March 2016                                                                                                          www.gsle.org
In This Issue
Council Shop News
Council Shop News

The council shops will be open Saturday, March 6, from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. 
Patch of the Month
 
Happy Birthday, Girl Scouts! Join us in celebrating while earning Patch of the Month!
Council Annual Meeting - Delegates Needed
Register for Council Annual Meeting & Adult recognition event today!
Be sure to register as soon as possible for the Girl Scouts Louisiana East 2016 Annual Meeting and Adult Recognition event on Saturday, April 16, at the First Community Antioch Baptist Church, 10860 Highway 3125, in Gramercy. This yearly meeting is attended by council delegates who will vote on the new board and other items of business. Online delegate training has been added to the website, and must be completed by April 4.

Delegates/Alternates are needed! If you can be a delegate, please let your Membership Executive know!

The annual Adult Recognition event honoring adult volunteers and religious leaders and school principals is being held as part of the annual meeting. Registration and a complimentary breakfast buffet is from 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. with the meeting beginning at 9:45 a.m.

Community Service
Goodwill Good Turn Day 
It's time to do a good turn! 
Do your family members and neighbors have items collecting dust that might make someone happy to use in their own home? Then participate by collecting donated items and delivering them to Goodwill Collection Centers/Stores on Goodwill Good Turn Day, Saturday, March 5! Participating Girl Scouts will receive a patch from the store at the time of the donation. Contact Sabrina Written to let her know what store you will be going to, and how many patches.
Girl Scouts Bayou Lafourche Clean-up
Help make the world a better place by cleaning up Bayou Lafourche on March 12. Permission slips and pre-registration is required. Call the Wetlands Acadian Center at 985-448-1375 to register; canoe times are possible depending on availability. T-shirts provided for all volunteers.
Women of Distinction
Save the Date for the 2016 Women of Distinction Luncheon

Mark your calendars for the 2016 Women of Distinction luncheon being held on Wednesday, May 11, from 12  - 1 p.m. at the Renaissance Baton Rouge Hotel with a VIP Champagne Reception from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Chairing the event is Mary Patricia Wray, owner, Top Drawer Strategies, LLC, with support from committee members: Linda Law Clark, partner at DeCuir, Clark & Adams, LLP; Bethany France, director at Louisiana A+ Schools, George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts, and Robyn Merrick, chief of staff at Southern University, and board chair of Girl Scouts Louisiana East.

Award Recipients include: 

Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, former Louisiana Governor

Mae Calvin Belton, president of Baton Rouge Symphony

Nikki Caldwell-Fargas, LSU Lady Tiger's Basketball Coach


Sponsors include: Louisiana Lottery Corporation and additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Click here for 

Girl Scouts celebrate Girl Scout Week,
March 6-12, 2016
 
"...I've got something for the girls of Savannah, and all America, and all the world..." - Juliette Low 
 
March 12, 2016, is the 104th Birthday of Girl Scouts of the USA. Each year, Girl Scouts celebrate the birthday of the first Girl Scout meeting for an entire week, and the week in which March 12 falls is recognized as Girl Scout Week. 
 
Girl Scout Week begins this year with Girl Scout Sunday on March 6, and ends with Girl Scout Sabbath on Saturday, March 12.
 
Share with us what your troop or service unit has planned for Girl Scout Week by posting to our Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter feed (@GSLEcouncil) and using the hashtag #GirlScoutWeek 
Register for Thin Mint Sprint 5k/1 Mile Daisy Dash by March 7 and save $5
It's time to register for our fourth, annual Thin Mint Sprint 5K and 1 Mile Daisy Dash being held on Saturday, April 9, at the Tammany Trace Trailhead at Koop Drive in Mandeville, with post race festivities taking place at the Caboose Kids Connection Playground.

This non-competitive run for all ages is open to the public. The Thin Mint Sprint 5K entry fee is $20 per person if pre-registered by March 7, $25 if registered after March 7, and $35 the day of the race.  The Daisy Dash one mile fun run is $10 if pre-registered by March 7, $15 if registered after March 7, and $35 the day of the race. Registration forms can be downloaded by clicking here.

Current Girl Scouts will receive a patch if they register for either race by March 31. Participants of either race, registered by March 31, will receive a T-shirt. Racers registering after March 31 can purchase a T-shirt at the race for $10 while supplies last.

For more information, please contact Kari Volz at [email protected] or 800-644-7571, ext. 1224.
Cookie Program Contests & More!
National Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Contest 
Girl Scouts of the USA brings you the second annual National Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Contest, sponsored by Taste of Home™!

Entries are being accepted in four categories and must be submitted by March 25. After March 25, Taste of Home™ will test these delicious recipes and choose the top 16-four from each category.

On April 25, Girl Scouts will announce the 16 finalists. Then the winners will be determined by YOU! Voting for your favorite recipes will take place April 26-May 1! The recipe with the most votes in each category wins. Three category runners-up will receive $250 and the category grand prize winner (the recipe with the most all-around votes) will win $500, plus a spotlight in a print and digital edition of Taste of Home

#GSCookiegram Photo Challenge
Calling all Cookie Lovers! From February 26 to March 25, take a creative photo or selfie using your favorite Girl Scout Cookie and upload it to Instagram using the hashtag #GSCookiegram and @girlscouts user name. Make sure to like GSUSA on Instagram and submit only one entry per day.  Four winners will be selected to receive one case of Girl Scout Cookies of his or her choice. And if you don't want to be in the picture, that's okay, the cookies will do! 

Bling Your Wagon and Bling Your Booth
Our council's "Bling Your Wagon" and "Bling Your Booth!" contests are back by popular demand! Help your Girl Scout create a clever way to advertise her cookie sales on wheels. (no cars/SUVs - this is an individual girl contest). Choose a theme from among these: Dream, Design, Do; Happy Birthday, Lemonades!; Thanks-A-Lot; decorate and submit a photo, which must include the girl and her creation. Girls must either be in uniform, Girl Scout T-shirt, or wearing her Girl Scout pin. Entry deadline is March 18, 2016. Winners will receive: 1st place: $100 cookie dough; 2nd place: $75 cookie dough; 3rd place: $50 cookie dough. Email photos to [email protected].
 
Troops are invited to "Bling" their cookie booths to gain extra customer attention. Select a theme from the list above; use direction, costumes, themed props, and signs - as long as you keep safety in mind, the sky is the limit!

Winners will receive: 1st place: 2 nights at GSLE camp of choice; 2nd place: 1 night at GSLE camp of choice; and 3rd place: 1 day at GSLE camp of choice.
March-May Activities
Check out the website events calendar to see what program events have been planned. You can view events in list or calendar format, with advanced search options of age level, or topic category.

Mar. 5 - Girls in STEM at Tulane (grades 5-8), New Orleans
Mar. 5 - Goodwill Good Turn Day (grades K-12), council-wide
Mar. 6 - Camp Open House (grades 1-12 and families), Independence
New Mar. 12 - Girl's Day Out STEM event (grades 6-8), New Orleans 
New Mar. 12 -  Sun Belt Dribble Drive (ages 3-12), New Orleans
Mar.12 - Acadian  Cultural Center Girl Scouts Bayou Lafourche Clean-Up (grades K-12), Thibodaux
Mar.12 - LA/SPCA Animal Guardian Workshop (grades 2-12), New Orleans 
Mar. 13 - Camp Open House (grades 1-12 and families), St. Francisville
New Mar. 19 - Science Saturday at LIGO (all ages), Livingston 
New Mar. 19 - Children's World's Fair (ages 4-14), New Orleans 
Mar. 19 - It's Your Planet Badge Workshop (grades 4-5), Covington
Mar. 20 - Court of Honor Book/Award Review, New Orleans
Apr. 2 - Big Bass Rodeo & Fishtival (all ages), New Orleans
Apr. 2 - Harlem Globetrotters World Tour (all ages), New Orleans
Apr. 3 - Camp Open House (grades 1-12 and families), St. Francisville
New Apr. 3 - LSU Campus Life with the Kappa Deltas (grades K-5), Baton Rouge
Apr. 3 - Harlem Globetrotters World Tour (all ages), Baton Rouge
Apr. 6 - Opera: Tosca by Puccini (grades 6-12), New Orleans
Apr. 9 - Thin Mint Sprint 5K and 1 Mile Daisy Dash (all ages and open to public), Mandeville
Apr. 9  or 10 -  Love Hug & Groom (grades 2-3), St. Francisville
Apr. 9-10 - Paddle It Up! (grades 6-12), Independence
Apr. 10 - Camp Open House (grades 1-12 and families), St. Francisville
New Apr. 15 - Celebration of Water Field Day (middle school), New Orleans 
Apr. 16 - Council Annual Meeting & Adult Recognitions event (adults), Gramercy
Apr. 16 - Science Saturday at LIGO (all ages), Livingston
Apr. 17 - Catholic Awards Recognition Ceremony, New Orleans
Apr. 17 - Bible Patch Program (all ages), Baton Rouge
Apr. 20 - Catholic Committee on Scouting Quarterly Meeting (adults), Baton Rouge
Apr. 23 - BSI Manga Character Development Workshop (grades 6-12), Metairie
Apr. 23 - Digital Devices (grades 4-8), Baton Rouge
Apr. 27, 28, 29 - Disney on Ice (all ages), New Orleans
Apr. 30 - Longue Vue House & Gardens Mother's Day Mother & Daughter Tea (all ages), New Orleans
May 1 - Program Aide Training (grades 6-8), St. Francisville
May 5, 6, 7 - Disney on Ice (all ages) Baton Rouge
May 11 - Women of Distinction Luncheon (adults), Baton Rouge
May 13-15 - Horseback Riding Junior Badge Workshop (grades 4-5), St. Francisville
May 14 - LA/SPCA Animal Guardian Workshop (grades 2-12), New Orleans
May 14 - Archery Challenge Badge Workshop (grades 4-8), Covington
Quick Links
 Calendar
Online Shop
Volunteer Training
Forms
What's New
Volunteer Training Sessions
Leadership Essentials -
3/22, 4/2, 4/26, 5/12

Girl Scouting 201/301 - 3/31, 4/12. 

American Heart Assoc Heartsaver First Aid / CPR / AED - 3/9, 4/7, 4/30,

Basic Camping Skills - 3/19

New! Day Camp Director Training - 3/3, 3/20

New! American Red Cross Small Craft Safety Certification - 5/13 - 5/14

New! American Red Cross Small Craft Instructor Training- 5/13 - 5/14

Online registration is easy! Visit www.gsle.org/ebiz 
and click the Activities tab. Select the appropriate Learning and Training course.
Membership Renewal 
Early Bird Registration
Renew for another year of Girl Scout fun! 

All troops re-registering girls between April 4 - 18, using their cookie proceeds, will receive an additional 2 cents per box of cookies in next year's Cookie Program. And all girls will also receive a patch!

Additional details will be provided later this month.
Summer Camp 
Camp Open Houses
Are you and your daughter trying to decide what to do for her summer activities? Make plans today to attend Girl Scouts Louisiana East's Camp Open House and see what each Girl Scout camp has to offer.

Register for a resident camp session at any Open House, using our computers, and receive a $20 credit. Registration assistance is available for online registration; paper registration accepted only from non-GSLE girls at Open House for summer resident camp will be held at Camp Whispering Pines in Independence on Sundays, March 6 and April 10, and at Camp Marydale in St. Francisville on Sunday, March 13 and April 3. Each open house is from 12 - 2 p.m. and provides the perfect opportunity to ask any questions about resident camp, tour the camp's living units, meet some of the camp staff, and learn about the different camp sessions.  

Summer Employment Opportunities
Hiring Camp Staff


Now hiring 2016 summer camp staff! Applicants must be 18+ and a high school graduate.

Click http://bit.ly/1Kvbalj
 for details. 
Discounted Tickets for Girl Scouts
Harlem Globetrotters World Tour
Enjoy Girl Scout discounted tickets to the 2016 World Tour of the Harlem Globetrotters! Check out the various ticket options, Magic Pass etc. on the registration form. A Scout patch comes with each ticket. $2 from each ticket goes to support Girl Scouts Louisiana East. 


Disney on Ice
Enjoy Disney on Ice
100 Years of Magic, with exclusive savings for Girl Scouts and their families! Girls will enjoy seeing over 50 of their favorite Disney stars in one show, and Girl Scouts will receive a free Scout patch. A donation of $1 from each ticket will be donated back to Girl Scouts Louisiana East.