Girl Scout Council April 2011 News

The Council Shop at council head-quarters (841 S. Clearview, Jefferson) will be open Saturday, April 16, 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. (Baton Rouge shop will be closed that day).

Stop by and pick up a gift for Girl Scout Leader's Day/Volunteer Appreciation, April 22. Give a special thank you to that leader, co-leader, troop or Service Unit volunteer, and don't forget those "Cookie Moms and Dads!" We have items for every budget: mugs, totes, caps, t-shirts, pencils, pens, magnets, bookmarks, pillows, keychains, jewelry, and more!

earth girl

April's Patch of the Month is Earth Girl! The patch puzzle is not yet on the Patch of the Month web page, but check back soon!

Girl Bullying Seminar moved to June 4 - Register online today!

Learn more about dealing with female bullying in your troops by attending our one-day seminar "Girl Bullying: From Awareness to Action," Saturday, June 4, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the New Orleans Mariott at the New Orleans Convention Center. Pre-registration is $50 per person, and onsite registration is $75 per person. Troop leaders may use troop funds for registration costs
fee only (i.e. no hotel) The seminar is funded in part by the Louisiana Children's Trust Fund and being made available to leaders, parents, educators, and community leaders state-wide.

If paying by credit card, you may register online by clicking here.

If paying by check, click here for the registration form to be completed and mailed with payment.

Facilitate Adult Learning sessions set for July 23 and August 13

Save the date for Facilitating Adult Learning (formerly Train the Trainer) this summer with sessions being presented by Cathy Buss, National Operation Volunteer (NOV) and Volunteer Facilitator for Girl Scouts of the USA. Click here for additional information and to register.

Girl Scout Day at the State Legislature, June 6

Girl Scouts across southeast Louisiana are invited to visit the Louisiana state legislature in Baton Rouge on Monday, June 6, for Girl Scout Day at the State Legislature. Enjoy a day of government interaction as girls meet members of our honorary Girl Scout Troop of women legislators and other elected representatives and discuss with them exactly what they want the government to do in their community and what's important to today's girls. Girls will tour the Capitol and learn how and why laws are created and changed. Additional information will be available for this event as soon as all details have been confirmed. For more information at to register, click here.

Hats off to our Volunteers

hat Join us Saturday, May 21, for a Garden Party and Girl Scout Adult Recognition Event since it's "Hats off to our Volunteers!" The council's annal adult recognition event will be held outside under tents from 2 to 4 p.m. at McFadden Cabin, in New Orleans City Park (behind the New Orleans Museum of Art). Volunteers and community leaders receiving council-level recognitions will be recognized, so come out to honor those outstanding Girl Scout volunteers! Please wear your finest hat or head adornment with garden party attire, for this free event. Light refreshments will be served. Click here for the fillable registration form, and return by the May 12 deadline to the council, attention Jill Pollard. There's limited seating, so don't delay in registering your attendance.

100th Anniversary brainstorming session is April 9 in Baton Rouge

The Girl Scout Movement turns 100 in 2012 and we're looking for adults interested in brainstorming what we can do to celebrate this once in a lifetime opportunity! The next brainstorming session is Saturday, April 9, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Regional Service Center, 545 Colonial Drive, Baton Rouge in the second floor offices. Please contact Cathy Pottschmidt at 225-927-8946, ext. 1238 or cpottschmidt@gsle.org if you can attend.

Council Annual Meeting is set for April 16

The 2011 Annual Meeting for Girl Scouts Louisiana East is set for Saturday, April 16, 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the Girl Scouts Louisiana East council headquarters, 841 S. Clearview Parkway, Jefferson, LA 70121. Registration will be held at 9:30 a.m. with the meeting from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The meeting agenda, directions to council, voting members handbook, 2010 meeting minutes, rules, financial statement, and 2011 continuing Board Development Committee may all be downloaded at www.gsle.org/forvolunteers/annualmeeting.asp

Join us for Girl Scouts Earth Day, April 16

Earth Day is coming up, and we need assistance planting grasses along the shoreline to prevent erosion at New Orleans City Park in partnership with Keep Louisiana Beautiful. Girl Scouts participating in this Saturday, April 16 service opportunity will also clean-up as much of the rest of City Park as is possible. All supplies will be provided compliments of Keep Louisiana Beautiful, and informative presentations will be held at the cabin throughout the day relative to matters of conservation and preservation of our one and only planet. If your troop would like to present what they have done to make the world a better place, contact Kevin Shipp to reserve presentation time and space. Enjoy and appreciate your day and your Earth! Earth Day activities are from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and bring a brown bag lunch. Pre-registrations required.

Other Great American Clean-Ups are currently being planned (for example Keep Mandeville Beautiful is April 9 and Keep Slidell Beautiful is April 30), so be sure to contact the appropriate person to volunteer. Visit www.gsle.org/resources/communityservice10.asp#cleanup for additional information.

Thank you for supporting Girl Scouts

A big thank you to all our members who are supporting the council through monthly Scouting for Suppers, the New Orleans Hornets games (April 3 is last Girl Scout night being offered) and other fundraising opportunities! We're partnering with H&R Block this tax season by participating in its non-profit referral program. Bring in the new client referral form to a participating H&R Block office when you're having your taxes prepared, and if you qualify as a new client, Girl Scouts Louisiana East will receive $25!

Shope for Easter, Mother's Day, or graduations at a Spring Craft Fair to benefit Girl Scouts being held on Friday, April 15 and Saturday, April 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the council's Regional Service Center, 545 Colonial Drive, Baton Rouge. Limited booth spaces are currently available for $25 per day or $50 for both days, with vendors supplying their own tables and chairs for set up. For more information or to register for the event, contact Bobby Mayo at 225-571-2081 or bobbymayo@cox.net.

The next Scouting for Supper event is at Chili's on Tuesday, April 19, starting at 5 p.m. Be sure to print and bring the required flyer

so Girl Scouts receive 10 percent of the sales proceeds.

What is your Girl Scout doing this summer?

Not quite sure what summer holds for your Girl Scout? Check out the council's popular Happy Days summer programs in addition to our volunteer-led Day Camps. Hours vary, but most of the programs run five days from 8:30 or 9 a.m. until 3 - 5:30 p.m. with varying prices. We've listed each Day Camp along with contact information on the Day Camp web page at www.gsle.org/camping/daycamps.asp

The Resident Camp brochure was mailed to all registered Girl Scout households in March and can also be found online at www.gsle.org/camping/residentcamp11.asp Don't forget that Camp Open Houses at CWP and Camp Marydale are planned for Sunday, April 10. No open house registration required.

Appreciate an Awesome Volunteer for Girl Scout Leader's Day, April 22

sign Recognize that special Girl Scout volunteer by purchasing a yard sign for only $25 which will show up in that special volunteer's yard by surprise! A card will be mailed or placed in the recipient's mailbox acknowledging the purchaser! Contact Carrie Thomas at 800-644-7571, ext. 2245 with your or your daughter's name, volunteer to be recognized, troop number, method of payment. You can even pay online through our Donate Now website, and include information in the Comments section. This fundraiser is just one more way we're raising money for Girl Scouts.

Join the Relief Efforts for Girl Scouts in Japan

In light of the severity of the events in Japan, the policy that prohibits Girl Scouts from raising money for other organizations has been temporarily suspended. To contribute to earthquake and tsunami relief efforts, you can make an online donation to the newly established Girl Scouts of Japan Relief Efforts or other reputable relief organizations.

Girl Scouts in our local council are also making 1,000 origami peace origami cranes

cranes to send to our Girl Scout sisters in Japan as a sign of friendship and hope. After 9/11 Girl Scouts in Japan sent thousands of cranes to girls in New York. Over 200 peace cranes have been made to date, and if your troop is interested, please contact Marianne Addy at maddy@gsle.org with number of girls in troop, how many origami sheets you would like, and a contact and address to send them to. The council would like to receive all completed cranes no later than April 21. Origami instructions can be found on You Tube. This activity is ideal for older Jrs-Ambassadors based on difficulty. Daisy-Brownies, we suggest 1-2 cranes each, older girls 5 cranes and up.

Don't miss out on some great council events this month and next! On the website calendar, go to the appropriate month and day, and click on the link for details including registration deadlines, age levels, times, cost, etc.

4/2 - EJGH ABC's of Babysitting (Cad-Amb), Metairie

NEW 4/2 - Spring into Birding (Jrs grades 4-6), Lacombe

4/2 - The Art of Salsa at the Southern Food & Beverage Museum (all ages), New Orleans

4/2 - Twilight Paddle (Jr-Amb), Bayou Cane near Mandeville
4/2 - 4/3 Bluebonnet Swamp Scoutventures (Br-Amb), Baton Rouge

Space still available! 4/3 - Girl Scout New Orleans Hornets Dance Clinic with the Honeybees (ages 5-12), New Orleans

4/8 - 4/9 - Me & My Pal at CWP (Br-Amb & appropriate adult male 21+)

NEW 4/9 - Sigma Alpha Iota Day of Music (Br & Jr sessions), Baton Rouge

4/9 - Megan Hearts Book Tour (Br), Baton Rouge

4/9 - Going Green with the KD's (Daisy), Baton Rouge

4/9 - Mother-Daughter Sewing (grades 4-12), Baton Rouge

4/10 - Resident Camp Open House, CWP and Camp Marydale

4/10 - Catholic Committee on Scouting Rosary Patch Program, Baton Rouge

4/15 - 4/17 - Family Camping at Camp Covington

4/15 - 4/16 - Spring Craft Fair, Baton Rouge

4/15 - Ivanov's Gymnastics Academy Friday Fun Night (Br-Amb), Metairie

FULL 4/16 and 4/17 - Love Hug and Groom (Br), Camp Marydale

4/16 - Girl Scout Earth Day at City Park, New Orleans

NEW 4/16 - Louisiana Career Expo (age 14 & up), Baton Rouge

4/28 - 4/30 - Disney on Ice Toy Story 3, New Orleans

NEW 4/30 - Resident Camp Open House, Camp Covington

4/30 - Daisy Garden Adventure, Baton Rouge

4/30 - Fitness Fun (Br), Baton Rouge

4/30 - Completely You! workshop 12 Things every Girl Needs to Know (Jr-Amb), Baton Rouge

4/30 - Completely on the Right Path (Daisy and Brownie separate sessions), Baton Rouge

5/5 - 5/8 - Disney on Ice Toy Story 3, Baton Rouge

5/6 - 5/8 - Family Camping at CWP

5/6 - Ivanov's Gymnastics Academy Friday Fun Night (Br-Amb), Metairie

NEW 5/7 - Bass Fishing Rodeo (Br & up with adult partner), Camp Whispering Pines

5/7 - Daisy Day at Camp Marydale

5/7 - The Art of Peanut Butter Ball Candies at the Southern Food & Beverage Museum (all ages), New Orleans

5/13 - 5/15 - Water Front Fun Weekend at CWP (Jr-Amb)

NEW 5/13 - Skating with the Roller Girls from Red Stick Roller Derby (all ages), Baton Rouge

5/14 - Daisy Day at CWP

5/14 - Fitness Fun (Jrs), Baton Rouge

5/21 - Bridging Brownies Day at Camp Whispering Pines

NEW 5/27 - 5/28 New Orleans Zephyrs Girl Scout Camp Out (Jr-Amb), Metairie

NEW 6/6 - Girl Scout Day at the State Legislature (Jr-Amb), Baton Rouge