Can girls use power tools to create useful projects?  Absolutely!  Our shop allows girls to gain confidence in working with power tools as well as standard hand tools.  Projects are developmental in nature with more complex projects being available to girls who choose to visit the shop frequently.  Betsey Cox girls have built chairs, a variety of toys, boxes, shelves and have also initiated their own projects.  A current staff member wrote “One of my first memories of camp was going to wood shop.  I was nine years old and terrified of anything resembling a power tool.  The staff warmly greeted me and helped me pick out a project to tackle.  I settled on a pig-shaped coat rack.  With a little help, I went to work cutting out the pig-shaped background on the jigsaw.  As I finished the cutout, I felt like a pro.”  Girls who come to enjoy working with wood are also invited to work on repairs around camp and have also worked with our maintenance director on new buildings.  Self-confidence grows with each swing of the hammer!