architects
of change
Annual Report 2009
October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009
A Year of Change Girl Scouts was built on a foundation of change. Juliette Gordon Low, our founder, pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable for girls and women in 1912 and created an organization that allowed girls to experience many things that society had decided they were not equipped for – everything from mountain climbing adventures, to roping horses and playing basketball.
Our Board of Directors Dawn Meade Duffy, Chairman of the Board/President Kristin Varner First Vice President Richard Aquino Second Vice President Brenda Keeling Secretary Jamie Robinson Treasurer Jessica Lawrence CFRE, Chief Executive Officer
Members at Large Hillary Angel Andy Avery Lynne Cantrell Patti Cotton Pettis Debbie Gradias Mary Perry Irene Rodriquez Michael Salazar
Throughout our history, change has been a cornerstone of who we are as an organization and our challenge of the status quo has set us apart. When our country was still deeply segregated, Girl Scouts welcomed girls of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. Before Title IX allowed girls equal access to sports, Girl Scouts gave girls an opportunity to try sports that were often only available to boys. For Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council, 2008-2009 marked a year of tremendous change. From rethinking how our employees work, to building a volunteer structure that allows volunteers to spend less time on administrative work and more time working with girls, to integrating social media into our council communications, our council has been leading the way when it comes to innovation and quick adaptations to a changing world. Our history and traditions give us the strength to try new things and to do what is necessary to stay relevant to girls for another century. Change isn’t always easy, but Juliette Low taught us that whether or not something is easy shouldn’t factor into whether it should be done. “The work of today is the history of tomorrow, and we are its makers.” Juliette Gordon Low Sincerely, Jessica Lawrence, CFRE Chief Executive Officer
Dawn Meade Duffy Chairman of the Board/President
The Girl Scout Promise On my honor, I will try: To serve God* and my country,
About Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council helps change the lives of more than 15,000 girls, ages 5-17, in Riverside and San Bernardino counties through fun, value-based, educational programs. We are one of more than 100 councils chartered by Girl Scouts of the USA to provide the Girl Scout program in our jurisdiction. Our membership represents the diverse cultures of our region and reflects our goal to provide meaningful, relevant programs to the members we serve. With the help of more than 5,000 dedicated and caring adult volunteers, Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council teaches girls to develop qualities that will guide them throughout their lives, including leadership, strong values, social conscience and certainty about their own potential and self-worth. There are more opportunities for girls today than ever before, and it is our ongoing responsibility to be accessible to each girl. Through education in financial literacy, healthy living, outdoor skills, entrepreneurial skills as well as leadership conferences, engineering and science programs, Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place. Girl Scouts are our future leaders. They will fulfill dreams of becoming lawyers, doctors, teachers and lawmakers. They will be the ones who help change the world!
To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law.
The Girl Scout Law I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout.
Program Overview Camperships Summer camp adventures at Camp Azalea Trails offered every girl the chance to succeed, challenge herself and have fun. By participating in a Girl Scout summer adventure, girls increased their circle of friends, learned to lead a group, made decisions and discovered the power and fun of being a girl. Whether girls participated in horseback riding, drama, arts, astronomy, rock climbing or other sports, they all experienced teamwork, grew in self-confidence and learned new skills. Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council offered girls this opportunity for summer enrichment regardless of a family’s ability to pay or the girl’s situation. We pursued partnerships with interested organizations and individuals, creating camperships that gave girls in foster care and from low-income families the opportunity for low- or no-cost attendance. • 356 girls attended camp • 117 were from low income/foster care families • Nearly 100 camperships were awarded to girls Camp Azalea Trails camperships funded by Los Angeles Times Family Fund and individual donors. Camp Forward Motion, a 3-day weekend resident camp, served moderate to severely disabled girls ages 5 – 17 years at Camp Oaks in Big Bear, CA. Girls gained confidence, a sense of community and expanded their horizons by discovering new possibilities for participating in Girl Scout activities in the future. The camp was offered May 29-31, 2009. Activities included music therapy, hand-eye coordination building, stress relief, environmental education and outdoor exploration. Girls participated in swimming, horseback riding, crafts, camp fires activities, skits, camp songs, identifying wildlife, astronomy (stargazing) and a wonderful activity called the “Flying Squirrel” where girls were hoisted up from their wheelchairs in a harness and experienced a free range of motion. Most of the girls had never been to camp before and all of them had new experiences. The ultimate goal of the program was for participants to leave with new information, new skills and a higher level of confidence. Camp Forward Motion was funded by the Tucker Fund through The Community Foundation serving Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Challenge & Change Girl Scouts in Rural Communities Girls living in rural areas of eastern Riverside County face significant challenges: poverty, gang activity, drugs, food shortages, environmental pollution and even difficulty finding transportation to Desert Mirage High School in Thermal, CA where they seek a better future for both themselves and their families. Challenge & Change introduced teen girls to leadership opportunities not traditionally available through Girl Scouting. The program facilitated “real-world” experiences that helped girls discover their strengths and build leadership, problemsolving and social entrepreneurship skills. Girls learned to connect to their community, identified local resources and assets, then took action by designing and implementing a socially oriented, entrepreneurial project that leveraged community assets to build social, human and community capital with the goal of achieving positive, sustainable change. • 103 girls participated in the program • Girls created projects that addressed water pollution, illegal waste dumping, health hazards posed by stray animals and pregnancy prevention education, among others. “They’re going to be better educated, and they’re going to be better leaders than their parents were. They’re going to be more involved in community, because they already are involved. …Even as they grow older, they’re not going to lose that. … They’re not going to be afraid to try things. …They’re not going to be afraid to be leaders.” ~ Desert Mirage High School Administrator Challenge & Change 2009 was funded by the United States Department of Agriculture and Girl Scouts of the USA.
Minds for Design Minds for Design, a 10-day engineering summer day camp from July 1324, 2009, provided an inspirational environment for girls to explore possible careers in engineering. Through hands on-activities, mentoring, presentations and two field trips, girls discovered the world of engineering (including math, science, and technology) and the impact it has on everyday life. All inquirybased activities utilized the 18 learning modules designed and tested through Intel’s Design and Discovery program. Activities took place in classroom space at the Bourns College of Engineering at University of California, Riverside. Through a positive experience in the program, girls became inspired to continue taking math and science courses to potentially pursue careers in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields where women have traditionally been underrepresented. Minds for Design was funded by the United States Department of Education and Girl Scouts of the USA.
Let Me Know (LMK) Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council has been committed to helping girls (primarily ages 13-17) and their parents understand and learn internet safety. The goals of the LMK program were to bridge the digital generation gap between girls and parents; empower girls to become thought leaders and advocate safe and responsible use of technology; and, increase awareness of how technology is part of internet family safety. The Council launched a media campaign to increase girls’ and parents’ skills and awareness of safe internet practices, utilizing social networking sites including Twitter, MySpace and Facebook as well as newspaper and theater advertisements. We presented LMK training at Bourns’ Space, Science & Engineering Day at University of California, Riverside; Coachella Valley’s Stagecoach Festival; and, at the Council Gold and Silver Awards ceremonies. LMK was funded by Microsoft Corporation and Girl Scouts of the USA.
Overview of Events Smart Cookie Chef’s Challenge Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council hosted its 2nd Annual Smart Cookie Chefs’ Challenge on Sunday, December 7, 2008 from 2 – 5 p.m. at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort in Indian Wells, CA. The Smart Cookie Chef’s Challenge is a competition between area chefs who prepare a unique culinary creation using a selected Girl Scout cookie as an ingredient. Culinary creations were judged by a panel of experts. Proceeds from the event benefited girls in the Coachella Valley with programs and leadership opportunities through Girl Scouting.
Honorary Chairwoman:
Judith Chapman (actress and local restaurant partner)
Emcee:
Brooke Beare, KPSP Local 2 News Anchor
Judges:
Donna Curran – Palm Springs Life, Food Editor Cherine Fanning – Les Dames D’Escoffier, Vice President of Palm Springs Chapter Bruce Jacobs – Executive Chef, Bristol Farms Sue Rappaport – The Desert Sun, “What Cooking Around Town” columnist Ellen Sneider – Les Dames D’Escoffier, President of Palm Springs Chapter
Chefs:
Jerome Diop – Renaissance Esmeralda Resort Hector Ramirez – Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse Andie Hubka – Cooking With Class La Quinta Clay Blake – Creekside Grille at Wilson Creek Winery Andrew Verrier – Waters Café at the Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa Steven Tevere – Bing Crosby’s Joel Rettzo – JEM Steakhouse at Spotlight 29 Casino
Women of Distinction The Women of Distinction Award Recognition & Fundraiser dinner was held on Friday, September 25, 2009 at 7 pm at the Mission Inn in Riverside, CA. The event honored nine women and one organization who were nominated based on their work in the community and their representation of Girl Scout ideals. Jessica Lawrence, Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council, hosted the event that featured a keynote address by Dee Dee Myers, former White House Press Secretary and noted political commentator and author, as well as stories shared by honoree Pauline Murillo, Elder, author and storyteller for the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.
Our Honorees: Lifetime Achievement Award - Mildred Dalton Henry, Ph.D. Founder & CEO, The Provisional Accelerated Learning (PAL) Center Young Woman of Achievement - Anna Hammond Founder, Palm Springs Youth Film Festival Corporate Achievement Award - Stater Bros. Markets Achievement in Arts & Culture - Pauline Murillo San Manuel Elder, Author and Storyteller Achievement in Business & Finance - Gail Guge, ABR, CBS Vice President of Marketing, University of Redlands Achievement in Education - Gloria Macias Harrison President, Crafton Hills College Achievement in Health & Fitness - Judi Sheppard Missett Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Jazzercise, Inc. Achievement in Outdoor & Environmental Leadership - Penny Newman Executive Director, Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice Achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) Cheryl Hayashi, Ph.D. Professor of Biology, University of California, Riverside MacArthur Foundation Genius Award Recipient Achievement in Volunteerism & Community Service Patricia Marie Inghram Challenge & Change Community Leader, Desert Mirage High School
Special Honors & Recognitions Take Action The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest honor a girl can earn in Girl Scouting – only accomplished by six percent of Girl Scouts nationwide – and is a testament to a Girl Scout’s ability to set goals, plan, put values into action and contribute to the community in meaningful and sustainable ways. Girl Scouts who earn their Gold Award represent the best and brightest that Girl Scouting has to offer. In 2009, more than 50 Girl Scouts from Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council earned their Gold Award by organizing and leading change in their communities. Girls have been creating true change in their communities through their Take Action Projects. Take Action projects allow girls to build lasting partnerships with their communities. When Girl Scouts work with “community” their efforts address the true needs of their communities. In a time where resources are limited it is pivotal for girls to utilize their skills to create maximum impact. Take Action projects challenges a girl to be strategic about how and where she will use her resources. Take Action projects are measured by three key components; community service, measureable outcome and sustainability. Projects that have these elements will live on in the community for years to come. Girl Scouts creating large scale impact will deepen community awareness of the prestige associated with earning the Girl Scout Gold Award. Girls who embark on this journey will learn to challenge themselves. The achievement will be a reminder to our young women of distinction of their amazing efforts. Congratulations to all our 2009 Gold Award Honorees.
Each one followed the criteria below: 1. ORGANIZE-Build a framework, 2. LEAD-Earn the Girl Scout Gold Leadership Award, 3. NETWORK-Earn the Girl Scout Gold Career Award, 4. EXPLORE-Earn the Girl Scout Gold 4Bs Challenge Award, 5. CREATE-Create a Project Plan 6. ACT-Do the Girl Scout Gold Award Project 7. REFLECT-Reflect and evaluate ASHLEY AGBAY
Books are Fun for Everyone
LAURA BARNES
Hygiene Kits for the Community Access Program
CARISSA CONSTANTINE Pink Ribbon Club ANGELA COOPER
Beautification and Restoration of Orange Empire Railway Museum
ALEJANDRA FREER
READ: Reading Educates And Delights
DANIELLE GEORGE
Rubidoux Nature Center
MIRANDA GEORGE
Rubidoux Nature Center
FRANCES GONZALEZ
Winter Dreams
ANNA HAMMOND
Palm Springs Student Short Film Festival
COURTNEY HEARNE
Summer Spectacular
TAIRE HEFFELFINGER Before It’s Too Late JAZMINE JOHNSON
Beautification and Restoration of Orange Empire Railway Museum
RANDI JOHNSON
Basketball Youth Camp
COURTNEY JONES
Book Drive
KELLI JUHL
Winter Dreams
CAROLINE KAITA
Respect Program
CASSANDRA KARJALA Beautification and Restoration of Orange Empire Railway Museum ALISHA KOTTWITZ
Rain of Arrows
KELLI LASATER
Animals, Animals, Animals
TAMARI LEWIS
Soaring on Wings
AMANDA MAGOTCH
Arts and Crafts with the Elderly
MICHELLE MILLER
L.A.E. Refurbishment
ESTELLE NAOUR
Books 4 Every 1
JENNIFER PENN
Ready, Set, Go Green
ASHLEIGH ROHDE
LLUMC – Children’s Hospital
ASHLEY ROTHSCHELL Art Squad ELIZABETH SEGGMAN Foster A Pet – Save a Life! SARAH SCHOELLES
Gifts that Keep Giving
SHELBY SMITH
Before It’s Too Late
JACQUELINE SORRELS Children in Need SAMANTHA TAVENNER Children’s Book Drive NATALIE WEINSTEIN
Invisible Children Book Drive
TAYLOR WHITTLE
Recycling Green Team
CAITLYN WILLIAMS
Pat Phelps Memorial Garden
ALLISON ZILLGITT
R.E.F.R.E.S.H.
Girl Scout Gold Award Scholarship Recipient The Girl Scout Gold Award Scholarship offered by “It’s our Hope”, honors a Girl Scout who has obtained the highest honor a Girl Scout can achieve. Recipients who are awarded this $1500.00 scholarship exemplify what is most valuable about being a Girl Scout. Recipients must be actively involved in Girl Scouting. They must have demonstrated practical citizenship in school, Girl Scouting and community. Candidates are asked to submit at least two letters of recommendation with application. Samantha Tavenner, was named the 2009 recipient for the Girl Scout Award Scholarship. Samantha has a passion for books and reading. She has decided to make journalism her career choice. Samantha has worked as the editor for her High School’s ROTC newsletter and received the Distinguished Cadet Award. Samantha has shown leadership and a willingness to accept any challenge given to her. Samantha was able to achieve great success while earning her Gold Award by collecting over 3,500 books, so that students could have their own books at home. Samantha has shown us that one person can make a difference in her community. She exemplifies the true impact our Girls Scouts are making in the lives of so many.
Julie Jordan, Leader of the Year Julie Jordon knows firsthand how Girls Scouts helps girls develop courage, character and confidence. She’s been a volunteer since 1993 when her oldest daughters first got involved in Girl Scouts. Now both girls are grown women in their twenties. “You know, those skills just never go away,” she laughs. “Both daughters are always getting roped into taking charge of projects for school or work. People are always telling them ‘You’re so organized! You must have been a Girl Scout!’” Nineteen years is a long time to devote to any organization, but Julie has found it to be incredibly rewarding. In addition to working with the girls, she’s formed close-knit friendships with many of the other women leaders. “We’ve always been a very intimate group. If one of us was seriously sick, the others would step in and help provide things like dinners or help with kids. We’re really there for each other.” To the leaders that have worked with her, Julie is a one-woman cheerleading squad who brings a bit of fun into every project she’s involved with. “Not only do girls need women investing in their lives, but women do as well,” points out friend and colleague Jennifer Bohnert. Julie is always willing to take the time to mentor others, to answer questions, to provide support and even to sit side-byside with them to organize troop paperwork and financials. Julie is very proud of the girls she’s mentored over the years, and is still amazed by their ability to surprise her with the activities they choose to do and the caring they show towards others. One night during Spring Camp, Julie and the other leaders asked the older girls to help perform a flag retirement. There was no set ritual or thing they had to say. The flags were simply to be laid in the fire with honor and respect. As they gathered around the campfire, the first girl quietly stepped forward and began to sing a patriotic song is a soft, clear voice. The other girls joined in the singing and watched as she placed her flag in the flames. One by one each girl stepped forward, each one leading a different song, each one gently placing her flag into the fire. It was spontaneous, it was from the heart, and the memory of it even now has the power to move Julie to tears.
In another instance, the girls decided they wanted to visit the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. Security was startlingly strict. A large guard checked the trunk of their car for bombs, inspected their bags, and wrote down their license numbers. It was an uncomfortable experience, but prompted an indepth discussion among the girls on how people must feel who live in places where they have to go through this every day. Still, being a leader for teen girls can occasionally have its rough spots. Her biggest challenge? iPods and cellphones. “I’ve literally had to bag them up on occasion,” she admits ruefully. “Sometimes I think the girls would be texting back and forth with each other constantly if I let them. Luckily, we’re so busy with projects most of the time it keeps them busy.” Because Julie believes so strongly in the importance of community service, she is always looking for new opportunities where her troop can act to make a difference in people’s lives. Her troop has earned two Bronze, two Silver and two Gold Presidential Service Awards. Their activities have included creating shoe box gifts for Mary’s Mercy Center, distributing Thanksgiving baskets, and helping welfare families by providing gift cards through Santa Claus Inc. Jocelyn Cannon, one of the girls in Julie’s troop, sums it up. “We always have stuff to do to keep us busy, whether it’s fun crafts, games, or maybe even our budgets and talking about upcoming events. Next, she always signs us up and keeps us involved in any Girl Scout event she can find. The best of all is she loves to hold events. Sometimes our troop might hold a camp for the weekend, or this year we even held Thinking Day. No matter what, Julie always finds time to do stuff with the Girl Scouts. I feel like I’ve accomplished so much in Julie’s troop because on top of being busy, we earn patches and awards all the time. This is my fifth year in Girl Scouts, and Julie is by far the most outgoing and fun leader I have had.”
Donor Listing 2008-09 Corporate Donors
Corporate Vanguard
$2,500 and Over Arrowhead United Way Bank of America City of Perris Corona-Norco United Way Desert Communities United Way GSUSA Interbake Foods Los Angeles Times Family Fund Ludwick Family Foundation Rancho Mirage Woman’s Club Seven Point Inc. The Community Foundation United Way of the Desert United Way of the Inland Valleys Wells Fargo Bank
Golden Corporate Circle
$1,000 - $2,499 American Friends of Our Armed Forces Burgess Moving & Storage City of Indio City of Riverside Edison International G.S. Levine Insurance Services Hemet Unified School District Indio Youth Task Force Lund & Guttry Raincross Service Area San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Security Bank of California The Kling Family Foundation
Silver Corporate Circle
$500 - $999 ABSS Networks California Community Foundation Inland Empire United Way Mojave Valley United Way Soroptimist International of San Bernardino SPEC Associates Stater Bros. Markets United Way of Los Angeles
Corporate Partners
$100 - $499 Abbott Laboratories Active Network Alves Survivors Trust Apple Valley Service Area Central County United Way Hubzone Marketing & Advertising Murrieta Service Area Soroptimist International of La Quinta Temecula Service Area United Way-California Capital Region Western Riverside County CFC
2008-09 Individual Donors
San Gorgonio Heritage Society $2,500 and Over Reita Dykes
Golden Circle
$1,000 - $2,499 Dawn Meade Duffy Jan Solecki
Silver Circle
$500 - $999 Richard Aquino Melinda Doughtery The Fedderly Family Nancy Olds Shannon Ng Rena Skelsky Brenda Wildish
Bronze Circle
$250 - $499 Eileen Bailey Sharon Baker Claire Barkley Kimberly Dyer Sylvia Morrison Lisa Maria Platske Cynthia Paulo Barbara Pepper Linda Sutton
Girl Scout Advocates $100 - $249 Teresa Alves Camille Andreas Hailey Baker Kathleen Barth Haley Borda Sheri Boyer Emma Brennan Deanna Brown Jeannie Burns Maggie Carlisle Karlee Carlson
The Honorable Wilmer Amina Carter Victor Clark Carole Cleary Carolyn Crisco Barbara Cummings Marin Cummings The Dezfuli Family Karen Early Troi Feinberg Alina Fleming Linda Gleason Joy Hamilton Maria Hardin Meghan Hardin Jo Lynn Heard Ernie Hwang The Ireland Family Traci McCartney Laura McConnell Patricia McEuen Wendy McEuen Julia Moore Savannah Mortermer Kolina Neumann Beth Newton Isabella Pelayo Sharlyn Pendergrass Jamie Robinson Jewel Rogers Mary Ann Rosebraugh Catherine Sainz Sally Sauter Jennifer Schwartz Lindsey Seal L. June Shaughnessy Linda Siems
Mary Smith Mary Smithers Michelle Sorrels Larry Speight Barbara Steiner Janice Stolzy Vivian Trigg Barbara Zupanic
In-Kind Donors ABLAC Media Group Artisan Goldsmiths & Awards Ashdon Farms Barbara Pepper Beth Newton Billie DaVolt Brenda Wildish Cookies By Design Edible Arrangements European Luxury Facials Hadley, Inc. H B Covey, Inc. Home Depot J. Dean Events Jan Solecki Jennifer’s Kitchen Jonathan Speight Joy Hamilton KPSP Local 2 Linda Taillert Marketwire McCallum Theater Melinda Doughtery Mernell Wong Palm Springs Aerial
Tramway Palm Springs Art Museum Palm Springs Follies Patricia Schoenfeld Ralph’s Raincross Service Area Starbuck’s Veronica Photography Studio Wilson Creek Winery
Statement of Financial Position 2009 Assets Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents Investments Accounts Receivable -trade Accounts Receivable -United Way Accounts Receivable -other Inventory Prepaid Expenses TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS
Non-Current Assets
Investments Land Work in Process Buildings and Improvements Equipment Vehicles Intangible Assets Less: Accumulated depreciation Total Non-Current Assets Total Assets
$342,011 1,214,593 0 46,065 89,569 151,209 55,891 $1,899,338 $577,856 $578,066 $0 $2,692,297 $910,074 $330,380 $10,818 -$1,902,786 $3,196,705 $5,096,043
Libilities and Net Assets Current Liabilities Accounts Payable Mortgage note payable Vehicle note payable Lease payable Accrued Liablities Total Current Liabilities
$138,738 $0 $0 $31,119 $283,841 $453,698
Long Term Debt Mortgage note payable Vehicle note payable Capital Lease payable Total Long Term Debt TOTAL LIABILITIES
$0 $0 $60,972 $60,972 $514,670
Unrestricted Funds Temporarily Restricted Funds Permanently Restricted Funds TOTAL NET ASSETS TOTAL LIBILITIES AND NET ASSETS
$4,155,700 $181,952 $243,721 $4,581,373 $5,096,043