Roselle Girl Scout Volunteers (left to right) Leslyn Chung,
Nyasia Jones and Marita Parham are presented with the
Rotary Club of Roselle - Roselle Park's annual donation by 
Club President Steve Leonard. The presentation took place 
at Camp Letico in Roselle at the annual Rotary Club of Roselle - 
Roselle Park Luncheon hosted by the Roselle Girl Scouts.  
 

Few people know there is a 61 year-old Girl Scout Camp in Roselle and it is still in use!  Fewer people know the Rotary Club of Roselle - Roselle Park established the camp in 1953 and has helped with its upkeep all those years.   Nestled in a wooded area next to Morses Creek near Independence Drive in Roselle, the camp is a stones throw from Roselle Catholic High School and Roselle Shopping Center.

 

Camp Letico is its name.  And it is home to the Roselle Girl Scouts.  According to Leslyn Chung, a former Girl Scout Leader for 10 years and current Camp Letico Coordinator and troop treasurer, Roselle Girl Scouts used the facility extensively last summer for outdoor and indoor activities as well as doing a little interior painting. She also credited the Roselle Department of Public Works with helping to keep the sight fit for safe use.   

 

As the story is told by senior Rotary Club of Roselle - Roselle Park Club member Jim Simmons, around 1954 former Roselle Mayor and Rotarian Frank Pittman got together with another Rotarian John Kliner who was also President of Roselle Savings at the time to have an abandoned house moved from where ever it was to its current location.  Of course, the whole club got involved and this became one of many community service projects of the Rotary Club of Roselle - Roselle Park.  Thus, Camp Letico was born.  

 

Since that time, the club has kept its connection to Camp Letico and the Roselle Girl Scouts by helping to maintain the building.  Members have lent their plumbing, electrical, carpentry and engineering know how to keep it up.  Saturday club outings for painting and roof repair were common.  

 

Every year the club meets for a luncheon prepared by adult girl scout volunteers.  At that time scout leaders report on the activities that took place at the camp as well as other Scout functions.  It is also the time for the Rotary Club members to reconnect with Girl Scout volunteers usually discussing the future of the site. 

 

During the luncheon this year, Camp Letico Coordinator Ms. Chung  reported that the 2014-2015 year included a Parents/Daughter Dinner and a Spaghetti Dinner - Gift Auction Fundraiser.  She also noted that the young ladies prepared Hash Tag Lunch Boxes for the homeless, marched in the Roselle Memorial Day Parade and participated in a Girl Scout Bridging Up Ceremony.  She concluded her report by inviting Rotarians to their annual Barbecue this Saturday, June 13, 2015. 

 

The highlight of the luncheon was a short speech by Nyasia Jones, a former Roselle Girl Scout, who just graduated from Union Catholic High School and is on her way to Rutgers University.  Ms. Jones, a 2-year Girl Scout Volunteer, told of her scouting experience starting at age 5, and how she won the Girl Scout’s Highest Honor, the Gold Award, for her implementation of an education program in Haiti.  

 

Importantly though, the luncheon afforded some time for a little pomp and ceremony concluding with the conveyance of the Rotary Club’s annual donation to the Girl Scouts of Camp Letico.  

 

A good time was had by all.  

 

See more photos on our web site roselle-roselleparkrotary.org or on our Facebook page The Rotary Club of Roselle - Roselle Park.