camp T-shirt given to resident campers instead of patch

480 girls at resident camp

 

1989                 Service Unit 24 & Troop 240 build drinking fountain near dining hall in memory of Girl Scout Troop

Leader Lee Ann Saxon and her two children who were killed in a car accident

October 17 earthquake - infirmary “yellow tagged”, work barn sustained major damage, & camp littered

with debris from rock/mud slides and uprooted trees

Infirmary & office rebuilt thanks to Tri-State Kiwanis Clubs

1990                 Troops & Service Units plant trees they have selected or grown for the Adopt-A-Tree program, part of

National Celebration of the Out-of-Doors

1st Annual Camp Reunion held at El Paseo Shopping Center for campers and counselors

 

1991                 Service Unit 22 planted 20 oak trees in a ceremony at their Leader-Daughter Camporee

The main camp meadow named Kermit’s Meadow in honor of Eleanor “Kermit” Russell, retiring

Camp Administrator

 

1992                 Snake Trail improved and rebuilt by Kristine Rich for her Gold Award project

1st llamas came to live at camp – Houston & Oolala

 

1993                 846 girls at resident camp

 

1994                 “The Lovely Llamas” patch program developed by Tracey Weiss for her Gold Award project

Camp Improvement Weekend projects included installation of new horse arena and pens

 

 

1995                 1003 girls at resident camp

 

1997                 Flicker unit dedicated to Roanne Snyder & Dorrie Chaney, “Come Fly With Us” Directors

 

1998                 732 girls at resident camp

 

1999                 Property Development Plan created - master site plan includes winterized facilities

2000                 Keeper’s Point dedicated to Chuck Arseneau, former Camp Ranger

Horseback riding area renamed Sierra Country in honor of Jessica “Sierra” Weimer, Riding Director

 

2001                 984 girls at resident camp

 

2002                 Michael “Poppy” Quinn became Camp Ranger

High Ropes Course opened

 

2003                 50th Anniversary celebration and resident camp Open House

1150 girls registered for resident camp

 

Camp Butano

In mid-June members of the Council's Property Task Group, Board of Directors, staff and several interested members joined a tour of nine camp properties.  I travelled with my "Flip" video camera and narrated what I observed and learned along the way – If you catch any mistakes in what you hear me saying (I was trying to repeat what I was learning along the way), feel free to post corrections via comment below.   We also enjoyed reading property histories prepared by Ann Watrous and Lynne Armstrong, members of our Heritage Committee.  If you have additional history to share, we would love to receive your comments. 

 

The videos are very home made – I will try to stand still more next time --  but they may help give you a sense of the range and beauty of the Council's camp properties – as well as the resources required to maintain these properties – every road, gate, fence, drainage ditch, pool, bridge, gutter, roof, cot, tent, toilet, stove, water supply, and the list goes on. 

 

Understanding our properties and the resources required to maintain them, as well as the history and the value that our members place on the unique outdoor program experiences each property offers, are important parts of the Outdoor Program and Camp Property Assessment.

 

Tour Video 6.20.09:  Camp Butano (near Pescadero, San Mateo County) -- I noticed that I misspoke in the video -- I say that our volunteer-run resident camp offers 3 - 8 week sessions (I mean't 3 - 8 DAY sessions).

 

Camp Butano History Prepared by the Heritage Committee (June 2009)

 

Location:  Approximately nine miles east of the town of Pescadero, along the Pacific Coast Highway 1 in San Mateo County.

 

Description: 146 acres near the ocean.  Approximately 15 acres along the creek frontage are developed but much of the property is steep forest terrain joining University of California property.  The Timber Harvest project in 1989 opened up roads to usable upper areas which could be developed for primitive camping. 

Facilities:  Current facilities include the main lodge which can be used for sleeping or as a dining hall for large groups. There are three wood-heated sleeping cabins, two cooking shelters, two outdoor camping units, a central shower and toilet building that are available for Troop use.  There is a volleyball court, swings and a tree house.  The site manager’s residence and several small maintenance and storage buildings are across the road from the main camp.

Program Use:  Community Resident Camp, Troop Camping, Association and Council events.  Available for rental to outside groups.

History:  The name Butano comes from the Costanos Indian word meaning “place of the friendly gatherings”.  The area was used for grazing when it was part of the Santa Cruz Mission and then a great Rancho owned by the Sanchez family when it was given to them in 1838 as part of a Spanish Land Grant.  It was owned by a variety of farmers from the time California became part of the United States in 1862 until it was purchased by the MacDonald family in 1881.  The MacDonalds had many bee hives and built Honey House, where they separated the honey from the honey combs.  In 1945 the land was sold to Francis Winner of Palo Alto who first visited the property in 1920 when he was camping in Memorial Park with Palo Alto YMCA.  During that trip, the group hiked over the Dearborn, down past the falls and stopped to listen to stories with the MacDonalds. The Winners operated a logging operation and saw mill and made a number of improvements on the land including a redwood house and a small reservoir in the canyon.  Using United Crusade funds, the Girl Scout Council of Central San Mateo County purchased the145 acres from Mr. Winners in 1955. They also purchased a large grove at the entrance to the property and four acres of level land from Mr. Winner’s mother.

On October 7, 1956, a group of older Scouts who pioneered the experimental camp sessions opened the camp by raising the flag and conducting the Blessing of the House Ceremony around the Big Campfire Circle.  A bequest of $5,000 from the estate of Mrs. Eunice Turkel of San Mateo made possible the purchase of an additional acre of land across the creek in 1957 and a channel was dug from the spring (on the University of California property) to the creek.  The channel is listed on official maps as “Girl Scout Creek”.  Butano Creek became part of San Francisco Bay Girl Scouts during the Council consolidation of 1963.  The first Caretaker, Mr. Jack Russell lived in Honey House, he originally worked for the Winner family and stayed on to work for the Girl Scouts and shared his stories about the history of the camp.  The site was developed through the hard work and devotion of many volunteers, especially Mrs. R.R.Cullen and Flora Carboni.  Others who gave their time included Mr. Ray Know, Mr. & Mrs. Parker Langley, Mr. & Mrs. John Biehl, Miss Gretchen McClellen and the Seabees under the direction of Lt. Commander R.L. Stein, the County Engineers and the U.S Soil Conservation Office. 


 

Twin Canyon

In mid-June members of the Council's Property Task Group, Board of Directors, staff and several interested members joined a tour of nine camp properties.  I travelled with my "Flip" video camera and narrated what I observed and learned along the way – If you catch any mistakes in what you hear me saying (I was trying to repeat what I was learning along the way), feel free to post corrections via comment below.   We also enjoyed reading property histories prepared by Ann Watrous and Lynne Armstrong, members of our Heritage Committee.  If you have additional history to share, we would love to receive your comments. 

 

The videos are very home made – I will try to stand still more next time --  but they may help give you a sense of the range and beauty of the Council's camp properties – as well as the resources required to maintain these properties – every road, gate, fence, drainage ditch, pool, bridge, gutter, roof, cot, tent, toilet, stove, water supply, and the list goes on. 

 

Understanding our properties and the resources required to maintain them, as well as the history and the value that our members place on the unique outdoor program experiences each property offers, are important parts of the Outdoor Program and Camp Property Assessment.

 

As an aside, I was interested to read this history, since I attended Buckeye Ranch as a girl in the 1960s. 

 

Tour Video  6.19.09:  Twin Canyon (Lafayette, Contra Costa County) 

 

Twin Canyon History Prepared by Heritage Committee (June 2009)

 

Location:  Contra Costa County, at the end of Springhill Road, Lafayette, CA,

Description:  30 acres of a 65 acre parcel purchased by Diablo Valley Girl Scout Council in 1954.  The property is situated in two relatively flat canyons separated by a meadow and enclosed by steep hillsides. 

Acquisition:  Purchased by Diablo Valley Area Girl Scout Council in 1954.  It was financed by the sale of Girl Scout Cookies with an assist from direct donations and calendar sales.  It originally comprised 65 acres.  In May 1978, 35 acres were sold (at $1,000/acre) to the East Bay Regional Park District whose Briones Regional Park adjoins the property.  The park district wished to build a trail on the property and it was determined that the property was too steep and hilly for Girl Scout camping use.  The money earned from the sale was dedicated for future use at the camp.  A master plan was developed with priority being given to improvement of bathroom facilities.  A second priority was to obtain plans for building an all year building.

In l978, the adjacent Buckeye Ranch was sold.  It had been used for the Diablo Day Camp’s horse program.  This program continued for the next 7 years at Rancho Adobe in Walnut Creek.  The Buckeye Ranch property was purchased by a developer but it never passed a percolation test and ultimately was acquired by the East Bay Regional Park District.  Part of this property is used by the Diablo Day Camp for an archery range and a small portion is the site of the GSNC Site Manager’s home.

Facilities:  Sleeping cabin with wall-mounted heating unit, a refrigerator, electric range, microwave, electric coffee maker (and a sink to be installed summer of 2009), covered dining area (courtesy of the Rotary International in 1987, including Concord, Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Rossmoor and San Ramon Rotary Clubs)  with large built-in barbecue area (new grill built in 2003 by the Kiwanis Club of San Ramon Valley), picnic tables, storage cupboard and prep table; 8 outdoor units with picnic tables, prep table, double-sided barbecue (barbecue units rebuilt in 2002 in partnership with GSNC and DDC), storage cupboard (3 newly designed/built by DDC – all will be replaced within 2 years) and cold running water;  two bathroom facilities, each with 4 or 5 flush toilets and sinks with running water; shallow 25 foot long swimming pool with two changing rooms and bathrooms; campfire fire circle and log seating (rebuilt by DDC in 2009); an assembly area with log seating (rebuilt by DDC in 2008);  meeting room with an ice machine, two refrigerators and a freezer; a large stainless steel sink with spray hose and hot/cold running water (provided by DDC in 2007); grey water disposal area (designed/built by DDC in 2007); storage units for Diablo Day Camp,  a first aid building (courtesy of a team effort with DDC and the Kiwanis Club of San Ramon Valley in 2006), screened camp director’s building, wooden A-frame building, gravel parking lot

Program Use:  Troop camping and service unit events September – May, Diablo Day Camp from mid-May – August.  Each Diablo Day Camp session lasts for one week and is under the direction of volunteer directors and staff.  Each camp has a theme which is reflected in the program activities which include nature study, hiking,, crafts, archery, work on selected community services, some badge work and swimming.  At the Camp Twin Canyon site, a unique portion of the program includes the opportunity for campers to plan, prepare and cook their own lunch over charcoal fires and in Dutch and/or box ovens – a highlight is making ice cream in old-fashioned ice cream makers.  During the DDC summer sessions two lifeguards are hired to supervise the pool. 

History:  After much searching, this site was purchased in 1954.  It is heavily used because it is easily accessible – seemingly remote while actually being less than 15 minutes from nearby cities.  This makes it a perfect location for after school and weekend events.  The addition of a sleeping shelter and covered dining area makes it more attractive for use throughout the year.

The 1968 Diablo Day Camp flyer showed 6 associations (Alamo-Danville, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Pleasant Hill and Walnut Creek) sponsoring sessions at camp.  Each session was two weeks long and mostly led by one director.  Rather than themes, sessions were age specific or based on special interests.  Starting in l976, very general themes began appearing.  By 1982, the custom of theme based sessions had begun and continues to this day. 

Diablo Day Camp is run by a team of dedicated volunteers under the direction of Carol Ashimine (camp name, Firefly). She succeeded Dorothy Giboney in 2001 (camp name, Sand) who held the position for at least 25 years. The Diablo Day Camp Committee consists of representatives from the following service units:  East Contra Costa, Creekside, Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Orinda-Moraga, Las Trampas, San Ramon, Cresta Blanca, Diablo Shadows and Crossroads.  Many of these volunteers have a long history of volunteering at the camp.  The directors of each session also have a following of men and women who enthusiastically give of their time and talents.  Program Aides (here called Elves) also participate.  The camp regularly has more girls wanting to attend than can be accommodated.  Since 2002, a one week session has been run concurrently at Little Hills Ranch.  The camp has been fortunate in developing partnerships with both the Rotary and Kiwanis’ Clubs who have donated both time and materials to improve the camp property in conjunction with considerable monetary support from Diablo Day Camp. 

 

 

 

 

Cordelia

In mid-June members of the Council's Property Task Group, Board of Directors, staff and several interested members joined a tour of nine camp properties.  I travelled with my "Flip" video camera and narrated what I observed and learned along the way – If you catch any mistakes in what you hear me saying (I was trying to repeat what I was learning along the way), feel free to post corrections via comment below.   We also enjoyed reading property histories prepared by Ann Watrous and Lynne Armstrong, members of our Heritage Committee.  If you have additional history to share, we would love to receive your comments. 

 

The videos are very home made – I will try to stand still more next time --  but they may help give you a sense of the range and beauty of the Council's camp properties – as well as the resources required to maintain these properties – every road, gate, fence, drainage ditch, pool, bridge, gutter, roof, cot, tent, toilet, stove, water supply, and the list goes on. 

 

Understanding our properties and the resources required to maintain them, as well as the history and the value that our members place on the unique outdoor program experiences each property offers, are important parts of the Outdoor Program and Camp Property Assessment .   

Tour Video 6.19.09:  Cordelia (Fairfield, Solano County) 

Cordelia History:   Cordelia was a late addition to our tour, so we do not yet have the History, but please feel free to share what you know. 

The Cove

In mid-June members of the Council's Property Task Group, Board of Directors, staff and several interested members joined a tour of nine camp properties.  I travelled with my "Flip" video camera and narrated what I observed and learned along the way – If you catch any mistakes in what you hear me saying (I was trying to repeat what I was learning along the way), feel free to post corrections via comment below.   We also enjoyed reading property histories prepared by Ann Watrous and Lynne Armstrong, members of our Heritage Committee.  If you have additional history to share, we would love to receive your comments. 

 

The videos are very home made – I will try to stand still more next time --  but they may help give you a sense of the range and beauty of the Council's camp properties – as well as the resources required to maintain these properties – every road, gate, fence, drainage ditch, pool, bridge, gutter, roof, cot, tent, toilet, stove, water supply, and the list goes on. 

 

Understanding our properties and the resources required to maintain them, as well as the history and the value that our members place on the unique outdoor program experiences each property offers, are important parts of the Outdoor Program and Camp Property Assessment .   

Tour Video 6.19.09:  The Cove (Mt. Veeder, Napa County) 

The Cove History Prepared by the Heritage Committee (June 2009)

Location:  Napa County, Mt. Veeder Road, 10.5 miles from Napa and 6.5 miles from Oakville. or 6.5 miles from Oakville. 

Description:  160 acres of wooded property.

Acquisition:  In the late 1950’s, the Napa-Solano council established a camp committee to search for a suitable camp property in the council area.  In 1963, the 80-acre Cove site was purchased with cookie money and a Cove Committee was established to develop the property.  In 1976, Mr. and Mrs. Orlan Brune, long-time Girl Scouts and members of the Cove Committee, donated an additional 80 acres adjoining the existing Cove property. 

Facilities:  7 campsites, one cold water shower, 9 port-a-potties, campfire circle, large meadow and hiking trails.

 

 

 

 

Camp Bothin

In mid-June members of the Council's Property Task Group, Board of Directors, staff and several interested members joined a tour of nine camp properties.  I travelled with my "Flip" video camera and narrated what I observed and learned along the way – If you catch any mistakes in what you hear me saying (I was trying to repeat what I was learning along the way), feel free to post corrections via comment below.   We also enjoyed reading property histories prepared by Ann Watrous and Lynne Armstrong, members of our Heritage Committee.  If you have additional history to share, we would love to receive your comments. 

 

The videos are very home made – I will try to stand still more next time --  but they may help give you a sense of the range and beauty of the Council's camp properties – as well as the resources required to maintain these properties – every road, gate, fence, drainage ditch, pool, bridge, gutter, roof, cot, tent, toilet, stove, water supply, and the list goes on. 

 

Understanding our properties and the resources required to maintain them, as well as the history and the value that our members place on the unique outdoor program experiences each property offers, are important parts of the Outdoor Program and Camp Property Assessment .   

Camp Bothin Tour 6.19.09:  Camp Bothin (Fairfax, Marin County) 

Camp Bothin History Prepared By Heritage Committee (June 2009)

Location:  On Sir Francis Drake Blvd,1.5 miles west of Fairfax in Marin County.

Description: 152 acres of forested hills surrounding a secluded valley in west Marin County, half an hour north of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Facilities: The Bothin Complex (approx 30 acres) includes Little House, Lyman/Manor and Stone House, large dormitory-style buildings with beds, showers, flush toilets and kitchen facilities that are ideal for first time campers.  A swimming pool, spacious dining hall and community kitchen, playing field, crafts building, tent cabin complex, picnic area and hiking trails complete the camper facilities.  There are also two staff residences, a large maintenance/program storage building and repair shop on the property.

Program Use:  Bothin is used for resident camp, Troop and Association camping and Council events.  It is available to for rental to outside groups (availability for use by community groups is a stipulation of the grant deed)

History: The land was originally part of Pedro Sais’ Land Grant, known as Canada de Herrera.  After the Hearsts acquired the land in the early 1800’s for the Hearst Ranch, there were with gold mining ventures in the 1870’s and the development of a tunnel for a railroad in early 1900.  James Tunstead purchased the Hearst tract and sold part of it to Henry E. Bothin. There were rumors that Bothin was going to build a reservoir and open a luxury hotel on the land, however in 1903, Bothin met Miss. Elizabeth Ashe on the Sausalito Ferry and she told him of her plan to find a larger space to build a convalescent home in the country where woman and children could recover from acute illness.  Hill Farm Convalescent Home, was established in 1905 on 35 acres given by Henry E. Bothin.  Managed by the Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center and its founder Elizabeth Ashe, this land initially housed 30 patients in an old farmhouse and during the summer the mild climate allowed as many as 60 through the use of tents and cots. The contaminated air after the 1906 earthquake and fire contributed to the tuberculosis epidemic in the City.  In 1910, Bothin gave additional property to the Bothin Convalescent Corporation bringing the property up to152 acres. The old farm house was torn down and Manor House, was erected. It had deep sleeping porches and could accommodate 40 convalescent and tubercular children.  Stone house was added in 1919 for working women who needed rest and recuperation from illness.  As treatment methods changed, the need for sanitariums dropped and in 1948, Miss Ashe offered a small building now known as Little House to the San Francisco Girl Scout Council for Troop camping.  A few years later Manor House was made available for Girl Scout use and volunteers spent hundreds of hours cleaning, painting and repairing the buildings and in the summer of 1953 there were four camp sessions of five days each. The Camp Director and the cook were regular staff but 10 adult staff volunteered their services and 18 Senior Girl Scouts served as Program Aids. These sessions provided short term camping, adding an important piece in the progression of camping experience.  This included services to physically disabled and mentally retarded Girl Scouts.  In May of 1955, the Bothin property was offered to the Girl Scouts for its use for at least ten years.  Title to the property and a $25,000 endowment “for the benefit of women and children” was received in 1988 with the provision that all the undeveloped area (150 acres) be dedicated permanently to open space.  With the Council consolidation in 1963 Bothin and Arequipa came under the same ownership and became the Henry E. Bothin Youth Center.

 

 

Camp Arequipa

In mid-June members of the Council's Property Task Group, Board of Directors, staff and several interested members joined a tour of nine camp properties.  I travelled with my "Flip" video camera and narrated what I observed and learned along the way – If you catch any mistakes in what you hear me saying (I was trying to repeat what I was learning along the way), feel free to post corrections via comment below.   We also enjoyed reading property histories prepared by Ann Watrous and Lynne Armstrong, members of our Heritage Committee.  If you have additional history to share, we would love to receive your comments. 

 

The videos are very home made – I will try to stand still more next time --  but they may help give you a sense of the range and beauty of the Council's camp properties – as well as the resources required to maintain these properties – every road, gate, fence, drainage ditch, pool, bridge, gutter, roof, cot, tent, toilet, stove, water supply, and the list goes on. 

 

Understanding our properties and the resources required to maintain them, as well as the history and the value that our members place on the unique outdoor program experiences each property offers, are important parts of the Outdoor Program and Camp Property Assessment .   

June 19, 2009 Video:  Arequipa (Fairfax, Marin County) 

 

Arequipa History Prepared by Heritage Committee (June 2009)

 

Location:  On Sir Francis Drake Blvd, 1 mile west of Fairfax in Marin County.

Description: 47 acres in the rolling hills of west Marin County.

Facilities: Arequipa includes one dormitory style building with a small kitchen, two outdoor camping/picnic areas and a swimming pool.

Program Use:  Arequipa is used for Troop camping, Association events and summer Day Camp.  The site is available to for rental to outside groups (availability for use by community groups is a stipulation of the grant deed.

History:  The Arequipa (a Peruvian word meaning “Place of Rest”) Sanatorium was founded by Dr. Philip King Brown.  In his work with patients in the City after the 1906 earthquake and fire, Dr. Philip King Brown discovered that the TB rate for women was twice that of men.  He made plans to build a sanatorium to treat women exclusively and called on many influential Bay Area friends to help.  The land, located in Fairfax in western Marin County was donated by Henry Bothin, a Marin County philanthropist.  It had once belonged to Phoebe Apperson Hearst, a Brown family friend.  John Bakewell, a prominent San Francisco architect, donated his services and designed the graceful sanatorium and Phoebe Apperson Hearst donated the money for a laundry.  With the gift of $10,000 by an anonymous donor, Dr. Brown was able to open Arequipa on Sept. 1, 1911.  Conceived as a “school” where patients would learn to cure themselves through fresh air and bed rest, the sanatorium featured large wards screened from floor to ceiling, even in winter. Whenever possible, locally grown food was served and members of many Bay Area families donated money and goods.  Arequipa eventually had three wards, a small library, living room, bathrooms, a dining room and examining rooms.  Dr. Brown believed that if the patients had something to occupy themselves, they would spend less time worrying about their disease and would heal more quickly.  He began to experiment with various types of occupational therapy and in 1911, decided to open a pottery. He secured the services of Frederick Rhead, a prominent English ceramist, to run the Arequipa Pottery and with the help of local artists, the tubercular women engaged in therapeutic handcrafts to combat idleness and avoid the stigma of charity. The master potters were responsible for shaping the green ware; however the surface decorations were added by the patients either in the form of designs painted on the surface or patterns carved into the damp clay.  Arequipa Pottery is a prized collectible today, and fine examples can be seen at The Oakland Museum and the Smithsonian Institution.  With the discovery of antibiotics in the 1940s and their use in the fight against TB in the 1950s, it became possible to treat patients at home and admissions to the sanatorium dwindled.  By the end of the decade it was apparent that Arequipa was no longer needed and it was closed in 1957.  The terms of the deed limited the use of the land to non-profit and non-commercial use and from 57 to 59 the land was used by Crippled Children’s Society but the property was not suitable for the needs of the society. In 1960 the property was leased to the Marin Girl Scout Council for use as a camp for $1 per year. Renovations began and a $14,000 pool was built by the Arequipa Foundation, improvements were made to Brown House, the Nurses quarters were converted into the office and the name changed to Steinau House and the new camp was dedicated on November 5, 1961.  Brown House, not deemed safe for use was torn down in 1984.


 

May 21, 2009

Update on Council Restructuring and Cost Reductions

Dear Members and Friends of Girl Scouts of Northern California,

As I mentioned in my April 24 update to members, Girl Scouts of Northern California is feeling the effects of the recession.  We must reduce our operating budget by $3 million – a 20% reduction – between 2009 and 2010.  Together with our Board, our senior staff identified guiding priorities (summarized below) and, based on these priorities, we are making the changes to Council operations that are outlined in this email.   There is no easy way to reduce costs by 20%, and these changes will impact each community in different ways.  It is my hope that we will work together to get through this challenging time and emerge with strong troops, engaged volunteers and, most importantly, girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place. 

I recognize that this email provides far more detail than many of you will be interested in knowing.  I have provided a “headlines” summary and more detailed information for those who are interested.  Members who would like additional information or have questions or suggestions, should also feel free to contact me:  mpark@girlscoutsnorcal.org. 

HEADLINES

·        Budget gap.  Girl Scouts of Northern California is adjusting its operations to close a $3 million revenue gap.

·        Priorities.  We are guided by priorities established with the Board and reflecting our vision and core strength.

·        Changes in Outreach.  We are scaling back outreach programs to match the funding we have in place and are establishing a volunteer Girl Scout Corps to transform the way in which our Council supports “Girl Scouting for all girls everywhere.” 

·        Impact on operations and staff.  Operations in all areas of the Council will be affected.  We are eliminating 17.5 regular staff positions including 10.5 positions through a staff reduction in force.  We also are reducing staff compensation and benefits.  And we will be winding down temporary staff positions as we complete programs – a total of 58.25 temp positions will be eliminated.

·        Retail Shops and Offices.  All of the Council’s retail shops and offices will be closed to the public on Thursdays, starting June 1.  This will free up shop and customer service staff to help the Council get by with a reduced administrative staff.  Members with meetings and appointments will, of course, be welcome.     

  • Fairfield office.  The Fairfield office and shop will be closed to the public as of June 12.  Membership and program staff

  • will remain in the community, and we are exploring options for a scaled-back office space for these staff.  At present we are exploring a possible renovation of the Cordelia Program Center for use by members and staff and also are working with local members to determine how best to meet their retail needs.
  • Looking ahead.  We appreciate all that our members do for girls in our communities.  Our staff and Board, while saddened by the need to lay off dedicated staff, are looking forward to the future – we are here for the girls and the girls are ready to go – even if the global economy is not.

MORE DETAILS

Budget realities.  Gifts and grants are down significantly as is revenue from programs, rentals and investments.  Based on year to date results, we expect our 2009 revenue to be about $2 million less than our budget.   We have identified $1.7 million in cost reductions from this year’s budget, and we believe that the measures described in this email will enable us to close the remaining $300,000 gap.  As we look ahead to the 2010 budget year (which will begin October 1, 2009) we need to sustain this year’s $2 million in budget cuts and we need to cut a further $1 million in costs in order to achieve a balanced budget.  To put this in simple terms, our Council started this fiscal year on October 1, 2008, with a $15.7 million expense budget.  We need to cut the 2009 budget by 20% and start the 2010 fiscal year on October 1, 2009, with a $12.7 million expense budget. 

Guiding priorities.  A 20% reduction in expenses requires changes in business as usual.  Together with our Board, our senior staff identified the following six core priorities to guide a restructuring of the way our Council serves our members and our communities and the way we generate and use resources. 

  • Focus resources on development and support of volunteer-led troops and interest groups.
  • A fun and rewarding cookie program
  • Vibrant, but scaled back, enrichment and camp programs
  • A new model for delivering funded program initiatives, outreach troops and outreach programs – so that the size and scale of these programs matches the actual funding, and we build new opportunities for volunteers to support these programs
  • Sustain relationships with donors and community partners 
  • Be a relevant and visible community resource

Operational changes.

·        Elimination of staff positions. Effective June 1, 2009, the Council is eliminating 17.5 regular staff positions and winding down 58.25 temporary staff positions.  Because of the hiring freeze we implemented last fall, 7 of the eliminated positions are vacant.  Unfortunately, we will be laying off 10 wonderful and committed staff and shifting one other to a half time schedule.  Their last days at work will vary, with most departing between Friday, May 29 and Friday, June 12.  I would like to express my deep gratitude to the staff who will be leaving Girl Scouts of Northern California and thank them for their dedication to our mission.  These are sad but necessary changes to ensure the financial stability of our Council.  The charts below show that almost all areas of the Council have experienced some impact on staffing: 

Office & Position Eliminations

Chico

Eureka

Fairfield

Oakland

Redding

/ Red Bluff / Yreka

San Jose

Santa Rosa

Total

Regular staff

0

0

4

7

2

4

0.5

17.5

Temp staff

4

3

2

24.25

6

15

4

58.25

·        Changes in staff positions.  As part of the structural changes we also are moving some staff from management positions into direct service positions and other staff into expanded positions.  A roster of the Council’s Senior Leadership Team is posted on the website [add link].

·        Changes in staff compensation and benefits.  We did not award merit pay increases to staff in 2009, and we will continue that indefinitely.  I will be taking a 20% pay cut effective June 1, and other members of the Executive Team will be taking a 5% pay cut.  We also are reducing paid time off benefits for staff.  We will make decisions about 2010 staff compensation and benefits when we have more information from our benefits providers.

·        Scaled back outreach troops and programs.  We are scaling back troops and programs serving girls in underserved communities so that we are only delivering such programs to the extent that we have funding and volunteers available to support these programs.  Our 2009 budget included 58.25 temporary staff positions supporting these programs.  As the current school year winds down, most of these temporary positions will be ending and regular staff (who have been managing the temporary staff and supporting volunteers) will continue this work to the extent that we have funding to support the work. 

·        Formation of Girl Scout Corps.  Our grant-funded work in underserved communities has endowed Girl Scouts of Northern California with a wealth of program materials, community connections and staff experience working with girls in challenging circumstances.  Our goal is to use the downturn as an opportunity to form a volunteer Girl Scout Corps with training and staff support focused on engaging girls in volunteer led troops and interest groups serving these communities.  A senior member of the Council’s membership department will coordinate Girl Scout Corps – working with the Council’s Membership, Adult Development and Program departments to build a vibrant and sustainable model.  If you are interested in learning more, please send an email to the Council’s Senior Director of Membership, Dolores Reveles:  dreveles@girlscoutsnorcal.org.

·        Reduced retail shop and public office hours.  Effective June 1, all of the Council’s offices and retail shops will be closed to the public on Thursdays.  This is necessary because we are reducing administrative positions to support our goal of keeping direct support staff in the field.  Customer service staff who support the shops and “front desks” in the Council’s retail shop locations will use Thursdays to help fill in the gaps left by the elimination of administrative positions.  Members will, of course, be welcome to visit offices on Thursdays if they have a scheduled appointment or meeting on these days.  In addition, all shops and offices will be closed between December 24 and January 3, 2010. 

·        Non-staff cost reductions.  Staff and property are the Council’s biggest expenses.  We also have been carefully managing other expenses and will continue to do so – these include supplies, mileage expenses, restrictions on travel and conferences, etc. 

  • Re-assignment of Community Development Directors.   The Council’s 29 Community Development Directors (CDDs) support Service Units and work with community partners to sustain Girl Scouting in each community they serve.   This is the largest staff group in the Council, and we need to use this resource wisely.  We have re-assigned CDDs to accomplish the following goals: 
    • Equalize the work loads: -- so that each CDD supports approximately four Service Units and each Membership Director manages a similar number of CDDs (to the extent practical given our Council’s geography);
    • Reduce mileage expenses and driving time -- so that CDDs are supporting Service Units that are close to their homes; and
    • Reorganize the Membership staff so that we have fewer staff with management and administrative responsibilities and retain as many direct support CDDs in the field as possible.  This reorganization explained in greater detail under “Changing Boundaries” below.
  • Changing boundaries.   We have made changes to help support our effort to streamline management and distribute work-loads.  The chart below illustrates how we are re-distributing the work load within the Membership Department. 

Area

# of Counties

# of girl members

# of Service Units

# of Membership Directors

# of CDDs

Greater Bay Area – South Bay and Peninsula

3 (Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco)

17,267

27

1

8

Greater Bay Area – East Bay and Marin

4 (Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Marin)

20,684

27

1

10

North Coast

 

6  (Napa, Lake, Sonoma, Mendocino, Humboldt, Del Norte)

7,504

26

1

7

North Central

6 (Butte, Glenn, Tehama, Shasta, Trinity, Siskiyou)

2,895

20

1

4

    • Greater Bay Area:  We are adding Solano County to the 6 counties previously included in the Greater Bay Area and we are changing the way we manage membership and product sales in these areas as noted below.  These changes are primarily for purposes of managing the Council’s staff – the impact on members should be minimal, except that there will be some staff re-assignments.
      • South Bay and Peninsula:  Santal Clara, San Mateo and San Francisco counties

        will be supported by the following staff teams: 
        • Membership:  Joscelyn Lampman will be taking on a new role as the Membership Director for these 3 counties.  Joscelyn lives in Millbrae (San Mateo County) and previously served as a Senior CDD in the Oakland-based membership department, supporting Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties.
        • Product Sales:  Nancy Kenyon will be taking on an expanded role as Product Sales Director, supporting these three counties.  Nancy previously served as the Product Sales Director for Santa Clara County.   
      • East Bay and Marin:  Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano and Marin counties

        will be supported by the staff teams shown below.  We recognize that for some Napa County members who live in the town of Napa and south, it may be easier to connect with Girl Scouts in Solano County for Service Unit meetings, pick up of forms, product sales, etc. – and we will definitely work with these members to make this happen. 
        • Membership:  Becky Thorndike will serve as the Membership Director for these 4 counties.  Toni Aclaro who had served as the Membership Director for Napa and Solano counties will continue to work in membership and also will take a lead role in establishing the volunteer Girl Scout Corps. 
        • Product Sales:  Sally Blaze will serve as the Product Sales Director for these 4 counties.
    • North Coast Area:  This Area will now include Napa, together with Sonoma, Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties.  We will be adding a Product Sales coordinator to support North Coast product sales. 

    • North Central Area:  This Area will no longer include Napa and Solano counties.  Jane Ziad's communications and  fund development responsibilities will expand to include the role of Director for the North Central Area which includes the following 6 counties:  Butte, Glenn, Tehama, Shasta, Trinity and Siskiyou.   Jane also will serve as a member of the Council’s Senior Leadership Team.  Unfortunately, we have had to eliminate the positon of the part time staff member who was based in Yreka.  Staff located in Mt. Shasta and in the Redding Office will be responsible for supporting members in Siskiyou county.  We will be closing the Yreka office which is located in the local community center. 

  • Expanded role of Adult Development.  We have learned during the first 18 months of our merger that both operational volunteers and governance volunteers would like more opportunities to connect and give input across our far flung Council.  Carolyn Stevens, who served as the Senior Director of the "North Central Area" when it included Napa and Solano counties, will be shifting her focus to adult development, with particular attention to developing training and support for Council Delegates.  Carolyn will remain a member of the Council’s Senior Leadership Team in her new role as the Director, Adult Development and Member Relations.
  • Relocation of the Fairfield business office.  We will be relocating the Fairfield business office to a smaller (lower cost) location, to be determined.  We are looking into the feasibility of restoring the Cordelia Program Center (several minutes away from the Fairfield Business Office) to serve as a home base for program and membership staff serving Napa, Solano and East Contra Costa counties and to provide a meeting and program space for volunteers and troops.   June 12 will be the last day that the Fairfield business office and retail shop will be open to the public.  Staff will continue to use this space until we have identified an alternate location in Solano County.  If the Cordelia Program Center option pans out, we hope to have the Center ready for service by mid-summer.  Because Program and Membership staff spend a lot of time out in the field, we will not be able to support regular public office hours at their new location.  This summer we will explore with local members how best to meet their retail shop needs.  Our Chief Program and Membership Officer, Michelle McCormick, began these discussions with Napa and Solano County members during late April and will continue to make sure that we are making the best use of our resources to meet the needs of girls and volunteers in these communities.   For those of you who are not familiar with the Cordelia Program Center, it was the headquarters of the Napa Solano Council until it was flooded for the 3rd time on New Year's Eve in 2005.  It is a lovely building on over one acre of park-like land, that has been used in the past for day camp and sleep-overs.  We recognize the risk of returning to a flood zone and, if we decide to re-open the Cordelia Program Center, will be designing and furnishing the space accordingly.   
  • Outdoor Program and Property.  We have postponed budget and operating decisions about camps and camp properties for 2010 until we have completed this summer’s camp season and the member survey on Outdoor Program.  Camp enrollment is strong this summer, but even with this, we will not break even on the direct costs of operating Council-run camps.  We will be considering all possibilities, including “mothballing” some camps and / or properties, extending camp seasons at other camps (which helps us reduce the cost per girl), and opening up camp properties for troop and third party rentals during the summer months.  To help volunteers plan their 2010 summers, our goal is to announce these decisions by early September 2009.  We hope to get the member survey on Outdoor Program to members by early June – we had hoped to send it to you during April, but had to shift our focus to the matters addressed in this email.  The Property Task Group and Board long term assessment of the Council’s camp properties and outdoor program will continue – our short term planning for the 2010 budget is not in any way intended to replace the long term plan that I have outlined in past emails and that we discussed with members at the annual meeting.  If interested in past emails on this subject, you can view them at my blog under “camp programs and properties”:  http://girlscoutsnorcalceo.typepad.com/marinas_member_updates/
  • Changes in Fund Development.  Our biggest revenue decline has been in grants and corporate giving.  It is important to sustain our relationships with the Council’s donors and funders; however, most indications are that the declines in foundation and corporate giving are likely to continue for some time.  As a result we have decided to eliminate the position of Senior Director, Grants and Corporate Relations.  The Council’s grants team will work directly with Nikki Van Ausdall, Chief Communications and Fund Development Officer.  Bernie Hoye, who has served as Senior Director, Grants and Corporate Relations and who also ran the Santa Clara County Beyond Cookies and Camping event, did an excellent job merging the Council’s grant operations.  I would like to express my appreciation to Bernie for her service to the Council as a committed member of the Senior Leadership Team during our first 18 months as Girl Scouts of Northern California. 
  • Administrative operations.  The 2010 expense budget in the areas of Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology and Administration will be significantly less than the 2009 expense budget.  The big areas of savings are:  1) completion of major post-merger IT infrastructure projects; and 2) elimination of the planned Chief Administration and Governance Officer position; and 3) continued streamlining of post-merger finance operations.  We will be making improvements to our membership registration, HR information and payroll systems during 2010 that we believe will continue to help us reduce costs.  The Council also is facing anticipated increases in property, casualty and earthquake insurance associated with our properties and operations.

This has been a challenging time for the Council’s staff.  They have endured a period of great uncertainty as we worked through the restructuring plan outlined in this email.  And they have done so with courage, confidence and character – always with an eye on what is best for the girls.  I am very thankful to work with such good people.  And I am very sad that we have to say good bye to some of them. 

I know that these changes will also present challenges for some of our members – I ask, if you have complaints, to please bring them to my attention.  I would like our staff to be able to dedicate their attention and energy to building a positive future for Girl Scouting in each of our communities.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or suggestions. 

Marina

mpark@girlscoutsnorcal.org