Friendsgiving means a lot of different things to different people. For GSSEM Girl Scouts and family, it means a weekend at Camp Hawthorn Hollow making memories and starting traditions!
Friday Fun Day!
Friendsgiving officially kicked off Friday evening after all 200+ Girl Scouts and chaperones checked into their decorated cabins.
From the custom trefoil aprons and turkey handprint hot pads, the Outdoor Experience crew led the girls in multiple arts and crafts activities, keeping the food and friendship theme front and center.
Food by Fire
It wasn’t all just fun and games. Girl Scouts had some patches to earn before enjoying their feast!
Girl Scouts earned three GSSEM Outdoor Skills Mini Patches, a program unique to our council, for fire safety, outdoor cooking and knife skills. All of which were put to the test by the founder and owner of Kitchen Little, Chef Jake, while he helped them prepare the sides to accompany the multiple turkeys and hams already cooking.
Sides and desserts were pre-assigned to each cabin, with each cabin receiving 2-3 recipes and a predetermined batch amount to make. Dishes included:
- Fire Roasted Brussel Sprouts, green beans & Squash
- Dutch oven cornbread
- Dutch oven stuffing
- Garlic redskin potatoes
- Whipped sweet potato casserole
- Macaroni and cheese
- Deviled Eggs
- Cranberry Jello
- Butterfly pea tea/Lemonade/Apple Cider
- Biscuits
- Cream puffs
- S’mores pie
- Apple pie
- Salad and salad dressing
Bringing Traditions Home
Friendsgiving Girl Scouts brought home more than memories and leftovers, they brought back new traditions to share with their families (Just kidding—there weren’t any leftovers!)
One of the new traditions was the Thankful Spoon. Not for slurping soup, these decorated utensils will be used to serve up reasons to be thankful at many future special meals.
Each girl also brought home the makings of a Giving Plate. Using oil-based paint pens, Girl Scouts can decorate the plate with a recipe of a favorite treat. When a friend needs a boost, the Girl Scout can give them a tasty pick me up on the plate. The only thank you needed is for the recipient to make their own recipe to fill the plate and pass it along to another person in their life that needs a pick me up!
Turkey Trot
Friendsgiving would not be complete without a visit from Tall Thom Turkey! The giant Gobbler stopped by to shake his tailfeathers and get some candid’s with campers and crew alike!
The big bird was impressed by the decorations and was glad to know that, while most of the donated pumpkins and mums went home with Girl Scouts, some of the pumpkins were going to stay at camp so the local wildlife could have a Friendsgiving of their own!
