Carole Ackerman devoted her life to empowering others through leadership and service in the Girl Scouts. As a troop leader at every level, she inspired countless girls and took on pivotal roles, including service team member, day camp director, neighborhood delegate, and key contributor to the Camp Furnace Hills Site Team, Foxfire House Team, and Outdoor Education Team. Carole also led as chair of the campsite representative program, served as a Green Circle demonstrator, and lent her expertise as a site aid at Foxfire House.
Known for her innovation, Carole created campsite training programs that remain in use today. Her dedication and impact were recognized in 1996 with the Girl Scout Thanks Badge, the organization’s highest honor for adults who leave a lasting mark on the Girl Scout Movement.
Carole also brought history to life for Girl Scouts nationwide. In 2003, she co-directed Bonnets and Battlefields, celebrating women’s roles during the Civil War, and in 2006, she led Catch the Foxfire Spirit, where girls immersed themselves in 1800s life.
Carole passed away in December 2023. In her honor, Carole’s family, in partnership with Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania, is rebuilding the 18th-century barn at Camp Furnace Hills, destroyed in a 2017 hurricane, to preserve her enduring legacy.