Girl Scouts to close Camp Sugarbush
Staff and ONO report
MACEDONIA
Camp Sugarbush in Trumbull County is one of five northeastern Ohio Girl Scout camps that will close to save money for the organization, The Girl Scouts of North East Ohio announced this weekend.
That will leave only two camps to serve 40,000 Northeast Ohio scouts, officials said.
Camps staying open are Ledgewood in Peninsula and Timberlane in Erie County’s Wakeman.
Set to shut down and be sold are the following camps: Crowell/Hilaka in Richfield, Great Trail in Carroll County, Lejnar in Lake County’s Leroy Township, Pleasant Valley in Seneca County and Sugarbush in Trumbull County.
Camp Sugarbush is on State Route 88 in Kinsman. It is a 200-acre camping site with indoor recreational facilities.
The decision was announced at the organization’s annual spring general assembly at its Macedonia headquarters.
The Girl Scouts of North East Ohio board had voted to close the five camps last month.
But news of the March vote seeped out, and a couple dozen Scouts, family members and volunteers came to the building Saturday hoping to influence a change.
Rachel Oppenheimer, a volunteer from Berea, questioned how two camps could serve a membership of that size spread over 18 counties.
Volunteer scout leader Pamme O’Bryan of Garrettsville said, “When you get rid of five camp properties, you are closing opportunities. I have heard of girls who join in the 10th grade because they want a high-adventure experience.”
Officials said the moves will save a great deal of money.
Brent Gardner, co-chairman of the organization’s property committee, said the organization has spent about $1 million a year subsidizing the camps.
The [Cleveland] Plain Dealer of the Ohio News Organization contributed to this report.