Summer Issue
Issue 3, Edition 1 Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
Dear Supporter, We believe that when Girl Scouts succeed, so does society. We provide Girl Scouts with a place to discover their passions, find their voice, and make a positive impact in their communities. These Girl Scouts are building a better world for all of us! Help us ensure every Girl Scout in northern Illinois develops the courage, confidence, and character Girl Scouts nurtures. An investment in Girl Scouting is broader than a cause or a cure. It is a commitment to the next generation of self-sufficient and capable trailblazers.
In this Issue... • Coming Events • Juliette Gordon Low Society Inductee’s • Over the Edge–One Last Time • Corporate Donor Spotlight • To Honor and Remember
Corporate Donor Spotlight! A new feature for our newsletter is our Corporate Donor and Sponsor Spotlight! This month we want to spotlight CR Nelson Wholesale in Kingston. C.R. Nelson, owned and operated by the late Cal Nelson, has been providing quality landscaping services throughout the Chicagoland area since 1966. The same year his son Carter was born, Cal started his first nursery in Kingston, IL. His goal was to grow his own plant material to be used on his landscaping projects. Naturally, Carter began working and learning about the green industry from a young age. After graduating college in 2006, Carter began assisting his father full time, continuing to move the business forward. Over the years, Carter noticed there was a demand for quality nursery stock, which prompted him to focus and invest further into their existing nursery. In2018, he started C.R. Nelson Wholesale Plant Supply with a goal to provide quality plants to landscape contractors throughout Chicagoland. Through the generous donation of trees from C.R. Nelson Wholesale
in Kingston, seven Girl Scouts and their families participated in a community service project planting trees at local parks. Trees were planted in Genoa Park District’s new Toddler Garden, Franklin Township Park-FairDale, and Kingston Township Park near the circle and near the baseball diamond.
We thank Brianna MacMullen, one of GSNI’s Service Unit Managers, for coordinating the tree planting. We also want to thank the Kingston Township Park Board, Genoa Park District, Franklin Township and Park Board for their guidance and assistance with his project.
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Juliette Gordon Low Society Welcomes New Members On June 3, 2022, 50 Leadership Circle and Juliette Gordon Low Society members gathered at the Forest Hills Country Club in Rockford to enjoy a lunch and celebrate our planned giving donors. We were honored to have Juliette Gordon Low Society, Founding Chair, Dianne Belk and her husband, Lawrence Calder join us for this event! We were very excited to induct 10 new members into the Juliette Gordon Low Society during this celebration. Inductees included Holly Bartelt, Lisa Cheeseman, Mary Jo Hare, Robin and Dink Henning, Vicki Jacobson, Marybeth Markwell, Jennifer Oshita-Archer, Karin Podolski, and Angie Schmidt. The Juliette Gordon Low Society of planned giving donors honors the leaders of the future and ensures their opportunity to be Girl Scouts. Together, we will empower them to reach their fullest potential and build a better world. What are the benefits of membership? As a Juliette Gordon Low Society member, you will be invited to attend special recognition and educational events, receive a subscription to the society newsletter, be invited to coffee with GSNI’s CEO and lunch at camp with the girls.
Becoming a member: The Juliette Gordon Low Society celebrates planned gifts to Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois. Such gifts can include naming Girl Scouts as beneficiary of a: • Will • Retirement Plan • Living Trust • Donor Advised Fund • Life Insurance Policy • Remainder Gift of Real Estate • Any gift benefiting Girl Scouts in the future. Your thoughtful and generous financial gift will help support and sustain Girl Scouting and extend your involvement with the Movement beyond your lifetime. If you are interested in becoming a Juliette Gordon Low Society Member, please contact Vicki Jacobson at vjacobson@girlscoutsni.org.
2022 Thin Mint Sprint 2022 Thin Mint Sprint Lace up those running shoes, it’s time for the 18th Annual Thin Mint Sprint! We’re excited to be at a new location, hosting an inperson race! Join us on Saturday, September 17, 2022, at the Fox
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River Grove Memorial Library for a timed 5K fun run (or walk)! Stick around for the post-race party we’re bringing our 32-foot climbing wall, mobile retail store & more fun for the whole family! Local partners will be providing activities including Advancing Global EDU, Inc., Main Stay Farms, McHenry County College, and Sage YMCA. We’re adding new partners and activities daily -you don’t want to miss this! Virtual events are normal now and an excellent way to support
your favorite charities from afar GSNI’s - Thin Mint Sprint still offers a virtual option. Run or walk where you want - when you want! All the details and registration information are available at www.girlscoutsni. org/tms. Interested in being a vendor at our post-race party or sponsoring the event? Contact Melissa Margason at mmargason@ girlscoutsni.org for more information. All funds raised will support GSNI’s financial assistance programs which lowers barriers so a greater number of current and potential members can benefit from the Girl Scout Leadership Experience!
Rockford Mayor, Tom McNamara
Rockford Chief of Police, Carla Redd
Our Final Over the Edge 4 Girl Scouts! This summer, GSNI hosted the 4th and final Over the Edge 4 Girl Scouts at SupplyCore in Rockford. Over the Edge is a unique and thrilling peer-to-peer fundraiser in which participants raise money for the opportunity to rappel 100 feet from the roof of the historic SupplyCore building! It all started on Friday, June 3, with Media/VIP Night celebrating our generous partners and sponsors. We are so grateful for the support from Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara and Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd who kicked off the night as our first rappelers! The excitement continued with our media partners gearing up to rappel down – 13 WREX Meteorologist Claudia Olech rappelled alongside 95.3 The Bull DJ, Gordon Mays followed by B103 morning show hosts, Chelsea Meyer and Matt Hall! Special thanks to our VIP Party sponsors Ashdon Farms, Danfoss, ILMS: Institute of Languages, Mathematics, & Sciences, and MercyHealth.
Rockford’s finest kicking off the rappelling. Thank you to Deputy Angie Tetzlaff and Detective Charles Grassley! We celebrated our brave rappelers and the start of summer by closing the street for an epic Girl Scout block party – complete with GSNI’s 32-foot climbing wall and mobile retail store! We also had our very own ice cream truck thanks to Girl Scout alum Chris Grillo’s J & C Old Fashioned Ice Cream who made a special cookies’n cream flavor with one of the newest Girl Scout Cookies. Kids of all ages tested their bike safety knowledge and received free helmets at our bike rodeo provided by Safe Kids Winnebago and UWHealth. Other on-site partners included, 815 Outside, Coral Cove Family Fun Center, GSNI’s Historians, Obsidian Manufacturing, Operation Fallen Flags, and Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department. Unfortunately, due to weather, we had to cancel a performance by the Belvidere Theatre Company and end the day a little early, but our rappelers and attendees still had a great time!
The main event began Saturday morning with two of
Thank you to all our Over the Edge 4 GSNI Partners & Sponsors: Building Partner – SupplyCore Media Partners – B103, 95.3 The Bull & 13 WREX TV Helmet Sponsors – INT Terminal, LLC & PNC Bank Drop Zone Sponsors – Courtyard by Marriott of Rockford, JumpFly & Morgan Stanley Community Supporters – UWHealth, Santa’s Village Family Amusement & Water Park and Arthur’s Jewelry & Repair, Inc. 3
Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois 1886 Daimler Road Rockford, Illinois 61112 If you would prefer to receive this newsletter by email, please contact Vicki Jacobson at vjacobson@girlscoutsni.org, or 844-476-4463. Thank you for your continued support of GSNI as we strive to develop independent, confident girls through customizable experiences and opportunities to learn valuable life skills while cultivating the character to make a difference in the world!
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To Honor and Remember … Sally Koepsell GSNI would like to take a moment to honor those who have recently passed and for whom memorial gifts were given. We honor Sally Koepsell. Sally was the Leader of Ship 100 in Girl Scouts – Rock River Valley Council, one of GSNI’s legacy councils. She started the troop for her own daughters but then continued the troop (ship). Sally’s troop was known for their sailing excursions in Mystic Connecticut. Her leadership brought memorable experiences to many Girl Scouts. A scholarship fund has been set up in Sally’s name.