Mapleton girls attend weeklong summer Scout camp
MAPLETON NEWS
by Jennifer Buzza
After working for several months to earn a free week at Camp Natarswi, two local Girl Scouts finally had a chance to enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Allison Morton, a Daisy Girl Scout, and Courtney Harding, a Brownie Girl Scout, both of Mapleton, each spent one week at the Girl Scout camp located near Millinocket, just outside of Baxter State Park.
Contributed photo
DAISY GIRL SCOUT Allison Morton of Mapleton enjoyed a week at Camp Natarswi this summer. Allison worked very hard during her Girl Scout fundraisers, selling magazines, nuts and cookies to earn her free week at camp. She is excited to return to camp next summer and according to her mother, she “is already planning what color flashlight she will pack!”
In order to earn a free week at one of two Girl Scout camps located in Maine, the girls had to complete a 10-step process, of which included participating and selling a predetermined number of magazine subscriptions and canned nuts in the 2010 fall product sale and selling a minimum of 300 boxes of Girl Scout cookies during the 2011 cookie sale. According to Allison’s mother, Suzanne Morton, “The hardest step was selling 300 boxes of cookies, but we made it!”
For this story, I asked each mother to interview their daughter about their first experience at Girl Scout camp. Suzanne Morton said that Allison had such a great time at camp. “I loved hearing all her stories when I picked her up at the end of the week.” Allison spent six days at Camp Natarswi and celebrated her seventh birthday while away. “She’s always been the adventurous kid in our family and I wasn’t surprised that she wanted to try Girl Scout camp.”
When asked what she knew about Girl Scout camp before this summer, Allison said, “It (the Camp) was in the woods and I knew that I would have a fun time there. I knew my Papa used to work at Baxter State Park near where the camp was and that my Mom spent her summers as a kid living about a mile from Camp Natarswi.” Allison was very excited upon her arrival, but said she was sad when her mother left. “But we (other Scouts) played a game and then I was happy again!”
Looking back on her week, Allison said, “My favorite part about camp was the desserts at supper because you never knew what they were going to be! One night we had to eat pudding with whipped cream without using our hands!” In contrast, she said her least favorite part was the cold lake water. “We did a polar bear dip once in the very early morning and the water was freezing!”
Allison would encourage other Girl Scouts to attend Camp Natarswi because “it is awesome” and “really, really fun!” In fact, she is already planning what color flashlight she plans to take with her next summer!
Contributed photo
BROWNIE GIRL SCOUT Courtney Harding of Mapleton spent her first week away from home and her family at Camp Natarswi Girl Scout camp near Baxter State Park this summer. Courtney worked very hard during her Girl Scout fundraisers, selling magazines, nuts and cookies to earn her free week at camp. “I felt sad that I was going to have to leave camp, and happy that I was going to see my Mom and Dad and brother soon!”
Courtney Harding attended Camp Natarswi for the first time from July 31-Aug. 6. According to her mother, Dina Harding, this was Courtney’s first time at an overnight camp, as well as her first time away without her family. Like Allison, Courtney didn’t battle homesickness long. When she first arrived she was so excited she said, “I couldn’t stop smiling!”
Courtney’s favorite activities included canoeing and swimming. She noted that she was able to dive off a dock and “I saw a four-inch long fish right next to me while I was swimming!” Her group also enjoyed a long hike “to see if we could find any moose or deer. It took us over an hour to go to another lake area … it was beautiful! I took five pictures of the lake when we got there!”
Like Allison, Courtney stayed in a cabin. “I thought we would be in tents, but we had cool cabins to sleep in! I was also surprised that we had outhouses near our cabins!”
Other memorable moments for Courtney were making new friends and various craft projects along with the nighttime campfires. “We had three campfires during the week. We had two very big campfires with all the girls there at the beginning of the week and again at the end of the week. The other campfire we had in the middle of the week was just for the girls in our Pamola campground area. We sang silly songs and made s’mores.”
Allison is the seven-year-old daughter of Chris and Suzanne Morton of Mapleton. Courtney is the eight-year-old daughter of John and Dina Harding of Mapleton. Both girls are members of Presque Isle Troop 1137, led by Dina Harding and Roxanne Poole, and they are looking forward to attending camp again next summer!
This year Camp Natarswi celebrated its 75th anniversary hosting special events throughout the camp season. According to the Girl Scouts of Maine website, “Camp Natarswi is a 30-acre rustic camp located within the boundaries of Baxter State Park about 18 miles from Millinocket. The camp is open from late May to early October. In the summer, Natarswi hosts a resident camp led by trained staff and serves girls 7-17. In June, August and September it hosts several mini camp weekends for troops. Natarswi is available for troops and groups at all other times it is open.”
Girl Scouts of Maine provides services and support to over 16,000 girl and adult members statewide and builds girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. For information on Girl Scouts or to volunteer, call 1-888-922-4763 or visit www.girlscoutsofmaine.org.
Birthdays
Birthday wishes this week go out to Mary Potter, Ashton Luppon, Tim Wood, Bev Greenier, Maggie McQuade, Norma C. Johnson, Rhonda Bagley, Amanda Wilcox, Louise McPherson, Nathan Gardiner, Alek Bushey, Audrey Christie, Steven R. Smith, Valerie DeLong, Desiree Luzzi, Sara Jean Gilson, Kevin Carter, Jennifer Smith, Arjuna Caleb Elliott, Pete Pendexter, Dan Edgecomb, Gedeon Martin and Troy Stephenson.
Anniversaries
Happy anniversary wishes this week to Dana and Winnie Ireland on the 23rd and Bob and Nancy Vigue on the 25th.
Congratulations!
On Sunday, Sept. 25, the Miss Maine Day Pageant, sponsored in part by the Pepsi Co., was held at the Crooker Theater at Brunswick High School in Brunswick. Elizabeth Collins, daughter of Michelle and Darren Collins of Mapleton, participated and tied for the interview portion of the competition. Congratulations, Elizabeth!
MPO meeting
The next meeting of the Mapleton Parents Organization will be Thursday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m. in Mapleton Elementary School’s art room. The fall fundraiser orders for Art to Remember are due Friday, Oct. 21. Please consider placing an order to support the MPO and student activities. These items make great personal gifts, especially with Christmas approaching. The school is continuing to collect box tops and soup labels. Please send them to school with a student or drop them off in the front office. As always, the MPO thanks families for their support!
Baked potato dinner
The Mapleton United Methodist Church will be hosting a baked potato buffet Saturday, Oct. 22 from 5-6:30 p.m. at the church. Guests will be able to fix their baked potatoes as they desire from a variety of toppings (sour cream, chives, cheese sauce, bacon bits, chili and more) all for a donation. Salad, punch and dessert will also be served.
Bible study
A community Bible study called “Better Together” is a study that focuses on fulfilling our lives’ purpose in community with others. This six-week study will start Monday, Oct. 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the home of Beth Pickens. Everyone is welcome. For more information, call Beth at 764-3190.
Harvest supper and Pumpkin Night
The public is invited to celebrate God’s bountiful harvest at the West Chapman Advent Christian Church. There will be a traditional Thanksgiving feast Saturday, Nov. 5 at 5:30 p.m. The feast will be followed by a time of rejoicing at the annual Pumpkin Night. This is a time for everyone to bring in a decorated pumpkin to show off. The theme this year is Bible heroes. So think of a hero and get decorating! There will be singing, laughing and simply a fun time!
Jennifer Buzza is the correspondent for Mapleton, Castle Hill and Chapman. She can be reached at 760-9115 or by e-mail at jbuzza@ainop.com.
