Summer camps using the "lottery" system.... wtf?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How does she participate in school year Girl Scouts if you don't have time to volunteer?

I don’t volunteer and my DD go to Girl Scouts every week. Her troop does not require parents to volunteer for the girls to participate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How does she participate in school year Girl Scouts if you don't have time to volunteer?

I don’t volunteer and my DD go to Girl Scouts every week. Her troop does not require parents to volunteer for the girls to participate.

and guess what - the daughter of the parent who does has the same chance of getting into the camp that you want as you do. Talk about fairness.

[Anonymous]

Girl Scouts is on lottery because they are so cheap there's such a high demand.

[Anonymous]

Also OP there is one that takes place at night, from like 6-9, Camp Firefly, and you could definitely volunteer for that since it's outside work hours but you sound like you don't actually want to volunteer as much as you want to like, buy juice boxes and bug spray and get an in to the camp

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a working parent you must know that there are tons of other summer camps available so what's the problem?

Oh, that's right, the GS camp is cheap so not only you but tons of other parents in the area want to take advantage of it. That's the reason for the lottery.

And if you are volunteering at the camp, which are usually outside in the hot blazing sun, then I do think your kid should get an automatic in.

OP Here - my daughter is a daisy and liked the theme of the one camp. She won't be going, I asked if there were other volunteer opportunities outside work hours (more than willing to help), they just don't offer any. It's crap.

And as I said in my original post, it was a vent. Clearly we have other plans, just disappointed the Girl Scouts do not have more camp volunteer opportunities for working parents who would like to help but can't 9am-5pm, M-F.

Or they could raise the price of camp to reduce demand and then only richer kids can get in. But I'm guessing that's not what they want.

Or they could just open camp enrollment and whoever signs up gets in. When the spots are gone they start a waitlist or stop taking entries.

And if someone has a parent who is a teacher, nurse, police officer, construction worker, etc . . . Then too bad?

Having a nonprofit organization run a camp that keeps the price low by selling cookies and using volunteers and then setting up a registration process that disproportionately advantages people who work in offices and have enough seniority to set their own schedules seems wrong.

[Anonymous]

So in summary - OP get a grip that your 1st grader may not get into the cheap summer camp that you want to send her to this year.

A lottery offers the ability for "all girls to grow strong" not just those who have parents who have the means to navigate the system at the right time.

Enjoy your cookie selling!

[Anonymous]

Regarding the volunteer jobs for these GS camps, I think OP is just not willing to put herself out to do the work. I work but when I volunteered to insure a spot for my daughter at Crossroads I was a morning bus stop monitor. I had to drop my kid off at the stop anyway so was there. It just required extra diligence and organization tracking the campers at the stop. Once the bus pulled away off I went to my office. Not an ideal start to my work day but I did my part and secured a spot for my daughter to attend.

[Anonymous]

I never liked the system. I know they have to do something but I think first come first serve makes sense. Then give a deep discount to parents who volunteer at camp. I couldn’t volunteer at the camp the year my daughter wanted to go but I was a troop leader and an SU volunteer so it’s not like I wasn’t contributing to the overall GS program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I never liked the system. I know they have to do something but I think first come first serve makes sense. Then give a deep discount to parents who volunteer at camp. I couldn’t volunteer at the camp the year my daughter wanted to go but I was a troop leader and an SU volunteer so it’s not like I wasn’t contributing to the overall GS program.

Troop leaders absolutely should get priority. All of the required training, attending SU meetings, planning and facilitating meetings - and dealing with parents like the OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How does she participate in school year Girl Scouts if you don't have time to volunteer?

I don’t volunteer and my DD go to Girl Scouts every week. Her troop does not require parents to volunteer for the girls to participate.

Most troop leaders aren't going to use the word "require" when it comes to parent volunteering. Leaders want all kids to feel welcome, and leaders recognize that some parents really, truly cannot help out at meeting times due to schedules or work or disabilities or other kids' needs or whatever.

So your troop does not ask parents to volunteer. But I hope you do anyway. Even if you can't be at the troop meetings, please do something when you can without waiting to be asked. Maybe offer to send in snacks, or better, offer to set up a SignUp Genius roster so all parents take turns sending snacks. Or offer to chaperone on a one-time field trip that's not during meeting time. Or offer to come to one meeting to help with some hands-on project that will just go better if another adult is around. The leader probably would be delighted to hear, "Is there something I can do to help? I can't be at regular meetings, but what can I handle for you from home or do for that upcoming field trip?" Even if the answer you hear is, "Not right now, but thank you, and I'll get in touch if there's anything!" the leader will know you value what your child is doing each week.

PP, if you're doing those kinds of things already, that's terrific, and thank you!

[Anonymous]

I was a camp volunteer this summer. Most of the volunteers had full time jobs, and had taken vacation days to do it. The senior level volunteers spent more time than I can comprehend working on the camp. For sure their kids should automatically get spots.

That said, as a troop leader, ITA that troop leaders should get priority. I bust my hump 9 months/year for a troop - I’d really like a break from the responsibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How does she participate in school year Girl Scouts if you don't have time to volunteer?

I don’t volunteer and my DD go to Girl Scouts every week. Her troop does not require parents to volunteer for the girls to participate.

Most troop leaders aren't going to use the word "require" when it comes to parent volunteering. Leaders want all kids to feel welcome, and leaders recognize that some parents really, truly cannot help out at meeting times due to schedules or work or disabilities or other kids' needs or whatever.

So your troop does not ask parents to volunteer. But I hope you do anyway. Even if you can't be at the troop meetings, please do something when you can without waiting to be asked. Maybe offer to send in snacks, or better, offer to set up a SignUp Genius roster so all parents take turns sending snacks. Or offer to chaperone on a one-time field trip that's not during meeting time. Or offer to come to one meeting to help with some hands-on project that will just go better if another adult is around. The leader probably would be delighted to hear, "Is there something I can do to help? I can't be at regular meetings, but what can I handle for you from home or do for that upcoming field trip?" Even if the answer you hear is, "Not right now, but thank you, and I'll get in touch if there's anything!" the leader will know you value what your child is doing each week.

PP, if you're doing those kinds of things already, that's terrific, and thank you!

The leader would also love a parent to say ..... can I be the troop money manager? I can't make it to meetings but in the evenings I can do this OR ..... let me take the 1st aid training and by the 1st aider for activities OR ...... can I help with the registering of the girls and making sure the forms are submitted? Let me enter the contact info and send it out to everyone so that we have phone numbers in case of an emergency.

OR ...... I know sometimes ______ parent's are late for pick up. Let me connect with them and I will take point to drive her home.

oh - there are so many things that if a troop leader heard it they would probably faint.

Signed - a troop leader who works full time but does it for her daughter

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Girl Scouts have several camps this summer which are a lottery system... How does that make any sense? Why are they not "first come first served" like any other normal camp?

But if you volunteer at the camp then your kid will automatically get in. Except it's a day camp and you're a working parent and they have no volunteer opportunities for working parents....

Sorry rant over.

But seriously GS's, try getting into this century.

I know it's hard when the system isn't rigged for you. I'm sure you can find and afford a different camp for your daughter. The Girl Scouts are trying to ensure that people who can't be in front of a computer precisely when the camp registration opens get a chance to go. Or don't have the ability to stand in line for hours or whatever. I know that's hard for you (and others like you) to comprehend, but there you have it.

How ironic you get the issue with being a working parent and not being able to volunteer to guarantee a spot and knowing how that sucks, but you don't get why they do registration the way they do.

[Anonymous]

Never do the day camps - those are impossible to get into.
Also, the Girl Scout camp website crashes and has a huge queue so a lottery seems reasonable in a small time frame.’m

Send DD to GS sleep away camp - what’s the problem?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was a camp volunteer this summer. Most of the volunteers had full time jobs, and had taken vacation days to do it. The senior level volunteers spent more time than I can comprehend working on the camp. For sure their kids should automatically get spots.

That said, as a troop leader, ITA that troop leaders should get priority. I bust my hump 9 months/year for a troop - I’d really like a break from the responsibility.

Oh, you KNOW you do it so you can be a star in your child’s and neighbors eyes, and so you can control what the troop is doing.
You know you don’t do it just out of the goodness of your heart and that you would literally beat other women away with a huge stick if they tried to take your leader spot. Also you do it so your DD gets a camp spot. You wear the stake through your heart well - good show!

If you really want a break from the responsibility take it and let another mom do it- but you won’t because you don’t think the other moms are as good as you.

And yes - I volunteered plenty.