Listening Post - Spring/Summer 2010

what’s

inside

A Message from the CEO and Board Chair pg. 2-4

Juliette Low Society pg. 5

Girl Scout Cookie Bailout Pitches pg. 7

Driving Force of a Troop pg. 10

World Awards pg. 11

Wear Your Pin pg. 12

Golden Eaglets pg. 15

Volunteers Honored pg. 16

Gold Awards pg. 17

What do

onans arizWant?

It’s a question that is the center of last year’s Gallup Organization, sponsored

by The Center for the Future of Arizona.

The organization is helping to shape and define Arizona’s future through an action-oriented agenda focused on issues and topics critical to the state.

Poll results have helped to formulate a set of goals, which is the basis for The Center of the Future of Arizona’s citizen’s agenda for 21st century Arizona. State residents were loud and clear that caring for economy, people and communities

were extremely important for Arizona to be a thriving state in the new century.

What do Girl Scouts want?

Girl and adult members were invited to take part in a special Girl Scout segment of The Arizona We Want Survey.

Special survey codes were distributed to ensure that the Girl Scout voice was distinguished from others. From the poll responses, information was gathered and shared at the 2010 Annual Meeting

by Tamara Woodbury, CEO of Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council and Lattie Coor, CEO, Center for the Future of Arizona.

Among the findings, Girl Scouts also believed that economy, people and communities should be priorities. It is also not a surprise to note that Girl Scout members were twice more likely

to volunteer in the community and had partnered with individuals and businesses to make a positive difference in their community.

In a follow up to the poll activity, during the annual meeting 94 girls and 302 adults engaged in lively circle conversation about making Arizona a better place. By the end of the session, they had cross-pollinated ideas about three questions and tapped the collective wisdom in the room. The result was more than 100 actionable ideas were posted with 250+ people making a personal commitment to action.

For more information on The Arizona We Want Survey and the actionable ideas presented at the council’s annual meeting visit www.girlscouts.org.

from the Listening Post is published three times a year. It has a circulation of more than 25,000 (one per household). Listening Post is also available on-line at www.girlscoutsaz.org. To report address changes or if you have problems receiving Listening Post, call membership registration at (602) 452-7032.

Deadlines

Deadline for submitting articles for the winter Listening Post is September 1. GSACPC does not accept responsibility for unsolicited materials. Send news and photographs to Listening Post, 119 East Coronado Road, Phoenix, AZ 85004 or e-mail communications@girlscoutsaz.org.

Board of Directors Maria Carpenter Ort Margaret Serrano-Foster Ellen Kirschbaum Michael Hoffman Scott Harelson Tamara J. Woodbury

President 1st Vice President 2nd Vice President Treasurer Secretary Executive Director/CEO

Members-at-Large Lydia Aranda Laura Burgis Lupe Camargo Patrick Edwards Janita Gordon Kathy Granillo-Beebe Tomás Guerra Jennifer Hinkel Kate Dillon Hogan Susan Laidlaw Jeanine L’Ecuyer Gordon Lewis

Laura Madrid Nelson Mitchell Jannis Mossman Maria-Elena Ochoa Bessie Payan Janey Pearl Bruce Thoeny Kristine Thomas Teri Twarkins Karilyn Van Oosten Larry Wulkan

Girl Members

spring.summer 2010

Jodie Burke Emmi Edwards Alexis LaBenz

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Olivia Mossman Natalie Walker

Contributing Writers Teri Baker-Ruff Karen Cunha Gabi Guerra Lori Mulholland

Layout and Design Nicole Andersen

David Rivera Sam Sanchez Robin Telle Julie Thomas

ceo

W

e have a lot to celebrate here at Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council. In spite of all the challenges in our community, we have continued to grow both in our capacity and complexity.

It’s been an exciting year with many accomplishments.

For 2009-2010, girl membership increased with 24,568 girls served throughout the council’s jurisdiction. This represents a total increase of 7% from the previous year. Our adult membership was 9,872, an increase of 10.52%. Within the highlights of this membership growth was an 11% increase in the Latino Community and new growth in some of our extended service areas such as Pinetop/Lakeside in the White Mountains, some of the Colorado River communities and in Shiprock, New Mexico on the Navajo Reservation.

In program, we had many girls who diligently stayed committed to earning the Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards. Twenty-three girls received the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor in Girl Scouting. We also celebrated the success of 176 girls who earned the Silver Award and 389 who completed the Bronze Award.

Throughout the year, Girl Scouts enjoyed 16,224 camper days at one or more of our councils camps. Camp is one of the most memorable experiences that a girl can have. For many, it is the first time away from home-a chance to explore a new independence. In this outdoor education arena, camp opens the doors to discovering more about one’s self, connecting with others in an outdoor community, while building leadership and strong social skills. In addition, an outdoor experience provides young women with the opportunity to understand the natural environment in ways that help her find meaning and develop her own values regarding the complexity of debates around sustainability and environmental impact.

And what about the cookie program? The cookie sale allows thousands of girls to test their emerging business skills as they learn about project management and goal setting. This year’s program had 18,206 girls who chose to participate in the cookie sale. They sold nearly 2.7 million boxes with more than 30,000 packages being donated to food banks or sent to our military service men and women through the Gift of Caring program. The Girl Scout cookie sale not only sustains troops and local Councils, it has also been acknowledged as the largest financial literacy program in the country.

memorials & tributes

Tribute and memorial gifts honor or remember a loved one in a meaningful way. These gifts support programs and services that provide girls with a wide variety of opportunities that promote self-reliance, respect for others, a sense of belonging, and the belief that each Girl Scout has the potential to positively impact her community.

In tribute to

In honor of

Barbara Anderson

William and Joyce O’Morrow

Hootie Redwine

Karen Hudson

In tribute to

In memory of

Mary Shivvers Thomas Garnet Naslund In memory of

Sydney Stewart Madena Stewart In memory of

Antoinnette Sheir Loraine La Morder

Girls also participated in hundreds, probably thousands, of community service projects – those reporting their hours to the council account for nearly 50,000 hours of service. From packing weekend food boxes for school children and their families to educating youth and adults on the horrors of human trafficking, community service by Girl Scouts has many faces. Within Girl Scouts, we foster a culture of care and compassion where girls learn how they can improve lives, strengthen community, and develop a path for civic engagement. Research illustrates how Girl Scouting encourages and develops in girls a value for and often lifetime commitment to volunteering and contributing to community in those ways critical to sustaining our civic health and democratic society.

All the aforementioned would not be possible without a dedicated cadre of volunteers. In a time when people’s lives have been challenged on many fronts – high unemployment, more demands in most places of work for those still employed and new pressures at home as after school programs have closed and resources tighten, our number of volunteers has increased and the hours they give have grown.

Jane and Kelly Bailey Merit Medical Systems, Inc. William Fife Bowen III Ruth Anne Myers and Lela Bowen Maria Carpenter Ort Charles and Mryle Bowen Virginia Payan Pat Boykin Lyle Sharp Marie Edwards Dinky Snell Susan Filson Larry Wulkan Gail Jacobs Becky Whitney

and generate the organizational culture that provides girls, from very diverse families and back grounds, a place – troop or group – where they have a sense of belonging and can feel loved. My heart is profoundly grateful for each of our volunteers and their devotion to providing girls with so many opportunities in a loving and caring environment. Whether your role is as an organizational volunteer, a parent, a troop leader or multiple roles, surely you will agree that we are all privileged to witness the ongoing transformation of girls into active and compassionate individuals who will lead us all into a more hope filled future.

Tamara Woodbury, CEO

spring.summer 2010

During the last three years we have made very deliberate investments in building our volunteer infrastructure and the systems that support volunteers. There is much yet to be done but we want to pause and thank all of you who have piloted new efforts, recruited in new ways and continued to forward your suggestions and concerns. Regardless of whatever the mechanical systems of support are the real health and well-being of our council resides in the quality of our conversations and dialog. This is how we learn together

Florence “Bunny” Bowen

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from the

board chair

As a council, we have many reasons to be grateful and to celebrate.

The most important reason is that our council is financially stable, and not many nonprofit organizations in Arizona can say that. I am very grateful to our board of directors for their excellent fiscal oversight during these lean times. We tightened our fiscal belts in many areas but did not sacrifice priority programming and training for you.

I want to acknowledge our Finance Committee in particular, who has been committed to keeping a healthy dedicated reserve fund to protect our council’s sustainability.

Another reason to celebrate now and in the upcoming future is an important milestone.

The Girl Scout Movement will be 100 years old in 2012. In the years running up to and immediately beyond, all councils will mark that milestone with an aggressive movementwide campaign to make us more visible, to strengthen our brand as an organization that builds young leaders, an organization that meets the needs of 21st century girls and a commitment to raise a significant amount of money.

In that spirit, I would like to announce the new and returning board members of Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council that will be a part that campaign and commitment to Girl Scouting.

Incoming board of directors: members-at-large for 2010-2012: Margaret Serrano-Foster of Chandler, 1st Vice President – Old Republic Title Agency Laura Burgis of Tempe – Burgis Envirolutions Susan Laidlaw of Mesa Jannis Mossman of Phoenix – Maricopa County Bessie Payan of Mesa – Wee Care Pediatrics Janey Pearl of Phoenix – Arizona Department of Health Services Kristine Thomas of Mesa – Arizona Commission of Indian Affairs Karilyn Van Oosten of Phoenix – Grand Canyon University Larry Wulkan of Scottsdale – Holloway, Odegard Forest and Kelly, P Girl advisory members for 2010-2012 term: Jodie Burke of Glendale – Glendale High School Emmi Edwards of Phoenix – Xavier College Preparatory Alexis LaBenz of Chandler – Perry High School Olivia Mossman of Phoenix – Cortez High School Natalie Walker of Phoenix – Xavier College Preparatory Finally, thank you for your support in fulfilling our mission. The Girl Scout Movement would not exist without the strength of your financial support. From individual contributions to your unwavering support of the cookie sale program, your commitment to making the world a better place for girls is undeniably evident.

I am filled with gratitude and celebration for the partnership that flourishes among us to sustain, grow and fulfill the mission this great council.

spring.summer 2010

Yours in Girl Scouting,

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Maria Carpenter Ort, Board Chair

on low juliette gordSociety

What will be your legacy in Girl Scouting? Do you know you can support Girl Scouting now and in the future?

The Juliette Gordon Low Society has recently been established by the Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council’s board of directors to honor women and men who have made a gift to the council, most commonly through their estate plan or will.

Now is an excellent time to make a planned gift to Girl Scouting. Those who join the Juliette Gordon Low Society now through December 31, 2010 will receive the unique distinction as a charter member in perpetuity.

As a Juliette Gordon Low Society member, you will receive major council publications and invitations to council events, including the annual Juliette Gordon Low Society dinner, which will be held in the fall. Most importantly though, you will make a commitment and investment in the girls we serve – now and in the years to come.

The need for Girl Scouting has never been greater, and together, with all of you, we will be there for every girl who wants to be a Girl Scout.

If you have questions about making a planned gift or would like assistance, please contact Mary Lee Hoffman at maryleehoffman@girlscoutsaz.org or 602.452.7043.

You’re a

winner

Early

membeRegistration rship

The new Girl Scout membership year is just around the corner, which means it’s time to get your troop registered early.

Early registration allows troops to be eligible to participate in fall programs and events and the fall product sale program!

Troops that register by the end of June will receive a 2011 Early ReRegistration patch, the third patch in the series.

To participate, troops must meet the Safety-Wise program standard troop status of five girls and two adults, submit the 2009-2010 Troop Finance Report, Form MS-23, and Detailed Cash Report, Form MS-32 to your Service Unit Financial Consultant/ Treasurer.

Troops must also be currently registered for the 2009-2010 membership year (new girls may register after September 1). The new Girl Scout membership year runs from October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2011, with an annual membership dues of $12 for girls and adults.

For more information or to find out who your volunteer membership registrar is for your area, contact Teri Baker-Ruff, teribaker-ruff@girlscoutsaz.org.

Congratulations to Girl Scout Ambassador Laurel Kay M. of Troop 2118, Girl Scout Senior Lauren K. of Troop 757, Girl Scout Cadette Amanda G. of Troop 1070, and Girl Scout Junior Bailey Rose K. of Troop 2668!

Postcards announcing the next round of questions for the survey will be sent to a random selection of Girl Scouts in late spring.

spring.summer 2010

Their names were drawn from among those responding to the Girl Scout survey conducted at the end of the 2009 year.

The survey asked girls between 4th and 12th grade questions about their involvement in Girl Scouting and the benefits they felt they received from being a Girl Scout. Each girl received a $50 gift certificate for merchandise at the Girl Scout Council shop.

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Girl Scouts Going

green

Girl Scouts across the United States are at the forefront of the environmental and sustainability movement by leading schools and communities in using resources wisely.

Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council designed the Water Lily project as part of Girl Scouts Forever Green, a national community action project designed to teach girls to use their leadership skills to impact the environment.

The Water Lily project focused on working to eliminate waste and the need for store bought disposable water bottles. As part of the project, Girl Scouts keep one reusable “Girl Scouts Forever Green” water bottle for themselves and gave another bottle to a friend at school or community organization.

Both parties committed to using only the Girl Scouts Forever Green water bottle for the duration of the project, which ran from January 1 to April 30.

Participating Girl Scouts charted the progress of their project by recording the weekly waste reduction by the use of both water bottles.

Four girls from Troop 300 were committed to sharing the green message.

Harrington. “They seem to enjoy crafts/projects reusing trash items more than regular projects. I love that even at the young ages of five and six, they are aware of the little amount of effort it takes to earn such a rewarding, proud feeling of accomplishment.”

There were 57 troops from the council that participated in the Water Lily project: 1231, 2620, 1368, 482, 300, 289, 1516, 1970, 745, 1253, 2429, 1597, 2586, 1312, 1024, 530, 887, 711, 688, 890, 1455, 1168, 2809, 910, 1083, 1529, 1784, 173, 1863, 2441, 614, 1284, 1299, 1029, 870, 1044, 995, 2118, 90, 1145, 372, 1494, 1028, 317, 1038, 258, 855, 1056, 2341, 2315, 427, 2281, 335, 60, 1967, 45, 1226.

3 easy tips to help the environment • Carry a reusable water bottle instead of buying and recycling plastic water bottles • Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth • Recycle • Pick up trash in the park • Turn off lights in the house when you’re not using them

“They did the Water Lily project and educated all of their 5th grade classes on the benefits of using refillable water bottles to help keep plastic out of the landfills,” said troop leader Jenny Bowen.

“Each class participated by keeping track of how many times they refilled their water bottles. The Girl Scouts plan to have a special award for the class with the most refills,” she said.

spring.summer 2010

Troop 60, a Daisy troop, worked hard to spread the message of reusable resources, and their involvement in the Water Lily project.

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“Our girls love their green water bottles and use them every day, instead of buying and recycling plastic water bottles,” said troop leader Makai Unsworth.

Daisy Troop 890 is another troop who pioneered the green movement and participated in the Water Lily project.

“I’m so very proud of my troop because they each are concerned with doing their own part to help,” said troop leader Charity

Tonya Wright and Nina Posenke from Troop 1231 in Lake Havasu are use their Forever Green water bottles while selling Girl Scout cookies.

Girl Scout Cookie Pitches

bailout

Girl Scouts throughout the Valley vied to deliver the best sales pitch in a “Girl Scout Cookie Bailout” contest presented by radio personalities Chris Parker and Amy Van Dyken from their morning show “Chris and Amy in the Mornings” on local radio station 98.7 The Peak.

Chris and Amy challenged Girl Scouts to call into their show with their best Girl Scout cookie sales pitch. For the first-place award, Chris and Amy purchased 98 cookie packages and 50 cookie packages were purchased from the runner up. The station donated all of the cookies to the Child Crisis Nursery in Phoenix.

Katelyn Hughes in the studio.

As part of the contest, the troop leader of the winning girl received a pair of Daughtry tickets.

Katelyn Hughes, 13, from Troop 2510 won them over with her high energy sales pitch. She won first-place and her troop leader and mom Shelly Hughes received tickets to see Daughtry.

Not far behind was runner up Beau Booth, 10, from Troop 1423.

Both girls visited the station to have their cookie orders placed with Chris and Amy and to provide an encore performance of their cookie pitches.

Historical Committee

Beau Booth with Chris and Amy.

update

Last September, the History Committee moved into the former Carriage House at the Coronado administrative offices.

The committee’s former location was the warehouse at the Clarendon facility.

The Friendship Village Girl Scout alumni has found a second calling for themselves: Singing Alums. Their specific goal is to teach girls traditional Girl Scout songs. Although many of these women were not in the same troops and have varied backgrounds, they know the same Girl Scout songs. So far, they have performed for two groups and look forward to more singing engagements!

spring.summer 2010

In the move, a new committee member volunteered to oversee the labeling, repairing and documentation of the vintage uniforms, many of which had been packed away due to lack of space. Realizing this was too much work for one person, members of the committee met with Girl Scout alumni at Friendship Village. These ladies of Friendship Village organized themselves into the Girl Scout Sewing Bees with plans to meet twice a month until the project was completed.

The Sewing Bees restored and labeled 457 uniforms, volunteering more than 1,000 hours. Most recently, they completed work on a replica of the first Brownie uniform from 1927. They also created a Girl Scout Junior uniform from the 1970s for a cabbage patch doll in a wheelchair.

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nter wiEncampment Winter camping can be a fascinating experience. Many girls are thrilled to play in the fluffy white stuff; however, it can create challenging times.

Last winter, some camp activities had to be rescheduled or programs were modified because of safety concerns during snowy weather. Council camps are not equipped with snow plows; therefore it’s difficult to keep the roads to the camp cleared. Building access at camp is often not possible during inclement weather and can be dangerous.

Therefore, even though camping in the snow can be a great experience, it is important to be well informed of what to expect during the snowy weather. Follow the steps below to make sure you’re prepared!

Tips for planning a winter encampment: • Have an alternative activity planned in case snowy weather falls on the day of your encampment • Recruit drivers with four-wheel drive and/or chains • Make a packing list in case of snow: gloves, no jeans, boots, meals that can be made without electricity, etc • Review activities for the snow and/or indoors • Review and practice safety precautions

Girl Scout

summer camp

Calling all Girl Scouts! There’s still time to enjoy some fun in the sun at Girl Scout summer camp!

Camp is a place where girls can create memories, make new discoveries, develop lifelong friendships and learn new skills.

There are a variety of camp packages that are available to keep your wallet and peace of mind at ease.

If the economy is a factor in deciding whether to register your daughter or the girl in your life for summer camp, camperships and scholarships are available. Every effort is made to provide financial assistance so that no girl misses out on the opportunity to attend camp due to lack of funds.

Camp brochures were mailed directly to Girl Scout households. The booklet contains an abbreviated list of camp programs. A complete list of programs and information are posted at the council website, so that you can make the best decision about a summer camp option!

Each camp has a distinct personality featuring programs that are unique to its environment: Camp Willow Springs, Prescott: High and low ropes course, ceramics, theater and dance – as well as unique leadership opportunities including Counselor-in-Training, Discover Aviation and Oxford Leadership Youth Program. This camp also offers a day camp option.

Camp Marapai, Prescott: Horseback riding, gardening, composting, geocaching, and the Wrangler-in-Training leadership program.

Camp Shadow Rim, Payson: Climbing, canoeing and kayaking. Leadership opportunities include the Counselor in Training program.

spring.summer 2010

Camp Sombrero, Phoenix: Located in the heart of South Mountain, the camp has a swimming pool, hiking trails, an archery range, and an all-camp fire circle. Field trips are part of the program activities. This camp also offers a day camp option.

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For a complete listing of summer camp information, visit http://www.girlscoutsaz.org/summer-camp/general-info/ or contact Katie Dailey at katiedailey@girlscoutsaz.org.

Making the How to prepare your daughter for camp?

Do you know what your daughter needs to pack for camp? Camp staff recommends that you pack with your child. She should know what she has, and where to locate her belongings. All campers should have the following essentials: water bottle, socks and closed toe shoes, a bandana and sun screen. While a camera is not a necessary item, it’s nice to have so your daughter can capture special camp moments that can be shared with you. Also, girls can decorate a lunch bag or water bottle that will go to camp with them!

What happens at camp?

Aside from having fun at camp, the experience is one of personal development. Living in an outdoor community, girls will have roles and expectations. They will have responsibilities at camp. In this unique community, camp counselors are present to support girls in both the mental and physical aspects of camp. Within this level of trust, encourage your daughter to talk with her counselor about anything that is bothering her.

Life after camp.

Be prepared to be amazed at how your daughter has grown while at camp. She will have gained independence and will be ready share her new skills and knowledge! She’ll be excited to engage you (and others) in the hours of camp songs that she will want to sing again... and again... and again.

f ie2010 sta Girl Scout volunteers, adult leaders and girls ages 14 and older embarked on a journey of enrichment learning at Fiesta 2010 in January!

For the past 35 years, the Fiesta event has strived to enhance the adult leadership experience through various courses and workshops.

This year was no different. Fiesta 2010, coordinated this year by Vicki Erhart, included 31 course sessions ranging from conflict resolution to intro to backpacking in Arizona to team building.

Those who participated worked towards Leadership Development Pin leaves and incorporated activities leaders could take back to use with their troop and their lives.

place.

Girls Supporting Girls

Girl Scout Troop 1231 in Lake Havasu wanted to help their community.

Their decision resulted in selecting a service project that helped them to complete requirements of the Bronze Award.

The Girl Scout Bronze Award, the highest honor a Junior Girl Scout can earn, requires a girl to learn the leadership and planning skills necessary to follow through on a project that makes a positive impact on her community.

The girls decided to work with the Humane Society, and met with a representative of the Western Arizona Humane Society and asked what they could do to help the shelter.

They organized a stuffed animal toy drive for the shelter, after the shelter explained that stuffed animals and dog/cat toys help calm the animals during their stay at the shelter.

The girls split into teams of two and each team worked on posters, fliers and advertising for their event. Each of the girls delivered fliers throughout the town to the veterinary clinics and pet shops, and advertised their event in the local paper, online and on the local cable channel.

On collection day, the girls set up their animal toy drive in the parking lot of McGuire Veterinary Services in Lake Havasu. Prior to distribution, the girls sorted the toys and made sure they were in good condition. They collected enough stuffed animals and toys to fill the bed of a pickup truck and delivered them to the shelter after the event.

spring.summer 2010

Approximately 130 people participated this year and the Council Shop was on site for participants to purchase items.

World a better

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World

thiDay nking

Girl Scouts participated in World Thinking Day on February 6, as a way to show how much they value friendship and awareness of the global community.

Each year, Girl Scouts and Girl Scout supporters and volunteers gather at this event to learn about new cultures and international friendship.

Scouts of the USA is part of a global community—one of nearly 150 countries with Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.

Thinking Day was created in 1926 at the fourth Girl Guide/ Girl Scout International Conference held at Girl Scouts of the USA’s Camp Edith Macy Conference Center. Conference attendees decided that there should be a special day for Girl Scouts and Girl Guides from around the world to “think” of each other and give thanks and appreciation to their “sister” Girl Scouts.

Friendship is one of the core ideals the Girl Scouts focus on as an organization and this year Girl Scouts learned about a variety of destinations, such as Spain, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and France.

Each Girl Scout troop had the option to represent a country by hosting a booth, and travel from country to country exploring other cultures. Those who hosted a booth created an informational display highlighting their chosen country’s culture, geography and products.

The girls also sampled food from different countries, played games, danced and received henna tattoos. There was also a display of a traditional Muslim prayer ritual. Each girl received a patch for her vest or sash for participating in World Thinking Day. Thinking Day not only gives girls a chance to celebrate international friendships, but it is also a reminder that Girl

Faith: A Driving Behind Girl Scout Troop spring.summer 2010

force

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Troop 2140 is a multi-level troop that includes Daises, Brownies, Juniors and Cadettes. World Thinking Day 2010 gave the troop the opportunity to share four countries they researched as well as their own culture.

Sameena Basha, troop leader, said that all the girls in the troop are Muslim and first generation girls with immigrant parents from various Middle Eastern countries.

“All of us are Muslim. In fact, the troop started from a faithbased perspective,” she said. “I was approached in my mosque to start a Girl Scout troop.” The troop started in August 2008 with only five girls.

The girls in the troop are from around the Valley and travel from as far as Surprise to be a part of this troop.

“Within a month we had tripled in size,” Basha said. “We currently have 53 registered girls and an extensive waiting list, mostly due to Safety-Wise guidelines.” Safety-Wise standards require specific ratios of adults to girls for both meetings and events in order to ensure safety.

Each level chose a different country and brought different things to share at the event. They also demonstrated the traditional Muslim prayer ritual at the event.

Since all of the girls are from an international heritage, Basha said Thinking Day was an opportunity for the girls to learn about a different country than their own culture. contiuned on next page

World Awards is an annual Girl Scout event recognizing the best in female accomplishment and leadership. The Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council, holds this event to honor Girl Scout alumni and current Girl Scouts who are making a difference in the world.

All honorees are chosen for their commitment in living the values of the Girl Scout Promise and Law in their personal lives and making meaningful contributions to the betterment of their community. Recipients are acknowledged in seven annual categories: humanities, community service, arts, learning, courage, future and leadership.

The 2010 World Awards will be held at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa on Saturday, December 4, 2010. Please mark this date on your calendars and help support this year’s event.

Council board member Ellen Kirschbaum and World Awards honoree Leslie Mihata-Bloom share a special moment at the 2009 World Awards celebration.

If you want to nominate a woman or young woman for this prestigious Girl Scout honor, nomination forms are available at www.girlscoutsaz.org/worldawards.

• 10:30am to Noon – Silent Auction and Raffle • Noon to 1:30pm – Luncheon and Celebration For tickets or information on sponsorship opportunities, call Leslie Friedman at 602.452.7003.

continued from previous page

For the event, the girls divided the world into four regions and chose a country from each region.

Basha said she plans to be involved in Girl Scouts for many years to come and hopes the girls are as well.

Daisies chose Saudi Arabia and made hummus and baklava.

The Brownies chose Spain as their country and made a Spanish matador cake. They also had a Spanish tile making project set up for girls visiting their booth. Juniors chose Singapore as their country and the booth featured malay style fruit tarts, Chinese almond cookies and shrimp flavored crisps. The Cadettes chose Nepal and offered a henna making station and made a wide array of traditional hot dishes.

“The girls have faced tough issues like discrimination, suspicion, and rejection on many levels due to unbalanced portrayals of Muslims and their faith in the media,” she said.

“Girl Scout programming provides these girls a safe haven where they can confidently participate and find social acceptance for who they are.”

World Thinking Day Muslim Troop Members of Troop 2140 await booth visitors who will sample the ethnic cuisine of their World Thinking Day countries.

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Basha said the years since September 11 have been a challenging time for many Muslim families.

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ar Pin weYour A special day of celebration!

On March 12, girls and women throughout Arizona chose to wear their membership in support of Girl Scouting.

What started as a social media campaign to encourage Girl Scout members and friends to wear their pin, transformed into a statewide event as girls, council staff, community supporters, state and local governments showed their support of our mission.

Historically, March 12 is the celebrated Girl Scout birthday for the organization.

As was the initial intention, Facebook and Twitter became important avenues to get the message out on a larger scale about Wear Your Pin Day. With the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouts approaching in 2012, the council wants to make a big splash by getting national support and have everyone nationwide wearing their Girl Scout pin on March 12, 2012.

For Wear Your Pin Day, an open house was hosted at the council office. An invitation was extended to all alumni, volunteers, community members and Girl Scout supporters to join the council in celebrating 98 years of Girl Scouting.

Throughout the day the council welcomed attendees who reminiscenced about their Girl Scout adventures and shared many touching stories how Girl Scouts had impacted their lives. They were also very interested in the new and exciting new developments for girl leadership.

Those who attended the open house received a commemorative Girl Scout pin and a box of Thank U Berry

Avondale Mayor Marie Lopez Rogers with Girl Scouts.

Munch cookies. In addition to the fun and camaraderie, council staff shared the initial plans for the renovation of Camp Sombrero, leaving everyone eager to learn more.

Signature custom-made Thin Mint cupcakes from The Cake Café in Ahwatukee were the hit of the day.

Throughout the council, celebrations were held to celebrate Wear Your Pin Day.

Flagstaff

An open house also took place at Flagstaff Mayor Sara Presler’s office. She is a former Girl Scout and a supporter of the organization. Mayor Presler met with Flagstaff Girl Scouts and shared her Girl Scout stories with them. Mayor Presler also signed a proclamation for Girl Scouts–Arizona CactusPine Council, recognizing March 12 as Wear Your Pin Day.

Kingman

Kingman Mayor John Salem signed a proclamation recognizing March 12 as Wear Your Pin Day. Another Girl Scout friend is Vice Mayor Janet Watson, a former troop leader for the Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council.

Avondale

Avondale Mayor Marie Lopez Rogers signed a Wear Your Pin proclamation. She participated in a photo opportunity and Q &A with Avondale Girl Scouts. Avondale council member Stephanie Karlin is a former Girl Scout leader and a supporter for Girl Scouts.

Other proclamations

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Both Fountain Hills Mayor Jay Schlum and Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane showed their support by writing proclamations to the council recognizing March 12 as Wear Your Pin Day.

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Flagstaff Mayor Sara Presler with Girl Scouts.

Everyone is encouraged to mark their calendar for next year March 12, 2011, to show support for the 99th birthday of Girl Scouts.

Girl Scout Wrap Up

cookie

During Girl Scout cookie season, Thin Mints, Samoas, Tagalongs and every one of the cookie varieties are the talk of the town.

This year was no different as more than 18,000 girls participated in the Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council cookie program. With the help of parents and troop leaders, the girls sold over 2.68 million packages of cookies. The end result was a 6.4% increase over our 2009 sales.

This year, many nonprofits in the community and our service men and women overseas, received cookie packages that were generously purchased for donation by cookie customers as a result of the Gift of Caring program. Troops reported a total of 31,209 packages sold through the program.

Kyria Greb, a Girl Scout Brownie from Sonoran Circle neighborhood, sold the most this year at 3,601 packages of cookies. For her efforts she has earned the Judy Award scholarship, which consists of a $500 scholarship and trophy.

The scholarship is sponsored by Bekins Moving Solutions.

Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council would like to thank our three delivery agents; Bekins Moving Solutions, Dircks and Horizon Moving Systems. There are also many businesses that have supported booth sales but a special thanks goes to Bashas’, Fry’s Food and Drug, Safeway and Walmart.

Thanks to everyone who helped to make the 2010 cookie season a success!

The Gift of Caring program is an opportunity for Girl Scout troops to select an organization that would benefit from a donation of Girl Scout Cookies.

Governor is

pinned

Girl Scout Maddie Eder who formally pins the governor with a new and contemporary pin, which was placed right next to her original Girl Scout pin! The governor is one of more than 50 Girl Scout alumni.

As the

wormTurns

The Inchworm is changing.

The Inchworm of Service is a participation patch that recognizes community service done by Girl Scouts that is not part of a more rigorous earned recognition (e.g., Bronze Award, Community Service Bar, Silver Award).

For the past two years, girls have been asked to provide their Inchworm of Service record to the council and include a story about one service project. Once this information was recorded, girls would receive the Inchworm patch at no charge. The patches were also available through the Girl Scout Council Shop for purchase without any required paperwork.

For the future, the patches will continue to be available through the Girl Scout Council Shop but at no charge.

Paperwork is no longer required, but is encouraged. spring.summer 2010

Girl Scout Maddie Eder formally pins Governor Jan Brewer with a new contemporary Girl Scout pin.

To learn more about the Inchworm of Service, go to www.girlscoutsaz.org and type “inchworm” in the search field.

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A Tribute to

margaret spicer

Not just anyone can motivate a 17-year-old girl to actively embrace the Girl Scout Promise, to form a group of passionate young women dedicated to spreading awareness about human trafficking and to change the community. Not everyone is a Margaret Spicer.

Two years ago I was approached to consider the opportunity of starting a grass-roots movement encouraging girls and Girl Scouts to engage with their community and be the voice of a global anti-human trafficking effort. I don’t suppose it was anything but Margaret’s unwavering belief in me and in the movement that made me see past my hesitation and to the heart of the matter.

She has taught me what it means to work for something beyond myself and to embrace and give myself completely to a movement. She has shown me the true meaning of dedication, patience and perseverance. I see our work over the past two years with the GS GEMS as something inspiring, powerful, worthwhile and good. She has shown me what it means to be a woman of courage, confidence, and character—a true Girl Scout.

On behalf of all the girls lives you have touched, thank you Margaret Spicer.

-Gabi Guerra

Over the past two years the concept has become a reality, and the GS GEMS (Girls Empowering and Mentoring with Support) have created a distinct identity as a group of young women spreading awareness to stop modern day slavery.

As a result, workshops, meetings, events presentations, interviews, and beading parties ensued. These were all of the steps we took to achieve our goal; all steps taken with the guidance and efforts of Margaret.

Whether it be planning the next Jamboree or Canyon Odyssey excursion, there is no doubt that Margaret Spicer does it all for the girls.

2010

spring.summer 2010

m Transition prograPortfolio

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Girl Scout national program resources will be making a program portfolio transition that will include two product lines. One is the Journeys, which are the core of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. They provide an exploration of all three keys to leadership, and tie directly to the 15 national outcomes and provide detailed guidance for adults.

The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting, the second product line, complements Journeys with skill building badge activities, and will debut June 2011.

Troops should continue to use the Journeys and existing badge activities until the new product lines debut.

The forthcoming journey series, It’s Your Story –Tell it!, will debut December 2010. It is essential for every Girl Scout to have her own Journey book as an entry to belonging to and being part of the national experience.

Journeys represent the only national program that offers detailed guides to help volunteers facilitate the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

Journey maps are available as an easy and fun way to help staff and volunteers understand how Journeys and badge activities come together to create a complete and fun leadership experience. These are available at www.girlscouts.org.

Girl Scouts in the

news

Girl Scout Daisy troop 1486 from Maricopa was featured in the March issue of Disney Family Fun Magazine for their “pass the mirror” group project.

thing about herself on the outside (“I have pretty freckles”) and one nice thing about herself on the inside (“I am a good friend”).

Disney Family Fun Magazine held a contest to find Girl Scout troops across the nation with the best stories to share. The magazine looked for fun and engaging activities and projects Girl Scout Daisies, Brownies, Juniors and Cadettes were doing as a group or with their families.

Bentley said they used the “pass the mirror” game as a way for the girls to earn the Respect Myself and Others Daisy Petal.

In particular they looked for troops that engaged in group projects and activities that best highlighted the Girl Scout leadership experience as well as a fun, learning and inspirational environment.

Volunteers, whose stories were published, received $250 for their Girl Scout troop or group, a free set of Family Fun recipe and craft books, and a free print or digital subscription.

Troop leader Carrie Bentley said, “Being a new troop leader, I wanted to come up with activities for our first few meetings to break the ice and get to know each other.”

“This experience is so exciting and a memory I will always carry with me and I hope the girls do too,” Bentley said.

Bentley and four girls from troop 1486 were also featured on a Channel 12 Arizona Midday segment in February, where they modeled the “pass the mirror” game.

For the activity, girls sat in a circle and passed around a small handheld mirror. Each person took a turn saying one nice

golden Eaglets The Golden Eaglet award has a rich history, which in time evolved into the Girl Scout Gold Award. From 1916 to 1939, the Golden Eaglet was the highest award given in Girl Scouting. This marked the beginning of a long tradition of using prestigious awards to recognize girls who make a difference in their communities and in their own lives.

In the history of Girl Scouting in Arizona, there were only seven women who received the Golden Eaglet in Arizona. All were members of Arizona’s Girl Scout Troop 1.

spring.summer 2010

Troop members included: Jean Maddock Clark, Arizona Hawes, Mary Thomas, Ilene Donner, Joann Shivers Safarian, Allita Mae Langston Barnard, Mary Stegmeier.

Three of these women are living and have remained in contact throughout the years.

Mary Thomas and Allita Mae Langston Barnard, who both reside in Mesa, and Joann Shivers, Mary Thomas’ sister, who lives in Canada, are part of the Golden Eaglet history.

L to R: Joann Shivers, Allita Mae Barnard, Mary Thomas

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Annual Volunteer

tion recogniLuncheon

Thanks to so many volunteers!

Individuals who have stood the test of time and have given many years to Girl Scouting are recognized each year for their support and dedication.

Each of these volunteers has played and continues to play a significant role in ensuring that girls have the opportunities they need to become successful adults.

They give their hearts and time helping today’s Girl Scouts become the leaders of tomorrow.

Volunteers received their awards at the council’s Annual Recognition Luncheon at the Glendale Civic Center on April 24, 2010.

appPin reciation

The service performed by the recipient is outstanding, is above and beyond the expectations for the position held, is delivered to at least one Neighborhood within the Council’s jurisdiction and contributes to the Council’s goals and objectives.

Not pictured: Danielle Matoy, Lake Havasu City; Lisa McMorrow, Glendale; Sandy Wells, Bagdad

Dian Belger Phoenix

Julia Fischer Phoenix

Sharon Harfst Gilbert

Shelly Lear Phoenix

Tina Hamilton Peoria

Sharon Martin Mesa

2009-2010 Membership List

thank s Badge The service performed by the recipient is truly outstanding, benefits the total Council or the entire Girl Scout organization, and is so significantly above and beyond the call of duty that no other award would be appropriate.

Phyllis Gay Phoenix

Susan Russell Phoenix

Kate Cromley Kingman

Lyle Sharp Phoenix

honPinor

The service performed by the recipient is outstanding, is above and beyond the expectations for the position held, is delivered to two or more Neighborhoods within the council’s jurisdictions and contributes to the council’s goals and objectives.

numeral

Joni Thorpe Mesa

spring.summer 2010

Service year recognitions were given to adults, acknowledging the number of years each has spent as a member of the Girl Scout organization. This includes membership as a girl and as an adult.

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40 Year Pin: Lyle Sharp

55 Year Pin: Dolores Grotts, Julia Kirvan, Bettye Mobley

45 Year Pin: Lou Creber, Linda Norman

60 Year Pin: Judi Melott

50 Year Pin: Pat Fugate, Irene Gramza, Joan Wann,

65 Year Pin: Patricia Sowers, Suzanne Douglas

Christine Whitney-Sanchez

Girl Scout Award

gold

Each year, young girls who display dedication to leadership, community service and humanity are awarded the Girl Scout Gold Award.

On March, 18 girls from Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council received this high honor. They were awarded at a ceremony at the Heard Museum.

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award that a Girl Scout age 14-18 may earn. The Gold Award project is the culmination of all the work a girl puts into “going for the Gold.” The project is something that fulfills a need within a girl’s community (whether local or global), creates change, and hopefully, is something that becomes ongoing.

For many, the leadership skills, organizational skills, and sense of community and commitment that come from “going for the Gold” set the foundation for a lifetime of active citizenship.

Girls are required to invest 30 hours of leadership, 40 hours of career services and a minimum of 65 hours toward their project.

Ashley Becker of Prescott Valley is a nine-year Girl Scout

member. For her Gold award project she designed and built a reflective garden at Hannah’s Home in Prescott Valley. She is a 2010 graduate of Bradshaw Mountain High School.

Melody Bennett of Phoenix is a seven-year Girl Scout

Ally Clark of Fountain Hills is a nine-year Girl Scout member. She planned, designed and created an air gun range at Rio Salado Sportsman’s Club in Mesa for her Gold Award project. She is a 2010 graduate of Fountain Hills High School.

spring.summer 2010

member. She restored and reframed the collection of pastor photos at Tanner Chapel. She is a 2009 graduate of Desert Vista High School.

Kuresten Carter of Glendale is an eight-year Girl Scout member. For her Gold Award project, she remodeled the fellowship hall of Tanner Gardens, a retirement home in Phoenix. She is a 2009 graduate of Independence High School.

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Celia Contreras of Flagstaff is an eight-year Girl Scout

member. She made 121 book bags for Ponderosa Head Start in Flagstaff and expanded their library. The bags were made for kids to transport their books to and from the library. She will be graduating from Ashworth University High School Online in 2011.

Hillary Eder of Mesa is a 12-year Girl Scout member. She rehabilitated an Andrea’s Closet trailer and filled it with toys. She replaced the axel and the floorboards and painted the inside and outside to completely restore it. She will be graduating from Westwood High School in 2011.

Haylee Fogel of Scottsdale is a 13-year Girl Scout member.

She reorganized the elementary library for The Road Runner School, a special education facility in Paradise Valley for her Gold Award project. She is a 2009 graduate of Desert Mountain High School.

Madison Freed of Chandler updated the yearbook program

at Saint Mary Basha Catholic School for her Gold Award project. She is a 2010 graduate of Seton Catholic Preparatory High School.

Gabi Guerra of Phoenix is a 13-year Girl Scout member.

She is a founding member of GS GEMS (Girls Empowering and Mentoring with Support) and increased community awareness about the dangers of human trafficking. She led the group of teen Girl Scouts to research and to educate themselves on the subject. She is a 2010 graduate of Xavier College Preparatory High School.

spring.summer 2010 listening post

Amanda Peralta of Gilbert is a 12-year Girl Scout member.

She created a biography of all of the cats at the Friends for Life Animal Shelter in Gilbert and held three workshops for three levels of Girl Scouts where she presented information on her project and Friends for Life. She is a 2010 graduate of Mesquite High School.

Taylor Petersen of Scottsdale is a 13-year Girl Scout member. She created a reading retreat in the pediatric center of Banner Thunderbird Medical Center and held community book drives. She is a 2010 graduate of Notre Dame Preparatory School.

Jill Richard of Peoria is a 12-year Girl Scout member. She created a program for K-3 to teach about driving safety. She worked with the Red Means Stop Coalition and elementary school teachers to create a kid-friendly curriculum. Jill is a 2009 graduate of Ironwood High School.

Jessica Scott of Prescott Valley is a 13-year Girl Scout member. She created a mural at the bathroom facilities at Sunflower Park in Prescott Valley. She is a 2010 graduate of Bradshaw Mountain High School.

Jamie Killin of Mesa is an 11-year Girl Scout member.

Lauren Tomlinson of Glendale is a 10-year Girl Scout member. She created a “Technology in the Classroom” campaign and conducted video interviews with students and teachers about the importance of technology use in the classroom. She also created a video that she presented to the school board in her district to show that technology is an important part of education.

Jessica Ksenzulak of Prescott Valley is a 12-year Girl Scout

Diamond Williams of Phoenix is an 11-year Girl Scout member. For her Gold Award project she showed residents of her community how to use energy efficient appliances from demonstrations inside people’s kitchens. She also held informational meetings, and handed out brochures on going green. She is a 2009 graduate of Desert Vista High School.

For her Gold Award project, she created an anti-bullying campaign and gave presentations about the topic to various Boys and Girls Clubs and distributed pamphlets in school lobbies. She also created and anti-bullying website. She is a 2010 graduate of Highland High School.

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Rebecca Nolan of Scottsdale is a 10-year Girl Scout member.

For her Gold Award project, she replaced and updated the announcers stand at Horse Lovers Park in Phoenix. She is a 2010 graduate of Pinnacle High School.

member. For her Gold Award project she organized a Young Women Health and Beauty Fair. She invited local businesses from her community that involved health, fitness, nutrition and beauty. She is a 2009 graduate of Tri-City College Preparatory High School.

Girl Scout Award

silver

The Girl Scout Silver Award represents a girl’s accomplishments in Girl Scouting and her community as she grows and works to improve her life and the lives of others. The requirements of the Girl Scout Silver Award help girls to explore careers, gain leadership skills, and make a commitment to self-improvement. The Girl Scout Silver Award Project can be undertaken when the first four requirements are completed. It can be done as an individual or with a group.

Girls earning the Girl Scout Silver Award from November 20, 2009 through May 14, 2010 Emily Alimusa Megan Ament Delaney Bare Cambrea Braudaway Emily Campagnolo Katlyn Casagrande Kayla Casey Caitlin Chacon Alexis Cohensitt Mackenzie Colwell

Girl Scout

bronze Award

Camren Alley McKenna Arenz Serena Asturias Reeti Banerjee Ruchi Banerjee Ana Bass Emmalee Bennett Rachel Bergsten Juliana Brink Bethany Brinkley Dallas Brown Briana Chacon

Sabrina Covelli Madalyn Eder Delaney Ferguson Alexandra Gilliland Phoebe Glawe Ashley Gurule Katewyn Hoppis Harmony Jones Katie Liming Malissa Mada

Sydni Martinez Gina Mascari Emma Mertens Bryanna Metz Amanda Murray Amanda Neiner Mandy Olmut Sophie Pallissard Mary Petersen Jessica Pierce

Alicia Popik Erica Rao Alex Roberts Kelly Rota Marissa Scheeler Madison Schrunk Taylor Schrunk Dakota Spinazze Katherine Steele Janeane Stefaniak

Emily Stolz Tressa Teetsel Kaitlin Teixeira Briana Toguchi Sarah Wadsworth Kassandra Winchester Emily Wusterbarth Brianna Young

The Girl Scout Bronze Award, the highest honor a Junior Girl Scout can earn, requires her to learn the leadership and planning skills necessary to follow through on a project that makes a positive impact on her community. Working towards this award demonstrates her commitment to helping others, improving her community and the world, and becoming the best she can be.

Kendall Church Madalyn Clouse Alexandra Cockett Michelle Couture KatyLynne Cunningham Madelyn Dutton Hannah Earll Nadine Elbazar Tayler Everts Alexandra Fagan Kaitlyn Gelvin Sierra Gilmore

Annaliese Gilsinger Angelique Green Alexandra Gutierrez Natalie Haluska Emily Hunt Sarah Johnson Abigail Kany Casey Karash Corey Karash Brianna Kent Rebecca Kim Jessica Mada

Kayla Maher Sydney McKarns Emily Mikkelson Isabella Miller Nikki Milroy Brooke Mueller Claire O’Brien Jade Panlener Maya Parrish Sarah Perrin Lily Randhawa Rachel Rhoades

Sydney Rix Yvonne Sanchez Samantha Santos Abigail Schroeder Isabelle Spruit Hailey Tallman Danielle Vermeer Alyssa Wahlstrom Kaycee Wiedman Lauren Wilczynski Ryann Yount Alexandra Zelasko

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NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

Arizona Cactus-Pine Council, Inc. P.O. Box 21776 Phoenix, AZ 85036-1776

PHOENIX, AZ PERMIT NO. 974

www.girlscoutsaz.org

talkin’

shop hours and closed dates

shop

Tuesday - Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm

The Council Shop will be closed on the following dates:

Saturday 8:30am - 3:00pm

June 29 - July 4

Sunday, Monday and Holidays CLOSED

Indian School Rd 3806 N 3rd Street

Thomas Rd

fax phone

(602) 274-4445 7th Street

3rd Street

Central Ave

Clarendon Ave

location

3806 N 3rd Street, # 200 Phoenix, AZ 85012

(602) 452-7137 (800) 352-6133

email

shop@girlscoutsaz.org mrc@girlscoutsaz.org

visit the shop online @ www.girlscoutsaz.org/shop