Collinsville, Oklahoma
July 14, 2015
Girl Scouts To White House
Collinsville Teacher
Was One Of Participants
At First-Ever Scout Camp Out On
White House Lawn

-- Submitted Photo ... from whitehouse.gov
Collinsville Early Childhood teacher, Kelly Overholt went on a “trip of a lifetime” this summer. Kelly, who has been a Girl Scout leader for 14 years, was chosen as one of the two adult volunteers to go to Washington D.C. with a group of five 5th graders from Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma. They were invited to the first-ever campout on the south lawn of the White House, hosted by First Lady Michele Obama. The June 30 campout was to celebrate this year’s centennial celebration of America’s national parks, Mrs. Obama’s anti-childhood obesity initiative “Let’s Move” and also to promote the new Girl Scout Outdoor badges. Only five of the 112 Girl Scout councils within the US were asked to participate. (Other Girl Scouts were from Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.)

The girls participated in several outdoor badge activities, such as rock climbing, setting up tents, knot tying, and orienteering…with the First Lady mingling and trying some of the activities with the girls.

They were served dinner in the State Dining Room. Menu included cheeseburgers and hot dogs with whole grain buns, vegetable kabobs, and skewered fruit with chocolate banana boats for dessert. They got to tour part of the White House and got to pet the Obamas’ dogs, Bo and Sunny.

They did stargazing with Cady Coleman, a NASA astronaut….and sang songs around the campfire with Nashville singer-songwriter Teresa Suber. President Barak Obama joined the First Lady and all the Girl Scouts for the campfire singing.

During the night a thunderstorm forced the participants to move indoors (with the help of the secret service)….to sleep in the Executive Office Building next to the White House.

The next morning they packed up their “soggy” gear, were given a sack breakfast and sent on their way….with some great memories.

Kelly, her husband Chet, and children Kaylee and Zac live in Collinsville. Kelly has been a member of Girl Scouts since she was in first grade. She currently volunteers with Osage Service Unit which serves Girl Scouts in the Owasso, Collinsville, Sperry and Skiatook areas, and has been Watastota Summer Day Camp Director for six years.

What stories she will have to tell her students when the new school year starts!!
Ted,
I imagine you read about the recent Girl Scout campout at the White House. My daughter, Kelly Overholt who lives in Collinsville (and is a teacher at the Early Childhood Center) was one of the adult volunteers to go along on this trip. I have attached an account of her experience in case you want to put some of the info on your cville website. -- Thank you,
Betty Wilmes -- Collinsville -- (7/13/2015)

Kelly Overholt (right) and the other volunteer (Camille Koster) who went with her. -- Submitted Photo
Some of these news stories have photos also:

o http://time.com/3942392/white-house-girl-scouts/ (Time)

o http://news.yahoo.com/first-lady-hosts-girl-scout-campout-white-house-175248473.html (Yahoo)

o http://www.people.com/article/michelle-obama-throws-girl-scouts-campout-white-house-lawn (People)

o http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/lady-hosts-girl-scout-campout-white-house-lawn-32132529 (ABC)

o http://mashable.com/2015/06/30/girl-scouts-white-house-campout/ (Mashable)

-- Betty Wilmes

There is a really neat one on the whitehouse.gov website - it was their photo pick of the day listed under June 2015. It shows the Girl Scouts in their friendship circle in front of the white house...and Kelly is in front on the right side. It was taken at night and she is mostly in silhouette...but is a pretty photo of the event.

-- Betty

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Ted Wright -- last update 7/14/2015 (WhiteHouseGirlScouts.html) www.cvilleok.com

Copyright 2015 -- Collinsville, Oklahoma
June 30th Event In Washington D.C.