Every year, campers and staff receive an assortment of patches and buttons. Some of these are awarded to every camper, while others are earned by individual age groups or for participating in specific activities.
All campers and staff receive a camp patch. The adult staff and camp aides receive an additional staff patch. Both these patch designs are chosen by the Ashgrove Task Group from camper submissions to the design competition. The campers who design the year’s patches are guaranteed a place at camp, although they will not know they have won the patch contest until the final day of camp when the patches are unveiled at A.M. flag.
In addition to the camp patch, Teen Girl Scouts always earn an IPP during camp. Other age groups (Brownies, Juniors) occasionally earn badges and try-its when one of these awards fits well with the theme. Campers who do not earn additional awards are sent home at the end of camp with a list of camp activities which fulfill requirements for Girl Scout awards.
Some years, all of camp fulfills the requirements for theme-related patches in addition to the regular camp patch. Examples of this include 2009’s “Historically Speaking” patch and 2005’s “Appalachian Trail” patch.
In addition to patches, there are a number of buttons which campers may earn by participating in camp activities. Every year there is an OP button, which campers earn by participating in our OP center, and an overnight button, which older campers earn by spending one night at camp.
Lucky staff and campers may also acquire the occassional “thank you” button, or a birthday button if their birthday happens to fall on a day camp is in session (weekends excluded). Since 1999, OP has provided theme-specific “hOPpy birthday” buttons to every person whose birthday falls during camp.
