Frequently Asked Questions
Do we REALLY need 7 camps - especially the two that are so close to each other?
No one knows.
GSNEO has been working to keep camp usage down since 2007 by mandate and by mismanagement .
Members complained that they couldn't get campsites. You'd think that would have caused some concern that maybe we didn't have enough camps. But no. Instead, members were told to find themselves some non-girl scout camps. Or to "widen their search" ( Can't find a site big enough or your whole service unit event in May? Have it in December ! But you wanted boating? Sorry. Why don't you decide to do a planetarium program instead? )
Re two camps close together:
It's not the distance apart that matters. Crowell/ Hilaka and Ledgewood are 10 miles apart. So what? The thing that matters is having enough space for all the members who want to camp at GSNEO sites. The two camps are right between Cleveland and Akron - the highest population density area in the council. THAT is what is significant. Girls in Cuyahoga County alone make up 20% of the council. They need camps in reachable distance. Will all of them fit at Ledgewood? Unlikely. And if they did, where would the girls from Akron area camp? or girls from Medina - the fastest growing county in the council?
For a comparable situation, consider our National Parks and Monuments. How many National Parks do we need? How about if we scale back and get rid of a few? It would save money. Take the Grand Canyon. It's just a big, empty ditch. Put it it to use as a landfill. And what's with all the national parks so close together in Utah ? Five of them! Ohio only has one. Some states don't have any. Is that fair? Not only that, but Zion and Bryce are just 60 miles apart. One of them has got to go. Finally - there is no good reason to keep that Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. Hardly any immigrants come in that way any more and it's expensive to keep up. Melt it down and recycle it. Disagree? Your'e just being emotional.
No one knows.
GSNEO has been working to keep camp usage down since 2007 by mandate and by mismanagement .
Members complained that they couldn't get campsites. You'd think that would have caused some concern that maybe we didn't have enough camps. But no. Instead, members were told to find themselves some non-girl scout camps. Or to "widen their search" ( Can't find a site big enough or your whole service unit event in May? Have it in December ! But you wanted boating? Sorry. Why don't you decide to do a planetarium program instead? )
Re two camps close together:
It's not the distance apart that matters. Crowell/ Hilaka and Ledgewood are 10 miles apart. So what? The thing that matters is having enough space for all the members who want to camp at GSNEO sites. The two camps are right between Cleveland and Akron - the highest population density area in the council. THAT is what is significant. Girls in Cuyahoga County alone make up 20% of the council. They need camps in reachable distance. Will all of them fit at Ledgewood? Unlikely. And if they did, where would the girls from Akron area camp? or girls from Medina - the fastest growing county in the council?
For a comparable situation, consider our National Parks and Monuments. How many National Parks do we need? How about if we scale back and get rid of a few? It would save money. Take the Grand Canyon. It's just a big, empty ditch. Put it it to use as a landfill. And what's with all the national parks so close together in Utah ? Five of them! Ohio only has one. Some states don't have any. Is that fair? Not only that, but Zion and Bryce are just 60 miles apart. One of them has got to go. Finally - there is no good reason to keep that Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. Hardly any immigrants come in that way any more and it's expensive to keep up. Melt it down and recycle it. Disagree? Your'e just being emotional.