Girl Scout Council Update 5/26/10

Annual Family Giving Campaign kick-offs are set for Tuesday, July 13, from 6:30 - 8 p.m. in New Orleans at the Council Headquarters, and a second kick-off will be Thursday, July 15, from 6:30 - 8 p.m. in Baton Rouge at the Regional Service Center. This training is required for Service Unit Giving Captains and Service Unit Administrators. Please register online by July 6.

Still accepting resident camp registrations

There are still openings at resident camp at Camps Marydale and Camp Whispering Pines. Please check the website to see which sessions have openings. Hope to see you there!

Purchase a bench at Camp Whispering Pines

Girl Scouts Louisiana East is offering a unique opportunity to have a permanent part in the future of Girl Scouts by participating in "A Pathway into the Future" Bench Campaign. The purchase of a bench is a wonderful way to recognize and honor a current or former Girl Scout, Troops, Troop Leaders, Volunteers, Gold and/or Silver Awardees, or as a lasting memorial to someone special.

A 4x6 plaque of recognition will be permanently positioned on your bench. The new benches will be located around the singing circle located outside the dining hall, the theatre area, and the fire circles in the camping units.

There are only a limited number available, so purchase your bench today! Click here for the order form.

GSLE Connections is in the mail!

The Spring/Summer issue of GSLE Connections is in the mail! In the meantime you can check out the online version (no girl last names) on the website by clicking on the publication above.

Day Camp update

Volunteer led day camps in many locations around southeast Louisiana are being planned and a few of them are already full or close to being full. Adult volunteers from the Mandeville/ Madisonville area are still needed for Day Camp Sunshine Explores being held at Camp Covington June 21 - 25 in order to make it happen. Day Camp Down in da Parish is still taking registrations and adult volunteer applications.

Chili's cordially invites you to Girl Scouts Louisiana East Night

With each flyer presented on Girl Scouts Louisiana East Night, Chili's will donate 10% of the sales back to the council. GSLE will not receive credit if the flyer is not presented. One flyer is required for each check.

Girl Scouts Louisiana East Night is

Monday, June 7, 2010
from
5 to 11 p.m.

Participating locations include: Metairie, West Bank, Slidell, Mandeville, Baton Rouge, Siegen Lane, Denham Springs, Gonzales, Millerville, Thibodaux, Hammond, LaPlace, and Houma

Don't forget to bring your flyer! See you at Chili's!

	Council offices closed Mondays during June for staff training
The Girl Scout offices in Baton Rouge and New Orleans will be closed the four Mondays in June (June 7, 14, 21, and 28) to allow for in-service training of council staff. The council shops will be closed those four days. This closing will not affect the Sew Easy summer programs being held in the Regional Service Center's Program Center in Baton Rouge.

Re-register by June 4 and attend re-reg events at camp

Has your troop re-registered for fall? Girls that re-register by the June 4 early bird deadline will receive a patch at either of the early bird re-reg events on July 10. The re-reg events are being held simultaneously from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. at Camps Marydale and Whispering Pines. Activities led by their favorite camp counselors include swimming, arts and crafts, canoeing or climbing the rock wall (CWP), archery (Marydale), and a pony ride (Marydale).

Annual membership dues for the 2011 membership year are $12 per person, and troops are always encouraged to re-register and pay for membership dues from troop funds generated by participating in product sales.

Click here for the early bird event registration form. This form registers you for the July 10 event, and is not the re-registration form for the membership year.

Gulf Oil Spill - How to Help

As the world waits and watches for what may become the nation's worst environmental disaster in decades, Girl Scouts Louisiana East is taking a proactive approach to help support our girls of affected families.

As many of you know, in south Louisiana, being a commercial fisherman is a way of life. It is estimated that there are 6,400 licensed commercial fisherman and thousands of others, who are out of work. These families - many with Girl Scout daughters - are being forced to make hard choices, struggling to provide for their families.

Please assist Girl Scouts Louisiana East today with financial support in our efforts to provide normalcy to a girl whose life has been upended.

Volunteer and Community Service Opportunities

The council has been receiving calls from Girl Scouts out of state looking for ways to help our local Louisiana wildlife and the coast which is being threatened by the oil spill. We are directing them to several organizations that are mobilizing cleanup efforts for the animals and their delicate ecosystems that are being affected by this disaster. With so many environmental organizations that are dedicated to the cleanup effort our council "is not" collecting any materials or supplies for distribution.

If there are any local troops who have suggestions on how to help, please share what you're doing by emailing info@gsle.org

	Summer Community Service Hours
Any girls needing community service hours this summer for school, please contact Yvette Hairston at yhairston@gsle.org or (504) 733-8220, ext. 2238.

End Relational Aggression! Sign up as a pilot troop!

Don't you just hate to see girls being mean to others? It's called relational aggression and it encompasses behaviors that harm girls by damaging, threatening, or manipulating relationships with their peers, or by injuring a girl's feelings of social acceptance. Girls tend to target their bullying at other girls, often spreading gossip about their peers and encouraging others to reject or exclude another.

We are developing a relational aggression program for our council and we need several troops to volunteer to pilot the program. If you are interested in helping to make this program meet the needs of our girls complete the green team form and return to Yvette Hairston, ATTN: Relational Aggression Pilot Program. For more information email Yvette Hairston at yhairston@gsle.org.

Join the council's Facebook page and post your photos!