The GSSA Weekly from Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama

February 26, 2015


 


Welcome to GSSA Weekly, the council's e-newsletter. 

At right, Girl Scouts of Service Unit 914 gather to share what they learned about their chosen countries for World Thinking Day. 

Each troop dressed in clothes reminiscent of the country's traditional costumes, and set up a station with presentation boards, SWAPs, and special food.  Every troop visited each station to get their "passport" stamped, and learn about the country represented, receive a SWAP and sample a treat.  

What a great way to celebrate our Girl Scouts sisters throughout the world!  Click here or on the image at right to see a larger version.


Want to see your Girl Scouts featured in GSSA Weekly?  E-mail the photo with event information to [email protected].

  
Cookie Bites: National Cookie Weekend


National Cookie Weekend: Feb. 28 - Mar 1

Let your customers know that the Cookie Program will end on March 8, so it's an excellent time to stock up the freezer for the long, long hiatus between now and the 2016 Cookie Program.  

Remember that our cookie baker brings us new varieties each year and not all our current offerings will be back!  Our customers will want to have a supply so they continue to enjoy their favorites when the 2015 Cookie Program has become a sweet memory.

We've updated our Facebook ad to let folks know that our sale is ending soon!  If you see the ad, please share it with all your friends!

Mary Poppins Would Approve - Join Us for the Annual Meeting  
  
 
As every volunteer knows, there is an element of business in running a troop, a service unit, or a council.  But like Mary Poppins, we add a "spoonful of sugar" to make it fun!

Join us for our Annual Meeting, where we will have fun activities for Girl Scouts and other family members while volunteers socialize and discuss the business of the council.

We rotate the location of the Annual Meeting throughout the council area -- this year, we will meet in Dothan, on Saturday, March 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.


Last Chance to Vote for the 2016 Cookie Mascot's Name!
  
The 2016 Cookie Program Mascot needs a name!  She's an adorable little green hedgehog, who wears a pretty daisy in her prickles.  

What name will you choose?  Vote for your favorite from these choices: Hazel, Hallie, Hayley, Harlow, Henrietta, and Hanna.  
Voting ends on Saturday, February 28, so click here now to help choose our little hedgie's name!
You Can Have It All: Go to Both Camper Training & Pi Badge Day!
  
Drop your Girl Scouts (and a chaperone) off at Pi Badge Day at Auburn University, then head 2 miles up the road to attend Basic Troop Camper Training!  

This can make the drive worthwhile for everyone! 

We Have Great Spring Programs!
  

The mountain of cookie boxes is starting to look more like a hill now, with cookies (happily!) continuing to fly out of the offices, cupboards, and warehouse.   We are grateful to each and every one of you who work with girls to make this the world's largest girl-led entrepreneurial program a success.   It is always simply amazing to see some of these girls in action.  Girls do learn how to set goals, make decisions, money management, people skills and business ethics from that experience.   Given what I have seen in some of these girls, they have a promising future as entrepreneurs themselves.

This time of year, as we see light at the end of the cookie program, we turn our attention to other activities and events we have planned to teach girls leadership.   It is always a busy time because we have some great spring programs planned.

One of the new events on the program calendar is Pi day at Auburn University on March 14.   The Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) are hosting this event of fun with science.   A STEM program, girls can select from the program outline the badge they are interested in earning during the daylong event. I even hear that Aubie will make an appearance!

For girls who enjoy politics, Advocacy Day at the State Capitol is always a great event.   Co-sponsored by Girl Scouts of North Central Alabama, this event has girls watching the beginning of the legislative sessions.   They have an opportunity to interact with legislators and get to see the process in action.   This event is on March 12.   Letters from local legislators are available requesting excused absences from school.

Each year in April in Montgomery, there is a large event called the Joy to Life walk/run for breast cancer awareness.  This was started many years ago by a board member of Girl Scouts, Joy Blondheim, who is a breast cancer survivor.   She started this event to heighten awareness about breast cancer and its challenges.   There are a number of ways a troop can participate in this event, no matter where you live.   Troops can make bracelets that will be passed out to cancer survivors at the special Survivors Tent.   

Read more on our blog, the Virtual Volunteer

 

New Programs & Updates
 

    UPDATED:  Distinguished Young Women (D B J C S A) 

 

    DEADLINE EXTENDED:  Girl Scout Pi Badge Day at Auburn University (B J C S A) 

 

    Documentary Movie Premier - Selma: Bridge to the Ballot (C S A) 3/7

 

     Basic Troop Camping at Auburn (Volunteers) 3/14

 

     Mom & Me Day at KK (D B J C) 5/2


   
 Mom & Me Overnight at Camp Sid (D B J) 5/2-3

 

Upcoming Deadlines 

Event

Location

Date

Deadline

Auburn University Campus Tour (SA)

Auburn

3/7

2/27

Mission: NAS Pensacola (BJCSA)

Pensacola

3/21

2/27

Scholarship Deadlines for Graduating Ambassadors (A)

 

 

3/1

Camporee with the Biscuits (ALL)

Montgomery

4/11

3/2

Documentary Movie Premier - Selma: Bridge to the Ballot (C S A)

Montgomery

3/7

3/4

Basic Troop Camping (Volunteers)

Auburn

3/14

3/6

Sail Away Weekend (C S A)

Kamp Kiwanis

3/20-22

3/12

Annual Meeting and Children's Activities (ALL)

Dothan

3/28

3/18

KD Badge Day in Troy (ALL)

Troy

4/11

3/26

 
Other Opportunities

 

Because we want our girls to have many learning (and fun!) opportunities, we offer this additional calendar for programs that are not presented by our council. Some of these programs are presented by our volunteer Troops and Service Units, others are put on by groups in the communities we serve. Calendar listings do not imply endorsement by the council.  This calendar is available on our Events & Programs page 

Please contact the volunteer listed in the program for more information and program status. 

Upcoming Events:  

  Youth Wildlife Art Contest (deadline 2/27)

  Volunteer Op: Help Prep or volunteer at the Montgomery Marathon

  Volunteer Op: Help at Bay Area Community Gardens

  Disney Junior Live: Pirate and Princess Adventure (Mobile)