PATHWAYS is distributed monthly to volunteers of Girl Scouts of Gateway Council, Inc. For more information regarding Pathways, contact the Communications Director

 GSGC has many plans underway for this momentous occasion including local Founder's Day Events in October, Girl Scouts Forever Green Take Action project, and the celebration of Girl Scout Week in your communities, and Celebrate a Century - at North Fork Leadership Center April 27-29, 2012. While this celebratory event will be huge, there are other ways to engage your girls in learning about Girl Scouts history.

If your troop or group wants to learn even more about our Girl Scout history during our 100th Anniversary, consider borrowing one of the Girl Scouting through the Decades boxes from our historic archives at the Jacksonville Service Center. From the 1910s-20s-30s on through 2000s, each box gives a glimpse of Girl Scouting in that era - nationally and in our council. Vintage uniforms, handbooks, pictures, news items and publications round out the experience. Supplies are limited. A troop may check out one box per month, for a period of one to two weeks. Contact communications@girlscouts-gateway.org to reserve one for your troop. 

If you would like to borrow items from the historic archive for to feature in displays or at an event or in your community, please contact us at your earliest convenience to discuss your needs. We are planning several large displays in March, but we will try to accommodate requests with adequate advance planning. Your careful use and prompt return of items will ensure that others may also benefit from their use. Visits to the archives and guided tours through its contents are also available with advance notice. Contact Nancy White at 904-421-3481 or communications@girlscouts-gateway.org for details.

Fall Product Sales Activity

Those delicious snacks offered through our Fall Product Sale are scheduled to arrive in early November -- just in time for the holiday gift-giving season!  

Troop Fall Product Managers - prepare to turn in information requested by the Service Unit Fall Product Manager by the deadline set for your service unit.  Now is a good time to remind parents of the deadline dates for picking up orders and turning in the money for their girl's order.

Is your troop just getting started for the 2012 membership year? Your girls may still have an opportunity to participate in a portion of the Fall Product Sale and earn funds for your troop activities.  Check with your Service Unit Fall Product Manager for information.

Be A Reader

Each troop received a packet of three Be A Reader activity pieces - a Success for Tomorrow Booklet, an Investing In Today = Success For Tomorrow Activity Booklet, and large poster with address adventure activities. These are designed to give troops the resources to work on the activities during meetings.  Completing these activities qualify girls for the Be A Reader Patch.

Girls may work on the activities with the troop or complete the Be A Reader activities at home by going to the Be A Reader website (www.qspbeareader.com/activities) and completing the activities for the appropriate age level.  Be A Reader Activities may be completed at any time during the year.

After completing the activities, the patches can be purchased from our Girl Scout Store. Girls receive the large Be A Reader Patch the first year that the activities are completed and the small bee patch each year they complete activities after the first year.

Your Chance to Influence Policy

 Attend a Constituency Meeting - in Person or Online!

While Delegates will receive a personal meeting notice, all meetings are open to adult members and Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts. With the agenda including National Council Session Proposals and discussion regarding Gateway Council policies, this should be an informative and stimulating discussion.

Not every service unit has identified their Delegates for 2011 - 2012. If you were a delegate in 2010 - 2011, and a new volunteer has not yet been selected to replace you by 10/1/2011, you will remain on our delegate roster. A list of identified Delegates and vacancies as of 9/15/2011 is provided. If you are interested in serving as a delegate for your service unit, please contact your Service Unit Manager.

Meetings Schedule and Agenda

Proposal 1           Proposal 2          Proposal 3

For Virtual Meetings, call 1-888-583-1347 and when prompted, enter the meeting number  *3923811*  (include the asterisk before and after the number).

   Get Ready, Get Set, JUMP!

Jump into Journeys is a new program designed to help troops kick off their Journey from the It's Your World - Change It! series. On Saturday, November 19, Girl Scouts will participate in activities specific to their age level's Journey, planned by the Girl Leadership Department. While girls are active in their Journey's first session, troop leaders will spend the day learning how to guide girls in completing the Journey within their troop meetings.

This program is designed for the troop to attend as a whole so that they can embark on their Journey together. Girls will need to bring their age level specific Journey book from this series, and adults will need to attend with their adult guide. These resources can be purchased at the Girl Scout Store located within the Jacksonville Service Center, from our online store, or onsite at the Jump into Journeys event. 

Are you getting excited about taking your troop/group camping this year? How about camping at our Celebrate a Century event in April? If so, you will need someone in your troop/group to be camp trained.  The good news is there are several opportunities this fall. Check your Adult Learning Opportunities Book for a complete listing of camp trainings.  

Girl Scouts of Gateway Council (GSGC) is pleased to participate in the University of Florida Campaign for Charities (UFCC).Check the box on your form to designate GSGC. Your donation will not only impact girls in our community, but will increase the amount of undesignated funds we receive as well! Your gift is tax deductible and can be made through payroll deduction or by credit card. Thank you, Gators, for designating Girl Scouts of Gateway Council and supporting your community through the UFCC.

   E-Biz Tip - Known Email Issue

Are you using the Troop Management tab in E-biz?  If you use the email function to email the members in your troop, be sure to add your email into the "to" line on the email.  We have determined that if no one is listed in the "to" line, the email will not be sent to your intended recipients. If you have any questions on this function, please call the Jacksonville Service Center.  

The Volunteer Resources Team is excited about our 2011 Adult Weekend at North Fork Leadership Center! Adult Weekend will be November 4-6 2011. Adult Weekend offers classes like Candy Making, Country Line Dancing, Archery, Astronomy, and so much more! Come join our country fair themed weekend as we start the celebration of 100 years of Girl Scouting! All Girl Scout Adults are welcome. Register online or by completing and mailing in the registration form.

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Sustaining The Mission Award 

In recognition of our 100th Anniversary, Girl Scouts of Gateway Council will recognize 100 volunteers with a special Sustaining the Mission Award. Nominations will be accepted for this unique recognition by completing the nomination form.  The recipients will be announced at our Annual Meeting and Friendship Celebration event in February. The committee will seek to identify a group of recipients who have served to further the efforts of Girl Scouting within our council, representing the diversity of types of services provided, tenure, geography area and more.  Nominations will be due to the Jacksonville Service Center by the close of business day October 14, 2011. If you know of someone deserving of this award, please complete the application.

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Annual Meeting and Friendship Celebration

Saturday, February 11, 2012

The 2012 Annual Meeting and Friendship Celebration will honor adult volunteers who have gone above and beyond the call of duty. This exciting event will take place at the Thrasher-Horne Center in Orange Park, from 9am until noon. The cost per person will be $6 and includes  a continental breakfast.  Award recipients will attend at no charge. Save the Date - Registration opens in November.