Empower Her Case Statement

EMPOWER HER The campaign to transform our camps and our girls

EMPOWERING GIRLS WHO WILL MAKE NO APOLOGIES FOR CHANGING THE WORLD. There’s a place where girls can go to get away and come alive. It’s a place she’ll visit when she’s young, and then revisit in her mind for the rest of her life.

When it’s time to leave, she’ll pack up her journal and her sleeping bag, and then she’ll pack up the life lessons, the leadership skills and the selfempowerment that she gained while she was there.

She’ll head for home, but she won’t ever be the same.

That’s because from now on, she’ll have a little camp in her. And while she may not know it now, the woman she’s going to become will be forever grateful.

s l i a r t These m r o f s n tra THE EMPOWER HER CAMPAIGN will raise capital for the enhancement of four Girl Scouts of Western Ohio camps. Studies show that outdoor experiences are essential to leadership development in girls, and this campaign will enable the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio to remain leaders in providing quality outdoor experiences.

Since 2013, there has been a 46% increase in camp attendance. With the funding from this comprehensive campaign, we will be able to offer our girls the experiences and facilities they deserve by making significant, state-of-the-art improvements.

As the sixth largest council in the country, Girl Scouts of Western Ohio has the ability to leave a truly momentous mark on our future leaders—and much of that begins with what our girls take away from camp. By contributing to this life-changing campaign, you will not only be investing in a better camp experience for 39,000 girls in western Ohio, you’ll also be doing your part to help EMPOWER HER.

3 E M P O W E R H E R

GSWO Camps Benefiting from this Campaign

CAMP BUTTERWORTH In addition to improvements to existing buildings, a new multipurpose shelter will be constructed.

Updates to parking, internet access, restrooms and signage will help to improve camper safety.

CAMP LIBBEY The addition of overnight accommodations in the Environment Center will provide up-close environmental learning. Campers will also benefit from a number of facility improvements to infrastructure, as well as more accessible viewing in the amphitheater.

CAMP STONYBROOK A new lodge and multipurpose shelter will be constructed, and updates to two lodges will be made to accommodate year-round housing for troops and camp staff. Restrooms and kitchens will be improved for increased usability, and internet access will also be added.

CAMP WHIP POOR WILL In addition to the construction of a new pool house and LEED-certified shelter, three lodges will be renovated to accommodate more campers. The kitchen, restrooms and pool will also undergo renovations, and the amphitheater will be reconfigured for more seating. Internet service will be upgraded as well.

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h t r o w e r a s l r Gi n i g n i t inves As impactful leaders within your own communities, you know the importance of building the next generation of workforce leadership. For many girls, that foundation of leadership begins as a Girl Scout. As our future scientists, teachers, engineers, architects, small business owners and community leaders, these girls are on the cusp of changing the world.

To help build the courage and confidence they will need throughout their lives, we believe in the importance of not only telling girls, but actually showing them, that they are worth investing in. That’s why we couldn’t be more excited to invest in and improve the place that shapes so many of our future female leaders—Girl Scout camp.

50% of female business leaders in the U.S. are Girl Scout alumnae.

5 E M P O W E R H E R

Leave a Legacy of Leadership A 2018 study of former Girl Scout campers revealed that their experiences at camp gave them a strong foundation for a lifetime of empowerment. With the help of your gifts, these powerful camp programs will be updated and improved to impact the next generation of future female leaders for years to come.

81%

84%

of girls felt they developed the ability to lead a group of peers in a task

of girls felt they developed an appreciation for nature

Leadership

Outdoor Experience

70%

65%

of girls felt they developed confidence in their ability to be successful

of girls felt they developed the ability to take responsibility for their own behavior

Sense of Self

Positive Values

74%

73%

of girls felt they developed the ability to persevere in the face of challenges

of girls felt they developed an appreciation for different people and perspectives

Challenge Seeking

Healthy Relationships

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ENTREPRENEURSHIP

life skills

OUTDOORS

STEM STRONG FOUNDATIONS START HERE

As we look towards making the highly anticipated state-of-the-art improvements to our camps, we continue to focus on the four pillars that make up our foundation: Entrepreneurship, Life Skills, Outdoors and STEM. This campaign will enable Girl Scouts of Western Ohio to remain leaders in providing quality outdoor experiences while also providing a sense of belonging to the girls who attend our camps. Through their Outdoor camp experiences and their involvement with STEM programs, the Life Skills our girls take with them will help clear the path for future Entrepreneurship.

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40%

83%

of Girl Scouts in western Ohio come from families who are under the poverty line.

of camp attendees confirm Girl Scout camp is their first outdoor experience.

Girl Scouts of Western Ohio is committed to giving every girl the opportunity to go to camp, regardless of their financial situation.

Camp for Every Girl sponsorships means every girl in western Ohio gets the opportunity to go to camp.

n a h t More

s t f a r c & s e i cook “I learned how to make a Plan B on the fly and pretend like it was Plan A.” GIRL SCOUT, AGE 18

9 E M P O W E R H E R

Girl Scouts of Western Ohio offers every girl the chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure and success.

• Research shows that camp experiences are distinct from other learning environments. Many parents report that when their daughters return home, they have a new level of confidence and seem more grown up.

• According to research, camp is the #1 favorite memory among Girl Scout alumnae.

For more than 100 years, Girl Scout camp has offered girls unmatched outdoor adventure opportunities Girl Scout Promise

ON MY HONOR, I WILL TRY TO SERVE GOD AND MY COUNTRY, TO HELP PEOPLE AT ALL TIMES, AND TO LIVE BY THE GIRL SCOUT LAW.

Role of Girl Scouts in Girls’ Most Memorable Outdoor Experiences*

% Girls Reporting

Improved skill at an outdoor activity in Girl Scouts

72%

First tried an outdoor activity in Girl Scouts

71%

Increased enjoyment of an outdoor activity through Girl Scouts

64%

Would not have been able to do an outdoor activity if not for Girl Scouts

50%

Helped other girls do an outdoor activity in Girl Scouts

48%

Overcame fear of an outdoor activity in Girl Scouts

29% 0%

100%

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SHE’LL TAKE IT WITH HER

What girls learn at Girl Scout camp lasts far beyond their camp experiences.

Research shows that the more outdoor experiences Girl Scouts have, the more leadership roles they take on.

• According to a survey of more than 400 Girl Scout camp alumnae, responsibility, an appreciation for diversity, the ability to persevere and willingness to try new things were learned primarily at camp.

What’s so special about the outdoors? Spending time outdoors in nature is different from playing or learning inside. Here’s how: • Outdoor spaces support physical play • Time in nature promotes attention restoration • Nature provides novelty and challenge, both of which enhance leadership

“Our society supports such a social-media-driven, attention-seeking lifestyle, it’s hard to find self-worth in a world that constantly asks for ‘likes’ and attention from others for reassurance. Camp gave me the confidence to believe in myself and my abilities and a sense of self-worth that I was unable to find through other activities in my life.” GIRL SCOUT ALUM, AGE 24

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s d a e l She y a w e th

It’s been in her all along. She was born a leader.

Someone who isn’t afraid to make decisions and stick by them when the going gets tough. Someone who stands up for what she believes in and takes pride in going against the grain. She’s smart and remarkably savvy. She’s strong and sensitive, too.

And, now that she’s got a little camp in her, she is bound and determined to clear her own path.

Someday soon, she’ll be moving mountains.

She’ll be making strides and climbing ladders, and she’ll do it all with the grace and grit she’s picked up as a Girl Scout along the way.

But first, she’ll need your support.

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“ I learned to value differences. It is something hugely important to me as a teacher, Girl Scout, parent and human being.” GIRL SCOUT ALUM, AGE 34

THERE’S A LITTLE CAMP IN US ALL

Growing up, one in every two women in the United States donned the title of “Girl Scout.” Maybe you were one of those girls, and maybe you’re the woman you are today because of that experience. Think back to your time with your troop. More likely than not, it shaped you in a profound way. Maybe it even left a little camp in you.

With your donation, you will be ensuring that girls today have even better opportunities than those who came before them. Visit gswo.org/empower or contact Girl Scouts of Western Ohio to learn more about giving.

Thank you for your consideration in this life-changing campaign.

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gswo.org/empower | 888.350.5090

She’ll thank you later.

* Girl Scout Research Institute (2019). From Girl Scout Camp to Real World Champ!

How Girl Scouting in the Great Outdoors Builds Female Leaders. New York, NY: GSUSA