The GSSA Weekly from Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama

December 17, 2015

 


Welcome to GSSA Weekly, the council's e-newsletter. 
 
At right, members of Troop 9327 sing out their holiday spirit at a skilled nursing facility.  They entertained the residents with Christmas carols and conversation.

Click here or on the image to see a larger version. 

Want to see your Girl Scouts featured in GSSA Weekly?  E-mail the photo with event information to communications@girlscoutssa.org.
  
Cookie Bites: Sale Begins on Monday!
  
We are counting down the days until Girl Scouts may take cookie preorders!

Please note -- your Girl Scout may NOT actually take orders until Monday.  She is welcome to let her customers know that she will be taking orders on Monday.  The start date of the sale is the same for everyone, and troops must abide by this rule.

Monday is also the day when girls can begin using the Digital Cookie platform (COCO) to send out ecards to family and friends (while protecting their online privacy) and taking their digital orders. 

COCO has been improved from last year, and is undergoing final testing to be sure this year's process is smooth.  Your Girl Scout's COCO account should be available sometime today to access in preparation for Monday's start date.

More info and resources may be found on our Family Cookie Page.

We're so excited!  We hope you are, too!
Follow Us!

Check out what GSSA is up to on these social media sites:

     

 

Quick Links
Register for All About Money Badge Day! (It's for Moms, too!)

Handling money is one of the most important life skills girls and women can learn.  Attend this dynamic workshop for Girl Scouts and women Volunteers to learn more about finance -- and have fun!

Start the new year with new financial skills on January 9.  Sign up by this Friday!  All About Money Badge Day

Let Out Your Inner Artist --  Enter the Girl Scout Week Design Contest!

Show us what being a Girl Scout means to you!

Draw a picture for Girl Scout Week, showing a Girl Scout (or several) participating in your favorite Girl Scout activity!

We will showcase the winning artwork on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram media streams during Girl Scout Week in March.
It will also be on the front of the bulletin insert that churches may use on Girl Scout Sunday. 

Contest is open to individual Girl Scouts, troops,or groups. Entries accepted until January 15.  Click here for details!

  It's not too late to say Happy Holidays in honor of your favorite Girl Scout with a monetary donation to Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama and receive a tax deduction for 2015. 

 



You Turn Girls into Tomorrow's Leaders    

 
'Tis the season of giving, that time of year when we think of others less fortunate than us and the feeling we get when we give to others.  

I spent some time this morning with two wonderful volunteers.   They took over a troop that had some issues and have been working diligently for a long time to do what is right for those girls.   They are focused on teaching their girls life skills.   They are very active, but the troop leaders are focused on the girls having a great experience, which hadn't always been the case with this particular troop.   What a wonderful gift for these two women to step up, take over a chaotic situation, work with angry parents, forge their way through issues they should not have had to deal with.   I am grateful for what they do for the girls they work with.

We have thousands of volunteers and parents who toil diligently to make the world a better place by investing their leisure time in girls.   They invest in our collective future.   They make sure girls are where they need to be early Saturday mornings.   They pick up trash, they clean up campsites, they sing to the elderly, or work at the food bank.   They have a lot of fun, but that investment takes time and effort.  

At this time of year when we are grateful for our many gifts, we are grateful for all you do to turn girls into tomorrow's leaders.   You might not see the fruit of your labors, but by planting these seeds of leadership, you are changing the world. 
New Programs & Updates

 Both Service Centers and Shops will close on Wednesday, December 23 at noon, and will re-open on Monday, January 4.  Online shop orders placed December 22 - January 3 will be shipped on or shortly after January. 4.

 Deadline Extended to 12/18: All About Money (ALL + Volunteers) Mobile (1/9)
 
 Girl Scout Week Design Contest   (1/15)

 Details Added: Gulf Quest Overnight (B J C S A)  Mobile (3/18-19)

Upcoming Deadlines 

Event
Location
Date
Deadline
All About Money (ALL + Volunteers)
Mobile
1/9
12/18
Montgomery
1/9
12/18
webinar
every Thurs + as needed
RSVP
CPR/FA/AED Certification  (Volunteers) 
Montgomery
1/14
online study
Archery Certification  (Volunteers) 
Pike County
1/15
1/8
1/15
 
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.