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Our Chalet is an international Girl Guide/Girl Scout centre and one of five World Centres of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS). The others are Our Cabaña, Sangam, Kusafiri and Pax Lodge. Our Chalet is just outside of Adelboden, in the Bernese Oberland of Switzerland.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 Our Chalet )〕 Located in the Bernese Alps, it is above sea level. (Our Chalet ), founded by Helen Storrow, opened in 1932. It has only been closed to the public once, during World War II when it was used as a military training and refugee centre. In the time since it opened, the Centre has been expanded and now includes several buildings. Our Chalet offers year-round activities, special events, and conferences for Girl Guides, Girl Scouts, and leaders from around the world. ==History== In 1929, WAGGGS met in the Netherlands and decided to build a World Centre for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts worldwide. An American Girl Scout leader, Helen Storrow (1864–1944), agreed to fund the construction〔 and the first four years of operation if it were built in Switzerland.〔 Helped by Swiss Scout Ida Von Herrenschwand (1887–1961), also known as "Falk",〔 Storrow found several possible locations, including Grindelwald, which had unsuitable ground; Kandersteg, which already had the Kandersteg International Scout Centre; and Aeschi. Favoured by Storrow for its beauty, Aeschi was proposed at a conference at Foxlease, UK. It almost passed, but Falk felt it was too low for the sort of adventure that young girls were looking for and Robert Baden-Powell, founder of Scouting, agreed.〔 After more discussion, the conference agreed upon several important conditions. The site had to be near a main train line, but away from tourists. Hotels in the neighbourhood were also required, yet it could not be a fashionable place. The site had to be high enough for skiing in the winter and climbing in the summer while still suitable for those with heart trouble. It was also agreed that there should be sufficient ground around and pleasant neighbours. Falk continued searching and found Adelboden, which she felt would be perfect. The contracts to buy the desired land from three different farmers were signed in December 1930.〔 In June 1931, Storrow and the World Committee of WAGGGS came to inspect the site, which they approved. The name Our Chalet was chosen so that every Girl Guide or Scout would feel it was her home.〔 Construction of Our Chalet began with the basement in September 1931, and the roof was built on 21 December 1931, according to plans by architect M. von Sinner.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 publisher=World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts )〕 Storrow returned in May 1932 to see the completed chalet, prompting Falk and others to hold a party at a village inn to celebrate the strong bond that remains to this day between the chalet and villagers.〔 Storrow then decided that she wanted a separate, smaller house of her own where she could stay and receive guests to be ready in time for the official opening of Our Chalet. Named "Baby Chalet", it is still open to guests. The formal opening for both Chalets was on 31 July 1932 by Storrow and Olave Baden-Powell with many villagers, Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from around the world, and Robert Baden-Powell in attendance.〔〔 Falk became the World Centre's first "Guider in Charge".〔 The original plan was for Our Chalet to be open during the summer and for a brief winter holiday, but it was so popular that it soon opened to support the year-round demand.〔 Our Chalet was used immediately after its formal opening. First there was a meeting of the World Committee, and then sixteen girls from eight different countries stayed for a fortnight at the invitation of the Committee of the ''Juliette Low Memorial Fund'', named after Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA. Many of today's traditions are from the first year of operation.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Our Chalet」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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