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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

 

 

 

Like us on Facebook

 

 View our videos on YouTube

 

Follow us on Twitter 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We Wish to Thank Our Following Community Partners: 

 

 

Publix 

 

United Way

Partner Agency 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click on the photo below for information on our various girl and adult learning opportunites.

 

 

GLO Spring 

 

 

 

Click the photo below to take the Girl Scouts Forever Green Pledge.    

 

VideoVideo Links 

 

In recognition of  Volunteer Appreciation Week

April 15 - 21.

 

Please click on video link below.

 

We Thank Our Girl Scout Volunteers

We Thank Our Girl Scout Volunteers 

   


Summer Fun!

 

Camp 5th Avenue 

Camp 5th Avenue

 

 

ToGetHerThereMarch/2012
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 like us at Like us on Facebook.

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CEO Corner

Sue Stewart, CEO

 

100 Years of Leadership

The outpouring of community support and response to our 100th Anniversary events has been overwhelming.

 

From attending luncheons, service unit celebrations, troop activities, to tremendous support for the Girl Scout Cookie Program - Girl Scouting is THE place to be.

 

Your support of the 36 Hour Giving Challenge has produced new public support.

 

We have been featured in numerous community newspapers and online stories all across the Gulfcoast. Every reporter we met and spoke with is our new champion for the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

 

Girl Scouting counteracts the negative influences in girl's lives today: including pressure not to stand out, a lack of appropriate role models and mentors, unhealthy images in the media about beauty and even bullying from peers. Girl Scouting helps change the cycle of discouragement so girls reach their full potential.

 

When girls succeed so does society. Celebrate 100 years of success.

  

Remember to participate in our 100th Anniversary Signature Program Forever Green (click here). All girls are excited about the one of a kind Forever Green patch to support reducing plastic waste.

 

Regards,

 

Sue 

 

 

 100 Wonderful Ways to Celebrate the 100th - click here
 

 

 

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michales

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In Remembrance

 

It is with great sadness that we inform you of the tragic and unexpected loss of a Girl Scout Leader, Terri Richtmyer from Sarasota 11. Terri was the wife of David, mother to Alyssa 12, Jessica 9 and Gabriel 3. She was the leader of Girl Scout Troop 300 for 7 years. She was also the Activities Director for The Pines of Sarasota.

 

Her greatest joy in life was her family. Nothing brought her more joy than them. Her life touched so many and we are all the better for having known her and letting her into our lives.

 

There is a fund being set up in Terri's memory at the Pines, donations may be sent to:

Pines of Sarasota Foundation

1501 N. Orange Avenue

 

Sarasota, FL 34236 

 

Make a note that the donation is "for benefit of the Richtmyer family."  Terri, you will be greatly missed. Rest in peace. 

 

 

 

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100th Anniversary Celebration - Naples

 

100th Sunburst

   

Girl Scouts and the Community gathered to Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Girl Scouts of the USA

at Naple's Fleischmann Park on Saturday, March 24 

 

The community event was free and open to the public.  We would like to thank the following people, businesses and sponsors who made this event a success:

 

Mayor John Sorey

 

Publix, Rita's, Home Depot, Collier Mosquito Control District, Paul C. Kelly and Kappa Delta Sorority from FGCU.  

 

Volunteers Evala Nevers, Marsha Alleman, Bonny Dery,

Diane McAlear, Marti Shuster, Mary Tatigian, Chrissy Forbes, Colleen Sullivan-Gonzalez and all the troops and friends of Girl Scouts

who ran activity stations.

 

To view photos of this event visit our Facebook page.  

 

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Honi

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NEW Summer Environmental Leadership Experience

at Camp Honi Hanta

 

We are launching a new and exciting summer environmental leadership experience at Camp Honi Hanta this summer.

 

Why: Through Strategic Learning (Click here for link to our website) we learned:

  • The number of girls participating was declining
  • The cost to many families was prohibitive in our current economy
  • The cost to run the camp had increased
  • Girls did not enjoy the heat in summer and did not want to attend
  • Most girls attending were Brownies and Juniors
  • Programs offered were not consistent with the new Girl Scout National Program Portfolio- Girls Guide to Girl Scouting and Journey Series

 

Focus for summer 2012:

  • It's Your Planet- Love It Journey activities led by girls, college age girls, and adult volunteers- including community collaborators
  • Cost friendly weekend, evening, and day experiences at Camp Honi Hanta (able to be replicated at Camp Caloosa fall and winter 2012)
  • Swimming, adventure challenge course, canoe and kayaking, archery
  • Star gazing, nature, environmental take action projects
  • Camp fires, s'mores, songs, and traditions
  • Forever Green and Leave No Trace components
  • Community Service and Take Action Projects
  • Focused priority for girls grades 4-8 (Strategic Learning)-weekend overnights and trips. Event and Series pathway focus for this grade level.
  • Weekend day and evening events for Brownies
  • Weekend day and evening events for Daisy and family members
  • Opportunities for troop camping......and more

Schedule and Rates coming soon. Ability to use Cookie Points

 

NEW!!!!

Thank you to volunteer and girl input!!!! We are listening. We understand that many girls set goals for their cookie sales to use the proceeds to attend resident camp this summer. Because we will not have a resident camp this summer, girls are welcome to use their points at other local Florida Girl Scout Camps.

 

In addition, we are putting together a procedure to allow girls to bank their 2012 Cookie Points toward a residential summer experience at Camp Honi Hanta for summer 2013. More information and procedures to follow.

Whenever there is a concern, there is a solution. We encourage girls to be part of the problem solving process. All ideas to make the world a better place are welcome!

 

If you are interested in summer residential programs, please visit the websites of our sister councils:

 

Gateway www.girlscouts-gateway.org

Panhandle www.gscfp.org

West Central Florida www.gswcf.org

Tropical Florida www.girlscoutsfl.org

Citrus www.citrus-gs.org/

Southeast www.gssef.org 

 

Email questions, comments, suggestions: [email protected] or [email protected].

 

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Camp 5th Avenue

  

   

Summer Camp Is Quickly Approaching!

Summer camp is a fabulous way for girls to make new friends, develop confidence and character and make lasting memories!  

 

Camp Collier features six weeks of theme-focused day camp during the summer of 2012.  Each week will feature organized program and educational activities that relate to the theme.

  

This camp will be a perfect place for girls to discover new things, share about themselves, and connect too many new friends. Of course girls can bring friends with them whether they are active in Girl Scouting or not.  Girl Scout day camp allows you to place your girls in a camp you can trust

 

Click here to download the camp activity book and learn more about exciting summer planned for girls.  View a video from last year's camp by clicking the link in the left hand column of this newsletter.

   

The Camp Financial Aid deadline is May 1,and the form is available on our website by clicking here.  Remember to register early for all sessions of camp, as camp will fill quickly.  Don't forget - you can use cookie dough to pay for summer camp!  For more information contact Amy Gainey.

 

  

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 Girl Recognition Ceremony - May 20, 2012

 

Celebrating the Year of the Girl! Mark your calendars for May 20, the Young Women of Distinction Luncheon and Girl Recognition Ceremony is open to all Girl Scouts recognizing the highest achievers in Gold, Silver, Bronze, and cookie sales. Please join us as we celebrate these monumental achievements in the lives of our Girl Scouts.

 

Girl Scouting is 100 years of building girls of courage, confidence, and character through giving back to others in our communities, locally and globally. This year at the ceremony we have the opportunity to do just that. Troop #89 from Charlotte County will be collecting the following items to donate to the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition:

 

Bicycle parts

Helmets

Socks

Shoes

Baby wipes

Diapers

Coloring books...

  

If you wish to participate, please bring one or more of the items listed above with you to the ceremony.  Let's show our friends in Charlotte County that girls and their families are "making the world a better place." 

    

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Ann-Marie Mathews, Pathways Specialist, at [email protected]
 
 
EarlyBirdgreen bar with trefoils shortARTICLE 
Early Bird Registration is Underway!

2013 membership renewal

 Give the gift of girl scouting, by renewing their membership!

Don't miss out on the benefits and incentives available for early membership renewal. Click here for more details.

 

Deadline to qualify for early bird membership is June 1, 2012.

 

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Troop Meeting Site & Property Request Procedures
 

"Troop Leaders: Time to Apply for a 2012-2013 Troop Meeting Location  

 

Time flies, and yes - it is already spring and time to apply for a Council-operated property space in which you would like to hold your Troop meetings starting this fall. There is new information attached here that Troop Leaders should carefully read before completing the Troop Meeting Site Request Form.

 

The form must be submitted to Pat Alba no later than 4 PM on May 31, 2012. Notification of property assignments will be released in June."

 

If you have any questions contact Pat at 941-921-5358 or [email protected].

  

 


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Product Sales

 

 

 Cookie Bundle w-card

 

2012 Cookie Program Best Ever!

 

A special shout out to the GSGCF Top Cookie Seller, Katelyn Marchetti, a Cadette in Lee 12.  She sold 4,125 packages of cookies!  WOW!  

 

A great big thank you to all of the girls and volunteers who participated in the 2012 cookie program.  You all deserve tremendous pats on the back. 

  • Total Cookie sales were 1,122,335 packages of cookies - our best sales ever, and a 7.5% increase over 2011!!!!
  • An additional $47,000 in Troop Proceeds were earned over 2011. 
  • 135 girls sold over 1000+ packages, including 10 girls who sold 3000 packages or more.
  • Our council Per-Girl Average was 220 packages per girl.  That's a 10% increase over last year's PGA, and is about 48% higher than the national average PGA.  Our girls do an AMAZING job!!!
  • There was a 14% increase in Mints for the Military, and nearly 33,000 packages were purchased for the military.
  • 82% of girls who participated in the Cookie Program also participated in Mints for the Military. 

Obviously, there was a lot of hard work put in and everyone had a hand in making 2012 our most successful Cookie Program ever. 

There are a few Service Units that definitely deserve an extra pat on the back, though.  The SUs below all had increases of 10% or more over 2011 as well.  Truly an impressive accomplishment!

  • Lee 11 - 58% increase
  • Hardee - 45% increase
  • Charlotte 12 - 37% increase
  • DeSoto - 33% increase
  • Collier 11 - 20% increase
  • Manatee 1 - 17% increase
  • Lee 12 - 16% increase
  • Sarasota 14 - 11% increase
  • Lee 14 - 11% increase
  • Highlands - 10% increase

 

Thanks again and congratulations to everyone who participated.  If you have any questions about this year's cookie program please contact Corinne Wright at [email protected]

 

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BigGirls

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Big Girls Day At Camp

 

 

 Yoga

 

 

Calling a women!  Take a day for yourself.  Choose from adventure experiences & spa experiences. 

 

Saturday, April 21, 2012

10 am - 4 pm

 

Camp Honi Hanta, Bradenton

 

$50 per person - Invite Friends

 

Snacks, beverages, and a healthy lunch included.

 

For additional information or to make a reservation

call 941-921-5358 ext. 307.
 

 

Climbing Wall

 

 

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Forever Green 2012

  Forever Green

  

100th Anniversary Take Action Projects 

Honoring our Past and Celebrating our Future

 

Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida (GSGCF)

and

Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA)

  

Supported by the Jesse Ball DuPont Fund and GSGCF

 

 

2012 is the Year of the Girl and time for all Girl Scouts to take action to make our world a better place!

 

Girl Scouts Forever Green (GSFG), our 100th Anniversary National Take Action Project, is a global effort to improve the environment and protect natural resources. We invite you to lead your troop, family, school, and community in three month-long Take Action projects in March, April and May 2012, and during the summer of 2012. Take the online pledge today to make a yearlong commitment to environmental efforts.

 

All girls, families, volunteers and community members are invited to join our action project to reduce plastic waste.

 

Learn about the effects of waste on our environment, and discover ways to reduce plastic waste. Use reusable bottles and bags and recycle aluminum cans and plastic bottles.

 

Click here to learn more about how you can make a difference, sign up to take the pledge, and earn a special one of a kind, one time only GSGCF Forever Green Patch.  

 

Please email all questions or comments to: [email protected].

  

  

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Travel Opportunities

   

On behalf of the Travel Pathway, and Pathways Department, at this time I would like to inform you of canceled trips via our Travel Pathway...due to lack of interest and deadlines passing without minimum numbers in registrations.

New York (Cadettes) summer 2012
Rock the Mall D.C. (Cadettes and up) summer 2012
FL Keys and Miami (Juniors) summer 2012
European Cruise (Ambassadors) Summer 2013

 

We have received very little interest in the above trips as well as the trips still to come.  If you are interested PLEASE email the coordinating staff member as listed below for more information.

 

Hawaii 2014
Approximate Dates:             Early June 2014. 10-12 days duration

Age Level:                          Seniors and Ambassadors

Minimum # of girls:              10

Maximum # of girls:             20

Approximate Cost:               $3,000-4,000

Possible Activities:               2-3 Island tour, volcanoes, luau, Pearl Harbor, pineapple plantation, recording studio, surfing, snorkeling,  stopover in California.

For more information:   Ann-Marie Mathews at [email protected]

 

Australia 2015

Approximate Dates:             Summer of 2015

Age Level:                         Seniors and Ambassadors

Minimum # of girls:              8

Maximum # of girls:            12

Approximate Cost:               $ 4000-$5000. ( The cost is dependent on the value of the dollar in 2015.) The cost will include airfare, lodging, meals and excursions).

Possible Activities:   Depending on girl interest and cost we might go white water rafting, hot air ballooning and visit a kangaroo petting zoo.

For more information:    Contact Roberta Rodgers at [email protected]

 

New England 2014

Approximate Dates:             Winter break 2012

Age Level:                            Cadettes-Seniors           

Minimum # of girls:               10

Maximum # of girls:             20

Approximate Cost:               est. $1000-1500

Possible Activities:               Have you ever had an adventure in a Winter Wonderland? If not, join us by traveling from Sunny Florida to the snow covered lands of New England, try sledding/skiing down the side of Mountain, Hiking into a "Notch" or venture through times of Paul Revere on the "Freedom Trail"... there is SO much enjoy in New England. Hope you will join in the adventure.

For more information:    Roberta Rodgers at [email protected]   

 

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The Shop Scoop

  

NEWS FROM THE SERVICE CENTER...

 

Welcome Spring!!!

 

The SCFM Girl Scout Shop will be open Saturday April 14th from 10am-1pm for your shopping convenience. Come in and check out our Year of the Girl merchandise line. Also, don't miss out on our Super Saturday Clearance items. The THIRD Saturday of each month, we will have select items discounted for ONE DAY ONLY. (Saturday) This month, you will find GREAT deals on 100th Anniversary merchandise. Don't miss out!!

 

 

NEWS FROM THE SARASOTA SHOP...

 

Spring has sprung and its time for some F U N ....

 

With that in mind, head on over to the Sarasota Shop for some great gift ideas. We have everything from basic uniform necessities to gift bag filler essentials. We are getting new products in as we prepare for girls to shop using their Cookie Dough Cards.

 

We will have new jewelry lines, new items from GSUSA, and other assorted fun stuff. We also have Cookie themed merchandise for sale. This year, with the distribution of Cookie Dough Cards, we will be introducing "Goodie Grab" bags. These bags will contain various discontinued shop merchandise priced at a "steal of a deal". Bags will be priced from, $1-$5. Merchandise inside the bag will be worth at minimum, two times the price of the bag.

 

For example, purchase a $5 bag and there will be at least $10 worth of discontinued shop merchandise inside. Now that's a "Steal of a Deal".

 

Did you know April 15-April 21, 2012 is Volunteer Appreciation Week? Volunteer Appreciation Week honors ALL the volunteers who help girls make the world a better place. Let volunteers know you appreciate all their efforts. Send a thank you note or card; give them a framed picture of your troop. Stop by the shop and check out some new Volunteer Appreciation patches and other great gift ideas for that "SPECIAL" Volunteer.

 

You will also find Super Saturday Clearance items in the Sarasota Shop as well. Clothing, 100th Anniversary, webkinz, and other fun stuff will be featured on the FIRST Saturday of every month. We look forward to your next visit to the shop!

 

SAVE ON YEAR END AWARD ORDERS

May is rapidly approaching and with that comes year end award ceremonies. We encourage you to purchase your awards early. As we did last year, we are rewarding ALL leaders that purchase their year end awards on or before Friday, April 20, 2012

 

But to do so, WE NEED YOUR HELP!

In an effort to order correctly, we are making this offer....

  1. EACH Troop Leader who places their year end award order BEFORE Friday, April 20, 2012 will receive 10% off your year end order.

EVERY Troop Leader who places their year end award order BY Friday, April 20, 2012 will receive entry into a drawing for a Gift Pack worth $50. One Winner per Shop. Winner announced in the May edition of Cybernews

 

  

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The National Program Portfolio Package

 

GS National Portfolio

 

  

 

The National Program Portfolio Package includes a Journey book of choice and grade-level appropriate Girl's Guide. The regular retail price of the set is $29.50 plus tax however, purchase the set between 4/1/12 and 10/1/12 and receive 15% off the total price. You pay just $25.08 plus tax.

 

Here's another BONUS... You may use your Cookie Dough cards to purchase this set. Just a reminder: Cookie Dough cards expire 9/7/12.

 

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stonecrabs

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Girl Scouts Sleepover at the Game

 

Charlotte Stone Crabs - May 12 - 13    

All girl scouts and their families are welcome to come out and celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Girl Scouts with the Charlotte Stone Crabs! This will be a great event with a pre-game festivities, Girl Scout Flag Bearers, stand on the field with the players in front of all the fans for the National Anthem, post game events including a movie and camping out on the field. You can sleep out on the field, have the chance to complete challenges, and work towards badges.

 

Download an event flyer for additional information here, or contact Amy Gainey at [email protected].

 

  

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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.