Nina Matsumoto (Raccoon) started volunteering in 1982 (as a Junior Unit Leader) at Forest Fantasy Girl Scout Day Camp operated out of Camp Julianna in Battle Ground, Washington.  The Girl Scouts had leased the camp from Clark County for many years and was also the site of a Girl Scout resident camp.  In 1984, the day camp had grown so big, they decided to  split into two separate day camps.  The camps were called Camp Julianna (mainly served Battle Ground and most of Vancouver) and Camp Julianna East (which mainly served East Vancouver).  In 1985 Gail Branum joined the staff as a Pixie (Tagalongs) Planner and Leader.

​

After camp in 1993, Clark County decided not to renew the Girl Scout lease for the Camp Julianna property in Battle Ground.  The volunteers loved day camp so much they researched alternative sites to hold camp.  This group of moms decided to try J.D. Currie Youth Camp in Camas because there was already a Girl Scout day camp running there called Camp Currie.

​

The last patch had a skunk in the design with a camper's feet sticking out of a tent and a skunk sniffing the toes.  This became the idea for the camp mascot named 'Stinky".  Without a name for the new camp, a meeting was held at Witchypoo's house (Margaret Borbely - the PA Leader) to brainstorm for names.  Since the Girl Scouts would most likely not want to tell their friends they went to Camp Skunk or Camp Skunk Hollow, Bookworm (Carol Terrell - Business Manager) researched native American words for "skunk".  Viola - SEGONKU - means "skunk" in Abenaki. 

​

In 1994, Camp Segonku had its first official Girl Scout Day Camp with Gail Branum (Rabbit) and Nina Matsumoto (Raccoon) as directors.  The theme was "Looney Tunes - This Way to Segonku" (see patch to the left*)  Stinky would show up on patches, t-shirts, in camp unit pictures, and hiding who knows where around camp. 

​

In 1998, Camp Segonku moved to The Lacamas Conference Center because J.D. Currie did not have all the comforts of Camp Julianna and many leaders were complaining about how primitive the camp was.  The Lacamas Conference Center had a large gymnasium, dining room with a large kitchen, playground equipment, and cabins.  It was nice, but it came with a high price tag.  When Lacamas Conference Center changed owners in 2002 the prices doubled so back to J.D. Currie Youth Camp again. 

It was hard to get a director, so Nina Matsumoto (Raccoon) and Margaret Barker (Sassafras) took the job.  The theme that year was "Survivor" The rest is history.  

​