KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS
SUPPORT LOCAL
By Alison Bailin Batz
The Bob & Renee Parsons Leadership Center for Girls & Women at Camp South Mountain New facility benefits local Girl Scouts and the community at large Recently, the South Mountain community welcomed a very special new neighbor: The Bob & Renee Parsons Leadership Center for Girls & Women at Camp South Mountain. Located on 14.5 acres at 1611 E. Dobbins Road in Phoenix, The Parsons Leadership Center is the Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council’s (GSACPC) $18 million year-round urban program center with camp appeal and fully ADA accessible. This summer, The Parsons Leadership Center will host 71 camp sessions and offer both day and residential options. Girls will enjoy swimming, environmental education, archery, STEM, along with traditional camp activities. “Our decision to transform our almost 70-year-old camp property in South Mountain into a leadership center emerged from our desire to expand our capacity to serve more girls, especially underserved populations, and better serve our existing members, of whom 85% live in the metro-Phoenix area,” says Tamara Woodbury, CEO of GSACPC. The Parsons Leadership Center offers spaces for large and small meetings and trainings, tent and cabin camping, a demonstration kitchen and kitchen garden, two pools, a Girl Scout museum and shop, staff offices, a playing field and archery range, campfire circle, and labyrinths. Adult leaders and volunteers will also benefit from the leadership and skill-building training offered at the center, and the local council sees it helping to facilitate partnerships with surrounding community groups, local organizations and schools. “We are grateful for the many donors who have invested in this project to date, particularly The Bob & Renee Parsons
Foundation whose support has been instrumental in making this project a reality. Their $5 million donation – in fact – is the largest in the 105-year history of Girl Scouts of the U.S.A.,” says Christina Spicer, Senior Associate of Fund Development at GSACPC. Other notable gifts include those from The Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, The Kemper and Ethel Marley Foundation, and the Girl Scouts themselves, who raised more than $1 million through their cookie sales. The Emerald Foundation provided the first gift to ensure the campus would be ADA accessible. “Bob and I are passionate about giving support to organizations making a lasting difference in the community, and that’s what the Girls Scouts are doing here,” says businesswoman and philanthropist Renee Parsons. “The lessons these young girls are learning will empower them to grow into confident women and future leaders.” Marlene Imirzian, the lead architect and founder of Marlene Imirzian & Associates, was a Girl Scout in her youth and understands the impact Girl Scouting has on girls’ lives.
14 May 2017 | azhealthandliving.com
Photos Courtesy of Jennifer Ho