NEW ORLEANS, La. – On Saturday night, families from multiple states in the Southeast can have some virtual outdoor fun together thanks to the Girl Scouts.

It’s perfect weather for camping, and while the traditional camps are closed due to COVID-19, Girl Scouts Louisiana East is hosting its first-ever Camp In Camp Out! via Facebook Live from 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday May 2nd. It’s free and open to the outdoor enthusiasts of all ages, whether you’re a Girl Scout or not.

Families are encouraged to pitch tents in their backyard, or build a fort inside; either way, there will be scheduled Facebook Live events, along with a variety of suggested activities that families can do at their own pace. It’s not just for girls – even boys in the family can join the fun!

“We’ll have check back points throughout the night where we’ll be doing different activities at our camps. We’ll be throwing it to the different camps. We’ll have a stargazing activity and a craft to go with that. We’ll have a barn tour at our equestrian facility and we’ll have some cooking demonstrations,” says Lauren Vance, Property Manager for GSLE.

Some troops will have virtual meetings during the event, but for non-members, it’s a chance to see what the Girl Scouts are all about, and perhaps join officially if they enjoy it.

“We have Life Skills, STEM, Entrepreneurship and Outdoors,” says Vance, pointing out that camping represents one of the main pillars of the Girl Scouts organization.

“It’s one of the things that’s really important to Girl Scouts. It gives girls the confidence and the ability to take on these new times and these new challenges and to succeed in a safe environment,” says Vance.

Registration for Saturday’s event is free and those who sign up will receive an activity packet via e-mail. It includes a schedule, recipes, craft information and the words to some favorite campfire songs. If you’d like to find out more, click here to go to the Girl Scouts Louisiana East Facebook page, where you’ll find a link to sign up via Eventbrite.