“Hooverpalooza!” an event to prepare first and second-grade Girl Scouts for their first trip to Girl Scout Camp Hoover, was presented April 23 by Fanwood-Scotch Plains fifth-grade Junior Girl Scout troop 40857.  The older girls passed along their camp expertise to 3 younger troops, including tips on what to bring and not bring to camp, 10 ways to use a bandanna, how to make and trade SWAPs (souvenir pins) and how to make GORP (trail mix). To finish the afternoon, the girls taught some of their favorite camp songs and led a “friendship circle.”  The younger girls left the workshop at Terrill Middle School with a clip-on booklet of camp songs and extra excitement about their upcoming camp trip.

In addition to “Hooverpalooza!” Troop 40857 presented this workshop to three other younger troops at individual troop meetings, all in advance of the Fanwood-Scotch Plains Camporee on May 18-20 when all FSP Girl Scout troops visit Camp Hoover in Sussex County.  The younger girls, who will visit camp on Saturday only, will be well prepared after attending “Hooverpalooza!”  In organizing the workshop the girls of Junior Troop 40857 gained leadership experience as a requirement towards the Bronze Award, the highest award in Junior Girl Scouts.

Fanwood-Scotch Plains is one of 138 communities in Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey, which builds girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.  It is the premier leadership organization for young women and serves over 25,000 girls and 11,000 adult members in the counties of Hudson, Essex, Union, Somerset, Hunterdon, southern Warren and parts of Middlesex. For more information, call (908) 518-4400 or go to http://www.GSHNJ.org.