General Activities

Girl and Troop Activities

Register for events under the My Events tab in my Account. Go to gssjc.org and select MyGS, log in at the top right corner, next click My Events in the left-hand menu. If you have a question about your activity, contact 713-292-0370 or 1-800-392-4340. If you have a problem with your login, contact Customer Service at 713-292-0300 or registration@sjgs.org. Bring: For all events, bring Permission Slip F-204 and Medical Form F-185 for each girl and the Adult Emergency Form F-22 for each adult. Attention Daisy Leaders! Look for the Daisy in this section for activities that Daisies can attend. Look for this symbol in indicate a virtual program offering.

Visit gssjc.org/ fall for quick links to register for any activity featured in this issue of The Golden Link.

General Activities

Older Girls R Expressive

Learn all the extraordinary things offered beyond the troop for older Girl Scouts! This annual event is being taken virtual so we can reach girls from across our 26 counties! Sign up and log on to learn about unique older-girl programming and more. Hear a sneak peek about our Special Interest Groups (astronomy, robotics, horseback riding, sailing, archery, dance, riflery, and backpacking). Later, enter breakout rooms and be led in activities or see awesome demos for specific topics, like an interest group, how to take leadership of your Girl Scout experience, Highest Awards, or other engaging topics and activities.

Who: ⓒⓢⓐ When: Sept. 18, 9:30 a.m. – noon Where: Virtual Cost: Free; Plus free swag bags! Contact: Kelli Cavenah, kcavenah@sjgs.org, 713-292-0300

Community Service

Are you and your troop eager to find ways to better your community? Whether you are looking to earn your Community Service Bar or just looking to give back, there are numerous ways to contribute meaningful efforts to your community. While you are at it, community service can also help sharpen your problem-solving skills and expand your definition of philanthropy. If you would like a list of community service opportunities and organizations, please contact gscommserv@sjgs.org.

Junior Savvy Shopper Badge Workshop

Food and water, clean clothes, a place to live are things everyone needs. A closet full of shoes, a new desk, tickets to a movie are things people want. Girls will investigate why they want what they want, learn to decide what to buy and find out what makes people happy with what they buy.

Who: ⓙ When: Sept. 18, 10 a.m. – noon Where: Program Place, Houston Cost: $18/girls, free for adults Contact: Lola Akapo, lakapo@sjgs.org

Cadette Budgeting Badge Workshop

Cadettes would you like to make your first big purchase? Would you like to plan a trip with your friends but have no idea where to start? Learn how to budget and save to make your wants a reality.

Who: ⓒ When: Oct. 16, 10 a.m. – noon Where: Girl Scout Center, Houston Cost: $18/girl, free for adults Contact: Lola Akapo, lakapo@sjgs.org

Adventure Park

Have you explored the new Adventure Park at Camp Agnes Arnold? We can’t wait for you to join us for some highadventure fun! Registration for the Adventure Park will open soon, with spots with spots available for troops who are camping at Camp Agnes Arnold or Misty Meadows Ranch.

Who: ⓙⓒⓢⓐ (must be 9 years old) Where: Camp Agnes Arnold When: Dates TBD, 9 – 11 a.m.; noon – 2 p.m.; 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. Cost: $25/girl Contact: Dejah Covick, dcovick@sjgs.org, 713-292-0312 Note: Limited space for adult “watchers” will be available each session. Climbers must be 9 years old to participate.

Weekend Camp Activities

Is your troop camping at one of our GSSJC properties this fall? Are you interested in doing some fun camp activities (or “Camptivities”) while you’re there? Registration for activities at camp through February 2022 will be available only to troops camping at that location. Starting in September, troop/ groups with camp reservations booked will receive an email with guidance on activity availability and activity registration timing.

Activity costs are listed below. Please note that not all activities will be available every weekend at every camp.

Letterboxing / Geocaching - Free! (Clues are on the Camping Central Online Community: https://community.gssjc.org/ Community/home?tid=20)

Service Projects - Free! (Ask the ranger to pull a project from the “Job Jar” at check in! Or, contact the Outdoor Experience Department if you’d like to plan a specific service project.)

Archery - $10 / person ($3 / person if your group provides its own archery instructor)

Swimming (Pool) - $10 / person ($3 / person if your group provides its own lifeguard)

Canoeing / Kayaking / Corcling - $10 / person ($3 / person if your group provides its own small craft instructor)

Riflery - $10 / person ($3 / person if your group provides its own riflery instructor)

Nature Center Workshops - $10 / person

Adventure Course - $25 / person

Love, Hug, & Groom - $6 / person

Troop Horseback Riding - $25 / person

Songs and Games in the Online Community!

https://community.gssjc.org/Community/ home?tid=30&pid=296

Songs and games have been a part of Girl Scouting for over a century. Did you know you can find a collection of some favorite songs and games in the Online Community, including the GSSJC camp songs! Thi ssite includes more than just the lyrics; be sure to click on the song titles to hear the song being sung - or, in some cases, to watch a video with the hand motions!

Any Requests? Trying to remember the words to that song you learned at camp a few years ago? Or that game you played at Adult Weekend? If you would like us to add any particular songs or games to this page, or if you (or your troop) are interested in recording songs, drop a note on the discussion page, or email kelliott@sjgs.org!

Spark Events

Is your troop new to camping? Let us Spark your troop’s joy for the outdoors! Bring your troop for a day or overnight at camp and let us plan some of your Saturday activities and meals. Trained staff will facilitate up to three troop-choice events and provide two meals so you can focus on creating a great first troop camping experience for your girls. Price is per person. Lunch and Dinner Saturday are included. Groups must register at least 8 participants.

How to get started:

• Have one or two troop volunteers complete Camping and

Overnight Basics (COB) online training • Register online for your troop’s preferred Spark date and location • Decide with your girls if you want to do day-only or overnight camping • Book your camping with Customer Service (steps provided in COB training)

Who: Troops who have little or no camping experience Where: Camp Agnes Arnold, Camp Robinwood Cost: $55/girl, $25/adult Note: Overnight accommodations (campsite) not included with your event registration. At least one Camping and Overnight Basics (COB) trained adult and one First Aider must accompany your troop at this event.

Camp Agnes Arnold

Dec. 18: Holiday Lights Jan. 15: Wacky Winter Wizards Feb. 19: World Thinking Day

Camp Robinwood

Dec. 11: Holiday Lights Jan. 22: Wacky Winter Wizards Feb. 26: World Thinking Day

Make an Ornament for the GSSJC Christmas Tree

Get in the holiday spirit by participating in GSSJC’s Christmas tree at the Houston Museum of Natural Science! It is free to view the trees, so girls can visit the tree and try to spot their ornament. Ornaments should fit this year’s theme (“Spirit of Girl Scouts”) and full details will be available online by October 1 with more theme information and instructions on submitting.

Who: All levels When: Submit Oc.t 1 – Nov. 22, tree display dates TBA Contact: Kelli Cavenah, kcavenah@sjgs.org, 713-292-0271

Financial Literacy Workshops

Are you interested in learning how money works? Do you enjoy learning about what money can be used for, what budgets are and how to make more money? You’re invited to dive into the world of Financial Literacy through completion of these workshops. Create your own budget and earn badges!

Contact: Lola Akapo, lakapo@sjgs.org

Workshop Date and Time

GS Level Price Location

Daisy Money Counts Leaf Workshop Sept. 10 – 12, 9 a.m. – 11:59 p.m. ⓓ $5 Virtual Brownie Philanthropist Badge Workshop Cadette Comparison Shopping Badge Workshop Sept. 10 – 12, 9 a.m. – 11:59 p.m. Sept. 10 – 12, 9 a.m. – 11:59 p.m. ⓑ ⓒ $10 $10 Virtual Virtual Daisy Making Choices Leaf Workshop Sept. 17 – 19, 9 a.m. – 11:59 p.m. ⓓ $5 Virtual Brownie Money Manager Badge Workshop Junior Business Owner Badge Workshop Senior Buying Power Badge Workshop Ambassador On My own Badge Workshop Sept. 17 – 19, 9 a.m. – 11:59 p.m. Sept. 17 – 19, 9 a.m. – 11:59 p.m. Sept. 17 – 19, 9 a.m. – 11:59 p.m. July 23 – 25, 9 a.m. – 11:59 p.m. ⓑ ⓙ ⓢ ⓐ $10 $10 $10 $10 Virtual Virtual Virtual Virtual Daisy Making Choices: There are things we need and there are things we want. Both cost money! Lets find out the difference. Daisy Money Counts: Daisies, did you know that you can use money to buy things such as a new toy or new books? Did you also know that you can use money to help people too? Find out all about money. Earn your Daisy "Money Count's" leaf. Cadette Comparison Shopping Badge Workshop: From cardigans to cars, you can buy just about everything online these days. Although online shopping is convenient, there are certain things to know so you can make sure that you’re paying a fair price and don’t fall victim to fraud.

Brownie Philanthropist Badge Workshop: Girl Scouts make the works a better place. One way to do that is to make sure everyone's basic needs are met. In this badge, girls will explore basic human needs and how they can be philanthropists.

Brownie Money Manager: Money helps us buy things we need, like food and clothes. Money also helps us buy things that we want like video games and movie tickers! Learn the difference between wants and needs in this badge.

Junior Business Owner: Do you have a passion for fashion? Are you kooky about cooking? Or maybe you’re just wild about animals. With this badge, you'll find out that it’s possible to turn something you love into a successful business! Senior Buying Power: It might be tomorrow, it might be a year from now, someday you will want to make a big purchase that you’ll need up paying for over time. By earning this badge, you'll understand the long-term impact of making a big purchase and how you need to be prepared to keep paying for it long after you’ve started to use it.

Ambassador On My Own: Knowing how to create and stick to a budget is a skill that will help you throughout every stage of your life, from graduating high school all the way through your retirement years. Far too many people don’t start thinking about creating a budget until they find themselves deep in debt. This badge will teach you how to avoid future financial pitfalls.

GSSJC Gay Straight Alliance Interest Group

GSSJC's Gay-Straight Alliance serves to empower and educate scouts surrounding LGBTQ+ issues. We will lead inclusive, engaging, and educational programming in order to create Queer and allied leaders within Girl Scouts. This could include a History of Pride patch, troop leader training and teaching scouts how to confront homophobia.

If this group interests you, we would love to have you! Creator, Gold Award Girl Scout Liv Rubenstein, has a wonderful vision for this new interest group and we would love for you to join. If you are interested please contact GSLE Manager Heather Vandivort at hvandivort@sjgs.org. We hope to see you at our next meeting.

Senior Car Care Badge Workshop:

Girls are invited to participate in this fun and educational workshop. By attending this event, girls will be introduced to current car care tips by engaging in discussions and completing activities with the Christian Brothers Automotive staff as they help them become knowledgeable about automotive care.

Who: ⓢ When: Nov 18, 6 – 8 p.m. Where: Christian Brothers Automotive, Cypress Cost: $10 /girl Contact: Lola Akapo, lakapo@sjgs.org

Girl Scouts Got Talent

Girl Scouts Got Talent is back! Show off your skills in a fun competition for a chance to win an all inclusive trip to Universal Studios! Last year over 100 girls submitted videos and three lucky winners received unforgettable prizes. Girl Scouts Got Talent will kick off this fall, so keep an eye out for more details. This virtual event is open to all current Girl Scout members.