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Girl Scouts of
Gulfcoast Florida, Inc.
4780 Cattlemen Road
Sarasota, FL 34233
941-921-5358
800-232-4475
www.gsgcf.org
We Wish to Thank Our Following Community Parnters:
Partner Agency
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 Issue: # 9 | May/2011 | |
Dear Girl Scout Families and Friends,
Welcome to Cybernews - the Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida's online newsletter keeping you informed of all the great things being done by and for Girl Scouts.
Go Green! Please share this newsletter as a great resource for other volunteers, parents and families to get involved this year. We will be updating our website frequently, along with the girl program book and adult learning calendars. If you would like to receive this newsletter, click the Join Our List button on the left. Don't forget to stay in touch via social media - fan or friend us at  . |
CEO Corner
Message from the CEO
Property Progress!
May 5, 2011
We are working diligently on all of our properties. I want to bring you up to date on some exciting news and progress. Click here for all of the details.
Camp Caloosa
Camp Honi Hanta
Sincerely,
Sue Stewart, CEO
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Family Support Plan: Corporation Matching Gifts and Volunteer Hour Match
Need funds for your troop? The Family Support Plan (FSP) allows parents an opportunity to not only support Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida with a financial contribution but a portion of each donation goes back to your troop. Did you know that many companies have matching gift programs through which they match dollar-for-dollar employees' donations or have grants available for employees who volunteer their time? Employer matching gifts increase the impact of your personal support and mean more resources that Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast can provide for girls, troops and service units to enjoy. Check with your company's department or human resources for company matching opportunities. What do I need to do to get my gift matched? The employee must initiate the matching gift process. This usually means contacting your employer or former employer to obtain the proper form, completing the form, and following the company's guidelines for submission. GSGCF will verify any necessary forms and once all of you company's matching gift guidelines are met, they will issue the matching funds to GSGCF. For more information on the Family Support Plan, download a copy of our brochure located on our website. Back to Top |
Girl Programs
Upcoming Program Events
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Forever Green Family Fun Day
May 7th ~ 10AM till 2PM
Bring the whole family out to the Girl Scout Event and conference Center on Cattlemen Road for this community day of fun and learn about Going Green! Be a part of the Wetland Restoration project, take a class on butterfly gardening or make some green cleaning products to take home!
Many great programs and activities for all. For more information contact melissam@gsgcf.org or download a flyer here.
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2011 Convention of Girl Scouts of the USA
"Renewing our Promise: Girl Scouts in a New Century" is the theme of the 2011 National Council Session and 52nd Convention, November 10-13 in Houston, Texas, where Girl Scouts will experience the excitement of beginning a new triennium-and take part in the official launch of our Movement's 100th Anniversary! The official website which is(http://www.girlscouts.org/convention/default.asp) is now available - visit often to stay informed! Click here to view a summary of the agenda sessions planned to deliver strategic, relevant programming with more choices of sessions and other activities than at past conventions. Visitors must register to attend using the online registration process scheduled to be available in July. Click here to view the registration information and ways you can participate. Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida contact for the 2011 National Convention is Marie Graziosi, marieg@gsgcf.org or 941-921-5358 ext. 338.
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GSLI: Girl Scout Leadership Institute
52nd National Convention of GSUSA Houston, Texas
On November 10-13, 2011, more than 1,200 girls from across the nation will gather in Houston, Texas for the 2011 National Girl Scout Leadership Institute (GSLI): Leadership and Innovation...the Next 100 Years. GSLI will be offered to girls 14 and older as an integrated track within the National Convention. GSLI will begin on Thursday morning and culminate on Sunday morning. GSLI participants will be included in the National Convention Opening Ceremony on Thursday evening as well as other scheduled events. When scheduling permits, girl delegates will be welcome to attend GSLI activities Thursday through Sunday. Registration deadline is June 1, 2011. Space is limited to 10 girls per Council. The registration fee must be received in full by June 15, and includes airfare, hotel accommodations (double occupancy), and Official Visitor (including GSLI registration) convention registration. If you are interested in attending the GSLI please contact Ann-Marie Mathews, annmariem@gsgcf.org or 941.921.5358 ext 318 for more information.
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Announcing Travel Pathway Schedule!
Girl Scouts are on the go! Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida is delighted to announce the schedule of Travel Pathway trips our council will be offering to our Girl Scouts in the coming years. The destinations were selected based on results from the Travel Pathway Survey as well as input from Girl Scouts of various age levels.
These trips are open to girls participating in any of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience Pathways (Troop, Series, Events, Camp, Virtual, Travel). Girls who are not currently registered as Girl Scouts may become registered Girl Scouts and join the movement through participating in the Travel Pathway. All the Travel Pathway trips listed below will be widely marketed to our current Girl Scout membership as well as potential Girl Scouts in our ten counties.
The Junior trip for girls in 5th grade will be to Miami and the Florida Keys. This trip will most likely be offered annually for the next few years.
The Cadette trip for girls in 6th- 8th grades will be to New York City in summer 2012, Puerto Rico in 2013, and New England in winter 2014.
The Senior/Ambassador trip for girls in 9th - 12th grades will be to Costa Rica in 2012, a cruise in Southwest Europe in 2013, Hawaii in 2014, and Australia/New Zealand in 2015.
Each of the trips will be chaperoned by two adults: a Travel Pathway volunteer and a GSGCF staff member. For volunteers and staff interested in being a chaperone on any of the trips listed above, simply fill out the application and submit it to: juliao@gsgcf.org.
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2012 Girl Scout Membership Year
It is time to "Early Bird" register for the 2012 membership year. The preprinted troop registration packets have arrived. If you have not yet received it, please contact your service unit registrar or membership specialist. (Troops not registered prior to February 2011 will not have a packet.)
Register online! It is as simple as one, two, three. Distribute the registration forms to parents for updating, retrieve the forms and log onto Ebiz online to register the troop, and pay with the troop's debit card. All girls that early bird register will receive a free patch.
For those that are not affiliated with a troop, please go to www.gsgcf.org , click on "Early Bird Membership Registration", and follow the instructions to create a profile.
The help desk is available on the Ebiz link or by emailing helpdesk@gsgcf.org or by calling 941-921-5358 then press 8 for online Ebiz assistance , Tuesday-Friday 7:30 AM . - 5:30 PM .
Celebrate the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts with us!
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Community Service Project - Lee County Junior, Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador Girl Scouts and troop leaders are needed Tuesday nights for an hour or two to sort coupons which are sent to our military bases overseas. Service men and women and their families can use the coupons on base to help stretch their dollars. Lee Memorial has a military support group that also sends care packages to men and women every month in addition to boxes of coupons to the bases. The military closet is located in a warehouse off Metro Parkway. Volunteers must wear closed toed shoes. Coupon sorters will be working 5:00 PM-7:30 PM. . For more information, Girl Scout troop leaders should call Kim Gaide at 239-209-6160 or kim.gaide@leememorial.org .
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Claim your Shop Points 
Check your mailbox! Girls who sold 50 packages or more during the 2011 Girl Scout Cookie Program will receive their Shop Points cards in the mail by early May. The cards will be mailed directly to the home of each Girl Scout. Shop Points are better than ever this year! Girls can use their Shop Points to shop in the Girl Scout council shops, help pay for summer resident and day camp, and attend council programs. Juniors and older can even bank their Shop Points to use in a future year. Just a reminder of "SPECIAL" Shop Events in which you may use your Shop Point Cards include: April 29, 2011 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Immokalee @ Eden Park Elementary June 11, 2011 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Collier GS House June 12, 2011 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM Charlotte GS House June 15, 2011 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM SCFM & SRQ Shops June 25, 2011 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM Sebring GS House June 26, 2011 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Arcadia GS House We look forward to seeing everyone at one or more of these events and Please Remember, Shop Points cards expire on September 16, 2011! |
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Girl Scout Night With The Bradenton Marauders
Join us for Girl Scout Night on May 14th
Click here for the order form (tickets must be reserved by May 10) and flyer highlighting the evening's activities which include:
· Pregame parade of all troops and Girl Scouts
· A Marauders Souvenir Cup & voucher for a free soda
· First 500 Girl Scouts receive a patch
· Opportunity to meet fellow Girl Scouts and volunteers
· Kid zone with bounce house, face painting & speed pitch
All of this fun and sportsmanship for an affordable $5 pp game ticket with a portion being returned to our council in support of Girl Scouting.
Please help us spread the word and let's fill McKechnie Field and share all the great things about Girl Scouting with our community!!!
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Girl Scout Program Portfolio
Introducing: The Girl Scout Program Portfolio
Great News! As we prepare to begin the next 100 years in Girl Scouting, we are pleased to announce the Girl Scout Program Portfolio. It's your resource for all things Girl Scout. These new resources were developed to position the Girl Scout organization as the premiere leadership organization for girls of today, tomorrow, and the future.
With input from girls, volunteers, and councils, the national organization developed the all encompassing Program Portfolio as the foundation on which to build your Girl Scout experience. The portfolio consists of the Journeys and the NEW - Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting; available beginning September 2011.
Here's an overview
Reasons for National Portfolio
· Promotes activities and encourages they be girl led.
· Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting now includes the badge and handbook in one.
· It's your record of what you did in girl scouting.
· 100th Anniversary Edition - may be viewed as a "collectible".
· You can customize it. Each girl can customize how she likes.
- Badge foldout of all badges a girl may earn at her current level as well as the badges they may earn at the next level. Providing them the opportunity to know what fun lies ahead for them.
- Bridging requirements included.
- Gold, Silver, and Bronze award requirements included.
- Provides girls a place to write a letter to themselves about what fun things that lie ahead for them and to journal on what they have accomplished/done thus far.
About the Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting...
- Each grade level will have its OWN guide.
- Each grade level badge will have its OWN shape.
- Daisies will have "leaves" to earn for financial literacy/Cookie business. LEAVES SOLD SEPERATELY.
- NEW: Journey Summit Award - earned for completing all three journeys in one grade level. Award may be earned at each grade level. Pin is gold tone with grade level color surrounding it.
- NEW: Troop Crests - 16 NEW designs. Open to Brownies and up.
- Seniors can earn EITHER patches or pins.
- Transitional and new HOW TO WEAR charts available.
- Be available in shop beginning September 2011.
- Special Introductory Pricing - $16.87/ea. This is 25% off the regular retail price of $22.50. This introductory pricing will be available through March 12, 2012.
About the Transition from current program to new program
- Effective: September 2012, the Girl Scout Program Portfolio will be "THE" program of Girl Scouts. All current books, try-its, badges, and awards will be retired and no longer available for purchase.
- If you just started the current program, you will have until September 2012 to complete the program and transition to the new Girl Scout Program Portfolio. While many badges have already retired, every effort will be made to locate badges girls earn while transitioning to the new program. We urge you to communicate your needs to your local Girl Scout shop upfront so that if a badge is out of stock, we may locate them from other councils or, if need be, have them special ordered from the vendor. Special orders require a minimum purchase and 4-8 weeks for delivery.
While we know this is a lot of information, we invite you to feel free to contact your local Girl Scout Shop for any questions you might have. We encourage you to get to know the new program. As you become familiar with it, we believe you will see what a great opportunity this new program is for girls. It offers variety, choice, and relevant themes. It is the NEW face of Girl Scouting!
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Meet up with friends...to enjoy great food and fun!
Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida Inc. is once again joining with Chili's for
"Chili's Give Back Day to Girl Scouts"!
Join us as Chili's proudly supports local Girl Scouts by donating 10% of your purchase to help build tomorrow's leaders today!
Mark your calendar!
May 9, 2011
June 13, 2011
July 11, 2011
You must present flyer at time of purchase at one of these participating locations:
Participating Chili's Restaurants:
5851 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota
4131 Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
4289 Tamiami Trail, Venice
1471 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte
8901 College Pkwy, Ft. Myers
9310 Ben C. Pratt/6 Mile Cypress Expressway, Ft. Myers
1760 NE Pine Island Rd, Cape Coral
2703 SE Hwy 70, Arcadia
821 US 27 North, Sebring
4251 9th Street N, Naples
2431 Tarpon Bay Blvd, North Naples
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All programs sponsored by the council have specific program outcomes so you can be sure that your Girl Scout gets the full Girl Scout Leadership Experience every time she participates. Because no girl is the same, customizing the Girl Scout experience and letting the girl choose how she participates in Girl Scouts gives her control over her Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Each program and activity she participates in will encourage her and help her gain confidence in her skills and ability to be the girl she wants to be. Girl Scouting builds girls of Courage, Confidence and Character who make the world a better place. Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, Inc. is chartered by Girl Scouts of the USA and serves over 10,500 girls in ten counties including: Manatee, Hardee, Highlands, Sarasota, DeSoto, Charlotte, Glades, Lee, Hendry, and Collier. For more information about the Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida visit www.gsgcf.org.
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