Local Girl Scout camp faces closure
Safety issues prompt the temporary measuresBy EMILIE NELSON, Messenger staff writer
DAYTON - Camp Lakota has helped enrich the lives of young Girl Scouts since 1960. But this coming summer will be different for the camp and its Scouts because the camp has been temporarily closed for safety reasons.
The camp, located near Dayton, lacks an adequate storm shelter. There are electrical issues in some of the buildings, and the top floor of the barn is decaying, according to Crystal Meier, vice president of development for the Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa.
Meier said the closing comes as the result an assessment of all seven Girl Scout camps in Iowa. A task group presented its findings to the Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa board of directors on Tuesday evening. It was the decision of the board to temporarily reduce the number of summer resident camps from five to three, she said. Camp Neyati, located near Council Bluffs, will also be closed.
The decision comes after Camp Lakota made nearly $50,000 in improvements over the past year, including a new roof on the troop house, a pool liner and new tent platforms.
Meier said the decision to close the camp temporarily was difficult, but necessary.
"We can't, in good conscience, put girls in any situation that would jeopardize their safety," Meier said. "We can't let sentimentality take over safety."
Camp Lakota was one of only two Girl Scout camps in the state of Iowa to have a horse program. Meier said the horses at Lakota will remain there for the winter. They will be transported to Camp Sacajawea, located near Boone, in the spring to be used for summer camps.
Meier said that the task committee will re-evaluate each camp over the course of the next year to determine their usages. However, it will not be possible to make all necessary changes in less than 12 months. She said Camp Lakota will eventually be back up and running.
"Everyone has been very positive and understanding that we need to make some changes at the camp," Meier said. "Right now we just want everyone to know that we will not shut the camp down for good, and it will not be for sale."
Contact Emilie Nelson at 573-2141 or enelson@messengernews.net
