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| Girl Scout Membership Dues Increase |
| At the 2008 National Girl Scout Convention the delegates voted to increase the Girl Scout membership dues to $12.00 per year for both girl and adult members. The dues increase goes into effect for the 2010 Girl Scout year which begins on October 1, 2009. When you begin the re-registration process please make your families aware of the increase. The rationale for the increase is the increase in the cost of providing curriculum, support services to Council and business costs.
If the increase proves to be a hardship for any of your girls please let Debbie Rich know. The Council has opportunity funds available for those in need. Debbie can be reached at 520-319-3168. |
Spotlight on Girl Scouts
Put Your Troop in the Spotlight! Submit your troop's accomplishment (up to 250 words) and one quality JPEG image. E-mail vgalloway@sahuarogsc.org. |
Teens from PPEP tec High School and Partnership High School (above) took action in the community in April at Take Back the Night, a youth planned rally against violence. The Girl Scout booth encouraged youth to design their own advocate T-shirt and it was the busiest booth at the rally!
Troop 1569 Community Service
This past April has been very exciting for Troop 1569 (pictured above). They participated in two community service projects and learned about a women business owner in their community.
The first community service project was a trash clean up at Villago Park in Casa Grande. The girls cleaned up as much trash as possible, and whoever had the most after 20 minutes earned a Brownie Girl Scout Groovy Girl doll. The girls filled up a curb side trash can up with their collected trash!
The second community service project was another impromptu trash clean-up. The troop went to visit the Rural Metro Fire Department but the fire department was called out to a very bad accident. Instead of calling the meeting off, the troop decided to help out the fire department and collected trash from around the property. They went over fire safety and how important it is to keep trash and clutter free from walk ways.
This troop has also been learning about careers of women in the community. The owner of Casa Grande Candle Co. came in and talked to the troop about why she started her business with her daughter. She taught the troop how to make a no-melt wax candle. The troop had a blast filling their jars with bright colored, yummy smelling crystals. | |
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| Quick Links |
See What's New at the Council Shop!
Summer Hours:
May 18 - August 15
Offices:
Monday - Thursday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Shop:
Monday - Thursday 10:00 am - 3:30 pm
Closed: Fri. - Sun.
Council Shop will open on Friday, May 22 and May 29 from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm.
Offices and Shop will be closed Mon., May 25 for Memorial Day. | |
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| Summer Camp Rocks! |
 Are you a Brownie or Junior Leader? Do your girls want to go camping but you don't feel quite comfortable taking them on your own? Then TROOP CAMP is for you.
Have fun camping with a minimal amount of leader planning and preparation. Brownie and Junior Thing are geared for girls ages 6-11 (bridging Daisies, Brownies and Juniors) to try out camp with their troop. Enthusiastic camp staff lead all camp activities.
Each girl and her buddy will sign up for the activities they choose. There will be hiking, archery, singing, crafts, nature games and more! On day one, troops will join in on the skits, singing & s'mores. Day two will be filled with sports, games, outdoor skills, dancing and drama. Choose either an outdoor cookout or a lunch hike to a beautiful mountaintop. That last evening we'll host a fun theme party. Bring costumes and props if you'd like! See our website or the Camp Brochure for details. Fee includes two nights lodging, five meals, snacks, a campfire program, theme night, program equipment and supplies. Leaders are free per Safety-Wise standards and are not required to have outdoor training. All troop camps arrive at 1:00 p.m. and depart at 10:00 a.m. See you there!
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| Campership Scholarships Available |
Thanks to the generous support of the Arizona Daily Star Sportsmen's Fund and some individual donors, SGSC has campership scholarships available. The donors prefer that the scholarship be utilized for Resident Camp. You can find an Opportunity Fund form in your Camp brochure or online at www.GirlScoutsSouthernArizona.org . If you have questions about eligibility please contact, Sherry Bullis, 520-319-3142 or sbullis@sahuarogsc.org . |
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An Early Registration Celebration! |
 Who: All Girl Scouts!
When: Friday, June 5, 2009; Check-in 7:30-8:00 pm; Pick-up Saturday, 7:00 am
Where: Catalina High School, 3645 East Pima, Tucson
Fee: Early register for the '09-'10 Girl Scout year by May 15, 2009 to attend this awesome Lock-In event for only $8.00 per girl (Cookie Credits can be applied!)
Come for all night Girl fun. Our thank you to Girl Scouts for all you do throughout the year, and for continuing on your Girl Scout Journey. See your Troop Leader or Juliette advisor for more information on how to early register. Online registrations for the Back Again Blast will begin May 1, 2009. For more information contact Morgiana at 520-319-3160 mcorrea@sahuarogsc.org or Niki at nhoffman@sahuarogsc.org 520-319-3157. |
| 2009 Annual Meeting, April 22, 2009 |
 At the Sahuaro Girl Scout Council Annual Meeting held on Wednesday, April 22 at the Hacienda Program Center, delegates voted to pass bylaw changes which allow the board more flexibility in selecting the date of the Annual Meeting, adds electronic transmission as a means of notice, and additional ways to participate in a council meeting and vote.
Bylaw changes approved include changing the Nominating Committee to the Board Development Committee, with additional duties in keeping with the change adopted by Girl Scouts of the USA at the National Convention in October 2008. The number of terms members can be elected was also extended, which aids in continuity.
"Nominating Committee" will be replaced with "Board Development Committee" throughout the bylaws for consistency. "Chairman" will be replaced with "Chair" throughout the bylaws in keeping with standard contemporary usage.
A slate of officers, board members at large and Board Development Committee members was elected by a majority vote. Board officers for the 2009-2011 term will be: Bill Holmes, Chair; Betsy Green, 1st Vice Chair; Thomas Sayler-Brown, 2nd Vice Chair, Mary Cochran Wolk, Secretary; Ana Nygren, Treasurer.
Board members at large elected for the 2009-2011 term are: Tamara Jones; Karen Mathey; Cindy Petti; Cindy Regens.
Board members at large elected for 2009-2010 term are Cheryl Horvath and Pat Sturmon.
Board Development Committee members elected for 2009-2011 are: Jan Howard and Tamara Jones.
Outgoing board chair Susan C. Villarreal was honored with a review of council achievements during her two terms in office from 2005 to 2009. She was presented with a keepsake box of photos and mementos and the gavel she used while in office.
Susan presented new board chair Bill Holmes with a lovely Girl Scout necktie, and a pin-on button stating "Ask Me Why I'm A Girl Scout".
Congratulations to the board officers, board members at large and Board Development Committee members on their election! |
| Girls and Women of Distinction Ceremony, April 18, 2009 |
Many volunteers earned their year pins.Kay Rukasin, left, earned her 55 year pin and Lela Freiman, right, earned her 50 year pin.  |
| Area Forum Review |
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The 2009 Area Forum question was posed via an on-line survey in January 2009. The link was sent to all delegates and also posted on the Sahuaro Girl Scout Council website. Responses were collected until March 31, 2009.
In response the question: Should Sahuaro Girl Scout engage in a fall product sale? 30.6% of respondents answered yes and 69.4% of the respondent answered no.
When asked if a fall product sale would compete with school fundraising 77.1% answered yes and 22.9% answered no. Taken together the responses indicate that the Council should not facilitate a fall product sale program therefore the Council will not facilitate a calendar or nut sale in the fall. |
| Asthma Awareness Patch |
 Learning about the respiratory system and how we breathe is the basis of the Asthma Awareness Program: Helping Girls Breathe Easier. Girls will develop knowledge of asthma triggers, making healthy choices such as avoiding cigarette smoke and eating healthy foods, and practicing relaxation techniques. By completing activities and earning the patch, girls can help create asthma awareness by reaching out to their community. Empowering girls to take charge of their health can lead to increased self-esteem and responsible decision-making.
You can download the Asthma Awareness Program book (English or Spanish version) containing patch activities for Girl Scouts of all age levels. ( Each age level contains objectives, activities complete with key points and materials needed, and program links to other Girl Scout awards. The bilingual patch, UPC #26720, retail $1.00, can be ordered through the Council Shop. |
Cookie News
Product/Retail Program Manager: Kristen Hernandez 520-319-3172, 1-800-331-6782, ext. 3172 or e-mail khernandez@sahuarogsc.org Product Program Assistant: Kim Maine 520-319-3148, 1-800-331-6782, ext. 3148 or e-mail kmaine@sahuarogsc.org Cookie Hotline: 520-319-3163 |
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Thank You Volunteers!
With the help of our many hardworking volunteers, parents and most importantly our dedicated Girl Scouts, the 2009 Cookie Program was a success with over 760,000 boxes sold. Girls will be celebrated during the month of May with their recognitions, 500+ Event and 1000+ Event. A heart-felt thank you to all Troop Cookie Managers, Cookie Drop Volunteers, Troop Leaders, all volunteers and parents who gave their time and great efforts to making the Cookie Program possible.
A special thank you to the following volunteers who have gone above and beyond to provide support and guidance for troops:
- Area Team Cookie Managers:
Annette Weneck, Cheryl Dimmick, Jon Moredock and Pam Taylor.
- Service Unit Cookie Managers:
Laura Trujillo, Dorothy Pederson, Beth Sutherland, Rhonda Ellerd, Cheryl Dimmick, John and Patrice Mcintyre, Annette Weneck, Jon Moredock, Lisa Frank, Jennifer McConnell, Lourdes Mora, Cheryl Bartlett, Elise Kohagura, Polly Gyger, Marney Fairbanks, Sharon Lotts, Yvonne Padilla, Gina Gibbons, Dawn Henderson, Cecilia Moore, Ann Metropolis, Jeanne Lichtas, Jacquline Montoya, Susan Israels and Brooke Valmont.
- Cupboard Volunteers:
Paula Collins, Rhonda Ellerd, Michelle Samaniego, Julie Zeibak, Susan Israels, Sharon Lotts and Polly Gyger. |
| Sahuaro Girl Scout Council 2008-2009 Stewardship Report |
| Our membership continues to grow. We increased girl membership by 900 girls for a total of 13,121 girls. This is especially impressive with national Girl Scout membership declining.
We were able to implement the national shift to the new Girl Scout levels that coincide with grade levels. Leaders participated in the Leader Essentials Training, which helped them understand and embrace the new Girl Scout Leadership Journey. The new Leadership Journey defines how girls Discover, Connect, and take action through programs which are girl-led and involve cooperative and experiential learning.
The number of volunteer-led Girl Scout troops grew over the year. We saw an increase in Daisy troops and a marked increase in troops for high school girls. Joining our 6000 traditional girls in volunteer-led Girl Scout troops were an additional 7000 girls who experienced the Movement through alternate pathways. Our Community Girl Scout Troop programs grew with support from our generous corporate and foundation donor partners. Our college-age leadership corps staff members worked with girls in over 60 community settings to provide a Girl Scout experience. 30% of our Community Troop programs transitioned to volunteer-led troops. We welcomed Girl Scout troops in charter, middle and high schools that serve at-risk populations. We also welcomed troops for girls living in transitional housing and those in foster care. The Juliette program is also growing. We have a partnership with Big Brothers/Big Sisters and are happy to report that the Bigs and Littles are experiencing Girl Scouting as they build their bonds and relationships!
We are particularly proud of our troops at the KARE Family Center. We have Daisy through Cadette Girl Scouts who meet at KARE once a week. These girls are being raised primarily by foster grandparents. The girls have flourished this year. Many girls and their grandmothers enjoyed the "Mom and Me" camp at Whispering Pines thanks to the generous donation from the Arizona Sportsmen's fund.
We raised approximately $450,000 in the area of public support. We have grown our restricted gift grants as well as our direct reimbursement grants; however, we have not performed as well in the area of individual giving (Friends of Girl Scouts). We held weekly community briefings leading up to the "Ask Event" in November "Experiencing the Movement" which generated $36,480.
The ADA (Angel) cabin and the Troop House at Whispering Pines were completed in time for summer campers. We finally had to ask County Supervisor Ray Carroll to intervene on our behalf with the county building inspector. We have been trying to build these cabins since 2005.
We completed our CPI evaluation, otherwise known as the Council Performance Indicator, with Girl Scouts of the USA. Two areas we need to work on are the percentage of public support which I previously spoke about, and retention of first year leaders.
The positive results produced a renewal of our council charter from Girl Scouts of the USA.
Delegates led by Susan Villarreal attended our 51st National Girl Scout Convention, held in Indianapolis. Several proposals were addressed. An increase in membership dues from $10 to $12 was approved with implementation beginning in October.
Ten Sahuaro Girl Scouts traveled to Germany and our Girl Scout World Center, "Our Chalet" in Switzerland. Partial funds for this trip were raised from the "Happening at the Hacienda" silent auction. Our next Wider Opportunities trip is being planned for India.
We are extremely proud of the fact that every girl in Girl Scouting had the opportunity to participate in the cookie program last year. These include our Daisy Girl Scouts as well as our Community Troop girls! The cookie program was truly remarkable! 35,000 boxes of cookies found their way into the hands of deployed military personnel.
Our Council continues to grow membership and serve more girls in diverse communities with a variety of progressive programs while still maintaining our Girl Scout traditions.
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Yours in Girl Scouting,
The Staff at Sahuaro Girl Scout Council
Thank You, Maxwell Aesthetics
for sponsoring this e-mail!
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