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St. Bernard Parish Girl Scout day camp struggles with low registrations, looks for camp sponsors

JUNE 2010

When Girl Scout families in St. Bernard Parish were faced with the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, they persevered, rebuilding their lives and maintaining the stability and routine in their daughters’ lives by continuing their involvement in Girl Scouting. Now these families are faced with an environmental disaster during a nationwide economic crisis that threatens to wipe out their ability to make a living.

“Registrations are very low for this summer’s Girl Scout day camp which is organized by adult volunteers for girls in St. Bernard Parish,” said Tanya Palazzalo, day camp director and Girl Scout volunteer. “The majority of our Girl Scout families have been directly affected by the oil spill disaster in the gulf.”

The Down in Da Parish Girl Scout Day camp is scheduled for July 19-23 in Chalmette, and registration has been extended to July 5. Palazzalo is hopeful that a business or individual donor still might come forward to sponsor the day camp to allow more girls to participate.

Disasters such as the oil spill that threaten a family’s stability often leave children, especially girls, floundering in a sea of emotions. Girl Scouting provides girls with a unique opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings with others in a safe and nurturing environment, and gives them the chance to participate in wholesome and fun activities, including community service efforts that not only benefit the girls’ community but gives girls a voice to take action and make a difference.

Just some of the ways St. Bernard Girl Scouts have given back to theircommunity include volunteering at the local animal shelter, helping the Battered Women’s Shelter through food and clothing drives, assisting with Blood Drives and Earth Day activities, and conducting a food drive for Gethsemane Lutheran Church where troops are sponsored and Girl Scout events are held.

To register for the Down in Da Parish Day Camp, please contact Palazzalo at (504) 278-5480.  For more information about Girl Scout donation opportunities, call the council office in New Orleans at (504) 733-8220, in Baton Rouge at (225) 927-8946, or click on Donate Now for ways to help Girl Scouts in southeast Louisiana.

Girl Scouts Louisiana East serves girls 5 – 17 in the parishes of Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana.                         

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Media contact: Marianne Addy, VP of Communications
(504) 733-8220, ext. 2226 or maddy@gsle.org  or Cathy Pottschmidt, Public Relations Specialist, at (225) 927-8947, ext. 1238 or cpottschmidt@gsle.org

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