Tag Archives: Council News

Council News, Girl Scout News, Girl Scouts News

Participants needed for revised Power Up pilot

Girl Scouts of Colorado has revised our Power Up program and is looking for girls, troops, and leaders to pilot the material. Power Up is Girl Scouts of Colorado’s anti-bullying program for girls in grades second through twelfth. It engages participants to think critically about different types of bullying and encourages them to stand up and speak out against bullying behaviors. Girls can think of this program as an extension to the “aMaze” Journey and “Be a Friend First (BFF).”

Requirements for pilot participants:

  • Attend a virtual training
  • Facilitate the program in the 2018- 2019 membership year
  • Experience in facilitating programming to girls or community
  • Complete feedback surveys on their successfully facilitated programs
  • Reliable communication with Girl Scouts of Colorado staff

Interested in participating? Fill out the Power Up pilot application: https://girlscoutsusa.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eLLTbmUftxVBu4Z

Questions? Contact GirlExperience@gscolorado.org

Alumnae News, Council News, Events

Girl Scouts honors 2018 Western Slope Women of Distinction

 WHAT: Girl Scouts of Colorado’s Women of Distinction Breakfast honors three local female community leaders. Honorees are selected by a committee of their peers and chosen based on their contributions to the community, both professionally and personally. They are shining examples of corporate, civic and philanthropic leadership and serve as role models for our female leaders of tomorrow. Since 2013, including this year’s honorees, Girl Scouts of Colorado has recognized 18 women on the Western Slope as Women of Distinction.

Girl Scouts of Colorado is proud to honor the 2018 inductees into the esteemed Women of Distinction program on the Western Slope.

  • Sister Barbara Aldrich SCL, VP of Mission Integration, St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center
  • Jeni Brown, Chief Financial Officer, J.G. Management Systems, Inc.
  • LeAnn Zetmeir, Philanthropist and Community Leader

This year’s event is presented by Event Chair Stacey Mascarenas, Woman of Distinction 2017, Class Liaison Susan Alvillar, Woman of Distinction 2015, and Selection Chair Sue Conry, Woman of Distinction 2017.

Girl Scouts of Colorado will honor these inductees at the 2018 Women of Distinction Breakfast. Attendees will learn about the impact that Girl Scouting is making on the girls of the Western Slope and within its communities. Featured Speakers include Gold Award Girl Scout Molly McPherson and Silver Award Girl Scout Anela Cronk.

WHEN: Thursday, November 8, 2018 – 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Tickets for the event are $25.

WHERE: Two Rivers Convention Center, Grand Junction

ATTENDANCE: 300 Guests

For more information, including how you can help, contact Cindi Graves at 970-628-8003 or cindi.graves@gscolorado.org. Visit www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/wodgj to purchase tickets and sponsorships. For media, RSVP by November 1 to cindi.graves@gscolorado.org or 970-628-8003.

Thank you to our Gold Presenting Sponsor: USBank and Silver Presenting Sponsors: Chevron, FCI Constructors, St. Mary’s Hospital & Medical Center, Inc. And Media Presenter: Townsquare Media

Council News, Girl Scout News, Girl Scouts News, Take Action/Highest Awards

Gold and Silver Award changes from GSUSA

Effective October 1, 2018, Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) has decided girls may do Silver and Gold Award projects for the benefit of the Girl Scout community.

In order to make sure that this change doesn’t dilute the prestige, leadership efforts, or impact of each girl’s project, Silver and Gold Awards must still meet the requirements that are key to taking sustainable action, the project must:

  • Make a lasting difference in the local community, region, or beyond
  • Put the Girl Scout Promise and Law into action
  • Include provisions to ensure sustainability
  • Identify national and/global links to the selected issue
  • Inspire others

For Girl Scouts of Colorado, our focus will continue to be on the interests of girls when choosing a highest awards project. This means if a girl identifies a need within the GSCO community and feels passionately about it, she will be allowed to pursue that project by working directly with GSCO’s highest awards manger.

In addition to this policy, the GSCO Outdoor Program team will still not allow projects to be done on camp properties.

If you or your troop is interested in a Highest Awards project that you believe will now be allowed under this new policy, please reach out to highest awards manager Kaitie LoDolce at  highestawards@gscolorado.org prior to starting your project.

 

Council News

GSCO Retail Shop: Updates for fall 2018

What an exciting year ahead of us! New badges, members, promotions, and swag! The retail team has been busy re-merchandising the store, bringing in new Girl Scouts of Colorado merchandise, making room for new badges and requirements from GSUSA, and getting fully stocked on all GSLE/uniforms and insignia for all our customers. (We are excited about the 2018-2019 year bringing in so many opportunities for our Girl Scouts, we might have gone a little over board with the swag.)     

Just a couple of quick updates:

  • With the summer ending, and schools are back in session, it is time for the Girl Scout Shop to increase hours to help our volunteers/parents and girls get their gear they will need for a successful year. Beginning September 4, 2018, the store will be open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.;  Wednesday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.;  and Saturday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
  • Our website on GirlScoutShop.com will be updated that day with this change along with our voicemail and email.
  • Shipping charges will increase by $1 on September 4 as well. Our flat rate of $6.50 has not increased in four years while priority postage has increased substantially, as well as shipping supplies. Please note that shipping large orders containing books are priced based on weight and measure, not a flat shipping rate. Customers are advised of this, at the time of booking.
  • September and October are some of our busiest months of the year. Email (retail@gscolorado.org) is always best for volunteers and parents to get an order in if they don’t order online with girlscoutshop.com.
  • If placing an order with us, please allow 72 hours for processing, whether it is pulling for a pick up or shipping.

We hope everyone has a great 2018-2019 Girl Scout year!

-The Retail Team- Jackie, Andria and Carlin

Email: retail@gscolorado.org

Phone: (303) 607-4880

1485 South Colorado Blvd

Suite 260

Denver, CO 80222

 

 

Cookies, Cookies Volunteers, Council News, Volunteer News

Meet the GSCO Product Program Team

Jamie Haxton – Chief Product Program Officer

20160512_145805

Jamie oversees the entire Product Program Team statewide and sits on several national advisory boards. She is considered a thought leader, peer-to-peer mentor, visionary, and strategic planner across the Girl Scout movement.  Among her many duties here in Colorado, she secures, manages, and works with vendors for both the Fall Product Program and Girl Scout Cookie Program, supporting girls in reaching their goals and giving back to their communities. She has more than 20 years of experience with Girls Scouts, including eight years with Girl Scouts of Colorado. Jamie also served twelve years as Chief Financial Officer for Girl Scouts Sooner Council.

Beth Homeijer – Product Program Analyst

Beth Homeijer photo

Beth oversees the vendor software, uploads, event coordination, sales analysis, DOC, and many other internal logistical items.

Stephanie Sanders – Product Program Administrative Assistant

Stephanie is the admin for the entire team, overseeing Formstack databases, communication overflows, mailings, meeting coordination, and many other items that keep the department running smoothly.

Laura Aguon– Product Program Manager

GSCO photo

Laura oversees the Product Program Specialists.  Laura is the primary staff support and resource for product program issues and management.

Rychelle Arnold – Product Program Design Manager

WelcomePhoto

Rychelle oversees the training content, manuals, guides, training designs, printed materials, assists with overall product program designs.

Product Program Specialists are the main Product Program Support for regional staff teams as well as responsible for managing the volunteer needs.  They are responsible for the key volunteer recruitment and design for their regions.  Each is tasked with the success of the campaigns, material distribution, rewards distribution, trainings, communications, and many other items within each region.

Mary Ann Deard- Regions 1, 2, & 5

GetPersonaPhoto

Melissa Hall– Regions 3 & 4

Sharon Ewing- Region 6

Julie Gallagher- Region 7

 

** Note: This in no way is the extent of all of their responsibilities. Rather, a snippet to help you direct your questions appropriately. 

Council News

GSCO Retail Shop update: April 2018

The GSCO Retail Shop will have new merchandise in stock for all our Girl Scout Ambassadors out there who are ready to graduate! They can walk down that graduation aisle beaming with Girl Scout pride for all of their accomplishments.  You can order these items online or come in to the retail shop and purchase.

Also, summer is around the corner and camps will be in full swing. Don’t forget that there will be no trading posts at Tomahawk Ranch this year, but we do have a pre-order form for Tomahawk swag and camp kits. Sky High Ranch will have their trading post up and running, but there is also a pre-order form.

https://gscolorado.formstack.com/forms/2018_skyhigh_camp_preorder_form

https://gscolorado.formstack.com/forms/2018_tomahawk_camp_preorder_form

Staff at the retail shop will contact you and get a form of payment and your shipping request.

Please remember cookie cards are only available to use through Girl Scouts of Colorado and not available to use online at girlscoutshop.com.  However, if you would like to purchase online, you can do so using your own credit card and submit a form for reimbursement.

http://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/content/girlscoutsofcolorado/en/for-volunteers/forms-and-resources/credit-reimbursement0.html

The last Saturday of the spring season will be May 19, 2018. After that, summer hours start on May 22. We have an amazing retail team, and we are here to make our volunteers/members happy, confident and to represent Girl Scouts to their full potential.

Council News, Volunteer News

Gold Award mentors statewide awarded President’s Award

Adult recognition awards are designed to recognize volunteers who have gone above and beyond the expectations of the volunteer role they hold, and who have deeply impacted Girl Scouts in ways that support and further GSCO’s goals and mission. The prestigious President’s Award recognizes the efforts of a service-delivery team or committee whose exemplary service in support of delivering the Girl Scout Leadership Experience surpassed team goals and resulted in significant, measurable, impact toward reaching the council’s overall goals.

As girls earn the highest distinction in Girl Scouts, we expect their mentors to help them meet our high standards and expectations of team building, measurability, sustainability, global/national connection, and uniqueness – the foundations of the Gold Award. Gold Award mentors/committee members across the state went above and beyond to support the development and implementation of the Girl Scout Gold Award program in the 2015-16 membership year and continue to do so today. The position asks that each member attend a Gold Award training and stay up to date on changes, review all project proposals, final reports, and presentation, work individually with mentees, observe girls in action, attend 75% of monthly meetings, and participate in celebrations. All members have met each expectation and exceeded expectations.

Several members reviewed the Gold Award training design, made improvements, and are now active Gold Award trainers who facilitate in-person trainings across the state. In the 2015-16 membership year, more than 200 girls and 115 adults received Gold Award training across the state.

Gold Award brainstorming sessions were offered in Denver, Longmont, and Grand Junction with mentors attending all and helping girls one-on-one explore ideas and establish next steps.

Six regional Highest Awards celebrations were held across the state and each one of them was volunteer supported. These events would not have been successful without the participation/support from all the Gold Award mentors/committee members.

Sarah Greichen, 2016 Gold Award Girl Scout and National Young Woman of Distinction wrote in her endorsement for this award, “Girl Scouts in pursuit of their Gold Awards are greatly impacted by their Gold Award mentors. Gold Award mentors teach girls vital skills such as organization, public speaking, leadership, business skills, etc. They serve as role models who provide guidance, advice, and critique. All Girl Scouts are positively impacted by their mentors.”

Jan Lucas, Gold Award Girl Scout and member of the GSCO Board of Directors, wrote in her endorsement of the award, “The Girl Scouts pursing their Gold Award are motivated, challenged, and supported through their mentor. This is an invaluable and life long relationship that is developed to even help them through other challenging times in their life. This committee is more than just a committee to help with this one project – the mission of this committee has given way to a bigger vision and that is a relationship for a lifetime.”

Highlights from 2015-16 include:

– Total Highest Awardees statewide = 1,618
– 48 Gold Award recipients (mentored by 17 different mentors)
– 393 Silver Award recipients (increase of 10.1% from 2015)
– 1,177 Bronze Award recipients (increase of 14.7% from 2015)
– Approximate total of girls who RSVP’d for celebrations = 692
– Approximate total girls at celebrations = 637
– Mentor/volunteer lead trainings and brainstorming sessions
– Mentor assistance with conflict resolution
– Mentor support for staff decisions and implementation
– Second annual Gold Award mentor retreat with representation from each region

27 Gold Award mentors were officially given their award spring 2017 and many were presented with their certificate at the 2017 Gold Award Mentor Retreat in November at Hamp Hut. The mentors who received this exciting award are:

Alison Clark-Hardesty
Alyssa Street
Amy Bissell
Bonnie Ledet
Cara Heist
Carey Hofner
Cindy Miller
Connie Campbell
Debbie Haskins
Diana Smith
Eva Bauer
Heidi Ragsdale
Jennifer Colosimo
Karen Wilson
Kathi Reddan
Katie Hess
Kay Shaw
Leslee Randolph
Linda Robinson
Lorrie Marzulla
Maggie Murray
Nancy Mucklow
Rachael TerLouw
Sandy Jackson
Shauna Clemmer
Sheryl Blish
Stephani Vick

Since spring 2017, nine new Gold Award mentors have joined and we continue to onboard new members each month.

Congratulations GSCO Gold Award mentors! We appreciate all your hard work and dedication to the Gold Award program in Colorado!

Alumnae News, Cookies Volunteers, Council News, Events, Volunteer News

Pikes Peak Region to host open house

The Pikes Peak Region of Girl Scouts of Colorado will host an open house at its office on Wednesday, February 21, 2018 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. The office is located at 5353 N. Union Blvd., Suite 101 in Colorado Springs. Anyone is welcome to attend, and while an RSVP is not required, it is appreciated. Please call Debbie Swanson at 719-304-8322, or contact her at debbie.swanson@gscolorado.org, to give her your reservation.

The invitation to attend has been sent to community and business leaders in the area, along with donors, alumnae, and volunteers. Guests will sample Girl Scout Cookies and learn how to find cookie booths in their area, so they can purchase cookies. They will also see a demonstration of the online cookie ordering process for those guests who are acquainted with a Girl Scout with whom an order can be placed. Other snacks and beverages will be provided.

Guests will also hear about what the Girl Scouts will be doing in the Pikes Peak Region for 2018. This will include an Outreach Program to enroll girls who come from low-resource areas, the Gold Award, and some potential fundraisers. All are invited to come and learn more about the Girl Scouts of Colorado!