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1970s Throwback: From Camper to Counselor
Camp Alice Chester is turning 100 this year, and we’re inviting you to join us in celebrating 100 years of Girl Scout camp in southeastern Wisconsin!
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Many camp counselors start as campers. Today, we’re sitting down with Beth Hawker, who went to Camp Alice Chester in the 1970s and led as a counselor through the late 1980s, to hear about her favorite camp memories.
Beth began her Girl Scout journey in second grade as a way to meet friends when she moved to Whitefish Bay. Beth went to camp for the first time that summer.
“I think back on it and can’t believe my parents sent me! It was a two-week overnight camp back then!” reflected Beth. “I stayed those first two weeks and loved it. I never looked back. I kept going the rest of my life.”
As a child, Beth loved going to the Bauhaus and hiking in the swamp.
“I’m not artistic at all, but at the Bauhaus, you can be successful! We used to dig holes in sand, put in hot wax – and voila – you have a candle! I thought it was so cool that I could do an art project and bring something home,” said Beth.
“We used to go on actual swamp hikes,” continued Beth. “We put on our grungiest clothes, doused ourselves in bug spray, and headed into the swamp behind Pathfinder to go look at plants. Inevitably, someone would pick up a handful of muck and chuck it at the people in the front of the line until it turned into a giant, all-hands-on-deck mud fight. It’s so gross to think about, but we had such a great time!”
Beth also recalls other traditions popular during the 70s.
“When you were a camper coming for two weeks, you’d go across Swan Lake for an overnight on the weekend between. The kitchen shut down on the weekends, so you’d go across the lake, sleep in tents, do activities, and cook your own meals all weekend to give staff time to go home and turn over camp for the next session of one week campers,” remembered Beth. “I can’t believe they made us do that, but I always loved it!”
“As two-week campers, you’d all go to the Lodge for a dance or skit. You always had to prepare something to perform with your unit. One year, we were the Brady Bunch and another year we were performing like a rock band,” said Beth.
Eventually, Beth transitioned into becoming a CIT, a kitchen aide, and a trip assistant. When she turned 18, Beth became a camp counselor and came back every summer until the end of college, eventually volunteering after she graduated.
“I always wanted to be a counselor because of the counselors that I had. Those people raised me – a good portion of who I am is because of the time I spent at camp. So, I went through the CIT program,” said Beth. “It was similar to being a student teacher, where you were shadowing but had assignments too.”
“That training was foundational for life. It taught you to do some things to get to know yourself and grow your confidence. I remember we had to spend one night away where you cooked your own food, pitched your own tent, everything. It was scary – but you were ready. Girl Scouts was good at giving you growth opportunities you didn’t know you needed and were ready for.”
While Beth was a counselor, she enjoyed leading the activities she enjoyed as a kid – cooking over a campfire, sleeping in platform tents, singing at Singing Steps, and being herself and letting loose in a safe space. She also loved hanging out in the staff lodge room, pulling pranks with counselors at night, participating in traditions like the “Buffalo Toss” dinner, and growing up together.
While there were a lot of fun and games, Beth notes that being a counselor helped pave her future path.
“I remember ‘Spooky’ sending me on a bike trip with a bunch of 13-14-year-olds when I was 19. I didn’t want to go with the teenagers and thought I didn’t like biking. But, of course I loved it! I’ve now taught middle school for years – and I bike everyday!” said Beth. “Staff could see things in me I couldn’t see in myself.”
As a counselor, Beth enjoyed seeing campers grow too.
“Camp seemed to make kids figure things out. The shyest kid could be the best friend to everyone in the unit. People knew how to reach out and make them feel comfortable. I watched them learn to find their own strengths,” concluded Beth.
Join us on Saturday, October 5 for our very own anniversary celebration! Celebrate Camp Alice Chester’s 100th birthday with friends, family, alum, and former and current staff. Current members can register here today. Alum and community members can register here.
