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Girl Scouts News

100 donations for the 100 years

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Submitted by Joyce Kohlmeier
Fort Collins

Troop 70884 started planning at the beginning of the year as to how to celebrate the Girl Scout 100 year Birthday. What do we do? Have a party, well that was a given. Then everyone thought- What would Juliette Low do? What would make her proud? So we decided that community service would make her proud. We knew that Juliette Low loved animals so the first service project was set. We would collect 100 dog bones to donate to the Animal House a no kill shelter in our community. We would do this by talking to our friends, neighbors our fellow Girl Scouts at our service unit meeting. Before you knew it we had our 100 dog bones and more. We went to the Animal House and made our donation. We told them of our 100 goal. The sent us a nice note and were very grateful.

Next- wow what to do next. Juliette Low liked education. That was it. We would collect 100 school supplies and donate them to Irish Elementary. We would do it in the same way. Getting the word out to our neighbors and friends about what we wanted to do any why. Before we knew it. We had 100 school supplies to donate. Irish was very grateful and we received a fantastic note from them. It was a wonderful experience. Part 2 of our service project will be next- stay tuned:)

Part 2
Troop 70884 continued story on what to do for our 100 years that would make Juliette Low proud. We decided that collecting dog bones for animals was wonderful and school supplies for children was pretty good also. What else, what else could we do that would make Juliette Low proud. We could collect 100 cans of food for the Larimer County food bank. So off we go, we tell our neighbors, friends and fellow Scouts what we want to do. We also had a goal of letting the community know that we were 100 years old and how Girl Scouts can help in the community. We collected and sorted our food, checked the dates and we had 144 cans of food. When we took it for donation it came out to 134 pounds. Karen the nice lady that helped us at the food bank told us that this food would probably go out tomorrow because the need is great. We are so thankful to all of the people who helped us make our goals. We worked on these projects for four months and it was worth every minute. We have a couple more goals for this year -wish us luck to make them.

This story was submitted via the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too.

Girl Scouts News

Troop 70884 at the museum

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Submitted by Joyce Kohlmeier
Fort Collins

Cadette Troop 70884 from Fort Collins decided that we were part of a once in a lifetime experience. We wanted to visit the museum and learn all about 100 years of Girl Scouting. We were so very lucky to run into JoAnne Busch and Marty Allison who helped us learn so much about our history and why we are Girl Scouts. We decided to go to dinner and have an evaluation meeting. The girls loved the Girl Scout exhibit and said that their favorite part was learning all about the uniforms from Marty and learning about the Chippewa kitchen from JoAnne. We talked about how fun it would be to have a bunch more interactive things to do. Voting on the favorite cookies was a hit with us. We also loved tying knots. We also talked about how very lucky we were to have wonderful volunteers who would take the time and effort to put something like this together so we could learn. A big thank you to them.

This story was submitted via the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too.

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Troop 42 makes a difference for wild animals

Sumbitted by Madelynn Orr
Littleton

Girl Scout Troop 42 members recently earned their Bronze Award, which is the highest honor a Junior Girl Scout (grades 4th and 5th) can earn. For their Bronze Award “Take Action” project, the girls decided to make the world a better place by helping animals in their community. They researched different shelters, explored ways they could help, and chose The Wild Animal Sanctuary (TWAS) in Keenesburg, Colorado. The girls learned about TWAS’s mission: “to prevent and alleviate cruelty to animals which are abandoned or that are subject to deprivation or neglect by providing care and boarding for such animals.”

At Troop meetings, the girls shared some of TWAS’s animal rescue stories. They decided to help TWAS by donating money they earned from cookies sales to sponsor two animals and also gathering items from TWAS’s “wish list.” Some of the girls earned money around their homes or at lemonade stands and purchased things like laundry detergent, trash bags and paper products as well as lots of food items and some gathered donations from the community like towels and blankets.

The Girl Scouts reached out to Ken Caryl pet supply store Woofs and Hoofs. Tamara Lenherr, the owner of Woofs and Hoofs, was extremely generous in donating over 180 pounds of dog food for the bears and other animals at TWAS. Lenherr is very well versed when it comes to quality animal nutrition, and a lot of her products are all natural or organic. Lenherr says, “animals continually teach me and remind me every day to live in the moment and make the most of life.”

Troop members visited TWAS and learned about the dangerous problem of “captive wildlife,” where lions, tigers, leopards, bears, wolves and other wild species are kept as pets or in exploitive conditions. The girls were sad to learn far more tigers are kept privately (not in licensed facilities) in the United States than remain in the wild.

Troop #42 Members:

Mary Frances Blatter
Kate Bohan
Megan Cherrey
Hannah Fort
Kenzie Frye
Erin Giles
Kiera Hess
Katie Koch
Lexi Howard
Amanda Howery
Caitlin James
Lainey Orr
Lexi Orr
Carissa Scott
Hailey Thompson
Alex Watson
Kaleigh Weigum

 

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Girl Scout volunteer myths

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We hear it all the time: “I love Girl Scouts, but I don’t have a daughter.” Every time we go out into the community to recruit volunteers we hear the rumor that only moms can volunteer. But the truth is that anyone can volunteer; even if you don’t have a daughter or if you’re not a mom. We count on our volunteers to carry out our vision and mission and to provide girls with meaningful and engaging experiences that will help them become the leaders of tomorrow. And to do that we need everyone, moms included. We need dads, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, teachers, engineers, financial advisors, facilitators, and lawyers. To serve all different types of girls we need to reach out to all different types of volunteers – and that includes you, too. You can co-lead or lead a troop, manage troop finances, or help lead or facilitate a program or series for the girls.  The possibilities are endless!   

 We also are in need of volunteers who may not want to work directly with girls but still want to support them. We have opportunities that include organizing cookie and product sales, organizing events, administrative work, and so much more. If you’re interested in getting involved with Girl Scouts (moms included!!) click on the links below for more information on current opportunities, or contact us for more information.

If you’re interested in exploring ways you can get involved with Girl Scouts contact Kelly Burwell: 970-530-1839 or vs.americorps@gscolorado.org

Girl Scouts News

Gunnison Celebrates 100 years of Girl Scouts

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Submitted by Perri Pelletier
Gunnison

Girl Scout Junior Troop 10558 in Gunnison hosted a community-wide GS 100th birthday celebration on March 14. We had at least 80 people attend, including Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, and “mature alumnae!” The energy was GREAT! Our oldest alumna was an active Girl Scout in the 1930s!

The Juniors led the group in singing traditional Girl Scout favorites, and they gave short talks about aspects of history including cookie sales, uniforms, and Juliette Low. They also awarded numerous door prizes to members of the audience. The event was a tremendous success. Even in tiny Gunnison, Girl Scouting links many generations of women and girls in such a special way!

This story was submitted via our Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too.

Council News, Events

Girl Scout Gold Award Recipients Honored at State Capitol

2012 Gold Award Girls

View more photos from the event

Seventy-two Girl Scouts are receiving Girl Scouts’ highest award, the Gold Award, this spring in Colorado. On Monday, April 9th, the Colorado House of Representatives honored these recipients on the House floor. Twenty-five of the recipients were present. Channel 4 TV (CBS – Denver/statewide) covered the event.

Read more about this year’s Gold Award recipients in the 2012 Highest Awards Program as well as in the press release prepared for the State Capitol recognition.

And there is no better way to capture the essence of this honor then by listening to some of this year’s Gold Award recipients on what earning this award means to them in the video below.

Congratulations 2012 Gold Award recipients! (This Gold Award alumna is proud of you :)!)

 
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1sh41Foy3E?rel=0]

Council News

Girl Scout Ambassadors of Troop 448 open The Power of Title IX luncheon during Final Four

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Capping off a glorious month of celebrations of girls’ leadership, Girl Scout Ambassadors Madeleine Garcia and Ellie Wroble of Troop 448 opened The Power of Title IX luncheon in conjunction with the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Denver by leading the attendees in the Girl Scout Promise. The luncheon featured an inspirational speech by basketball legend Teresa Edwards, considered one of the greatest female athletes of all time. She won five Olympic medals, including four gold, during her international basketball career. Teresa told the crowd that her greatest inspiration was her mother, whose words she lives by, “If it’s not worth doing right, it’s not worth doing at all.”

Ellie and Madeleine also got to meet Laurel Richie, who was Girl Scouts of the USA’s Vice President of Brand Marketing until last year when she left to become the President of the Women’s National Basketball Association.

Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 is the landmark legislation that banned sex discrimination in schools, whether it be in academics or athletics. Title IX paved the way for girls and women’s athletic opportunities and programs to grow and thrive in America.

Ellie is a Gen Wow! Girl Scout, selected as one of the 100 girls in the state whose accomplishments and dedication to service embody the spirit of the 100th anniversary. Both girls are working on earning the highest award in Girl Scouts, the Gold Award. Girl Scouts attended the event courtesy of the Daniels Fund.

Council News, Events

Girl Scouts’ 100th celebrated on Western Slope

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Western Slope 100th party, a set on Flickr.

From Marilyn Calhoun

Girl Scouts on the Western Slope celebrated the 100th anniversary in a big way! The event was held at the Army National Guard Armory in Grand Junction on March 24. About 316 girls participated, along with leaders and specially invited alumnae. Ten Girl Scout troops created displays featuring the 10 decades of Girl Scouting. The girls participated in activities that related to the decades, such as learning semaphore as in the 1910-1930s, learning to tie knots as part of the 1940s & 1950s, environmental and outdoor activities represented the 1960s & 1970s, and technological comparisons represented 1980-present. Girls had a craft station where they made a keepsake of the celebration. There was a wonderful historical display and a special alumnae area. Alumnae received a button that said “once upon a time, I was a Girl Scout,” and they added ribbons listing where they had been a Girl Scout. They also put pins in a map and with yarn connected all the places that they had been a Girl Scout. The afternoon ended with a songfest, and ice cream and birthday cake.

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Volunteer Opportunity of The Week: Gold Award

Girl Scouts is all about taking action and making the world a better place – and the Gold Award is a perfect example of that. If you have earned higher awards or if you have helped a Girl Scout in your life earn one of her highest awards then we have the perfect volunteer opportunity for you: a Gold Award Committee Member!

We’re looking for volunteers who can help guide, mentor, and support Girl Scouts who are earning their highest award. This would include working one on one with girl’s to guide them through the application process as well as supporting them through their highest award journey. We’re also looking for committee members who would be interested in approving Gold Award projects and making sure that Gold Award projects meet the Girl Award Standards.

Committee members are needed across the state, but we’re particularly seeking volunteers who are located in the Southwest, Southeast, and Northern Colorado. To learn more about the Gold Award and how volunteers are involved in the process click here.  All positions are flexible and we’ll work with your location as well as your schedule!

For more information contact Kelly Burwell at vs.americorps@gscolorado.org or 970-530-1839

Council News

Volunteer survey now open

Last spring, many volunteers gave us invaluable information on a survey regarding support. Thank you all!

The survey identified three areas as the first priorities for us to look at to improve in our support to volunteers.  The three areas were:

  • Strengthening the existing service unit meeting structure and enhancing the meetings.
  • Providing something in addition to the service unit for those who can’t attend service unit meetings.
  •  Improving communication from council staff to volunteers, parents and girls.

Based on that input, we’ve enhanced our support to volunteers in the following ways:

  • A GSCO Service Unit Team Manual is in the final stages of development. We will offer Service Unit Team training at all the Springaganzas around the state in April and May.
  • Service unit position descriptions and forms have been reviewed and revised and more position descriptions are being developed.
  • We’ve added Virtual Service Unit meetings for volunteers who are unable to make it to an in-person meeting or who want additional information and time to ask questions with council staff from a variety of departments.  We have been holding at least 2 per month with access by computer and/or phone. These meetings are also recorded so you can listen to them at your convenience if you are unable to attend the scheduled virtual meeting.
  • Our new website with easier navigation and better functionality was launched in December.

Finding the best method(s) of communication is still a challenge, as half of the respondents requested information by email and half said no email! We know there is not a “one size” fits most.  We also want to continue improving in all areas so we are coming to you again for new ideas and suggestions for improvements to current methods or others that may be more effective.

Please take some time to complete this survey and give us your input. It should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. Thanks for your time in helping to better serve you. And thanks for all your continued support in our 100th Anniversary Year – the Year of the Girl!