Girl Scouts from 30 counties are angry.

That's because their beloved Camp Louise in Columbia County, a fixture for many generations of girls, was closed without warning last month by the Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania Council.Now, troop leaders, past and current Girl Scouts and friends of a time-honored tradition are fighting back to save the camp that they have called home since 1959."Everybody's mad," said Georgiann Davis of Summit Hill, a lifelong member of Girl Scouts and a volunteer. "When I think of all the stuff they used to run there, we feel like the forgotten up here.""I would with great sadness understand the decision to close Camp Louise's gates forever," Michele Connors, Girl Scout Troop 30871 leader, Weatherly, said. "And I would be supportive in working with a committee to look into other ways to ensure Girl Scouts in our council receive positive and safe outdoor program opportunities. But without first seeing data that justifies the decision to permanently close Camp Louise, I cannot, with good conscience, do either."Girl Scouts from the school districts of Panther Valley, Weatherly and Jim Thorpe are among the 30 counties who used Camp Louise for decades as a place to grow, learn and realize that they can achieve their dreams by reaching for the stars. Girl Scouts in Lehighton and Palmerton are in another council.Lindsey Kern, a former Girl Scout from Summit Hill, first went to Camp Louise as a Brownie."At first I hated it," she admitted, "but I kept going and I think it helped me become more independent. It helped me get ready for when I went to college and I feel camp just helped build me to become an independent person."You made great friends and met girls from all over the area," she said.Davis said that the future of the camp, which had won awards for its design years ago, is now uncertain, but the troops aren't going down quietly.Last month, council held a "Conversation about Camp Louise" in Bloomsburg and both Davis and Connors attended.Everyone believed the "conversation" was going to include ways to fix up the camp, which council said needed major repairs, including $500,000 worth in just the dam alone, but that was not the case."We all went there and people started giving ideas on what can be done," Davis said. "I got the feeling through this meeting that this (closure) was a given and not a discussion."Finally, someone asked, she said, and council said that the camp was already closed due to a board vote back in May or June."We were very confused," Davis said, adding that the council showed five pictures of problems that could easily be fixed and said that the dam required a major overhaul. "It shouldn't be lost as a resource for the girls in this area when I think of all the stuff they can do there.""I left quite abruptly feeling dissatisfied with the presentation outlining the reasons why Camp Louise closed permanently," Connors said, adding that the presentation council gave "indicated that there are many areas of camp that need to be fixed, renovated, or repaired, but a complete list of all of these property issues with the estimates of how much each will cost was not provided."Since the meeting, Davis said another Scout leader was able to secure the dam inspection report from the state and some repairs were needed, but nothing worth what council stated."I was there since camp opened as a resident camp in the early '70s," Davis said. "Yes, there is wear and tear and it's older now, but did I see anything totally unsafe? No."Davis also said that this is not the first camp in the northern part of the council to close, showing that camps in Monroe and Lackawanna were shuttered a few years back, meaning that the nearest camps now available to Girl Scouts from this council in this area are located in Dauphin and Susquehanna counties, over two hours away."That's just not doable for a weekend camp," Davis said, noting that parents would be forced to drive around five hours on both Friday and Sunday. "Everything in our area that could have been used is now gone."Girl Scouts throughout the region are now banding together, forming a Facebook page and website, starting a petition and working on a letter-writing campaign to the council in Harrisburg.The group is also holding a Friends of Camp Louise meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 15, at the Hazle Township Community Park, 37 Pecora Boulevard.Davis said that council has agreed to meet with the group as well concerning the camp later this month. A date, time and location has yet to be announced."Camp Louise has always been an important part of my life, and the next closest camp in our council is a very far drive for some girls in our area - up to two hours or longer," Connors said. "We want to keep our camp close to home and the camp we've received so many fond memories at since its birth in 1959."Saving the campCamp Louise initiatives currently set up by Girl Scouts looking to save their beloved camp include:Facebook: Alumni of Camp Louise Girl Scout Camp Shickshinny PaWebsite: Friends of Camp Louise,

sites.google.com/site/friendsofcamplouiseHashtag: #SaveCampLouisePetition:

http://bit.ly/2aGd2iSShirt campaign: Available for purchase until Aug. 12,

www.customink.com/g/ngj0-00ap-438aLetter writing: Send letters to Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania, 350 Hale Ave., Harrisburg, PA 17104