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About the Jane Norton Girl Scout DreamLab
What is the Jane Norton Girl Scout DreamLab? 
Where is it located?
What are the different spaces?
GSNEO Retail Shop
Who is Jane Norton?
The Girl Scout songbook is filled with tunes that Jane Norton knew and loved. Particularly appropriate is the song “On My Honor” which in part, has these lyrics:
On my honor, I will try,
There's a duty to be done, and I say aye,
There's a reason here for a reason above,
My honor is to try and my duty is to love.
Like the song, Jane Norton accepted the challenge of the “duty to be done.” She was a lifetime Girl Scout, and lived by the Girl Scout Promise and Law. In the Girl Scout Law, each member vows to make the world a better place, and by all measures, Jane was an exceptional example of a Girl Scout.
She started her Girl Scout journey as a Brownie, and fully immersed herself in all Girl Scouting had to offer. She was a camp counselor at Camp Timberlane, introducing girls to Girl Scout culture through song, games, and stories around the campfire. She also taught key outdoor skills including riflery, archery, and watercraft. Notably, she was chosen to attend the very first Girl Scout of America’s Senior Round-up in 1956. Nearly 5,000 girls, representing all 48 states, and almost as many volunteers, converged on Milford, MI camping and convened for two weeks. She, along with seven of her Girl Scout sisters, represented Black River Girl Scout Council, a legacy council that later became part of Girl Scouts of North East Ohio.
In her adulthood, she continued to support Girl Scouts. She was the capital campaign chair for Camp Timberlane and led the efforts to substantially enhance, construct, and update camp facilities. These improvements included the Edgewater Program Center and the Tall Timbers cabin complex for the then Girl Scouts of Erie Shores.
Jane was also a community activist, philanthropist, avid traveler, and the glue of her family. She and her husband traveled across all seven continents.
Jane was heavily involved in the vision and expansion of Lorain County Community College (LCCC) and was an LCCC Foundation member; a member of the Lorain Historical Society Board of Trustees; the Chair of The Norton Family Foundation; and served as the first executive director of The Stocker Foundation.
Jane’s impact and legacy in Lorain County will never be forgotten, highlighted by the establishment of the Ben and Jane Norton Culinary Arts Center, which was dedicated in 2012 at LCCC. Jane’s interest in culinary sciences stems from her degree and career as a dietitian.
The mural on the front of the Girl Scout DreamLab represents Jane’s journey in Girl Scouts from Brownie to successful career woman and community leader. Her family hopes that every Girl Scout can see themselves in the arc of her life and be inspired to make the world a better place.
This photo was taken in 1950 for the annual Red Feather Campaign to illustrate that community fundraising campaign's support for the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. Jane, fourth from the left in the front row, was in sixth grade, and Ben, third from the left in the front row, was in seventh grade.
Jane and Ben were a great team as community volunteers , travel partners , business leaders and were married for more than 60 years.
Thank you to our generous DreamLab donors
Check out photos from our grand opening events in January 2025!
