Inside this issue: Navigating Girl Scouts on web Your guide to all the great online resources at Girl Scouts of Colorado.
page 3
Alumnae gather at annual tea
More than 130 women representing 3,667 cumulative years of Girl Scouting enjoyed the Alumnae Tea.
page 6
Try a different volunteer opportunity
You don’t have to be a troop leader to influence girls’ lives.
page 7
SPRING 2012
colorado
LEADER Published for the volunteers of Girl Scouts Of Colorado
100 Years of leadership Anniversary makes for a momentous and historic year On March 12, 2012, Girl Scouting celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding. To mark the historic and momentous occasion, Troop 2012—an honorary troop of female legislators and an honorary troop of baby girls born on that day—was created. The juxtaposition of today’s female leaders and the hope of the next generation of girls each intertwined with today’s Girl Scouts made for a perfect picture of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. The legislators, many of whom are Girl Scout alumnae, spoke of the vast changes in the lives of girls and women in the past 100 years and credited Girl Scouting for building girls of courage, confidence and character. The 57 baby girls born on this day in Colorado represent the hope for the future. Today’s Girl Scouts provided a prime example of all that Girl Scouting can be as they delivered welcome gifts to the babies’ families. In addition to Troop 2012 festivities, Girl Scouts celebrated the anniversary with gatherings large and small throughout the state, giving girls the opportunity to reflect on history, look toward the future and realize they are part of something much larger than themselves. Read more and see photos from parties around the state. Also the momentum from the anniversary continues all year, as 2012 is the Year of the Girl. Pages 4-5.
COUNCIL NEWS Looking for a fun summer volunteer experience? Girl Scouts of Colorado still needs some volunteers to help run day camps throughout the state. Your daughter attends for free and you spend a week outdoors giving the Girl Scout Leadership Experience camp-style! Contact Kim Petau at kim.petau@gscolorado.org.
Sign ups starting soon for Fallapalooza adult learning events
Thank you for making the 2012 Cookie Activity a success The 2012 Cookie Activity was a great success in Girl Scouts of Colorado, amidst some major changes and challenges. Thank you all for contributing to the success of the girls and helping to work through the challenges of a direct sale model and the use of credit cards. In preparation for the direct sale, we planned for a 5 percent increase in total sales, and we surpassed that goal. On average, each girl sold 15 packages more than she did last year. More than $2.5 million in troop and girl proceeds stay with the girls as they strive to make the world a better place. Congratulations to everyone for achieving this phenomenal success! We learned a lot in our first year of a direct sale and are in the process of making changes to better address the inventory management challenges we experienced. Please complete the 2012 Cookie Survey at girlscoutsofcolorado.org/ volunteers/cookies to help us as we plan for next year’s sale.
2
Colorado Leader
Attending a Fallapalooza event in your area is a great way to get the training you need to help you and your girls get the most out of their Girl Scout experience, meet and exchange ideas with other volunteers in your area and get the latest news from GSCO. Watch the website for registration information soon.
Trying to connect Brownies with 6th grade Cadettes Attention Brownie troop leaders: We’re looking to connect Brownies with 6th grade Cadettes so that the Cadettes can earn their Leader in Action award. Check the GSCO Classified site (gscoclassifieds.com) for postings and post your own ad too.
Early Bird registration saves you time, earns girls great incentives Save yourself time in the hectic fall and get your girls registered now. Early Bird registration continues through June 15. Great 100th Anniversary commemorative incentives will be offered to individually registered girls and troops who register before the deadline. Find out more online, girlscoutsofcolorado.org/early-bird.
The Juliette Gordon Low Legacy Society Members of the Juliette Gordon Low Legacy Society believe the lasting benefits of Girl Scouting should be forever preserved. By including Girl Scouts of Colorado in your estate and financial plans, you support girls throughout Colorado in a meaningful and permanent way. Through the Juliette Gordon Low Legacy Society, you can discover choices in personal giving. Your planned gift of any amount is an investment in our community’s future and will automatically enroll you in the Juliette Gordon Low Legacy Society. What better way to make a difference in the lives of girls now, and for years to come, than to make a gift with lasting benefits? To notify Girl Scouts of Colorado of your lasting legacy or with questions, please contact Resource Development at 855-726-4726 or amy.myers@gscolorado.org.
Navigating Girl Scouts on the web GSCO offers new online ways to make volunteering easy, meaningful and fun The new GSCO website is getting rave reviews. Tell us what you think! Meanwhile, come with us on a brief tour: GSCO website For Volunteers section: Everything you need as a Girl Scout volunteer. • Forms library: All required forms as well as several forms designed to make your job easier. • Key Resources and publications: Our guiding documents such as Volunteer Essentials, Safety Activity Checkpoints etc., plus seasonal publications. • Adult Learning opportunities: Find the training you need, browse in-person and virtual offerings, then click to register. • New Leader List: A helpful starting point, if you’re a new Girl Scout leader. GSCO website Activity Finder: This is one giant calendar database with a variety of search tools to make finding what you need a snap. You can search by program level, keyword, date range, month or region. There are even advanced search functions to filter your results further. Or you can scroll through the calendar and see everything. All of the data is available on each of the tools, but the Adult Learning Activity Finder is designed specifically for searching for training, and the Find a Camp tool is designed for summer camp opportunities. Classifieds: A microsite designed with your needs in mind. This works like a mini-craigslist for Girl Scouts of Colorado. Post an ad about materials you have available, materials you need, a volunteer opportunity or an event you’re hosting. Browse ads if you’re looking for a volunteer, need materials or are hoping to find an expert in a certain field. All ads use a blind email system and the site is protected against spam. However, it’s an online community that only gets better with the more users who participate. Check it out today (gscoclassifieds.com) and see what you can add.
GSCO Blog and Share Your Stories: The Girl Scouts of Colorado blog (gscoblog.wordpress.com) is a year old and a great place to keep up with what’s going on in Girl Scouting and at Girl Scouts of Colorado. The blog is updated several times a day with new postings and is easy to navigate to find the stories that interest you. You can comment on any post to add your voice to the story. You can also rate any post and share it on your social networks easily by clicking the icons at the bottom of each post. Anyone can sign up to follow the blog and receive an email with new postings. You get to choose if you want emails delivered immediately when a post is made, daily or once a week. Postings on the blog also feed onto the website home page. Contribute your Girl Scout moments to the blog through the Share Your Stories form on the website (girlscoutsofcolorado.org/ share-your-stories) or the Share link on the blog. It’s easy to write a couple of sentences about what you or your girls have been up to, upload a photo or two and you can even include a link to a YouTube video. Click submit and then, after being reviewed, your story is shared with the world! Social media channels: Girl Scouts of Colorado is all over Facebook. We have the main GSCO Facebook page where you’ll find the latest statewide news. We also have a Facebook page for each of our regions, where you’ll find local news and you can ask questions or post comments on the wall. There’s also a main Product Sales page, the go-to place during Cookies season and Fall Sale. And the camp pages are becoming extremely popular as parents find it’s a great way to keep up with the goings on at their daughter’s camp session. Like us on Facebook today! You can also follow us on Twitter and join our LinkedIn Alumnae Group. Take Action: There’s no easy way to wrap your mind around all the great community service project Girl Scouts do in pursuit of Girl Scouting’s Highest Awards. But the gstakeaction.org site is a start. Girls working on a Highest Award can sign up for space on the site where they will write about their progress, post photos and keep track of metrics showing how they’re taking action to make the world a better place!
Spring 2012
3
Happy 100th birthday, Girl Scouts! Celebrations shine spotlight on all that Girl Scouting can do From the pinning of a group of female legislators at the Colorado Capitol to the welcoming of new baby girls born on March 12, 2012, across the state, the 100th birthday of Girl Scouting can be summed up as a celebration of leadership and sisterhood. There was no shortage of green and Girl Scout pride as current Girl Scouts, alumnae, volunteers and community supporters gathered at a variety of celebrations in honor of the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting. From birthday parties to flash mobs, a spectacular history display at the Longmont Museum and more, the spirit of Girl Scouting shone brightly. The impact Girl Scouting makes on girls and on the world was clearly evident. Alumnae shared how the Girl Scout Leadership Experience shaped their lives. Girls tied their celebrations with community service and took the opportunity to clasp hands with other Girl Scouts from near and far, hanging tight to a sisterhood that makes them a part of something so much larger than themselves. Enjoy this scrapbook of photos from festivities around the state. Find more on our blog, gscoblog.wordpress.com/category/ 100th-anniversary/
4
Colorado Leader
It’s not too late to celebrate The entire year is The Year of the Girl and there are still plenty of ways to celebrate, including the June 9 Colorado Sings! sing-along at the State Capitol. For those who can’t join the fun in Washington, D.C.; we will sing along with them at the Colorado State Capitol, as we celebrate the 100th birthday of Girl Scouting on the west side of the lawn (Lincoln & 14th Avenue). The first 700 people to register will get a FREE copy of the “Sing a Mile Hi” green songbook. This 72-page songbook is filled with classic songs. Registration includes the beautiful custom-embroidered GSCO 100th Anniversary patch. Girl Scouts will have the special opportunity to reserve the stage for their own special presentation. Have your photo taken with an actress who channels Juliette Low. Walk through a primitive camp kitchen like they used 100 years ago. The singing begins at noon. The oldest living alum will be honored and there will be a presentation of the 100 Distinguished Alumnae. Additional program plans, parking suggestions, etc. will be sent in the confirmation packet. Register online by June 6. For questions please contact Judy Sylvester at judy.sylvester@gscolorado.org or 303-607-4809. Visit girlscoutsofcolorado.org/ 100th-anniversary to learn more.
2012 is Year of the Girl Girl Scouts of the USA is using the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting as a stepping off point for the ToGetHerThere campaign, empowering today’s girls to become the leaders of tomorrow. When girls succeed, so does society. Together we can get her there. Learn more at togetherthere.org.
The Centennial Award is a great way to say Thank You The Centennial Award honors adults who have made a positive impact on Girl Scouts in Colorado. Honorees can be women or men, current or former volunteers, staff and community friends, members and non-members. It is a great way to say “Thanks, you made a difference in my life.” These awards are available only through Dec. 31, 2012. Visit girlscoutsofcolorado. org/centennial-awards to learn more.
Thank you to AT&T A special thank you to AT&T for its sponsorship of the luncheon on March 12 at the Colorado State Capitol.
Spring 2012
5
More than 130 alumnae gather at annual tea Imagine 3,667 years and 8 months of Girl Scout experience. That’s the cumulative amount of Girl Scouting for the more than 130 present at the March 20 Alumnae Tea at St. John’s Cathedral in Denver. What it looks like is a gathering of women, young and old, wearing pieces from uniforms long gone by and contemporary Girl Scout branded apparel. It’s a group of women and girls who greet one another with a smile and handshake and share memories. Women and girls who stand up to say that Girl Scouting has made a difference in their lives and who acknowledge they’ve made a difference in the lives of others. It sounds like voices raised in song—familiar songs that bring tears to the eyes of some. It’s the sound of chatter as old friends catch up on each other’s lives and new friends discuss a shared history. The annual Alumnae Tea was special this year thanks to the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting and tributes to two intrepid Girl Scouts. Edna “Skipper” Hollis (pictured at upper left) has been a Girl Scout for 90 years. She turns 100 in May, and members of the Girl Scout troop she led honored her by starting a Girl Scouts of Colorado campership in her name. Barbara Jones (pictured at top) has been a Girl Scout for many decades as well, and members of her troops paid tribute to her leadership. “I can’t thank Barbara enough for what she gave us,” said Connie Bonnell. “We had wonderful, wonderful experiences. I don’t know where we would be without our Girl Scouts experiences. Not a day goes by when I don’t use something from my Girl Scout background. Our lives are more successful—our lives are better—because of Girl Scouts.” She reminded those leading girls now that they are making an impact to be felt for generations to come. “You have no idea how much your influence and Girl Scouting will affect your girls for years.”
6
Colorado Leader
To get involved with the Alumnae Association, check out the Alumnae section of our website (girlscoutsofcolorado.org/alumnae) and sign up to receive the alumnae enewsletter to keep up with happenings.
GIRL SCOUTS IN ACTION
Episodic volunteering a great way to give back When you think of a Girl Scout volunteer, most likely you think of a mom or sometimes a dad who is a troop leader, planning weekly meetings and having adventures with a group of girls over several years. While that is a very rewarding experience, it can be daunting to some. But that’s not the only way to support Girl Scouting in Colorado. Over the past few years, Girl Scouts of Colorado Volunteer Services Department has increased opportunities and recruited for episodic volunteers. Episodic volunteering could be helping out at a one-time event, volunteering at a day camp or resident camp, leading a sequence of sessions related to a specific theme with the same group of girls for a short duration, helping girls plan, prepare and earn money for a travel experience or there are even behind-the-scenes tasks where help is always needed.
“I set my own hours and I have the flexibility to focus my energies on the things I enjoy at times that work for my schedule.” “Volunteering for the Girl Scouts outside of a troop setting works great for me,” said Summit County volunteer Maggie Murray, who has also led two separate short-term troops. “I set my own hours and I have the flexibility to focus my energies on the things I enjoy at times that work for my schedule. I also get to work with different people all the time, so I’ve built up a great network of contacts in my area and from across the state.” If you know a potential volunteer who wants to be a part of Girl Scouting in Colorado but doesn’t want to be a troop leader, direct her or him to girlscoutsofcolorado.org/volunteers/join to learn more about the different ways to be a Girl Scout volunteer and to girlscoutsofcolorado.org/ volunteer-opportunities to learn about the different volunteer opportunities currently available.
Girl Scouts of Troop 448 open The Power of Title IX luncheon during Final Four Capping off a glorious month of celebrations of girls’ leadership, Ambassador Girl Scouts 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.
Summit County girls enjoy STEM at Keystone overnight Girl Scouts from Summit County enjoyed an overnight camp at Keystone Science School March 17 and 18. A day of STEM and studying the natural water cycle were capped off with an evening around the campfire and viewing the planet Jupiter’s moons from Keystone’s observatory!
Troop helps dogs who help people On Feb. 29, Troop 3186 from Lakewood did a service project at Freedom Service Dogs. The girls heard an informative presentation by Jane Boone, then spent time washing and drying several dogs, working with dogs on board games (really!) and then observed some dogs getting training. One thing that sets this organization apart—it is one of the few service dog organizations in the country that gets dogs from animal shelters, rather than breeding the dogs. Dogs that don’t work out as service dogs are placed with families as pets.
Spring 2012
7
GIRL SCOUTS IN ACTION Earth Hour events draw hundreds More than 400 Girl Scouts, family and friends came out on March 31 for the 2012 Earth Hour events in Colorado Springs and Fort Collins. In partnership with Colorado State University Environmental Learning Center and MeTech Recycling, Girl Scouts enjoyed a community fair, educational booths and LED hoop dancing from Boulder-based Sunflower Performances. More than 20 vendors shared how easy it is to be green every day. From residential solar power to patio gardens to worm composting, participants were given many local resources dedicated to helping the planet within any budget. MeTech Recycling offered electronics and light bulb recycling at each event. The total pounds collected has not yet been tallied at the time of publication. Thanks to a generous grant from Walmart, both events were free and open to the public. In addition, each participant received a reusable bag, reusable LED glow stick and a CFL bulb to use in their home. In total more than 350 bags, 317 CFLs and 457 reusable glow sticks were distributed. Printed on recycled stock
Follow Girl Scouts of Colorado at girlscoutsofcolorado.org, facebook.com/girlscoutsofcolorado and twitter.com/gscolo Girl Scouts of Colorado is a United Way agency
girlscoutsofcolorado.org Customer Support: 1-877-404-5708 Pueblo 21 Montebello Road Pueblo, CO 81001 T 719.543.4690 F 719.543.4693
Durango 2243 Main Ave. #8 Durango, CO 81301 T 970.375.7913 F 970.375.7916
Grand Junction 580 24 ½ Road Grand Junction, CO 81505 T 970.242.4461 F 970.243.9066
Denver 400 S. Broadway Denver, CO 80209-0407 T 303.778.8774 F 303.733.6345
Fort Collins 1600 Specht Point Road, Unit 105 Fort Collins, CO 80525 T 970.493.1844 F 970.493.6838
Colorado Springs 3535 Parkmoor Village Drive Colorado Springs, CO 80917 T 719.597.8603 F 719.597.5986
Girl Scouts of Colorado Service Centers Address Service Requested Girl Scouts of Colorado P.O. Box 9407 Denver, CO 80209-0407
Denver, CO Permit No. 271
PAID
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage