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Girl Scout camp closed due to mesothelioma-causing asbestos hazards
Michigan Girl Scout troops are saddened after an historic Girl Scout Camp was abruptly closed down this summer. Camp O'Fairwinds in Lapeer County, Michigan is now totally vacant, and a "No Trespassing" sign has been put up.
"You mostly notice the sound. It's like a tomb now," said Wally Green, who lives just across McKean Lake from the camp. "For nearly 80 years there's been singing coming across the water, the sound of girls laughing and having fun. My mother and dad loved that. Now it's just so doggone silent."
The camp was shut down in part because of nationwide restructuring. "The intent was to create high-capacity, high-performing councils that could absorb some of the weaker ones that were in financial trouble," said Denise Dalrymple, Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan chief executive.
"The whole point was to try to preserve services and improve administrative functions and we've been quite happy about that."
According to Dalyrymple, the decision to close O'Fairwinds was made after asbestos hazards were found at multiple locations on the site. Exposure to asbestos can lead to the development of mesothelioma decades later. The cancer affects under 3,000 patients nationally each year, and sadly many patients perish just months after being diagnosed.
"Camping is just not as interesting to girls as it used to be, particularly in resident camps. We have to develop a new camp service delivery model," said Dalrymple. "This is not unique. It's something that's happening all over the country where girl and boy scouts are trying to figure out what to do with all these properties."
Asbestos exposure is of special concern for parents of young children, as children may not experience symptoms of an asbestos disease until they are well into adulthood. By that time, it is often difficult to determine where an individual was actually exposed to asbestos.