Volunteer Connection
In This Issue
Hurricane Sandy: How you can help
Facebook: Friend or Foe?
Mobile Leadership Center on the road!
Welcome Home Ceremony
Self-Defense Workshop
Forever Green at Camp Mira Sol
Cheer Mile Volunteers needed
Ex Officio Girl Board Member
PSA Contest
Save the Date -- March 2
Girl Scouts Do Great Things!
Wurzbach Parkway Progress
Shop News
Get Connected!
Dates to Remember
Volunteer Service Center, Girl Scout Shop &
Resource Center open School Year Hours
now-May 31

Facebook: Friend or Foe?
November 3

POWERHOUSE
Self-Defense Launch Workshop
November 4

Vietnam Veteran
50th Anniversary Welcome Home Ceremony
November 7

November 10

GSSWT Offices Closed for Thanksgiving Holiday
November 22 & 23

November 27
 
GSSWT Offices Closed for Winter Holidays
December 24-January 1, 2013 (reopen January 2)
 
January 31

Girl Scout Greats


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November 2, 2012

Here you'll find timely information about program, adult learning opportunities and other general news to keep you connected to GSSWT! Volunteer Connection is sent weekly every Friday. Stay in the know and keep an eye on your inbox for great Girl Scout information!
Hurricane Sandy: How you can help 

Our thoughts and prayers are with our Girl Scout sisters, their families and others affected by the destruction Hurricane Sandy left behind earlier this week -- more than a dozen Girl Scout councils were affected, as well as Girl Scouts of the USA offices, which are expected to reopen no earlier than Monday, November 5. At this time, many disaster relief organizations are not able to accept in-kind donations such as food, clothing or furniture. While Girl Scouts does not allow fundraising on behalf of outside organizations, we recognize that sending funds may be the quickest and most effective way to lend a hand during this difficult time.

 

Below is a list of ways individuals can help:

 

The Red Cross opened more than 250 shelters across 16 states that provided overnight stays to nearly 11,000 people the night the superstorm made landfall. Go online to make a donation, call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Nearly 360 Red Cross blood drives have been cancelled due to the storm, representing a loss of as many as 12,000 blood and platelet products. The Red Cross is asking people who are eligible, especially in places not affected by the storm, to schedule a blood donation now. To schedule a donation time or get more information about giving blood, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Blood donors must be at least 17 years of age, meet weight and height requirements and be in general good health. Donors should bring their Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID to the donation station.

 

The Salvation Army is currently serving Hurricane Sandy survivors and first responders in seven states with food, water, cleanup kits, emotional and spiritual care and more. To support the Salvation Army's Emergency Disaster Services fund, go online or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769). Donate $10 to the disaster relief by texting the word STORM to 80888 and confirming the donation with the word "Yes."

 

Team Rubicon, a disaster relief organization composed of veteran volunteers, has sent more than 100 team members on 11 teams to the East Coast, making it the largest Team Rubicon response to date. Team Rubicon's mission is to "unite the skills and experience of military veterans with medical professionals" in crisis situations.

 

Samaritan's Purse is responding to Hurricane Sandy by sending staff, equipment and volunteers to three locations in New Jersey. Volunteers are needed to assist with debris cleanup and mud removal.  
Facebook: Friend or Foe? 
Facebook is the largest social network site in the world and its growth seems unstoppable. It has many advantages, but online safety is always a concern. Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas will hold two classes specifically designed for teens ages 12+ and their parents.

We will have in-depth discussions on:
  • The multiple benefits of using Facebook
  • How parents can remain involved without being intrusive
  • Appropriate content and online etiquette
  • Profile and privacy settings
This is a class you and your teen can't afford to miss! Join us from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Saturday, November 3 at the Sally Cheever Girl Scout Leadership Center (811 N. Coker Loop, San Antonio, 78216). Cost is $15/family. For more information, contact Becky Jennings (210-349-2404/1-800-580-7247 ext. 241). 
Mobile Leadership Center to visit all-new
West Side Girl Scout Leadership Center 

The Mobile Leadership Center is coming to the West Side Girl Scout Leadership Center at Coronado/Escobar (5622 W. C�sar E. Ch�vez Blvd., San Antonio, 78237)!

  • Monday, November 5, 4-8 p.m.
  • Monday, November 19, 4-8 p.m.
  • Thursday, December 6, 4-8 p.m.

Mobile Leadership Center 

Visit the mini-shop for your Girl Scouting needs. (No cash; credit cards and checks only, please.)

Girl Scouts invited to very special
Welcome Home Ceremony 

Thank You Veteran
Girl Scouts, their families and friends are invited to attend the Vietnam Veteran 50th Anniversary Welcome Home Ceremony,parade and reception from 4-7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 7. The ceremony will be held from 4-5 p.m. at Staff Post Field on Fort Sam Houston and will be followed by a reception for Vietnam Veterans and their families from 5-7 p.m. in the Quadrangle. Guest of Honor for the ceremony will be Medal of Honor recipient Major General Patrick Brady (USA, Retired), also a Vietnam-era veteran.

This ceremony and reception are a long-overdue opportunity to combine the efforts of the Army at Fort Sam Houston, our fellow service components and the local community to welcome home Vietnam War Veterans and their families, regardless of the branch of the military in which they served. This initiative will honor not only those who served during this time, but also those who lost their lives in this war, those who were held as Prisoners of War and those still unaccounted for.

You're Invited Immediately following the ceremony on Staff Post Field, guests are asked to line the "Corridor of Thanks" as Vietnam Veterans walk into the historic Fort Sam Houston Quadrangle for the reception. All Girl Scouts are asked to create their own "Welcome Home" signs to hold along this "Corridor of Thanks." 
POWERHOUSE Self-Defense Workshop
POWERHOUSE Self-Defense invites Girl Scouts ages 12+ to its inaugural launch workshop from 12:30-3:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 4 at Jazzercise San Antonio Perrin Beitel Fitness Center (4105 Avenida Prima Street, San Antonio, 78217). Special Girl Scout rate is $30/person.

This workshop will teach you to be aware of your surroundings and includes learning techniques to use your core strength to defend yourself. Light refreshments will be served during the Q&A session. Come prepared -- leave empowered!

Register by contacting Leslie Gartin, Regional Event Coordinator (210-382-3201).
Forever Green at Camp Mira Sol

Space is still open for the Forever Green Tree Planting Program at Camp Mira Sol on Saturday, November 10 -- join us and get your green on! 

tree

 

Give back to camp and promote environmental awareness at this 100th anniversary event. Discover how little changes add up to make a big difference! Trees will be donated from Alcoa, and participants will personalize the tree they plant. Girl Scouts, families, friends and non-Girl Scouts (non-Girl Scouts pay an additional $12 for a Girl Scout membership!) are welcome -- register now

 

Girls will earn a patch, discover ways they can go green at home and leave a lasting mark on Camp Mira Sol. Remember to bring a sack lunch and dress for the weather.

 

Note: Thanks to a special grant from the Peterson Foundation, girls and adults served in Bandera, Edwards, Kendall, Kerr and Kimble counties are eligible for a scholarship to this event. Contact Laura Bustos, Purple GO Team Manager at 210-349-2404/1-800-580-7247 ext. 240 for scholarship details.

Cheer Mile Volunteers Needed!

Need community service hours or just want to do something good? The local Susan G. Komen Foundation Rock 'n' Roll Marathon (scheduled for Sunday, November 11) is in need of volunteers for the Cheer Mile! 


Come wearing pink and 
bring noise makers, voices and signs to boost participants' spirits during the run, from 5:30-10 a.m.

  

Light refreshments will be served. The first 150 volunteers to sign-up will receive a FREE Cheer Mile T-shirt and a pink Komen San Antonio noisemaker.
 
Interested in participating in this great activity? Contact Samantha for more information.
Apps due Tuesday, November 27  
Teen Girl Scouts ages 14-18 are encouraged to apply to serve as ex officio girl board members to GSSWT's Board of Directors. Applications are due Tuesday, November 27.

Each of the five regional areas will select two teen Girl Scouts to serve on the board -- an excellent opportunity for girls to become involved at the council level and experience the democratic process first hand. See the timeline and get the application here
New PSA Contest asks girls how to end bullying

End Bullying PSA Girl Scouts is taking on bullying in a big way. The "Be a Friend First" initiative rolls out this winter, and the fall/winter PSA contest gives girls a chance to create a video, write a script or make a storyboard, telling the world how to stop bullying in its tracks. The contest is open through January 31 at speakout.girlscouts.org/create. Entries are already streaming in -- take a peek and vote on your favorites! And stay tuned for the winner of this summer's PSA contest ("Dear Mr. President"), which we'll professionally produce and air in January.

Save the Date

Adult Recognition Event, Saturday, March 2, 2013

The Adult Recognition Event will be held on March 2, 2013 at the new West Side Girl Scout Leadership Center (5622 W. C�sar E. Ch�vez Blvd., San Antonio, 78237). Let's celebrate the great work the volunteers give so willingly to GSSWT! Complete your nomination packet and submit to the Volunteer Development Center by Friday, November 30. Don't miss this chance to recognize an extraordinary Girl Scout volunteer! Questions? Contact Kecia Batsell-Smedley ext. 207 or Pamela Riles ext. 219 (210-349-2404/1-800-580-7247).

Girl Scouts Do Great Things!

Lillian Fernandez Girl Scout Volunteer a finalist for first-ever Gonzales County Pioneering Women Award

 

Girl Scout volunteer Lillian Fernandez (Pink GO Team/Independence Trails Service Unit Director for numerous years, 2011 National Convention Session Delegate and Volunteer Advisory Steering Committee member are just a few ways Lillian has significantly served GSSWT) was nominated and is a finalist for this inaugural recognition. Results will be announced at the first Gonzales County Pioneering Women Day, which kicks off at 10 a.m. on Saturday, November 3 at the Gonzales Pioneer Village, Living History Museum (2122 N. St. Joseph, Gonzales, 78629).

 

The day will provide an opportunity to shop, eat and visit the many booths full of natural or handmade beauty, fashion and home decorating items, with a wine tasting from 12-2 p.m. All finalists will be recognized during the event, and the woman receiving the most votes will be revealed at 2 p.m. A $5 donation to Pioneer Village will be accepted from all those attending the day's activities and shopping.

 

The awareness and recognition campaign salutes modern-day female pioneers who have forged the way for others in their professions and through the lives they've touched. The event is sponsored by Pioneer Village and The Gonzales Inquirer.

Wurzbach Parkway Progress

Keep an eye out for heavy equipment transportation in our area as construction on the Wurzbach Parkway extension continues to progress.

 

South-bound frontage road of US Hwy 281 between Interpark and North Park Drive

10 p.m. until 5 p.m., nightly November 5-9

Alternating lanes will close while crews build large drain structures under the roadway. No detours are required. Expect delays.

 

North-bound frontage road of US Hwy 281 between Country Parkway and Heimer Road

10 p.m. until 5 a.m., constant November 9-12

All lanes of the north-bound frontage road will close while crews build a large drain structure under the roadway. Drivers will use Country Parkway and Heimer Road to reach Bitters Road. Drivers seeking to access north-bound US Hwy 281 will have uninhibited access to the entrance ramp from Nakoma. Expect long delays.

 

Please drive slowly when entering the grounds near the Sally Cheever Girl Scout Leadership Center, as trucks will be coming and going quite often through the lot.

 

Construction on Wurzbach Parkway is scheduled for completion in 2015. 


For more information and weekly updates on the construction, sign up for the newsletter here.
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School Year Hours (now-May 31)
 

Monday-Thursday: 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Friday: 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Second Saturday: 9 a.m-3 p.m.  

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GSSWT's Vision Statement
Our vision is to be a high performing, girl-focused staff with the desire and skill set to provide the highest standard of support that enriches, empowers, and energizes the local Girl Scout Movement. In doing so, we create a lifetime of inspiration through Girl Scout experiences that are so relevant and inclusive every girl will want to be a part.
Special
Girl Scout
rate!
Girl Scout group reservations are required to receive the special rate of $8/Girl  Scout. Make reservations online here. No other discounts or coupons apply. One chaperone required for every three-five Girl Scouts -- this required chaperone is free! Extra chaperones/siblings pay general admission rate.
Offer Expires: November 25, 2012South Texas Maize