Press Release: 100th Anniversary at Camp Archbald

Press Contact for Supporters of Camp Archbald:
Name: Emily Loder, Marketing Chair
Phone: 207-510-7880
Email: mediaforsoca@gmail.com
Download a copy of our official press release here

For Immediate Release:
Girl Scout Alumnae Celebrate 100th Anniversary of Camp Archbald
After COVID delays, second oldest Girl Scout camp celebrated centennial

Susquehanna County, PA – In celebration of its 100th anniversary as a getaway and summer camp for Girl Scouts across the area, Camp Archbald opened on Saturday, September 18 for a day of camp fun.   

 In-person events were canceled in 2020, but Supporters of Camp Archbald (SoCA) hosted digital events throughout the year. S’More Fun at Camp Archbald: Looking Forward to 100 More Years of Adventure, SoCA’s pinnacle celebration brought 150 people to the second oldest continuously running Girl Scout camp in the world. 

 Participants enjoyed photos from throughout the decades, vintage uniforms, digitized lantern slides, camp memorabilia, the opening of a time capsule from the 80th anniversary in 2000, and the placement of a new time capsule. 

 “This is a once in a lifetime event that means so much to so many people,” said Emily Loder, Marketing Chair of Supporters of Camp Archbald, the volunteer organization that runs the camp. “Camp Archbald is a special place and it is wonderful to see it being taken care of as we look to the next 100 years.”

Proclamations were read from the Pennsylvania House and Senate on behalf of State Representative Karen Boback, State Representative Jonathon Fritz, and State Senator Lisa Baker congratulating Camp Archbald upon its richly deserved recognition and extending warmest wishes for a future replete with ever-increasing success.

 The youngest future Girl Scout (only eight weeks old), the oldest Girl Scout (91 years old), and current Girl Scouts and alumnae in between enjoyed camp traditions and activities together throughout the day.

 “Our celebration of Girl Scouting at Camp Archbald transcended the age gap in participants at S’more Fun,” said Nikki Morristell, SoCA President. “Camp Archbald has made an impact on the lives of countless Girl Scouts for 100 years. From making new friends, overcoming fears, and learning leadership skills, campers have grown as a result of their time at camp.

Learn more about S’more Fun at Camp Archbald and its centennial celebrations by visiting https://supportersofcamparchbald.org/events/100th-anniversary

Traveling library display commemorates Camp Archbald

Camp and Girl Scout memorabilia on display at Susquehanna County Public Library in September, pictured is Sue Stone, Library Director.

Susquehanna County, PA–Supporters of Camp Archbald (SoCA) is celebrating the 100th anniversary of Camp Archbald, the second oldest Girl Scout camp in continuous operation within the United States. To celebrate this anniversary, SoCA has put together a collection of Girl Scout and Camp Archbald memorabilia. Traveling to a different library each month, this collection will showcase the rich history of Girl Scouts and Camp Archbald. Many of the pieces in this collection show that a girl’s experience at Camp Archbald, whether in 1920 or 2020, has a profound experience on the rest of her life.

Kate Crowley of Tunkhannock, who is heading up the project, contacted several local libraries which have each agreed to host the collection for consecutive one month periods. Currently, the display is being housed at the Susquehanna County Library in Montrose. The collection has visited the following libraries this year: Pike County Public Library in Milford and Taylor Community Library in Taylor.

Most of the display items are on loan from current SoCA members. The collection’s oldest item, a journal from a former camper about her adventures at camp, dates to 1930. Other items include camp guides, postcards (Crowley’s personal favorite), pictures, and mess kits. “The library is the perfect place to showcase to everyone the last 100 years of fun and leadership at Camp Archbald,” Crowley says.

SoCA would like to thank all eight libraries for their participation in this project and the members of SoCA who loaned their personal camp items for the display.