June 3, 2009
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Spotlight Annon the 2009 Annual Meeting
A Message from Ann Meredith, CEO
 
Dear Friends,
What a wonderful Annual Meeting we had on Saturday--productive, celebratory and infused with girl and volunteer power. It was also an exciting culmination of our first two years as Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania, and true celebration of our "Leading the Way"--in membership, program, governance, and financial growth. We saluted our amazing volunteers and marveled at our girls' moving testimonials about their inspiring and record-setting achievement--in the cookie program, programs like Scout the Vote, community service like GSEP's Earth Week Green Project, and leadership milestones like the Gold Awards. GSEP's girls are definitely leading the way!
 
It was also an honor to recognize the leadership of our founding Board Chair, Andrea Kramer, who will be succeeded by Ann Thornton Field beginning on July 1. So much of our success over the last two years has been the result of Andrea's visionary and strategic leadership. Our merging Councils set out to build a high capacity, unified Board and Council, and under Andrea's leadership we did just that. I know many share my appreciation for Andrea's extraordinary commitment to empowering girls and to the strengthening of the Girl Scout movement. In the words of Vice Chair Cathy Pullen, who presented Andrea with the GSEP Award, our highest award, "As a member of the Board of three Councils spanning 21 years, Girl Scouting is a stronger organization because of her leadership and extraordinary, 24/7 commitment to our mission. For this Girl Scouts throughout our Council are truly grateful."
 
As Girl Scouts know best, our success is most satisfying and our results most powerful when we work as a team. Together, our volunteers, girls, parents and partners are making great things happen for the girls of Eastern Pennsylvania. Three cheers to Troop GSEP and to Leading the Way!
 
Sincerely,
Ann Meredith, CEO
Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania
 
P.S. If you could not attend and would like to review the materials presented, visit www.gsep.org. If you attended, please take a moment to fill out the online evaluation by clicking here. Your feedback is important to us.
Announcements
Save the Date for the Governor's Conference for Women
Planning has gotten underway for the 2009 Pennsylvania Governor's Conference for Women and GSEP will be there. This exciting one-day event gives Pennsylvania women the opportunity to gather new ideas for themselves, their careers, and their businesses while accelerating their personal and professional development. The Conference will be held on Thursday, September 17, 2009 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia. The sixth annual Pennsylvania Governor's Conference for Women, is the state's premiere educational and networking event for women. For more information on the Pennsylvania Governor's Conference for Women, please visit their web site.

New GSEP Facebook Group Launched for GIRLS ONLY
Do you know our GSEP Facebook group totals about 350 people? It is an easy way to share information about our Council and Girl Scouts. Please note that if you are a Girl Scout alumna, we do also have a separate Facebook group called Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania Alumnae Association. We are now launching a third group page - this one will be solely for active, currently-registered Girl Scouts ages 13 to 18. If you are in this category, please request to join the group. If you know of a girl who might be interested, please feel free to pass the information along. All requests to join this group must be approved after being checked against our E-Council database. Thanks for being a part of our GSEP Facebook community!
 
Pennsylvania Ballet at the Academy of Music has a Special Offer
All Girl Scouts will get 50% off all tickets to the Pennsylvania Ballet's performance of La Sylphide on June 5 and 6 at 8pm, June 6 at 12pm, June 7 and 13 at 2pm and June 11 and 12 at 8pm. La Sylphide, the oldest ballet in existence is set in the Scottish Highlands. August Bournoville's ethereal tale of love still enthralls audiences today with the captivating romance and demanding choreography that make this work ahead of its time. To order tickets contact Arajua Backman at 215.587.6921 or email abackman@paballet.org.
 
Boyertown Twilight Camp 2009 - Red, White & Blue Travel across America, July 13th- 17th, 6pm - 9pm, Calvary U.C.C. Rt. 100 South of Barto. Join your friends this week on an adventure. We'll explore the vast wonders of our great country, from snowy Alaska, to Hawaii's tropics, from the deserts of the south west, to the Florida everglades. Join us for a fun filled week of exploration, crafts and games. Facilities include a pavilion and numerous open fields for sports and games, plus indoor social halls for rainy- evening fun! Cost: $65. Volunteer for this week and your daughter's camp fee is only $32.50. Contact: Denise Saxman at DeniseSax@aol.com or call 610.473.7931. Volunteers will be chosen based on ratio requirements in Safety-Wise. Click the following links for registration forms and volunteer applications.
 
Raise Your Voice! 22 million = $22 billion
Launched May 14 by the Go Green Foundation in San Francisco, CA,  Raise Your Voice! is designed to let teens use their power in the marketplace to address the climate change crisis. This collaboration between Go Green Foundation and Climate Counts, supported by Earth Island's New Leaders Initiative is designed to empower teens to use their consumer power to push America's big apparel companies--and other big brands--to step up their commitment to reducing their carbon footprint and addressing climate change. It's easy! Teens just have to use their cell phones to send a text message. Our goal is to send 20,000 messages by June 15th and use that power to push these companies to take climate change seriously. Every year, young people buy a ton of stuff like iPods, clothes, watches, books, messenger bags, stereos, Xboxes, and Wiis--worth over $150 billion! The Girl Scout community can help to reach as many young folks as possible. This initiative is an ideal way to grow the pool of young folks concerned with climate change--including armchair activists and the politically unengaged--by reaching them on devices they already own: their mobile phones! To find out more go to www.gogreenfoundation.com/ryv_mobile.html .  
Camp News 
It's Your Last Chance to Win Tickets for 4 to See The Little Mermaid in NYC: Be A Part of the Audience for Our Final CAMP JAM. The 12 final acts have been chosen, and now move on to Camp Laughing Waters for the Final Camp Jam, Sunday June 7th beginning at 1:30pm, as part of the Open House activities which begin at 1pm and run until 4pm. Everyone present will have the chance for to enter the drawing for The Little Mermaid tickets, courtesy of Radio Disney 640AM. Our judges for the finale will include our own CEO Ann Meredith; Tina Wells, CEO of BUZZ Marketing Group and winner of this year's Young Entreprenuer of the Year Award from the Greater Philadelphia Area Chamber of Commerce; and Rachel Smolinsky, next year's Drum Major of the Incomparable Rams Marching Band of West Chester University and a music major who has worked with many of our Girl Scouts as they achieved their music patches through the programs offered to them from the University. All of our finalist contestant videos are posted on the GSEP Facebook Group--if you are not a member yet, ask to join. For more information, check out the camp page on our website (insert link) or contact Cheryl Baker at cbaker@gsep.org or 888.664.9770, ext. 1508.
Picture Place
 
Girl Scout Junior Troop #97182 in the Logan/Olney Service Unit area have recently worked on pillowcases for the ConKerr Cancer Organization. ConKerr Cancer started when Cindy Kerr's son was diagnosed with cancer in 2002 and she began making pillowcases to brighten up his hospital room and to put a smile on his face. It took the girls three meetings to measure, cut and sew each pillowcase."These girls meet out of Grover Washington, Jr. Middle School every Thursday evening. They were dedicated to producing quality work for children in need." says their Leader, Tameca Wilkerson. Great job girls!
Issue: 25
CONTENTS
Announcements
Camp News
Picture Place
What's In Store
Program Corner
Employment Opportunities
GSEP in the News
Adult Development
 
WHAT'S IN STORE
 
June Special:  End of Year Sale Take an extra 10% off clearance merchandise
 
SHOP HOURS
thru June 13th 

Delaware County
Monday, Friday 10-5
Wednesday 11-6
Saturday, June 6, 10-3

Jane Seltzer
Monday, Friday 10-5
Wednesday 12-8
Saturday, June 6, 10-3

Lehigh Valley
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 9-5
Tuesday 9-6
Saturday, June 6, 10-3

Shelly Ridge
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10-5
Wednesday 11-6
Saturday, June 6, 10-3

Valley Forge
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10-5
Wednesday 11-6
Saturday, June 6, 10-3
 
Reading
June 11th will be the last Thursday until September. 

Can't Get to One
 of Our Shops?
Click here to check out our improved webstore; we are frequently adding new merchandise.
Don't forget you can purchase nearly everything online. 
 
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PROGRAM CORNER
 

 
The Fall Program Event Planner is Available Now
Let your girls start planning their fall programs today. The Fall Program Event Planner is now available online, featuring programs running from September through December 2009. There are lots of new programs for all ages, including a Green Scout program for girls from Juniors to Ambassadors, career exploration programs for Juniors and Cadettes, Brownie programs the first Friday of every month at Shelly Ridge, and the Taste of Technology Conference for Brownies through Ambassadors. Click here to download the new Planner.
 
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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
 
There are a variety of open positions at various levels and Council locations.
We offer competitive salaries and an excellent benefits package.We are doing amazing things for girls in Pennsylvania! Come be a part of our team! EOE. Click here to see the available positions.
 
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GSEP IN THE NEWS
 
A half-page spread in The Morning Call captured story vignettes and head shots of our Gold Award Girl Scouts from the area.
 
 
A well-timed and upbeat piece in the Delaware County Daily News published the day after the Annual Meeting captures the achievements of the Council's first two years.
 
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ADULT DEVELOPMENT 
 


Alumnae Camping Weekend: Friday, August 14 through Sunday, August 16 at Camp Tweedale in Oxford. Come be a kid again at a weekend of Girl Scout fun designed for every adult who is a Girl Scout at heart. Over the years, this adult camping weekend has grown to become a beloved tradition of the GSEP family. To register, click here for the form or please contact Joni Brennan at jbrennan@gsep.org  or 866.564.2030, ext.1047. 
 
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Edited by: Noreen Shanfelter | Design and Layout: Rosemarie Jones
 
GS News Hard Copies: 
If you know of a Leader or Service Unit Manager who does not receive GS News because s/he does not have access to a computer, please have them contact us for a mailed copy. Call or email Loretta Rudzinski at 866.564.2030, ext. 1049.

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Shelly Ridge Service Center | 330 Manor Road, Miquon, PA 19444 | Tel. 888.564.4657 | Fax 215.564.6953
Mailing address | PO Box 27540 | Philadelphia, PA 19118