A Quarterly Newsletter from Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania
FALL 2014 EDITION
Connections
PG. 2-3 • Leadership Updates • Live Big in Big Sky Country
Fiscally
• Plans with a Purpose
PG. 4-5
damental
• Heart of a Girl Scout • Life of a Ranger
We want our Girl Scouts to be ‘well read’ when it comes to finances today in order to avoid ‘being in the red’ in the future. That is why it’s time for Change It Up!
PG. 6-7 • Safety Begins with
GSHPA plans to do more than just discuss money - we plan to play with it. Change It Up! is GSHPA’s new, two year signature program and it’s all practical fun and games for Girl Scouts of all ages. The council-wide events and activities will boost Girl Scouts’ financial literacy, teach them how to be resourceful and inspire them to become innovative problem solvers.
Teamwork • GSHPA Sprints Past Fundraising Goal • Cirlce of Friends
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W DID YOU KNOW?
• Pennsylvanian college graduates average $32,000 of debt in student loans and credit cards? • 20% of PA 18-34 year-olds spend more than their household income? (PA Financial Education Task Force Report, 2013).
Girl Scouts kicked it all off on November 22 with Change It Up! The Game a walk-through, life-sized board game that taught them how to budget, spend, give and save. And the fun is just getting started...
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Girls can become *Super Shoppers at GIANT® Food Stores when they go on the ultimate scavenger hunt to find the best deals. (Various dates, times, locations.)
And there’s plenty more to come! Girls can chat live with financial experts from Junior Achievement, meet financial guru Jean Chatzky of NBC’s Today Show (April 2015), and build their creativity skills that will have Girl Scouts thinking-outside-of-the-box and into innovation.
*To learn more about Change It Up! and to register for upcoming events visit www.gshpa.org.
Leadership Update
><><><><><>< iL v e BIG i n
Big Dear Friends, On September 10, 2014, CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA), Anna Maria Chávez joined our council from national headquarters in NYC to celebrate our Inspiring Generations Gala honorees. As she stood in front of Girl Scouts, volunteers, parents and supporters she encouraged them to do one thing: invest in girls so that they will thrive. Here are just a handful of examples of how we invest in girls: • Getting girls outdoors. We are further expanding our outdoor programs and facilities to draw girls out from behind the computer screen and into nature. • Giving girls financial know-how. We are launching Change It Up!, a twoyear financial literacy initiative to put girls on the path to a successful future. • Encouraging girls to have fun and help others. The troop experiences al-
low girls to make new friends, discover the world, and take action in their communities under the guidance of caring adult role models. • Helping girls get ahead. Girl Scouts, and especially those who’ve earned Gold Awards, stand out from the crowd. Ask any college admissions officer!
y r t Sky Coun
Girl Scouts* are heading to Montana for a week of big adventures July 25-31, 2015! A select group of Cadettes, Seniors & Ambassadors (Grades 6-12) will expand their horizons with exciting adventures like
Together we can make these investments and more to ensure that girls live their best lives today, tomorrow and well into their futures.
horse rides, cowboy cookouts,
Thank you for supporting over 20,000 girls in Central and Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Park and more!
white water rafting, fly fishing, hiking in Yellowstone National
July seems far away, but it is never too early to start planning. This all-inclusive trip
Carolyn Warman Jane Ransom Board Chair President & CEO
costs $1,550 (including airfare). Look for more information and registration to open on January 10, 2015 at www.gshpa.org. Questions? Email camp@gshpa.org. *This is a girl-only trip.
><><><><><>< SPONSORS: Capital Blue Cross • PNC • Pinnacle Health • Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center • Collens-Wagner Insurance • Hershey Lodge • UGI• Marion and Bill Alexander • Jane and Bill Murray • MorganStanley • GIANT Food Stores • Buchart-Horn • ABC27-WHTM (media sponsor) 2
[Pencil Us In!] January 31 - Cookie Crunch Time And SO much more, visit www.gshpa.org for fun happenings in your area!
PLANS with a
Purpose
In June 1972, Deb Ranck’s childhood home in Manheim was flooded from the aftermath of Hurricane Agnes, “My parents told me that they could no longer afford to send me to Girl Scout camp,” said Deb. She had been a Girl Scout since the second grade and was looking forward to her third summer at Camp Furnace Hills before the flood hit. Generosity was the silver lining to the storm as neighbors stopped by with food for the family, but what still brings tears of happiness to her eyes is remembering what her troop leader, Mrs. Kreider, did to help. “Mrs. Kreider told me, ‘You’re going to camp,’ and she found me a campership,” she recalled with a smile. That is one of the reasons why Deb and her husband included Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania in their estate plans. “I want to give girls the opportunity to do things that they normally wouldn’t be able to do,” she said remembering Mrs. Kreider’s generosity over 40 years ago. “We know we aren’t going to be millionaires when we’re gone,” laughed Deb, “but we can still give and it’s a nice feeling in my heart.”
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Deb spent six summers at Girl Scout camp - five at Camp Furnace Hills and one at Camp Echo Trail. She made friendships, learned new things like horseback riding, survival, and how to build a fire, and has countless memories that still brings a smile to her face.
Nowadays Deb jokes that she can’t send her three grandsons to Girl Scout camp, but through her plans she will be gifting future girls with the chance to discover the magic of Girl Scouts.
Deb Ranck collected these photos from her Girl Scout camp adventures.Through her planned giving she will be able to provide future Girl Scouts with thousands of smiles, countless memories, and unforgettable summers.
For more information about how to include GSHPA in your will or for other planned giving opportunities, please contact Deb Hess at dhess@gshpa.org or call 800.692.7816.
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At just five-days-old Samaria Martin had her first of three open heart surgeries due to a chronic congenital heart condition, but if you met her today you wouldn’t be able to tell. The now sevenyear-old Girl Scout from Brownie Troop 70146 in Conestoga is leading an active life filled with friendships and priceless memories.
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Heart of a Girl Scout Pictured left to right: Miranda, Bonnie and Samaria Martin.
“Living with a chronic illness is challenging and her cardiologist tells us that there’s so much that goes into her thriving and one of the most important things is giving her a childhood,” said Samaria’s mother Bonnie Martin. “Girl Scouts maximizes the amazing opportunities that the kids truly enjoy doing. It builds friendships where girls care for each other.” Samaria has done just that. She, along with her troop of friends, have gone hiking, horseback riding, bowling, roller skating, and for the first time ever went overnight camping. Through all of their fun adventures, they’ve learned to give back, especially to a cause that is close to their hearts. Samaria and her sister Miranda’s Girl Scout troops assembled over 100 toiletry bags for parents who are at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) unexpectedly. The Martins know how special a toiletry bag can be because CHOP is where Samaria has been and continues to be a patient. To make it even more heartwarming, this same group of Girl Scouts wrote notes letting the patients’ families know that they care. They care because they understand.
“Girl Scouts maximizes the amazing opportunities that the kids truly enjoy doing. It builds friendships where girls care for each other.” - Bonnie Martin, Samaria’s mother Samaria and her Girl Scout troop toured Schreiber Pediatric Rehab Center for their “We Are Special Program” and they learned about children with disabilities. Samaria, a patient at Schreiber, even pointed out her personalized hand print that decorates a wall at the center.
like about the Girl Scouts is that they are just aware of her and she is still part of the community. She is a part of something special.” The Martin family would like to thank Girl Scout leaders Michelle Smith and Justine Weber and CHOP for making
“There are so many challenges ahead of her,” said Bonnie, “What I
opportunities happen.
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> Life of a Ranger This fall as you rake the leaves in your yard or shovel snow off your driveway, imagine if you had hundreds of acres to care for. Ok, we don't rake or shovel an entire camp, but we do have seven camps with endless to-do lists. For example:
Ranger Tim’s To-Do List
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=Install steel roofs on the cabinet units
=Build retaining wall for easy access to lake
=Clear trails and camping ground for backpack program (Bonus: Helps reduce tick threat)
=Create a flagstone near a natural spring for a fresh water source
=Install new flooring in Palmer Lodge
=Test the water (quarterly basis) =Identify and remove trees that could fall on units
=Prepare Legacy Lodge for upcoming weddings
=Expand gravel parking lot to accommodate more cars
=Update ceilings in Palmer Lodge
=Organize United Way Day of Caring volunteers
Camp Golden Pond in Petersburg in Huntingdon County is home to over 300 acres of property, eight camping units, one lake, miles of trails, and one man to care for it all. Meet Tim Swan - Camp Golden Pond’s Ranger.
maintaining trails, plowing or shoveling snow, improving the fire pits for optimal S’mores making, installing steel roofs to improve safety and chopping up firewood ( just to name a few tasks on a long list).
Tim has six years of ranger experience under his belt and there isn’t much that he cannot do. His job description could include titles like: lumberjack, electrician, plumber, trail blazer, carpenter - even wedding venue guide.
“Even if I was a millionaire, I would work here,” said Tim. He’s a camp ranger for two main reasons: 1. He wants the girls to have an enjoyable outdoor experience. 2. He wants the girls to be safe. Everything he does is to ensure their safety. Whether it is removing a stump that can twist an ankle or kindly sweeping out harmless, yet scary spiders in the cabins. Above everything, he wants Girl Scouts to feel at home at camp because Camp Golden Pond is his home.
He greets Girl Scout troops nearly every weekend of the year, but before they arrive he is busy preparing cabins and tents,
For more information on volunteer trainings visit www.gshpa.org.
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Safety Begins with Safety is a full-time job with girls as active as our Girl Scouts they travel the world, discover trails, and help the community. In order for girls to do amazing things, they need volunteers to help guide them safely through. In return our volunteers need staff to inform and prepare them to keep Girl Scouts safe and to give girls the best experience possible.
It all starts with Volunteer Orientation. Our Membership Associates work directly with every new volunteer to teach them Girl Scouting basics like mission delivery, policies, and tips for creating a judgmentfree, safe space where all girls are valued. In addition, volunteers are required to take an online Child Abuse Train-
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TEAMWORK
ing. As Girl Scouts we are always prepared, which means sometimes for the worst and while First Aid/CPR training is only required if a meeting is taken off site, GSHPA offers quarterly trainings where registered volunteers can become certified at no cost. Volunteer training is also a time for leaders to grow strengths and skills that they can pass along to their own Girl Scout troops while also making exciting opportunities possible in a safe environment. With our outdoor trainings, our hands-on approach includes building a fire from kindling at Outdoor Basics while also learning the importance of practicing Leave No Trace, campfire songs and outdoor cooking recipes that are sure to please even the most picky palate to shooting an arrow for
the first time at our Archery Certification and learning the importance of proper technique. Our volunteers have busy schedules, but now we can connect and train more volunteers with just a couple of clicks! By offering online training programs like Girl Scouting 101 and our new volunteer enrichment training webinars, even the most seasoned volunteers can delve deep into topics like troop travel, community service, and bronze and silver awards ( just to name a few). As long as our Girl Scouts keep craving adventure - staff and volunteers will continue to work together to ensure that every Girl Scout gets home safely. Visit www.gshpa.org for more information.
Circle of Friends Members
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Bridge to the Future Society: Individuals who contribute an annual gift of $2,500 or more.
Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania (GSHPA)’s supporters trotted, dashed, and sprinted to raise over $15,000 for local Girl Scouts at the inaugural Thin Mint Sprint. The event surpassed its goal as runners came together from all over GSHPA’s 30 county footprint to raise monies for local Girl Scouts. Over 100 participants joined the cause by lacing up their racing shoes for the Do-Si-Dos 20-yard Dash, half mile Tagalong Trot Fun Run, or the Thin Mint Sprint 5K. No matter the distance they covered, everyone played an important part in the fundraiser’s success.
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GSHPA Sprints Past Fundraising Goal
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By joining the Circle of Friends, individuals who make annual gifts totaling $1,000 or more become a part of a select group of leadership donors who are deeply committed to helping today’s girls become tomorrow’s leaders. We thank the following members of the Circle of Friends for their generosity.
Joanne Bankos *Catherine Bush *Kate Crowley *Amy DeShong * E. Louise Hepschmidt *Bill and Sharon Hoffmann Elizabeth Ingraham *Jane Ransom *Natalie Smith Golden Friends: Individuals who pledge to contribute $1,000 - $2,499 per year for 3 years. *Marion C. Alexander Thomas Klinger Mimi Barash Coppersmith *Susan Kreidler *Nancy Besch Veronica Longenecker *Karen Best *†Laura Muia Michael Breslin Keith and Joan Mummert *Blake and Linda Gall *Barbara Palmer *Melinda Ghilardi Linda and Neal Rhoads *Betsy Keefer *Karen Snider *Dianne Steimling
SPONSORS: Penn State Associates Mimi Barash Coppersmith and Barbara Palmer Mr. and Mrs. Phil Seig
Next year’s Thin Mint Sprint will be held on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015 at the Pennsylvania Military Museum in Boalsburg, Centre County.
Silver Sponsors: Individuals who contribute an annual gift of $1,000 - $2,499.
Katherine Bishop Debra Bowman Thomas and June Brown Louisa Clark Mary Dearden Galen and Nancy Dreibelbis John and Eleanor Fogarty *Virginia Goodrich Sara Hannigan Deb Hess Norman Hoffer Michael and Barbara Hudock
*Ann Hughes Robert and Melinda Inners Paul and Mildred John Rocky and Dolly Lalvani *Heidi Nicholas Benetta Rapier Mary Root Donald and Alva Roseth Karen Shustack Philip Sieg Carolyn Warman *Paul Witt Coni Wolf
* Denotes charter member of Circle of Friends † Denotes deceased
Non-Proft Org. U.S. Postage
PAID
Harrisburg, PA Permit No. 64 Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania 350 Hale Avenue Harrisburg, PA 17104 800.692.7816 www.gshpa.org | general@gshpa.org
WHEN:
January 10, 2015, 2 p.m. EST
WHERE: www.LittleBrownie.com Celebrate 40 years of Samoas by picking up a box from a Girl Scout troop near you!
INITIAL SALE: Dece mbe r 24, 2014 - Janu ary 19, 2015 BOOTH SALES: Febr uary 13, 2015 - Marc h 15, 2015 Visit FindCookiesNow.com to locate a booth near you!