Real Girls. Real Power. Real Change. 

On Saturday, April 2, 230 girls participated in the Real Girls Leadership Conference at Cedar Crest College in Allentown, PA. Junior Girl Scouts met in the morning, while Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors attended an afternoon session. Girls arrived individually driven by parents, in troops by carpool with leaders, and by bus from communities where girls participate in funded troops. 

GSEP CEO Natalye Paquin welcomed girls to the Conference. The keynote speaker for the afternoon session was the President of Cedar Crest College, Carmen Ambar. President Ambar is nationally known for her record of accomplishment in higher education and, in particular, her commitment to women's education. She spoke about successful women and shared her observations about the habits and behaviors these women have in common. She emphasized that every girl can cultivate these qualities while striving for excellence and success.

The Real Girls Leadership Conference focused on global issues facing girls in other countries with special focus on education, developing leadership skills, and inspiring others to make a difference. Girls participated in teamwork and communications activities while learning about global education issues facing girls. Afterward, girls reported by texting messages projected to all participants that they were inspired to make a difference in the world. Here are but a few of the girls' comments:

(I learned about) how to make a difference for women's rights...

Heard about teachers and famous women who let nothing get in their way...

I would like to start a program at my school to help educate kids in Africa...

I have a voice and I should use it...

I heard about under-educated girls and women...

Along with the workshops, older girls, volunteers and staff members presented displays in a Pathways Showcase that exposed girls to different ways to be a Girl Scout. Presentations were given by the Fashion Patrol, Heritage Patrol and Paca Patrol. In addition, a showcase of Justice Journey Take Action Projects, and Gold and Silver Award Projects were presented by older girls in the afternoon. Girls evaluated the day by texting in responses to a survey that magically appeared in the closing PowerPoint presentation in real time. It was the coolest!

Our Third Regional Fund Raising Event Caps Off a Successful Season 

The Lehigh Valley Take The Lead was held on April 27 at the brand new ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks in Bethlehem. The audience was wowed by the backdrop, our fantastic honorees--and of course--our girls! More than $101,000 was raised and over 425 people attended which set a new record for this event in the Lehigh Valley area. Guests enjoyed interacting with our Girl Scouts as they encouraged bids on silent auction items, emceed the entire evening and presented awards to five outstanding women role models including: Beverly Bradley, President of the Cops 'N' Kids Literacy Program; Kathy Matthews, Director, Business and Compliance, PPL; Mary Ellyn Voden, Director, Public Affairs and Staffing, Crayola, LLC; Ilene Wood, Author and Community Volunteer; and Susan Yee, Chief Executive Officer, Active Data Exchange. Pictured above with Girl Scouts who participated in the program are Event Committee Co-Chairs Wendy Body of Alvin H. Butz, Inc. and Gerry Nau of Lafayette Ambassador Bank.

Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania are Making the World a Better Place!

Leader Debbie Kleinfelder and her Junior Troop from the Neshaminy Service Unit in Penndel, PA are working towards their Bronze Awards as well. They have completed service projects such as collecting communion gowns and suits for an inner-city parish, children's books for the Philadelphia Reads program and recycled sneakers for the Nike 'Reuse-A-Shoe' program. For this program, Nike takes the recycled rubber, foam and upper fabric from sneakers, chops it up and creates a new material called Nike Grind. The Nike Grind is then used for projects on track surfaces, interlocking gym flooring tiles, and playground surfacing. One Girl Scout collected 171 pairs of sneakers, including some which were discarded after the New York City Marathon.

Upcoming Events

Property Town Hall Meeting

As you are aware, two years ago, GSEP began the process of assessing our property needs to establish a sustainable model for outdoor programming. The Property Committee has overseen this work. The Committee is comprised of Board members, volunteers, staff and the CEO. The assessment has explored how we can be more effective stewards of our resources in our mission to create girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. Working with the experienced property consulting firm, Domokur Architects, we are nearing the completion of the assessment portion of our work.

This process has required considerable time and effort to ensure we collect the needs and perceptions of a broad representation of our membership. The Board and the Property Committee have made extensive site visits over the past weeks and months to all the camp properties to review them first-hand. In addition, we have gathered input from camp and facility staff.

Our Board is committed to an open process and remains committed to making decisions which are in the best interest of our girl members today and into the future. The assessment process is near completion and the Board is expected to have a final report in June. Please join us June 16, 2011 for a Property Town Hall meeting from 7pm-9pm at Penn View Christian School, 420 Godshall Road, Souderton PA 18964.

On April 15, Girl Scouts from the Palisades Service Unit gathered for an evening of fun and friendship at their Annual Rope Runner Derby in Upper Bucks County, PA. The girls had a great time exchanging SWAPS and meeting new friends, looking through all of the creative Rope Runners and voting on their favorites, and excitedly cheering on their fellow Girl Scouts during the suspenseful timed races. A successful Baby Bundles drive was also held at the event where girls and families donated countless items to assist local families in need.

Girl Scouts from Springfield Elementary Brownie Troop 258 show off their Rope Runners at the Annual Derby sponsored by the Palisades Service Unit.

 Support our girls while getting cute new shoes--

what a deal!

The Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia is dedicated to enriching the lives of children by creating learning opportunities through play. The museum was named one of the Top 10 children's museums in the country by Parents Magazine and features 6 different interactive exhibits, a historic Carousel, a 40-foot replica of the Statue of Liberty arm and torch made entirely of toys, daily music and art activities and theater performances in the Please Touch Playhouse. As a member of this program, Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania is now able to buy tickets for the discounted rate of $13.00 each. To receive this discount, visit their web site and enter our Store Name: girl scouts. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Jessica Quach at 215.581.3174.

All GSEP Retail Shops will be closed on Saturday, May 28 and Monday, May 30 in observance of Memorial Day.

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New Arrivals!

Stop in your favorite Council shop to see the new gift items for Gold, Silver and Bronze awardees! Be sure to get your 100th Anniversary gifts and collectibles.

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Summer Hours:

June 13 - Labor Day

Jane Seltzer Closed; Delaware County Shop open Wednesday 10-5;

 Lehigh Valley, Valley Forge and Shelly Ridge open 

Tuesday and Thursday 10-5  

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Can't Get to One of Our Shops?

Check out our web store! We are frequently adding new merchandise.

Don't forget you can purchase nearly everything online.
If you don't see it online call the Valley Forge Shop at 484-927-2317 to check availability. 

A key element of CES (Council Enterprise System) is eBusiness Online Registration--a web portal that will be accessible through the GSEP web site in August 2011 to give volunteers, parents and other members a single point of entry for member, program, camp, and adult training registration; data input and management; donations, and more! Click here to see a demo. 

Negotiations are underway for the relocation of the Berks County Service Center, anticipated for this summer. Visitation to the Service Center continues to be on a by-appointment basis. Call 610.791.2411 for scheduling and instructions.

Until the results of the Property Assessment have been made public, you will be unable to make campsite and property rental reservations for dates after November 1, 2011. We will update the property reservations page on our web site and allow reservations for November and beyond after