BRIAR CREEK TOWNSHIP -- After more than half a century, a Girl Scout camp in Columbia County is closed for good. Leaders with Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania made the announcement Monday night that Camp Louise is closed.
"Well, it's sad because it's been there a long time and I'm sure there's a lot of kids will lose out on their summer fun. A friend of mine was the summer caretaker, I've done work there and it was a great place,” said Doug Knecht of Berwick.
Camp Louise has been around since 1959, a nearly 350 acre camp outside of Shickshinny.
Leaders of the Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania say there is too much to fix at Camp Louise, from the pool, cabins, the dam on the lake.
Camp Louise was one of nine Girl Scout camp locations run by The Heart of Pennsylvania Girl Scout organization.
“We used to go kayaking and the food was always so good. I remember that and it was just a really good experience for me. I remember that from my childhood,” said Hayley Zavislak of Hunlock Creek. “I went to Camp Louise when I was younger as a girl scout and we stayed there for a couple days, my troop and I and it was always really fun, it was a good experience. That was such a good memory for me as a child that a lot of other girls should be able to experience that."
Girl Scout leaders say the decision to close Camp Louise wasn't made lightly, but "believe this decision will strengthen girl scouting in our council by helping us use our limited resources wisely to better serve our mission."
"I myself went there as a child, a Brownie, a Girl Scout, my daughter went there as well. I remember winter camping there and now having a granddaughter, you know, I can't carry on. The tradition won't carry on. I don't know where she would go,” said Janet Krzywicki of Shickshinny.
