(Scouts and volunteers at Camp Long – photo by Erik Bell)

By Hayden Yu Andersen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Camp Long got TLC Sunday from more than 70 volunteers and Girl Scouts from 11 troops, pulling up invasive weeds, picking up trash, and helping spread fresh wood chips across a handful of campsites as part of a yearly Earth Day cleanup event.

“This year has been easier,” said Maya, one of the Scouts in attendance. Maya and fellow Girl
Scout Izzy attended the first cleanup last year, but this year they’re acting as youth leaders, helping younger Girl Scouts participate in the event.

Camp Long is traditionally the location of the local West Seattle Girl Scout Summer Day Camp. When deciding what they would do for Earth Day last year, event organizer Alexa Huggins said the park seemed like the perfect choice. Huggins is with Service Unit 550, which encompasses all Girl Scout troops in West Seattle and Vashon.

The help has an impact beyond just cleaning up the park. In November of last year, historic Camp Long Lodge was the target of an arson attack which caused an estimated $1.2 million in damages, and led to the loss of many historical documents. So this was heartening. “We really appreciate the love and support, especially right now,” said Camp Long supervisor Matt Kostle, who was there to help organize and assist volunteers on his day off.

(WSB photo by Hayden Andersen)

“(The Girl Scouts) get very excited, because they care about this camp. Especially after the fire, a lot of them want to know what they can do to help,” Huggins said.

(Scouts hold up their finds – WSB photo by Hayden Andersen)

The younger scouts were especially excited, seeking out the most interesting pieces of trash to show off. The highlight of the day by far was Troop 42886’s Eleanor and Dela, who managed to find an old bucket, broken baseball bat and a plastic easter egg which they theorized was “eaten by a squirrel”.

(Huggins speaking to scouts and volunteers – photo by Erik Bell)

Next year, Huggins said, they’ll have to set up a reward for the most interesting piece of garbage picked up by the scouts.

The tools for the event were supplied by Erik Bell of our area’s most prolific volunteer cleanup group, A Cleaner Alki. Bell says it’s a good experience for everyone to get involved in cleaning local parks, especially younger people. “It helps to get them out here, and show them that they can make a difference.”

If you’re interested in supporting cleanups like these, Bell says you can support A Cleaner Alki here. To get involved with Girl Scouts by volunteering or joining, find out more here.