The GSSA Weekly from Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama

October 8, 2015

 


Welcome to GSSA Weekly, the council's e-newsletter. 
 
At right, members of Troop 8186 from Baldwin County took a trip to Gulfport to visit the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies and a water park. They learned about dolphin rescue, made fish prints, and had a great time splish-splashing at the water park.

Way to enjoy the last few weeks of summer weather!  Click here or on the image for a larger view.

Want to see your Girl Scouts featured in GSSA Weekly?  E-mail the photo with event information to communications@girlscoutssa.org.
  
How Will You Celebrate?
 
What important event occurs on October 31?  Juliette Gordon Low's Birthday, of course! 

Did you know that Juliette Gordon Low stood on her head every year on her birthday, just because she could?
 
How will your troop celebrate the birthday of  the founder of Girl Scouts?
 
However you celebrate, we have fun patches in our Service Center shops and in our online shop to commemorate your fun! 
 
Please send a photo of your celebration.  The email address is communications@girlscoutssa.org.
 
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Quick Links
Apply Now for the 2016 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards!   

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program is the United States' largest youth recognition program based exclusively on volunteer community service. The program was created in 1995  to honor middle level and high school students for outstanding service to others at the local, state, and national level.

The program's goals are to applaud young people who already are making a positive difference in their towns and neighborhoods, and to inspire others to think about how they might contribute to their communities. Over the past 20 years, more than 115,000 young people have been officially recognized for their volunteer efforts.

You might win a cash prize, a trip to Washington, D.C. and a chance to inspire other young people to get involved in volunteering. The application deadline is November 3. Click here for more information. 
 
 
Not-so-Spooky Halloween  Fun at Camp Humming Hills!   

Come dressed in your costumes for some trick or treating, a hay ride, Jack-o-Lantern Contest, cook out, bonfire, and more! Please bring an already carved pumpkin (Jack-O-Lantern) for the contest.  Deadline to register is this Friday.  Click here for more!
 
We Have Tools to Assist You  

 
Do you ever feel like doing program activities for your Girl Scout troop is just too overwhelming?   We have some tools to assist you!

First, the goal of leader training is to provide you with a background of our program, as well as the myriad of rules that keeps girls safe and protects you as the leader or parent.   We are now doing this training on line, to save time and travel.   An e-mail response should have been sent to you so you can participate in one of those training sessions.

Participating at the service unit also is a resource for you to find other troop leaders who have great ideas and can provide good advice on things that often don't work with girls.   It is always good to remember that, if you ask the girls what they want to do, they have lots of ideas.   Often negotiating with them about what they want to do might seem to be a trial. However, that is a good exercise in honing leadership skills.   It might not feel like it at the time, but it is.

Our website, www.girlscoutssa.org is another great resource for ideas, programs, and other opportunities.   There are forms available on the website.   You can subscribe to the GSSA Weekly e-newsletter, which arrives on Thursday.   It highlights council programs and camping opportunities, with upcoming deadlines highlighted.   It is the source of changes in policies and procedures.   We often have last minute opportunities so they are posted there. 

Read more on our blog, the Virtual Volunteer.   
New Programs & Updates

DEADLINE EXTENDED: Dig It: Archaeology Patch Program at USA (ALL)

DETAILS ADDED: All About Money (ALL + Volunteers) 1/9


Upcoming Deadlines 

Event
Location
Date
Deadline
CPR/FA/AED Certification 
(Volunteers) 
Montgomery
10/8
 online study
Elba
10/24
10/9
Mobile
10/24
10/15
Archery Day (C S A)
Camp Scoutshire Woods
10/31
10/16
CPR/FA/AED Certification  (Volunteers) 
Montgomery
10/22
online study

FULL: Wing It! (J C S A)

Mobile 

11/17 

10/22

 Alabama Dance Theatre - Behind the Scenes and Mistletoe Performance (B J C S A)

Montgomery

11/8 + 15 

10/23

Mobile
11/13
10/29
Kamp Kiwanis
11/7
10/30
High Adventure Day (B J C S A)
Troy
11/14
10/30
 
10/31
 
 
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.