Girl Scouts Build & Drill: Mastering Home Repair Skills This Summer

After a special summer camp, a group of Girl Scouts may feel confident holding a drill or know what to do next time there’s a hole in the wall.

The camp, called She Builds ‘n Drills, is a four-day camp by the Rebuilding Together – El Paso organization designed to teach young women basic home repair skills to feel confident to maintain their home. The program initially was geared toward women but has also included teenagers in the past two years as a way to introduce construction skills at an early age.

According to the organization, only 11% of the construction industry is female.

Each day, the girls learned about a different skill – such as using a fire extinguisher safely, how to cover a hole on drywall, basic plumbing, how to switch the main water valve, check electricity in the home, and woodworking skills – and then tried their hand at it. The camp was held at the Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest Council property in the Northeast.

Michelle Flores, a Girl Scout leader volunteer who partnered with the organization, said, “one of the best things about being a troop leader is having the opportunity and flexibility to partner with local community organizations and be able to provide opportunities for girls to learn new skills or explore career avenues they may not have considered otherwise.”

At the end of the camp, the girls not only walked out with a certificate, but a valuable tool bag filled with the tools they used all the week.

Aside from hosting the camp, Rebuilding Together El Paso, a non-profit organization, helps low-income families by providing safety and health-related repairs completely free of charge. For more information, go to
rebuildingtogetherelpaso.org
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Facebook.com/rebuildingtogetherep915