Mission

Promoting leadership and youth development through safe, affordable camp experiences that will allow both youth and adults to develop courage, confidence, and an appreciation for the outdoors.

History

Purchased in 1988 as a Girl Scout Camp, Golden Pond has been home to many Girl Scouts through the years allowing deep connections and memories that surround many outdoor activities such as archery, canoeing, hiking, day camps, outdoor cooking, camporees, singing, team building, exploration of nature and so much more. 

Friends of Golden Pond was formed in April 2018 as a response to Girl Scouts in the Heart of PA’s decision to divest itself from Golden Pond. With the incredible support of the surrounding community, the property was purchased on April 30, 2021.   

Friends of Golden Pond is invested in the youth of our community and believes that Golden Pond is a necessity within the community and surrounding area.  It is our mission to provide an environment and programming at affordable costs to youth groups, organizations and families that promote and develop confident and courageous individuals who come to have a great appreciation and understanding of nature and the outdoors.  

Friends of Golden Pond believes we have the support and the vision needed to build bridges and create synergies between Girl Scout alum who deeply love Golden Pond, local community, and the wider State College community, which is full of vibrant organizations that would benefit from Golden Pond as an educational youth program property where fun, outdoors and education come together.

Board Members

Dawn Wolfhope | Board President / Reservations Manager

Graduating from Penn State University, Dawn has a bachelor's degree in hospitality management. She has been employed with Walmart for the last 26+ years in multiple managerial positions and is currently a team lead in the Auto Care Center. She is the mother of two girls, a Girl Scout in her youth and a Girl Scout volunteer leader with GSHPA for 17+ years, service unit fundraising manager, a program archery facilitator and event planner. She is a a co-captain for Relay for Life team for the American Cancer Society and formerly severed as the fundraising chair for the Penns Valley Music Boosters. Dawn is creative, crafty and has a deep love for Golden Pond. She believes our property is an essential part of the future for many youths in the surrounding area. 

Tim Swan | Board Vice President

When Golden Pond was owned and operated by Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania, Tim served as the on-site ranger for eleven years. As a result of this, he comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and experience with this property. He knows the ins and outs of all the buildings that are a part of the camp. If a stove quits working the way it should, Tim can assess the problem and come up with the solution in no time at all! A leaking canoe…well, he’s the one who knows how that can be fixed. When we need hardwood for the fireplace, Tim appears with a wheelbarrow full for us to use. During the summer months, Tim is there to make sure that the grass is cut so that campers can be outside and enjoy activities in the grassy areas while others who stay with us can just enjoy how nice the scenery is no matter where they look. Of course, during the winter months, Tim makes sure that the roads are plowed so that those with reservations can safely get to whichever building is their destination. If you want to know about the osprey that appear in the spring, what fish inhabit the pond, which animals visit the grounds, or even which groups have reserved the camp on a regular basis, Tim has the answers. He is an asset that we are lucky to have on the Board of Friends of Golden Pond. 

Sharon Bloom | Board Treasurer

With a degree in English from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and later a master’s from Shippensburg University, Sharon taught for 35 years. Growing up, as an intermediate girl scout, she earned the Curved Bar rank, an equivalent to the present-day Gold Award. As an adult, she has been a troop leader at many levels for 39+ years. During this time, she was recognized by Hemlock Council as a master trainer. She has been a resident camp director; a day camp director; a certified canoe instructor; both fall product and cookie sale liaison; service unit director, manager, and lead and co-led the volunteer-led adult enrichment weekends for GSHPA. In addition, she has been very active at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Mount Union as well as in the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 107 for many years.

| Board Secretary

 Dwayne Ayers | Board Member / Maintenance Committee Member

Native to the Petersburg area, Dwayne has been a Golden Pond neighbor for 28+ years. He has volunteered time to do maintenance around the grounds of camp for the last 15+ years. He is married, has 2 daughters, and works at Penn State University as a heating vent tech.

Natasha Bloom | Board Member / Program Development Committee Member

After graduating from Yale University in 2000 with a degree in Geology and Geophysics (with a concentration in Earth’s environment and natural resources), Natasha worked as a teacher/naturalist at New Canaan Nature Center where she prepared and taught science and nature-based educational programs.  Next, she taught Earth Science beginning in Hartford, CT, and presently in Silver Spring, MD.  In 2012 she obtained a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, Secondary Earth Science from Shippensburg University.  For 39+ years Natasha has been involved in girl scouting, first as a girl and now as an adult volunteer.  Being both a certified archery facilitator and a canoe facilitator, she is part of the facilitation team that allows us to provide these activities for campers.  Having visited nearly all of our National Parks, she enjoys sharing her experiences with everyone.  An avid hiker and camper, Natasha climbed the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and most recently Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest free-standing mountain in the world.  We are excited to have Natasha’s expertise in leading the development of Golden Pond with excellent nature and educational based programs.

Committee Members 

Jason Bloom | Maintenance Committee Member

Jason has worked in corrections for over 30 years and held the position of President / Vice President in the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association for a combined 9 years.    He served in the United States Marine Corp from 1988 – 1991 as a construction surveyor/combat engineer in Cherry Point, NC. As someone who has much enthusiasm for the outdoors, Jason earned Eagle Scout in 1986.  He has also just recently returned from conquering a climb to the top of Mt Kilimanjaro. 

Danae Wolfhope | Education Committee Member

A 2021 graduate of Penns Valley High School and Central Pennsylvania Institute of the Early Childhood Degree Program, Danae is currently enrolled at Penn State studying human development and family studies. Danae was a Girl Scout for 13 years and recipient of a Bronze and Silver Award. She served an officer in Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) at CPI and competed in SkillsUSA in education and was the President of FCCLA at Penn State Altoona and currently serves in FCCLA at Penn State Main Campus. She works as a team associate for Walmart when she is not studying. Danae also enjoys drawing, sci-fi/fantasy and Anything Disney. Danae is helping us to develop our early education programing at Golden Pond.