Girl Scouts Camp Out on White House Lawn

PHOTO: Girl Scouts camp out on White House lawn Tuesday night. White House photo

__________

It’s not every Girl Scout that gets to camp out on the lawn of the White House. But that’s what a group of Girl Scouts did Tuesday night, before powerful storms drove them to regroup at a nearby government building conference room.

It was the first time the White House lawn has been opened up for a Girl Scout campout, the Associated Press reported. The National Park Service erected 23 tents on the South Lawn of the White House, under the Truman balcony, People magazine reported.

President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama stopped by, sitting on bales of hay to sing some campfire songs with the girls. (There was no actual fire; lanterns lit up the camp site.)

“What are you guys doing in my yard?” the president joked, before taking a seat on a hay bale, the AP reported. “When did you guys show up here?”

The Girl Scouts and the first lady tweeted out photos and messages about the experience:

The Girl Scouts messaged: “@FLOTUS and @POTUS surprised Girl Scouts for a sing-a-long! They sure know how to have FUN! #gsoutdoors”

The first lady tweeted: “Kicking off the first-ever @WhiteHouse Campout. Welcome to the South Lawn, @GirlScouts! #FindYourPark”

The first lady is the honorary national president of the Girl Scouts.

The campout was arranged as part of Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative. The 4th-grade girls climbed a rock wall, learned to tie knots, pitched tents and took part in orienteering exercises.

Do you have a news tip to share? Email: maryann.barton@patch.com