Register now for our Believe in Girls Walk/Run on Nov. 24. The walk/run will begin at the GSEM Service Center. Join us as we "move" into our next 100 years of Girl Scouting. Participate in a five mile walk/run or a one mile walk/run. This is a perfect event for your troop as well as the whole family. Every participant will receive a "one of a kind" participation medal and a T-shirt. Visit our website for more information.

Come support our Girl Scout FIRST® LEGO® League teams! GSEM is currently working with 20 amazing FLL teams who are learning to build and program a robot and research the "Senior Solutions" challenge of improving the quality of life for seniors. Come see what the program is all about and cheer our Girl Scout teams on at the regional qualifying events. Qualifiers are free, open to the public and take place on the following dates:

Saturday 11/10/12

Q1 - Brittany Woods Middle School

Q2 - Hazelwood East Middle Schools

Sunday 11/11/12

Q3 - Bishop DuBourg High School

Q4 - Brittany Woods Middle School

Saturday 11/17/12

Q5 - MICDS

Q6 - St. Charles Community College

Sunday 11/18/12

Q7 - MICDS

Q8 - St. Charles Community College

The Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri is sponsoring a water station during the Rock 'N' Roll marathon, and we need volunteers to help hand out water to participants. This is a great way to help these fantastic athletes and to get us ready for our own race coming up on Nov. 24. Please sign up to help. The greatest need for this event is at our Girl Scout water station during the race and at the start and finish lines. Please indicate your availabilty during the volunteer registration.

For more information, contact Nicole Dalton, 314.592.2312, ndalton@girlscoutsem.org.

If you're planning to include a hayride in your troop activities this fall, the following steps should be followed.

When preparing for any activity with girls, always begin with the Safety Activity Checkpoints, written specifically for the activity. 

For example:

- Girls do not ride in the hauling vehicle

- The driver of the hauling vehicle is licensed to drive a vehicle in the jurisdiction and is at least 21 years of age

- The hauled vehicle must meet all state and local safety requirements and displays proper identification showing that these conditions have been met

- The hauled vehicle has protective sides and rear fencing or gates, as well as rear lights in working order

- The hay or straw is properly stacked to prevent slipping

- Sufficient seating space is allowed for each person

- Girls and adults remain seated during the ride

The hayride takes place on private property at maximum speed of 10 miles per hour. Public roads and highways are not used.

In addition, a certificate of insurance (COI) in the amount of $1 million liability naming Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri, Inc. as additional insured should be secured from the hayride operator. The COI should be mailed, faxed or emailed to:

Kathy Dabrowski, Director, Girl Development, 2300 Ball Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146, 314.214.3024, kdabrowski@girlscoutsem.org

OR

Jennifer Morgan, Director, Camping Services and Facilities, 2300 Ball Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146,. 314.214.3063, jmorgan@girlscoutsem.org

View a list of venues that have provided the Council with a COI.

The theme of this year's iconic Girl Scout Cookie Program is "What Can a Girl Do?" Cookie packages have a fresh new look that helps tell this story, showing the breadth of activities that Girl Scouts do today. The theme has also been incorporated into a variety of new cookie resources, which girls and volunteers can explore at www.girlscoutcookies.org.

Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri has developed several new initiatives for the 2013 Cookie Program. We have enhanced the rewards that girls can earn, including items that girls voted as their favorites as well as two GSEM Unique Experiences, a Kindle Fire and an iPad. We are working with a variety of St. Louis businesses to organize Corporate Cookie Booths that will be conducted by older Girl Scouts. In addition, we have expanded our Cookie Share program to offer a Troop to Troop option, where donated Girl Scout Cookies will be delivered to GSEM to the local USO for United States military personnel.

Girl Scout Cookies are a beloved tradition that provide an important source of funds for troops and our Council. These funds are used within our community to provide programs and events for girls, training for adult volunteers who work with girls and maintenance of our local Girl Scout camps.

For more information, please go to www.girlscoutsem.org and click on the Cookie Program banner. In the meantime, mark your calendar for January 12, 2013 (Cookie GO Day), when girls begin taking orders.

GSEM invites Girl Scouts of all ages to earn a special centennial patch to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouting. This patch will be available to purchase in the GS Shop through March 12, 2013.

Below is an example of one of the Centennial Patch Program activities that girls may choose to do with their friends at a Girl Scout meeting.

Discover: Activity 6: Dig for Your Girl Scout Roots

History is remembering and interpreting past events, either in writing, orally or what is physically preserved. Exploring history connects us to the past and prepares us for the future. It provides us with first hand knowledge of events connected with a particular person or thing. If it were not for accounts of the past, we would not know our Girl Scout heritage. Many Girl Scouts know that Juliette Gordon Low was born in Savannah, Georgia on Oct. 31, 1860. But, did you know that she stood on her head every year on her birthday? To help celebrate the heritage of Girl Scouting, plan a birthday party this month in honor of Juliette's birthday, and as one of the activities, have everyone stand on their head.

Find out more about Girl Scout history.

Contacts:

Vivianne Frye-Perry, Urban Team, 314.592.2366, vperry@girlscoutsem.org

Lucretia Penn, Suburban Team, 314.592.2337, lpenn@girlscoutsem.org

Jessica Upchurch, Rural Team, 314.592.2359, jupchurch@girlscoutsem.org

All Ages

Honor our Veterans at the 29th Annual Veterans Day Observance

Nov. 10, 9:30 am-2:30 pm

Veterans Day is a day to honor all veterans who have served our country. By participating in the Veterans Day acitivties, we show our gratitude for the personal sacrifice veterans made in serving our country. Girl Scouts are invited to come out and show their civic spirit by creating and displaying a poster or sign on the parade route thanking veterans for their service. The parade will begin at noon on Tucker and Chestnut, go west on Chestnut to 14th, south on 14th to Market, west on Market to Union Station at 20th and the parade ends at 20th Street. Come out and enjoy the parade, family fun area, military displays and great food.

If you plan to attend the parade to show your support, please RSVP by Nov. 1 by posting on the Soldiers Memorial Facebook page under events.

For more information, visit www.stlsoldiersmemorial.org.

The Fabulous Fox

527 North Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103, 314.534.1678

The Fabulous Fox is celebrating 30 years of Broadway with discounts for Girl Scouts. Once a show goes on sale, Girl Scout groups of 10 or more can purchase tickets online, by phone, at the Fox Box Office or by filling out the mail order form. Find out more information.

Nutcracker on Ice

Dec. 8 and 9, shows at 2 pm and 5 pm @ Webster Groves Ice Arena, 33 E. Glendale Road., Webster Groves, MO 63119

Bring your troop to the Nutcracker on Ice, St. Louis' premier ice show. Girl Scouts of all ages will enjoy this abridged one-hour version of the Nutcracker. Skaters in costume will glide across the shimmering ice to Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite with a magical castle and holiday sets as the backdrop. The cast includes 100 area figure skaters including high level competitive skaters that will spin and jump their way through this holiday classic. Our special Girl Scout group ticket is $10 and includes reserved seating, collectible Nutcracker on Ice custom patch, meet and greet with the cast prior to the show, a show treat bag and free Troop Leader tickets. Shows do sell out, so plan your outing early and reserve your tickets as soon as possible. 

For ticket information, go to www.nutcrackeronice.org, and contact gstickets@nutcrackeronice.org for questions.

Radio City Christmas Spectacular

Come to Girl Scout Night at the Peabody Opera House on Nov. 9 for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring The Rockettes. Tickets start at just $25 and a special pre-show presentation will begin at 6:30 pm.

For more information, visit http://peabodyoperahouse.com/events/girl-scout-night.

Learn and Earn at Leftovers, etc.

1759a Scherer Parkway, St. Charles, MO, 636.946.9779

Leftovers, etc. offers year round Journey, Legacy and Skill Building Badge workshops for all levels of Girl Scouts. Choose your date, time (9 am-8 pm) and select your workshop and we do the rest. Visit the website and click on "Programs/Scouting Experience" to view the entire list of workshops offered and to obtain information about our Girl Scout discount program - the MOB Squad. Register your class online or register to receive our newsletter. Cost is $8 per Girl Scout per 90 minute session, $5 for members of the MOB Squad ($7 yearly membership) and adults are free. No tagalongs. There is a maximum of 25 Girl Scouts per session.

International Girls Day

Nov. 17, 10 am-3 pm @ St. Louis University

$14 per girl includes lunch, tote bag and T-shirt

Submit: Individual Program Application on page 67 of Lead & Learn, postmarked by Oct. 19

Come enjoy a program focused on YOU. Meet new friends who will empower you, explore healthy habits that will include crafts and workshops and dance with friends. This event is being offered in collaboration with the Kappa Delta Sorority.

Contact Nancy Riemann, 314.592.2331, nriemann@girlscoustem.org

 Grades 1-12

Great Amazing Race for Youth

Nov. 11, 1-5 pm @ Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park, 2348 Creve Coeur Mill Rd., St. Louis 63146

Cost for team entry is $30 (adult/kid or kid/kid), one or both participants must be a student in grades 1-12

As a thank you to the Girl Scouts for their dedication to youth development, all Girl Scout families can enjoy 25% off admission to participate in the Great Amazing Race for Youth, a fun and memory-making family activity. Kids in grades 1-12 pair up with a parent, grandparent, sibling or mentor and compete in a series of fun challenges patterned after the show The Amazing Race. Whether you run, jog, walk or watch, it'll be an experience you'll never forget.

This rain or shine event pits teams of two against other teams across a one-mile cross-country course. Clue cards at each station instruct the teams to complete a task (game, relay, obstacle course, etc) before proceeding to the next challenge station. Contestants should be prepared to get a little dirty and wet - it's part of the fun!

Sign up now at www.GreatAmazingRace.com; click on St. Louis. Enter Girl Scouts in the Courtesy Of box at the bottom of the registration page to qualify for the special rate. Online registration will close once the 100 team limit is reached.

Contact Race Director, 513.518.0528 or email info@flyingcolorsports.com for more information.

Volunteer and receive a free team entry for your family. Sign up at www.GreatAmazingRace.com and click on St. Louis.

Grades 2-10

Girl Scout Days at the Science Center

Dec. 1 & 2 @ St. Louis Science Center

Registration for Girl Scout Days is now open. Come celebrate in science-style with two full days of programs and discounts just for Girl Scouts. All girls in uniform will be able to take advantage of discounts for Omnimax films, tickets to the James S. McDonnell Planetarium and the Discovery Room. Call 314.289.4400 or 1.800.456.SLSC x400 to register.

- $8 per workshop per Girl Scout or $7 for SLSC members.

- Parking is $10 per vehicle in the main lot and free at the Planetarium lot. Drivers who park in the main lot can pick up a $5 parking coupon at check-in.

- Free chaperones must attend the workshops at a ratio of one for every five children, but they do not need to register. Additional chaperones may be asked to leave the classroom if space is at a premium.

- Activity patches are not available at the Science Center. All girls will receive a souvenir participation patch and a 2012 rocker segment. Girls who have already received a souvenir patch from a previous Girl Scout Days will get the 2012 rocker segment.

Grades 4-8

 GECCo

Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts invites you to check out their Girls' Energy Conservation Corps (GECCo). GECCo is a program for Girl Scout Juniors and Cadettes that focuses on energy conservation. Girls will have fun as they learn how energy is used and wasted, how energy use directly connects them to climate change and how to change their energy-use behaviors. Find out more here.

Grades 6-12

Prudential Spirit of Community Awards

If you've made a difference through volunteering over the past year, you could win $1,000 and a fabulous trip to Washington, D.C, next May by applying for a Prudential Spirit of Community Award. Even more importantly, you could win recognition that might inspire other young people to follow your example. These prestigious awards, sponsored by Prudential Financial and the National Association of Secondary School Principals, have honored more than 100,000 middle and high school students at the local, state and national level over the past 17 years, solely for their volunteer work.

How to apply:

- Visit http://spirit.prudential.com or www.nassp.org/spirit, click on the "Apply Now" link and follow the on-screen instructions; If you need a paper application form, call 877.525.8491

- Before submitting your application, you and your parent or guardian must complete the student/parent agreement page, which can be found on the last tab of the application

- Go to the "Certification" page to either email certification insurance to Jessica Upchuch,(jupchurch@girlscoutsem.org) or print them out and hand deliver them; This must be done by November 6, 2012

If you have additional questions, contact Jessica Upchurch, 314.592.2359, jupchurch@girlscoutsem.org.

Taking Charge of Your Troop

Nov. 4, 1:30-4 pm @ Mt. Zion Church on Craig Rd.

 Submit: Individual Program Application on page 67 of Lead & Learn by Oct. 30

In this free workshop for Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors, girls will learn how to effectively lead their troop with leadership basics skills, goal setting, team building, conflict resolution and parliamentary procedures. Troop Leaders will attend the Training Girls to Take Charge workshop held at the same time and location.

Please write Taking Charge of Your Troop Nov. 4 at the top of the application.

Grades 7-11

Program Aide Core Training (PACT)

Nov. 12 and 29, 6:30-9 pm @ GSEM Service Center

$10 per girl for both sessions

Submit: Individual Program Application on page 67 of Lead & Learn by Oct. 30

The Program Aide Core Training course prepares girls for working with younger Girl Scouts in various situations. This training is geared for girls who are registered Girl Scout Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors AND girls in grades 7-11 during the 2012-2013 program year. This course has two sessions that will be facilitated on Nov. 12 and 29. Girls must attend both sessions.

Please be sure to write Program Aide Core Training at the top of the application.