Louise Wood
Inducted onto the Wall of Fame on April 6, 2024.
Tribute by Jo Nelson
Louise Wood graduated from Cortland State in physical education and volunteered/worked in many Girl Scout councils before moving to Fredonia in 1947 when her husband, Nelson, joined the Fredonia State faculty. Louise had been a unit leader, camp director, waterfront director and had volunteered on many committees in various councils. From1950 to 1956 she was the chair of the Camp Committee for the Northern Chautauqua Girl Scout Council.
While raising Britton, Craig and Loren, Louise enjoyed many other activities in addition to Girl Scouting including "church interests, Faculty Dames, Chautauqua County Fair Women's Committee, Lakeshore Bird Club, gardening, swimming and cooking." Because she loved to cook, Louise and a friend prepared dinner for 102 members and guests at the 11/18/1958 annual meeting of the Northern Chautauqua Girl Scout Council with Troop 1 of Dunkirk serving it.
She remained very active in Girl Scouting following the 1959 merger of the Jamestown Area, Salamanca Area and Northern Chautauqua GS Councils and served on the first Chautauqua Area Girl Scout Council Board of Directors. She also agreed to be the chair of the new Camp Committee serving from 1960 - 1965. Louise was instrumental in the 3/26/1962 board decision "to actively and openly investigate the purchase of property for a new camping facility" because, following the merger, the new council now had four camps with a combined acreage of 232 acres. One camp was located near Salamanca, one on Chautauqua Lake and two near Cassadaga. The board members wanted no less than 700 acres within about an hour's drive from anywhere in the council. Louise voted in favor of the board resolution on 10/22/62 that "Four properties be purchased south of Randolph (NY) subject to the condition that a favorable report as to the water retention property of the soil in the proposed lake area of the property is received from the NYS Soil Conservation Department." The total acreage of the four properties was 733 acres.
Following that purchase, Louise served on the Steering Committee for the capital campaign while still on the board and chairing the Camp Committee. On 11/23/1964 the Camp Committee agreed that "A name is to be selected for the new camp. Anyone may enter a name and the reward will be 2 weeks at camp. The winner to be announced during Girl Scout week in 1965." It is recorded in the 3/22/1965 board minutes that "Mrs. Wood told us that as the result of the contest, the new camp will be known as ‘Timbercrest.’ " There was no indication in the minutes as to who suggested "Timbercrest" nor what other names were suggested.
In 1965 Louise resigned from the Camp Committee to accept the nomination to be president of the Chautauqua Area Girl Scout Council. She was approved and served from 1965 to 1972. Not surprisingly, Louise again served on the Board of Directors from 1979 to 1985. On the "Slate of Officers" for the 1982 nomination/election of Members at Large for the board, it was noted that Louise Wood had been "affiliated with the Girl Scouts for 62 years." If that was correct then Louise joined the Girl Scouts in 1920, just eight years after it was founded by Juliette Gordon Low.
And finally, in March, 2024, 59 years after the winning name from the contest was announced, a two page document entitled "A Brief History of the Chautauqua Area Girl Scouts" was found in the GS Archives at the Jamestown Service Center. Louise Wood was on the list of past presidents. After her name on the list, the author of the document, Helen Bartkowiak, an active GS member from Dunkirk and a good friend of Louise's, wrote "She came up with the name for camp - Timbercrest." Louise wanted to remain anonymous I'm sure but anyone who knew her, like me, would be very pleased and happy that the name came from Louise because she was such a driving force during those years when our Camp Timbercrest was becoming a reality.
Based on all that she did for CAGS, the many positions and responsibilities she took on and her lifelong love of Girl Scouting and camping, Louise Wood is an "absolute must" for the Friends of Timbercrest Wall of fame.
Joanne E. (Jo) Nelson, FOT member and Girl Scout Life Member
Camp Timbercrest Director 1969 - 1978
Inducted onto the Wall of Fame on April 6, 2024.
Tribute by Jo Nelson
Louise Wood graduated from Cortland State in physical education and volunteered/worked in many Girl Scout councils before moving to Fredonia in 1947 when her husband, Nelson, joined the Fredonia State faculty. Louise had been a unit leader, camp director, waterfront director and had volunteered on many committees in various councils. From1950 to 1956 she was the chair of the Camp Committee for the Northern Chautauqua Girl Scout Council.
While raising Britton, Craig and Loren, Louise enjoyed many other activities in addition to Girl Scouting including "church interests, Faculty Dames, Chautauqua County Fair Women's Committee, Lakeshore Bird Club, gardening, swimming and cooking." Because she loved to cook, Louise and a friend prepared dinner for 102 members and guests at the 11/18/1958 annual meeting of the Northern Chautauqua Girl Scout Council with Troop 1 of Dunkirk serving it.
She remained very active in Girl Scouting following the 1959 merger of the Jamestown Area, Salamanca Area and Northern Chautauqua GS Councils and served on the first Chautauqua Area Girl Scout Council Board of Directors. She also agreed to be the chair of the new Camp Committee serving from 1960 - 1965. Louise was instrumental in the 3/26/1962 board decision "to actively and openly investigate the purchase of property for a new camping facility" because, following the merger, the new council now had four camps with a combined acreage of 232 acres. One camp was located near Salamanca, one on Chautauqua Lake and two near Cassadaga. The board members wanted no less than 700 acres within about an hour's drive from anywhere in the council. Louise voted in favor of the board resolution on 10/22/62 that "Four properties be purchased south of Randolph (NY) subject to the condition that a favorable report as to the water retention property of the soil in the proposed lake area of the property is received from the NYS Soil Conservation Department." The total acreage of the four properties was 733 acres.
Following that purchase, Louise served on the Steering Committee for the capital campaign while still on the board and chairing the Camp Committee. On 11/23/1964 the Camp Committee agreed that "A name is to be selected for the new camp. Anyone may enter a name and the reward will be 2 weeks at camp. The winner to be announced during Girl Scout week in 1965." It is recorded in the 3/22/1965 board minutes that "Mrs. Wood told us that as the result of the contest, the new camp will be known as ‘Timbercrest.’ " There was no indication in the minutes as to who suggested "Timbercrest" nor what other names were suggested.
In 1965 Louise resigned from the Camp Committee to accept the nomination to be president of the Chautauqua Area Girl Scout Council. She was approved and served from 1965 to 1972. Not surprisingly, Louise again served on the Board of Directors from 1979 to 1985. On the "Slate of Officers" for the 1982 nomination/election of Members at Large for the board, it was noted that Louise Wood had been "affiliated with the Girl Scouts for 62 years." If that was correct then Louise joined the Girl Scouts in 1920, just eight years after it was founded by Juliette Gordon Low.
And finally, in March, 2024, 59 years after the winning name from the contest was announced, a two page document entitled "A Brief History of the Chautauqua Area Girl Scouts" was found in the GS Archives at the Jamestown Service Center. Louise Wood was on the list of past presidents. After her name on the list, the author of the document, Helen Bartkowiak, an active GS member from Dunkirk and a good friend of Louise's, wrote "She came up with the name for camp - Timbercrest." Louise wanted to remain anonymous I'm sure but anyone who knew her, like me, would be very pleased and happy that the name came from Louise because she was such a driving force during those years when our Camp Timbercrest was becoming a reality.
Based on all that she did for CAGS, the many positions and responsibilities she took on and her lifelong love of Girl Scouting and camping, Louise Wood is an "absolute must" for the Friends of Timbercrest Wall of fame.
Joanne E. (Jo) Nelson, FOT member and Girl Scout Life Member
Camp Timbercrest Director 1969 - 1978
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Friends of Timbercrest preserve, enhance, and promote Camp Timbercrest in partnership with the Girl Scouts of Western New York.
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This website is owned and operated by the Friends of Timbercrest (FOT). It is not an official website of GSUSA or GSWNY.
FOT works in partnership with GSWNY to preserve, enhance, and promote Girl Scout Camp Timbercrest so that it may always be a place where girls can connect with nature, try new things, and build confidence & self-reliance.
FOT works in partnership with GSWNY to preserve, enhance, and promote Girl Scout Camp Timbercrest so that it may always be a place where girls can connect with nature, try new things, and build confidence & self-reliance.