The Juliette Low Girl Scout Activity Center in Waterworks Park has served our community well.
For the last 59 years, girls have been using the girl scout house for activities.
The process to bring the house to Beaver Dam began on Feb. 9, 1957, when 24 men (father and friends of Girl Scouts) met for a breakfast meeting at Hotel Rogers to discuss the possibility of building a facility where Girl Scouts could meet. This group of men decided to form a corporation to start this process. On Feb. 13, 1957, the Beaver Dam Do-Dads, Inc was formed.
The initial directors of the corporation were: Dr E. Hoyer, Henry Gergen, Edward Jacobs, Ernest Strub, B. Morris, J. Helfert, Les Frinak, Dr C. Qualls, John Murray, Paul Balfe, Jesse Canniff, M. Maier, Ray Langmack, W. Woods, John Howard, Burt Boyer and Victor Bohl.
The Girl Scouts owned a land-locked piece of property at Crystal Beach and had some initial start-up money. It was decided to work out an agreement to sell or trade that parcel to the city and secure a site in the city for the Girl Scout house.
The Do Dads, working with the Girl Scout leaders, approached the city about donating some land. The first plan was for a facility to be built at Tahoe Park, but there were objections from the neighbors. By late June 1957, a lease on land located in Spellman Woods (now Waterworks Park) was secured. The agreement, which stands today, is that an annual rent stipend is paid to the city. The building is maintained by the Do Dad Board, while the city takes care of the surrounding land.
The board then developed architectural plans and raised funds. It was initially hoped that volunteer labor and materials would make the building a reality, but road blocks met with some of those plans. Union contractors had to be used to do the masonry work and to put up the building frame. Liability insurance had to be purchased. The directors secured bank loans and even took out personal loans to make the facility a reality. Construction started in Sept. 1958. Volunteers did much of the inside work. The main level has two bathrooms, a fireplace and kitchen, along with the main meeting/work area. The finished basement has the furnace room, storage for camping and activity supplies, as well as a carpeted place for overnights. There was also a fireplace in the basement which is no longer in the building.
On June 20, 1959, an open house and dedication ceremony was held to showcase the Juliette Low Girl Scout House.
By 1966, all outstanding loans were paid off and the Girl Scout House was debt-free.
The Girl Scout House, now called the Juliette Low Girl Scout Activity Center, has been in continuous use since 1959. Girl Scouts continue to hold meetings and overnights at the building. Leaders hold trainings and activities there, all at no charge.
The Girl Scout Activity Center has seen some updates since the construction. Air conditioning has been added, new windows were installed and tables, chairs and appliances replaced. The facility is available for rentals for parties and events, and has seen some long-term use with weekend church services and day care sites.
In addition, the Juliette Low Girl Scout Activity Center receives funding from the United Way of Dodge County.
The mission that moved those fathers and friends of Girl Scouts to build the Girl Scout House remains true today. It is a place where the girls can have a safe and secure location for meetings, store camping supplies and have fun.
The current board of directors includes president Del Yaroch, vice-president Laurie Sabel, secretary Pat Abitz, treasurer Marge Jorgensen, and directors Terry Sabel, Mary Ann Zimmerlee.
