Camp FAQs
Do I have to be a Girl Scout?, Inclusion, Financial Assistance
Do I have to be a Girl Scout to attend camp?
All girls are welcome and will benefit from attending our camps. Girls who are not members of Girl Scouts when they sign up for camp pay $12 in addition to the fee and become registered members.
Who goes to Girl Scout camp?
Our camps are open to all girls of appropriate age, regardless of race, nationality, religious affiliation, sexual orientation and disability. We welcome girls of all physical and mental abilities, and every effort will be made to make reasonable accommodations for special needs. Call us at 617 350 8335 to schedule a meeting to select programs that suit your child.
Is Financial Assistance available?
Yes. Financial assistance is available to girls living in one of Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts communities. Financial assistance is available for girls who, without this assistance, could not attend a Girl Scout day or resident camp. Assistance is given for only a portion of the two weeks of day or resident camp so that we may meet the needs of as many girls as possible. All information will be kept confidential.
To apply, please submit:
- Camp Registration Form: All forms must include deposit of $25.
- Financial Aid Application: Every question must be answered.
- If the camper is not currently a Girl Scout, include the $12 membership fee with your camp deposit.
The Review Process: Beginning in February, action will be taken to review newly received Financial Assistance applications on a monthly basis (Feb-June).
The balance of the full fee (camp fee minus Financial Assistance granted and deposit) is due May 1 for girls attending camp in June/July, and June 1 for girls attending in August
If you need to cancel, GSEM must be notified in writing at four weeks before the start of the session you are canceling. Otherwise you will be responsible for the entire camp fee.
Physical Exam, Family Visits, Transportation, Staff
Do I have to have a physical exam to attend camp?
Campers must have had a physical exam within 24 months of entering camp. A completed Health History form including a record of that exam and of immunizations must be signed by a licensed physician and submitted to the council by May 3.
Can my family visit me at camp?
We encourage family adults to visit camp during Open House and when they drop off or pick up their campers. Visits and calls while camp is in session can be disruptive and cause homesickness and disappointment among girls whose family adults do not visit or call.
How do I get to and from camp?
Bus service to Resident Camps will run from Boston, Braintree and Burlington for $50 each way. Buses may be cancelled by GSEM due to insufficient enrollment. Bus service to and from the ferry is available for island residents attending camp at Wind-in-the-Pines. To sign up, please call 508-224-2002 after June 18th. Questions? Email mschafer@girlscoutseasternmass.org.
How is the staff selected?
Experience, skills, certifications, care, responsibility and character are foremost qualifications in our staff. The council does criminal background and reference checks. Resident camp staff receive a week of training before the camp season begins.
Buddies, Food, Facilities, Tents, Bathrooms
I want to bunk in the same tent as my friend at resident camp. Can this be guaranteed?
99.9%, if two friends are enrolled in the same program and both of them indicate one another as buddies on the registration form. Just one buddy per camper, please.
How do picky eaters survive at resident camp?
We serve things that have been traditionally popular with the majority of girls of all ages summer after summer, and we always have an alternative to the main dish. Our meals and snacks are well-balanced and nutritious. Vegetarians and girls with dietary restrictions can be accommodated with tasty, varied and healthy meals.
What are the tents and bathroom facilities like?
Resident campers sleep in platform tents, cabins, tentalos or yurts, depending on the camp. All camps have showers.
Camp Favorite: platform tents, flush toilets
Camp Runels: platform tents, yurts, tentalos, flush toilets, latrines
Camp Wabasso: cabins, platform tents, flush toilets
Camp Wind-in-the-Pines: platform tents, flush toiletsCabin: enclosed wooden structure; cots and mattresses
Platform tent: large, house-shaped tent with raised wooden flooring; cots and mattresses
Tentalo: wood-framed, like a cabin, with canvas walls; built-in bunks with mattresses
Yurt: round canvas tent with skylight, on wooden decking; cots and mattresses
See images ...Counselors sleep in separate accommodations within sight and hearing of the girls. Meals are served in the dining hall unless a group is cooking out.