2014 EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION UPDATE 

• The Early Bird 2014 Troop Registration Campaign begins May 1 and ends June 30, 2013
• The GSUSA national Girl Scout Membership Fee has increased to $15 for the 2014 year (effective for this Early Bird registration)
• Patches will be distributed to the Service Units before the new Girl Scout year begins October 1, 2013.
• Help is available: use the Contact Us button in eBiz, or contact your local Service Unit team or Membership Manager for assistance.  

VOLUNTEERS

DAISY CHAIN is growing! New Daisy Leader "Seed" packets, tracking sheets and Journeys are available.  Welcome to the new Daisy Troops that have formed across the Council.  Steinbeck and Ocean Hills Service Units share these successes:  Lincoln Elementary in Salinas, started one Daisy Troop last year and it  has now grown into four different troops.  At Marshall West Elementary in Seaside, a military mom looking for something to do with her daughters, started a Daisy Troop.  This school has not had a Daisy-only troop in years.  Way to go!  Look for more upcoming stories next month from new Daisies.  

NEW VIDEOS YOU CAN WATCH AND SHARE When you volunteer with girls, it's not just what you do, but how you do it. Watch this video, offered in English and Spanish, to learn more about how the Three Processes create a fun and meaningful experience for girls. 

ALL PROGRAM AGE LEVELS

CHECK OUT DIGITAL PROGRAMMING We all know girls spend lots of time in the virtual world and we have lots of BFF stuff going on there, too. Remember to tell girls and their grown-ups about our free, open-to-all, digital programming. Check it out so that you can pass it forward. Go to: BFF: Be a Friend First and check out: 

• Test Your Bullying IQ
• Bullying-Can You Recognize It?
• Test Your Online Etiquette
• Kindness Travels (try it yourself!!)
• Flip the Script (girls finish the cartoon story)
• Friendship First PSA Contest
• Real Girls Talk About Bullying video 

FOREVER GREEN ACTIVITY GUIDE AND PATCH PROGRAM 2013 will be available in mid-April. Similar to last year's program, girls can earn a free patch for their participation, and the patch has a fun new design for 2013! The FG Activity Guide will live on the GSCCC website and you can participate in the activities when you choose, based on your troop schedule. Watch your in-box for more details coming soon!

MY PROMISE, MY FAITH With Passover, Easter, and Ridvan being celebrated in March and April, this is a great time to focus on My Promise, My Faith.  You can get more information about this in your Girls Guide to Girl Scouting.  Several religions have partnerships and/or shared religious awards with Girl Scouts, i.e. Catholic, United Methodist, African Methodist Episcopal, Jewish, Baha'I, etc. Visit the GSUSA website. If you would be interested in doing a series around this topic, or would like more information and ideas, contact: Camille cjaque@girlscoutsccc.org

DISCOVER DESCUBRE - The Second Annual "Descubre Tu Communidad/Discover Your Community" Event and Series is coming to:

• OXNARD Saturday, May 4, 11am to 4pm at the Downtown Oxnard Plaza Park. Questions: Sylvia Kuaea skuaea@girlscoutsccc.org;
• SALINAS Saturday, May 18 from 1pm to 4pm at Northridge mall. Questions: Camille Jaque cjaque@girlscoutsccc.org;
• SANTA MARIA in June (date and location to come). Questions: Angelica Guerrero aguerrero@girlscoutsccc.org.   

To learn more about how to participate, volunteer and help to spread the word, please email or contact the people listed in the links above.    

COOKIE PROGRAM

THANK YOU for making the 2013 Cookie Sale Program the most successful in the history of Girl Scouts of California's Central Coast.  Over 1,119,000 boxes of Thin Mints, Samoas, etc., were sold through the hard work of determined girls and dedicated volunteers and parents.   

Questions: Desiree dstilwell@girlscoutsccc.org 

JUNIOR, CADETTE, SENIOR, AMBASSADOR 

ARTEMIS Summer Outdoor Leadership Camp registration is now live. A fun and life-enriching week of outdoor camp awaits you at Artemis. In addition to hiking, archery, swimming, sing-alongs, great food and good ol'camping fun, throughout the week of camp, campers will be taught the 11 Skills of Leadership by youth staff members. Campers will then have opportunities to practice and apply these skills in hands-on settings.  

Camp Artemis is girls leading girls towards the mastery of skills for life. Through recognition and development of their own leadership skills, girls learn to share these gifts with family, community and the world. Girls progress by age through three levels of leadership development at Camp Artemis:

• Courage (Phase I): to try new things (outdoor skills), to make new friends, and to strive to fully participate as part of a group
• Confidence (Phase II): to continue to challenge oneself with harder skills, and to learn how to lead a group
• Character (Phase III): to learn to move beyond oneself, to be independent, and to lead a group with honesty, fairness and inclusiveness

Have questions, want to know more about what this camp is all about?

• What is Artemis?
• Welcome to Artemis
• Artemis on Facebook 

To Register:

• Step 1 - Complete Camper Forms: Artemis Camper Forms. If needed, Apply for Financial Aid or Request Deposit Option: Contact CampArtemis@girlscoutsccc.org.
• Step 2 - Register & Pay for Camp via eBiz: Camp Artemis

TALL SHIP JOURNEY SIGN UP NOW.  Southern & Central Region - As the sails go up your Journey begins. Come sail away with experienced boaters and educators as you explore the open sea and find out what it takes to get this historical vessel moving. Bring your questions about Ocean Life Cycles, Wind Energy, Knots, Boat Engineering, Island and Boating History. GSCCC Event Calendar   

• April 14, 2013, 10:00 AM-Noon (Sunday @ Ventura)

• May 5, 2013, 10:00 AM-Noon (Sunday @ Santa Barbara)

CREATE a BFF Public Service Announcement Video Bullying feels like a big problem to solve. But what if people switched the focus of their efforts to boosting friendship, kindness, and respect? Could we make bullying disappear if we put friendship first? Make a PSA that tells people what your world would look like if all girls treated one another with kindness and respect and no one was bullied at school, online, and out in the world. If you're willing to speak up, you have the power to change things. Visit  http://speakout.girlscouts.org/  to learn how to create your own PSA. Must be 12 or older.  Girl Scouts Speak Out! will accept entries through April 30, 2013, 11:59 pm EST; voting will close May 15, 2013 at 11:59 pm EST.

CAMP ARNAZ

ARNAZ TLC DAY: April 6. Work with other volunteers and staff to beautify and repair the camp facility in preparation for summer programs. We will have gardening, painting, carpentry and other camp maintenance projects. Register through eBiz. Do you know someone with a specialized skill who would be willing to volunteer? Do you know a business who would be generous with an in-kind donation? Please contact us at CampArnaz@girlscoutsccc.org.  

FLAG DAY: June 14 - Join Girl Scouts and local Veterans as they celebrate the US Flag.   Learn about history of the Flag, perform ceremonies and participate in Flag Retiring Fire Ceremony. 

SHOP TIL YOU DROP

Saturday Shop Hours for April 6, 2013 are 11am-3pm 

 
IT'S NOT TOO EARLY to start buying end-of-year/bridging badges, uniforms and certificates. Please email or call if you are wanting large quantities, as there is a two-week turnaround for special orders. 

WATCH FOR OUR NEW AND IMPROVED on-line shop! We are hoping to launch by mid-April and will let you know as soon as it's up and running.  

NEW SHOP ITEMS: GSCCC zip-up hoodies are here! Color options include black and gray. Youth sizes (black only) are $25, adult sizes are $32.50 each. 

A REMINDER for San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara county volunteers: Mark your calendars for Sunday, April 14. The GSCCC mobile shop will be at the SLO Girl Scout office location, 825 El Capitan Way, San Luis Obispo from 12-5pm. We will be selling end-of-year and bridging items, as well as a selection of miscellaneous merchandise.  

COUNCIL SHOPS AND OFFICES will be closed Friday, April 12, for an all-staff meeting/training.

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