Dear Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida Families:   At our GSSEF Annual Meeting last April, we shared the recommendations resulting from the work of a volunteer Long Range Property Planning Task Group and approved by our Board of Directors. Among those recommendations was the following: Cease running (i.e. maintaining or offering) Camp Telogia in Parkland; explore sale of the property as follows: Sell the 3 acres currently owned by the council and explore feasibility of selling the remaining 10 acres, with approval from Broward County **or** Sell the 3 acres currently owned by the council and relinquish the remaining 10 acres to Broward County. This recommendation followed months of data collection and review. The task group reviewed five years of financial information, donation trends, membership data and property usage. They conducted focus groups and surveyed girls, parents and volunteers as part of their work. They explored and debated every option before reaching their conclusions. In addition to the recommendation regarding Camp Telogia, the group also recommended the consolidation of offices into a single Council headquarters and the implementation of a mobile retail operation. After approval by the board of directors, sub-committees were formed to work on plans for implementation of each recommendation. Over the last 10 months, under the guidance of our Board of Directors, Council staff and volunteers have been working in partnership to determine the appropriate next steps and a timeline for implementation regarding Camp Telogia. We have also conducted our due diligence regarding the exploration of the sale of the acreage that required approval from Broward County and have concluded that the Broward County Commission will not support allowing us to sell that property for the benefit of Girl Scouts. Late last year, members of the Long Range Property Planning Task Group reconvened at Camp Telogia to further discuss their recommendation and develop a timeline for implementation. This group also considered a request by a group of volunteers to revisit their recommendation. They reviewed cost estimates for making needed maintenance and upgrades to the property and considered security concerns based on data from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Ultimately, they reaffirmed their original recommendation and developed a timeline that would support all existing reservations and provide ample time for girls and volunteers to plan programs and activities on the property prior to its closure. That timeline, which was approved by our Board of Directors, is as follows:   Overnight use of Camp Telogia will stop effective June 1, 2016. We currently have reservations on the property through May and will honor all of those requests. No overnight reservations will be accepted for dates after June 1, 2016. We are currently accepting reservations through May 31. Daytime activities at Camp Telogia will continue until June 1, 2017. Troop, Service Unit and Council Activities will take place on the property until this date. Beginning June 1, 2016 troops and service units will be able to book Camp Telogia for events and activities up to 2 months in advance. Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida will explore relinquishing the 10-acre property to Broward County on or after June 1, 2017. Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida will explore the sale of the 3-acre parcel owned without restriction. No imminent plans regarding this property have been made and, as this property is located outside the fence of the Camp Telogia property, they will have no impact on the timeline outlined above.   We know that Camp Telogia holds a special place in the hearts of many of our Girl Scout families and Alumnae. We are committed to providing access to Camp Telogia over the next 17 months and encourage troops and service units to reserve time on the property and host programs and activities. Our commitment to the health and safety of our girls and everyone who visits our property is paramount. We currently have plans to make needed repairs to sites in order to accommodate our reservations through May 31, 2016. After that time, we will evaluate repair projects on a case by case basis. This may result in some facilities not being available after June 1, 2016 should they be determined to be a safety risk.   We appreciate that the decision to close any Girl Scout property is an unpopular one, and we can assure you that this was not one that was reached lightly. Outdoor program in our Council will continue to flourish at Camp Nocatee and Camp Welaka. With 640-acres each, these properties are poised to support the kinds of programs and activities that Girl Scouts of all ages will love. From the first-time camper to the experienced outdoor explorer, we are committed to supporting the growth of outdoor programming for girls across our Council.   Should you have questions, please direct them to Lisa Johnson, Chief Strategy Officer, at ljohnson@gssef.org or 561-427-0175.   Yours in Girl Scouting,   Denise W. Valz Chief Executive Officer