Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida

www.gssef.org                                                                                                           April 1, 2015
                                                                    
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Mark Your Calendar!   

You don't want to miss any of the great things happening at GSSEF. calendar-banner-yellow.jpg

 

Feeding Florida Together Food Drive: April 1 -30    

Volunteer Weekend: April 10-12 

Annual Meeting: April 11  

Annual Thin Mint Sprint: April 12
Volunteer Appreciation Week: April 12 - 18
Early Bird Re-Registration: April 15 - May 31
Gems of STEM:  May 2         
        
Save the Date: Girl Scout Leader Appreciation Day: April 22
GSSEF Staff Meeting on Thursday, April 2
GSSEF Service Centers  will be closed on Thursday, April 2, for an all-day staff meeting. GSSEF Retail Stores will be open.  Service Centers will re-open on Monday, April 6.
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Annual Council Meeting, April 11

 

 Oakland Park Service Center  

4701 N.W. 33rd Avenue, Oakland Park 

9:30 a.m. -  Registration and Light Continental Breakfast

10:00 a.m. - Call to Order

 

Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida will hold its Annual Meeting on Saturday, April 11, 2015. All girl members over the age of 14 years and all registered adult volunteer members are welcome to attend this meeting as visitors. There is no charge to attend.

 

Business items on the agenda include a report of the stewardship of the Council and the election of members-at-large and officers to the board of directors and members of the board development committee. In addition, there will be reports on outdoor program progression and the GSSEF Long Range Property Plan Task Group insights, strategies and recommendations.

 

RSVP

To RSVP for the meeting, please email Gina Deighan at gdeighan@gssef.org.

 

 archery 

After the Annual Meeting

Come join us for s'mores and an archery demonstration immediately following the Annual Council Meeting.

      

Girls want to be outdoors frequently, and in varied ways. The Girl Scout Research Institute's More Than S'Mores report found that girls with more frequent and longer-in-duration outdoor experiences are more likely to seek challenges and better prepared to solve problems - qualities that will advance them personally and academically. Participating regularly in outdoor activities also helps girls develop competence, interpersonal skills and a sense of being able to make a difference for the environment.

 

And actually being outdoors has similar benefits for adults as well! So plan to stay and enjoy the outdoors with us. We'll even save you a marshmallow. 

 

   
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Who's Ready to go to Camp? GSSEF Summer Camp is Here
Spring has sprung and summer will be here before you know it! Now is the perfect time to plan summer activities with your girl. GSSEF has packed June, July and August full of Summer Camp sessions for girls at every grade level. Prices range from $6.00 per person for campfires, up to $70.00 per girl for longer overnight sessions. 
 
Visit our Summer Camp web page here to learn all about the different camp sessions, locations and times and general camp information. You'll also find registration links for each of the sessions on the web page.

Register her for a GSSEF summer session and make this summer the best one she's ever had!

If you have a question, email Lammy Askar at aaskar@gssef.org.


 

Calling All Adult Volunteers and Older Girls! 

Is there a camp that catches your eye that you'd like to volunteer for? GSSEF is seeking dedicated adult volunteers and older girls to work alongside our Camp Director to create, plan and facilitate Summer Camp programs. Camp sessions will be held on weekends throughout the months of June, July and August. We're looking for volunteers to assist with day programs as well as overnight weekend camp.

Interested? Contact the Director of Program, Lammy Askar, at  aaskar@gssef.org.

  

   

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New Outdoor Badge Series

To celebrate its 103rd birthday this year, Girl Scouts of the USA is introducing a new series of Outdoor Badges, chosen by Girl Scouts themselves. Through several polls, girls got to vote for the theme, activities and designs of the badges.    

Outdoor Explorer was chosen to be the theme, with five age-specific badge offerings: Outdoor Adventurer, Horseback Riding, Archery, Paddling (paddle sports such as kayaking, canoeing, and stand-up paddle boarding), and Ultimate Recreation Challenge.

 

Badge design results were revealed on March 25. Check out the designs here. 

 

Later this summer, free digital downloads of the badge requirements will be available. We will include the latest information in E-News as it becomes available.  

 

   

 

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Program Spotlight   

  

GSSEF Feeding Florida Together Food Drive

April 1 - 30   

Did you know that 1 in 4 children in Florida go to bed hungry and don't get enough food to live active, healthful lives? As Girl Scouts, we can come together to take a bite out of these numbers and help feed the hungry in our local communities. Join us for our Annual GSSEF Feeding Florida Together Food Drive, and help us collect non-perishable food items. Local food banks need your help to stock their pantries and prevent hunger even when it is not the holiday season. We encourage you to reach out to your local community to help us in our mission to fill the food pantries during this month!  

  

To learn what food items are most in need and food donation drop-off locations, click here.  Girls will receive a really cool patch for their participation.  

 

Show off your Community Service Spirit! We want to see your girls in action. Send photos of your troop dropping off their food donations to marcomm@gssef.org.

   
  
Journey In A Day  
May 2: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. 
Come out to Camp Nocatee and explore the It's Your Planet, Love It! Journey all in one day! Each girl will participate in age appropriate workshops to complete their grade-level leadership awards. Spritz on some sunscreen, plan a picnic lunch, and pack up for a fun-filled, environmental awareness day!

Check out the flier for more information or email Catalina Cano at ccano@gssef.org or Meredith Slaymaker at  mslaymaker@gssef.org.


    
Annual Girl Scout Thanks-A-Lot Weekends
Celebrate your troop accomplishments with a girls' getaway to Nickelodeon Suites Resort! Grab your troop members and do-si-do to the Nickelodeon Suites Resort to enjoy sweet rewards during their Annual Girl Scout Thanks-A-Lot Weekend event (select weekends April - June, 2015). For additional information, click here.    


 

New Program Contacts

Lammy Askar, director of program - aaskar@gssef.org 

Catalina Cano, regional program manager -  ccano@gssef.org 

Meredith Slaymaker, regional program manager - mslaymaker@gssef.org 

Diana Mills, program registrar - dmills@gssef.org 

  

 
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I Can't Wait for My Next Girl Scout Adventure!

Troop #10550 

Troop #10550 Bronze Award project involves working with Broward Meals On Wheels to help home-bound seniors care for their pets.

 

Troop #20177
As part of earning the "make the world a better place" petal, Troop #20177 teamed up  with the Sea Angels for a beach clean up.
Check-out more photos on GSSEF'S Flickr page. Do you have photos from troop or service unit activities that you would like to share? We'd love to give you a shout out. To submit, complete this short form here.
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2015 Cookie Sale Program Results - Extreme Team, Top Sellers and Other Rewards 

We have concluded another exciting Girl Scout Cookie Sale Program. Through all of the challenges - girls, parents and volunteers rose to the occasion and sold cookies like this was the last opportunity they would ever have. Congratulations to every girl, parent and volunteer who helped make this such a successful Cookie Sale Program.

 

Please remember to celebrate all the achievements within your troop! Because of you, the girls in your troop had a great time selling Girl Scout Cookies while learning and developing positive life skills they will use throughout their entire lifetime!

 

Just how many girls made this year's Extreme Team? Who were the top sellers? How many girls sold 2015 boxes or more? How many Service Units qualified for the 3-6-9 bonus? How many troops and girls will receive the Troop Initial Order Reward? To find out, click here.

 

 

 
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Last Call to Register - Annual Thin Mint Sprint  
The first 300 to register will receive a T-shirt, and a box of Girl Scout Cookies will be given to ALL finishers!
Run, jog or walk - just don't miss out on all the fun of participating in our annual Thin Mint Sprint. This family-friendly event will take place on Sunday, April 12 at Okeeheelee Park in West Palm Beach. The race is shaping up to be the best one yet with plenty of fun activities for all.   

The 5K portion of the morning is a chip-timed race on a certified course, and the 100-yard dash is open to children eight and under. Registered Girl Scouts will receive a participation patch.

For questions, contact Mandy Allen at aallen@gssef.org.   
To register for the event, click here.   

  

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Annual Gems of STEM: May 2  
Please join us as we honor four women* from St. Lucie County who have excelled in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math at the second annual Gems of STEM Luncheon. This year's event will take place on Saturday, May 2, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m at the Kight Center for Emerging Technologies at Indian River State College.  

*2015 Gems of STEM Honorees: 
Science: Dr. Juliette Lomax-Homier - Just Ladies Healthcare
Technology: Jessica Fernandez - Indian River State College
Engineering: Sue Zheng - Florida Department of Transportation
Math: Cyndee Shevak - John Carroll High School

Also, the recipient of the 2015 Julia Jackson Leader Award will be announced during the Gems of STEM Luncheon. This award honors and recognizes a Girl Scout Leader from St. Lucie County who demonstrates exceptional leadership qualities and works toward accomplishing the mission of Girl Scouting.

Tickets are just $50 per person, and the luncheon will be complete with a silent auction and chance drawing. You can now purchase your Gems of STEM Luncheon tickets online here.

Sponsorship opportunities are available. Please contact Mandy Allen at (561) 427-0190 with any questions. 

    
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Updated Troop Forms  and Documents on the Volunteer Vault Page
You can easily locate the most up to date forms and documents on our Volunteer Vault web page. If a form or a document has been revised or updated, it will be noted next to the link with the month and year. This illustrates the reason it is important to check the Volunteer Vault prior to completing a form.

Please Note: the following forms or documents have been recently updated: Volunteer Policies and Procedures; Hold Harmless Agreement; International Travel Form for Minors; Troop Disband, Troop Group Travel Form; Troop Money Earning Application; Troop Money Earning Evaluation.

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Happy Volunteer Appreciation Week: April 12 - 18
Click here to learn how you can send a fun shareable card to an amazing Girl Scout volunteer that you know.

All Girl Scout volunteers deserve one big collective Thank You from all of us. They give freely of their time and themselves to mentor and to fuel girls imagination to think big and dream big. And to make the world and their communities a better place.

Girl Scouts of the USA has joined with Points of Light, the world's largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, to celebrate service together during Volunteer Appreciation Week, April 12-18.

During this special week, take a moment or two to think of all the Girl Scout volunteers that you know and appreciate so you can thank them for all they do.
 



Cool Girl Scout Gear All Year-Roundtalk
Have you made a visit to one of our retail stores lately? There is plenty of new merchandise to check out. Our stores have everything you need to make it your best Girl Scout year ever! You'll find Girl Guides,  Journeys books, official uniforms, pins, T-shirts, badges, fun patches and more.

Browse GSUSA's Online Catalog
Questions? Contact Jodi Potter at jpotter@gssef.org.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter, to stay connected about retail specials.

Our Online Store is Always Open
Remember you can also shop from the comfort of your home by visiting our Online Store that is open 24/7.
  
Spring has Sprung - Check out all the Colorful Spring Merchandise
Our Retail Stores are filled with the bright colors of spring as in volunteer patches, Leader Day patches, colorful slap bracelets, metallic tattoos, mini-notebooks and more. See what just might make the perfect treat for this time of year.
girlCalling all Girl Scouts
Please email your Girl Scouts Give Back story and photo to sbeigh@gssef.org.
askRegistration Questions
Please email our Membership Registrar, Mileneda Joseph, at mjoseph@gssef.org.
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