HOLYOKE, MA (May 7, 2025) —As camp season approaches, Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts (GSCWM) is offering an experience like no other at its four camps across the region.
Celebrating its 100th anniversary, Camp Green Eyrie in Harvard has day and overnight options for campers looking to try new things, explore their interests, and grow their leadership skills in a safe, supportive environment. Situated on 52 acres with a magnificent shoreline on Bare Hill Pond, the camp offers no shortage of water activities, including swimming, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding and corcl boating. In Western Mass., the equally-as-stunning Camp Bonnie Brae in East Otis also hosts overnight camp.
Camp Lewis Perkins in South Hadley, and Camp Laurel Wood in Spencer offer a host of day camp activities each week that open the door to exciting, educational adventures that teach environmental stewardship while building outdoor competence and interest. Activities, which vary by location and age group, include art, archery, challenge courses, gaga ball, STEM experiments, hiking, challenge courses, water activities and more.
These camps provide benefits far beyond exposure to outdoor adventure. Research conducted by the Girl Scout Research Institute and the American Camp Association (ACA) suggests that Girl Scout summer camps help girls develop important life skills and positive characteristics, including higher levels of self-confidence, perseverance, leadership, teamwork, self-accountability, empathy, and willingness to try new things for women who attended as children. Women who attended Girl Scout camps as children are more likely than their peers to credit camp with fostering these skills.
“Our Council is deeply committed to expanding outdoor exploration opportunities as a powerful way to help girls build not only outdoor skills, but also essential life skills,” said Theresa Lynn, CEO of GSCWM. “These experiences are proven to foster critical qualities — like confidence, leadership, resilience, and empathy — that girls carry into adulthood.”
GSCWM camps have an incredible team of staff who create a safe, welcoming space for every camper. Most are over 18 and bring energy, empathy, and enthusiasm to everything they do — serving as inspiring role models to their campers. Its camps foster a girl-led atmosphere, where counselors work alongside their campers to plan activities and make the most of the unique resources each camp has to offer. Day camp programs are available for campers who have finished kindergarten and up, while overnight camp is for campers who have finished first grade and up. Prior Girl Scout experience is not required to attend these camps.
To learn more about our camps and enroll your camper, please visit this year’s Summer Camp Guide.
About Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts
Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts serves nearly 6,000 girls in grades K through 12 with the strong support of 3,000 adult members in186 towns and cities in central and western Massachusetts. Girl Scouts’ mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. Since 1912, girls have explored new fields of knowledge, learned valuable skills, and developed strong core values through Girl Scouts. Today, Girl Scouts is, as it always has been, the organization best positioned to help girls develop important leadership skills they need to become successful adults.
