| A Year in Pictures
Girl Scouting Faces from 2010
|  (left) Girls from South Philadelphia Service Unit #529 (Philadelphia County) helped celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by ushering guests at the annual Hispanic Choice Awards, held at the Kimmel Center in October. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter stopped to visit with the girls during the gala event. GSEP Membership Manager Betty Villareal was a member of the Hispanic Choice Awards Committee. (photo courtesy of Motivos magazine)
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(right) Sydney Zeeger of Junior Troop 1897 (Wyomissing Service Unit #762, Berks County) showed courage and confidence while learning about Anoles, or Baby Green Dragons. Sydney and other members of her troop volunteered to tell others about Girl Scouting at the Redner's Family Expo in Reading in November. (photo courtesy of Betsy Wilson)
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(left) Junior Troop 7583 (Wissahickon Service Unit #652, Montgomery County) was among the many girls on the move this year, when they took a sweet sidetrack with a tour of the Antoine Amrani chocolate factory in East Norriton. The girls learned so much that one of the troop moms quipped, "Now my daughter thinks dark chocolate is healthy!"
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(below) Daisy Troop 5003 and Brownie Troop 5441 (Rainbow Hollow Service Unit #523, Delaware County) welcomed representatives from the Verizon Foundation's Pioneers volunteer network to help them make pillows for breast cancer patients, inspiring the girls to take on similar projects of their own.
(below) Junior Troop 2101 (Oxford Valley Service Unit #635, Bucks County) spent a gleeful three hours cheering participants in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk. The girls handed out SWAPS, nine boxes of tissues, candy, bracelets, and high-fives to weary walkers.
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(right) Cadette/Senior Troop 21119 (Rock United Service Unit #621, Bucks County) traveled to the Savannah, Georgia-birthplace of founder Juliette Gordon Low. While there, the girls toured the city, collected trash on the beach, and met other Girl Scouts. "My favorite part was meeting other Cadettes," said one of the girls. "I liked trading SWAPS and learning about their lives."
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(right) Multi-grade level Troop 71515 (Indian Valley Service Unit #570, Montgomery County) took in the diverse terrain and spectacular sights of Oregon, including the Cascade Mountains, the Oregon Coast, the Aquarium, and a theater playhouse performance.
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(left) Brownie Troop 8223 (Bethlehem Star Service Unit #714, Northampton County) had a busy fall supporting the Lehigh Valley Zoo Bash; Christmas caroling at a local retirement home; partnering with a team of Girl Scout Juniors in the Shop for a Cause event at Wal-Mart; and supporting the Holiday Hope Chest Campaign by organizing the facility's 4,000 donations and filling 13 Hope Chests of their own.
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(right) Brownie Troop #1645 (Heart of Berks Service Unit #759, Berks County) shows off its winning entry in a recycled sculpture contest to celebrate World Thinking Day.
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| Opportunities for Girls
Girls in Grades 6-8: Invent. Improve. Impact.
(Event date and grade-levels for this event have been updated since the Fall 2010 issue of Spark.)
February 12, 8:30am-3pm (snow date: March 5)
Villanova University (800 E. Lancaster Avenue, Tolentine Hall, Room 215)
Mechanical Engineers design and invent products that improve our lives and the world around us. Girls will find out how by working in small groups to complete interactive hands-on engineering design activities, with help from engineering faculty and students. Cost: $5 per girl, free for adults; includes light breakfast, lunch, and event patch.
Calling All R.E.A.L. Girls!
Justine magazine is looking for its 2011 R.E.A.L. Girl -- one who is Remarkable. Energetic. Aspirational. A Leader. One currently-registered Girl Scout between the ages of 13-19 will be selected to appear on the cover of a 2011 issue of Justine and featured in an article. Finalists and semi-finalists will also be selected. Click here for contest details and the official entry form. Deadline: January 20, 2011.
Girl Scout Days at College Basketball
Click the links for details about Girl Scout Days at college basketball games with Villanova Women on February 6 (see below for Cookie Booth opportunity); Drexel Women on February 13; Temple Women on February 12; and Temple Men on March 5. Special-price tickets, commemorative patches, meet-and-greet opportunities and activities at all games. (NOTE: The troop that sells the most tickets to the Villanova Women's game by January 28 will earn a Cookie Booth slot at the Villanova Men's Basketball game February 2.)
Scholarships and Awards for Older Girls--Deadline: January 15
Girls in grades 9-12 are eligible to apply for GSEP's Annual Scholarships and Awards, and Adult volunteers are encouraged to submit girl nominations for The Union League of Philadelphia Good Citizenship Award (open to Girl Scouts who are juniors in high school). Applications and letters of reference for both Awards Programs must be submitted to a GSEP Service Center by 5pm on January 15, 2011 (disregard deadline posted on the Union League application); click here for all forms and details. Contact Joan Hannahoe at 610.791.2411, ext. 1509.
Brownies: Earn a Try-It at American Girl Fashion Show--March 5-6
Lehigh University-Mountaintop Campus (Wood Dining Room at Iacocca Hall)
Girl Scout Brownies can earn the Manners Try-It and learn about the evolution of fashion at the Junior League of the Lehigh Valley's annual American Girl Fashion Show. Try-It activities (after the 10am and 2pm shows on Saturday, and the 1pm show on Sunday) feature "tea-party foods" and more. Girls can apply to be a part of the Show. Click here for information or email Allison Smith Lech or the Junior League.
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Governance News
A Key Deadline: January 14, 2011
Board and Board Development Committee Nominations
Individuals with extraordinary vision, community interest, and professional expertise are sought to help GSEP position itself for a decade of accelerated growth and high performance. Girl Scout Members and the Community-at-Large are invited to submit applications and nominations for the Board of Directors and the Board Development Committee. Two-year terms begin upon election by the GSEP Delegate Council at the Annual Meeting on May 14, 2011 and end with the Annual Meeting in May 2013. Qualifications and responsibilities are included on all application forms. Self-nominations and referrals will be accepted; application and referral Forms are available on the Governance Page of the website. Deadline: January 14, 2011.
Girl Delegate and Advisor Applications Applications for Girl Delegates and Girl Advisors to the Board of Directors are now available. Click here for an overview of responsibilities and expectations for each position. Applications for Girl Advisor, Reference Form for Girl Advisor, Application for Girl Delegate, and Reference Form for Girl Delegate are available on the Governance Page of the website. Deadline: January 14, 2011. Delegate Applications for GSUSA National Council Session The 52nd Convention of the Girl Scouts of the USA will be held November 10-13, 2011 in Houston, TX. GSEP is eligible to send 22 voting Delegates, as prescribed by a formula established at the last convention and adjusted by GSUSA to meet the total number of Delegates in the formula. Girls attending as Delegates are invited to attend the Girl Leadership Institute to be held November 9 -10, with a focus on Innovation and Leadership. Visit the Governance page on the website for applications for Adults and Girls, and the National Session Reference Form for Girls. Deadline: January 14, 2011.
Schedule Changes for Spring Delegate and Annual Meetings Please note these important changes to the Spring Delegate and Annual Meetings:
Spring Delegate Meetings
Thursday, April 7, 2011 7-9 pm Smith Lodge (330 Manor Road, Miquon, PA 19444) Saturday, April 9, 2011 9-11am (time change) First Presbyterian Church (3231 W. Tilghman Street, Allentown, PA 18104) The meeting scheduled on April 9 at Valley Forge has been cancelled. Annual Meeting
Saturday, May 14, 2011 (date change) 10:30am-12noon Penn View Christian School (420 Godshall Road, Souderton PA 18964) As prescribed in the Council Bylaws, all voting Delegates and Alternate Delegates will receive written notification of the meetings 30 days prior to the meeting.
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Remembering Dotti Martin
 Earlier this year, the GSEP Board of Directors voted to establish the Dorothy "Dotti" Martin Educational Scholarship/ Destination Fund in memory of lifetime-volunteer Dorothy Martin, who passed away January 20, 2010. Several of Dotti's friends and sister volunteers contributed the initial dollars to launch the Fund, which encouraged subsequent donations. Make a secure contribution online (as a Memorial Gift) or mail to: GSEP, P.O. Box 27540, Philadelphia, PA 19118.
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Edited by: Betsy Taube
Share your stories! Send photos and details about your troop programs and activities to Betsy Taube, Director of Communications. We will do our best to include your news in an upcoming issue of eNews, but space limitations prevent us from posting all submissions.
eNews Hard Copies: If you know of a Leader or Service Unit Manager who does not have access to a computer and would like to receive eNews, contact Loretta Rudzinski at 866.564.2030, ext. 1049 to arrange for a mailed copy.
Spread the Word! Be sure to forward this e-mail to fellow volunteers, friends and family! Just click the "Forward" link below. Encourage them to subscribe by clicking the "Join Our Mailing List" button above, in the lavender right-side panel, and entering their e-mail address.
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New Year,
New Website, New Spark!
Log-on to GSEP's updated website to enjoy improved usability, exciting new graphics and content, program information in Spanish, and much more! Also online is the Spring 2011 issue of Spark, with a full showcase of Summer Camp programs and updated Spring activities. Printed issues will be mailed later this month.
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It's Your Story--
Tell It! is Here
GSUSA's latest leadership Journey series is here. It's Your Story-Tell It! uses a storytelling theme to help girls at every grade-level better understand themselves and their potential. Building a strong sense of self is an underlying goal of the series, which is supported in-part by the Dove Self-Esteem Fund. A microsite for the new Journey features activity sheets, computer screensavers and wallpapers, videos of famous storytellers, and more!
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| Cookies Are Coming!
Service Center
New for 2011
The 2011 Cookie Program runs from January 20 through March 6, and Cookie Lovers can look forward to new tastes and temptations, including the new Belgian-style Shout Outs!™, eco-friendly packaging for the Thanks-A-Lot™ variety, and a 5=52 Customer Sweepstakes (with purchases of five or more packages at a time, customers can enter to win 52 weeks' worth of their favorite cookies)! The online Cookie Booth Locator will be available on January 17 to help customers find their closest Cookies.
2010 Adventure Credit Deadline Extended to January 14
Due to the holiday closure of the GSEP Retail Shops beginning December 24, the deadline for using 2010 Adventure Credits for GSEP Retail Shop purchases has been extended to January 14, 2011. The extension applies to Retail Shop purchases only.
What's Your Cookie Story?
'Got a Cookie Success Story to share? The GSUSA Cookie Program invites Facebook users to visit its "What a Girl Scout Cookie Can Do" page and post their stories about how selling Girl Scout Cookies has helped a girl build confidence, set stretch-goals, and even "be a better person." Girls must be 13 or older to post themselves, but parents and guardians are encouraged to do so on their behalf. |
| Important Reminders
Service Center
Integrated IT System Roll-out Underway
The transition to eBusiness Online Registration is underway to give volunteers, parents and members a single point of entry to register online for membership, programs, camp and adult training. Click here for a Frequently Asked Questions document. Some key dates for volunteers:
December 28 through
March 1, 2011
E-Council can no longer be used for Membership, Program, Camp, or Adult Training registration, but volunteers can still view all troop and member data that was entered in E-Council by December 28.
January 3 through
August 1, 2011
An online form will be available on the website to register for Camp and Spring Programs. GSEP will provide volunteers with registration information as-needed.
March 14, 2011
Volunteers can register for Adult Development Training using an online form available on the website.
Visit Restriction at Berks Service Center
Until parking lot construction is complete,visitation to the Berks Service Center is by appointment only (call 610.791.2411). Visitors will receive instructions for parking and building entry.
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Troop History Project Deadline Extended to
June 30, 2011
All are invited to participate in the Troop History Project, sponsored by the GSEP History Committee. Participating troops receive a certificate and a ribbon for their troop flag, and all girls receive a Troop History Project patch. For information, contact Jean Harlow c/o the Valley Forge Service Center at 610.933.7555 (leave a message for a return phone call). Click here for information.
New deadline: June 30, 2011.
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