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Adult Facilitation
Team Members Needed
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As members of the Service Unit Leadership Teams you meet folks from the community, family and friends of volunteers and potential volunteers. Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida is looking for individuals to join the adult facilitation team. We are looking for individuals who have a strong dedication to enriching the lives of other adults through the sharing of knowledge and experiences. These individuals should be a self-starter, passionate, eager to promote positive influence, and have great communication skills. Learning Opportunities include adult leadership, camping, outdoor specialties, leadership enrichments, team enrichments, and health and safety. Service Units can help ensure that adult learning courses are provided in their areas by identifying folks who would become part of the council wide Volunteer Learning Services Team and representing the needs of volunteers in their area.
If you know someone who might interested in becoming an adult facilitator, please contact Nicole King, Manager of Volunteer Learning Services; nicolek@gsgcf.org, or 941-921-5358 ext 318.
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Gulfcoast Event and Conference Center
| As everyone is gearing up for busy times ahead, please recall that we recently had the GECC floors redone at significant expense. If you have occasion to move GECC tables and chairs for meetings and events, please be careful to pick up the tables and chairs and not drag them around on the floors. Please also share this request with others planning to use the GECC. It will also be an agenda item for the orientation set for leaders whose troops will be meeting there in the evenings.
We hope to keep the GECC floors looking shiny and bright and without marks for a long time to come, and thank you for helping us!
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We Wish to Thank Our Following Community Partners:
Partner Agency
Girl Scouts of
Gulfcoast Florida, Inc.
4780 Cattlemen Road
Sarasota, FL 34233
941-921-5358
800-232-4475
www.gsgcf.org
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May/ 2013
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 Dear Service Unit Leadership Volunteers.
Welcome to TEAM TALK - the Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, Inc. online newsletter keeping administrative volunteers informed of all the great things being done by and for Girl Scouts. Administrative volunteers are asked to send out emails, present at upcoming meetings, etc. sharing or reinforcing the information contained in this online newsletter to appropriate volunteers.
Go Green! While there may be some sections of this email you need to email or share, save paper and avoid printing.
Don't forget to stay in touch via social media! .
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It's never too early to start thinking and preparing for the 2014 Cookie Program. It's going to be a VERY exciting year for the Cookie Program, and we can't wait to share more news soon. Below are three things troops can do now to start gearing up for an awesome 2014 Cookie Program. Encourage your troops to start thinking about Cookies early in the year with these three steps. Think about ways to share these ideas with leaders at upcoming service unit meetings.
1. Set goals
As new and returning troops begin meeting, they can also start talking about their goals for the new year. As they approach the Fall Product Sale and the Cookie Program, these goals can easily become their troop money-earning goals too. What do they hope to accomplish? What do they want to learn about? What projects, trips or activities are they working towards? What will they need to do to reach their goals? What might the budget look like?
2. Identify Product Sale Volunteers
Each troop needs a Fall Product Sale Manager and a Troop Cookie Manager. Encourage troops to identify those volunteers at their first meetings of the new year. Remember, these volunteers must be registered Girl Scout adults with a completed volunteer application and background screening, and some training is required. The ideal candidate is organized, prompt, communicates well, is good with numbers, and has regular internet access.
3. Spread the news
Have you heard? In 2014, Girl Scout Cookies in the entire state of Florida will be $4 per package. In Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, our base troop proceeds will also increase to $0.65 per package. (Stay tuned for how troops can earn more, too!) Help troops plan by making sure everyone is aware of the change. Use the attached FAQs to answers questions that might come up about the price increase.
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Thank you to all the service unit teams that worked diligently in completing the service unit plans of work for the 2013-2014 Girl Scout membership year! We were inspired with all of your renewed focus after June's workshops and are thrilled with the amazing plans you have submitted. Now the exciting work begins...... or really continues.
Despite not meeting our overall troop membership goal this past year, we are sure that 2014 will be the year we move the needle upward and reach the goals that you have helped establish! Service Unit Leadership Teams proved they believe in the impact that they make in bringing Girl Scouting to their community and the impact to their girls (new and returning) with great plans and ideas around recruitment and retention of both girls and volunteers.
Continue to work with your membership specialist and service unit team members to finalize your Fall Recruitment plans. There is a lot to coordinate to ensure success. We need individuals that can help with: promoting and marketing the troop building nights and recruitment dates by distributing bookmarks, fliers, making announcements on the school's TV, placing reminders in the marquees and newsletters of the schools, speaking at upcoming PTO/PTA meetings, and being visible at meet the teachers/open houses. Perhaps local businesses could distribute the save the date bookmarks to their customers by placing them in their bags upon a purchase. Encourage girls to wear their Girl Scout pin or t-shirt to school and invite their friends to join their troop. Challenge your peers to invite an adult to an upcoming event to learn more about volunteering. Ideas are endless.
Recruitment dates are listed on our website and updated as new dates are establish. We invite you to let others know to look there for upcoming recruitment events and help spread the word.
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PLEASE SHARE WITH ALL VOLUNTEERS
OWLS Registration is Open!
OWLS will be at Camp Honi Hanta on October 11-13, 2013
Looking for an opportunity to join fellow volunteers for some fun and gain some new skills to enhance your outdoor girl program? Then OWLS is the place to be! It's a time for fun, learning new things, enjoying old friends and making new friends. Choose courses for yourself in crafts, outdoor skills, enrichment, trainings or have some free time to relax. This is a good opportunity to see what camp is like before you plan a campout with your troop. OWLS is also a great way to include and involve parents who are looking for ways to help out with your troop and service unit. Attend as a group with your troop or service team to maximize the Girl Scout Leadership Experience for your camporee or troop camp adventure!
Certification classes and Just for Fun classes are offered for you to customize your weekend. Classes include: Lifeguard, Camp Recertification, Canoe/Kayak Certification, Archery Instructor, Campfire Magic, Palmetto Weaving, SWAPS, Outdoor Ceremonies, Progressive Cooking, Songs & Games, and much more!
You do not have to be camp certified to attend or participate. Sign up today! All adult volunteers, Girl Scout Seniors and Girl Ambassadors are welcome! Check out the website to register for this event today. http://www.gsgcf.org/parents/adult-learning/owls
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When parents go online to register their family, three things happen:
Please plan on helping those families that might be experiencing challenges. An email was sent out to all families sharing that our registration system is being updated that it would be down for the period of August 9th to 13th and the improvements they will see as they renew their membership (see below). As part of the security upgraded we shared that adults would need to create new usernames and passwords. If you are unable to give guidance please remind families to contact our help desk at helpdesk@gsgcf.org for assistance after August 14. Business hours for the help desk are Tuesday - Friday from 7:30 a.m - 5 :30 p.m. As a reminder families will now be able to: - Manage your whole family with a single login.
- See all of your family's activities, regardless of registration method
- See all orders placed online on behalf of your family
- Enjoy an improved search functionality
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We are excited to share with you that Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida is hosting a GSUSA National Jamboree. Girls from all over the nation are being invited to participate. An amazing team of volunteers and staff are planning an incredible event for girls in grades 6-12. Florida Gulf Coast University will be our host for this fantastic week of traditional Girl Scout activities, mixed with new experiences, new friends and new ideas. Discover more about the environment and Florida's eco system participate in numerous STEM activities (solar energy, robotics, and rockets to name a few), enjoy watersports and nature hikes; learn about self-defense; teambuilding and so much more. So this is a sneak peek, official GSUSA information will be arriving soon. Fee per girl is $450, which includes all the activities, lodging in college dormitories, food, goodie bags, and many more surprises. A deposit of $75 will be due in November. Stay tuned! Spread the word! Save the date! As Girl Scouts come from around the country, let's make sure GSGCF girls don't miss out on the fun and friendship.
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Upcoming Programs
Here's two events ideal for you to promote at the upcoming recruitments. These family events are perfect for those families that have to wait a little longer for a troop to become available (girls on a wait list). Remember to invite families to visit our website to view additional upcoming events under the activity finder.
Boo at the Zoo-family Event
Have a "spooktacularly" good time celebrating Halloween at the Naples Zoo. While you are there, learn about local and global conservation issues and how you can play a role in protecting our environment! A "Trick or Treat Trail" will wind throughout the Zoo where a special Girl Scout "Conservation Hunt" will take place for some Halloween treats! Experience two exclusive presentations, just for Girl Scouts: "Building a Backyard Habitat" (learn how to create a wild space in your own yard) and "What do Animals Eat?" (learn how zoo keepers care for the animals). There will also be a fun costume contest with fantastic prizes!
| Location: | Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens, Naples, FL | | Grade Level: | All grade levels and their families | | Date: | October 19, 2013 | | Deadline: | October 16, 2013 | | Time: | 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. | | Fee: | $11 per child / $9 per adult
(Fee includes girl patch and special Girl Scout programs.) |
It's MY Camp! - Family Event
Come try out everything your camp has to offer. You will have an opportunity to experience: canoeing, kayaking, the rock climbing wall, nature trails, swimming, and more. You won't want to miss this day of outdoor fu Recognition: Girls will cover portions of the "It's Your Planet, Love It" Journey series.
| Location: | Camp Honi Hanta, Bradenton | | Grade Level: | All grade levels and their families | | Date: | October 26, 2013 | | Deadline: | October 22, 2013 | | Time: | 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. | | Fee: | $10 per child / $5 per adult |
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It is time to nominate volunteers for the 2012-2013 Adult Awards and Recognitions
As Service Unit Leadership Teams meet to finalize plans for upcoming meetings and events, and create their first drafts of service unit rosters, please take time to review the list of volunteers and identify those who qualify for GSUSA and GSGCF recognition. These awards provide a consistent framework and valuable resource to formally recognize volunteers who devote many hours and much energy to Girl Scouts. There are both individual and service team awards. Don't wait until the last minute, ask parents and other volunteers to write letters of recognition and support now. Remember the volunteers receiving the awards get copies of those endorsements to add to their meaningful gift of time and talent.
Information and submission forms are being updated on the web site. October 15, 2013 will be the deadline for submission and the awards will be presented at the annual meeting in January.
Awards represent work beyond the position descriptions so please consider some of these folks for awards:
- Leaders who have delivered the GSLE experience as identified by there entire troop achieving the Journey Summit Award.
- Event Directors who have brought STEM (science, technology, environmental and math) events to a geographical community introducing possibilities to girls in these fields.
- A Coach who has experienced success in their geographical area of support by increasing adult and girl retention rates, membership, volunteer support.
- A Cookie Manager who ensured that every girl in her service unit got a chance to work a minimum of 2 cookie booths, experience a walk-about and created activity that ensured leaders had the tools and idea's to give the girls the financial literacy experience the cookie sale promises.
- A parent committee member who took training and stepped up to fill in for an ailing leader, ensured girls got to their planned trip or outing and supported leaders by arranging for mentors or guest speakers for the troop.
- A service project coordinator who helps secure SU wide projects for Daisy and Brownies troops and helped Junior troops with ideas for their Girl Scout Bronze Award.
Provide detailed supporting documentation when submitting your nomination. Be specific and get several letters of endorsement.
Think how proud you will be to see your volunteer receive their award and how much they will appreciate the recognition for a job well done.
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NEW VOLUNTEERS: 2013 Orientation Binder
Recruitment season is here. It is such an exciting time of year as girls and adults experience their first introduction to the benefits of Girl Scouts. Recruitment's = troop organization and orientation. As you walk our new volunteers through this process and help them see the impact they can have on their daughters and girls in the community we have updated some of the tools to assure we are all sharing the same messages and information.
The contents of the binders are:- Volunteer Thank You Card
- Proud Girl Scout Volunteer Decal
- Emergency Card
- Fall 2013 Shop Catalog
- Revised Troop Volunteer Orientation Worksheet
- Volunteer Essentials Manual - the VE Manual link is updated on our website
- Volunteer Position Agreement
- Introduction to Safety Activity Checkpoints Summary
- GSGCF Policies, Standards, Guidelines, & Procedures Highlights
- Troop Checking Account Packet
- Consent Form
- Report of Injury, Claim, Damage or Loss Form
- 2013-2014 Starter Kit Flyer
- My Voice Counts Survey flyer
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Of all girls who completed this year's Spring Troop Survey:
- 67% of Cadettes indicate they have developed healthy relationships (Outcome 6).
- 90% of Brownies feel they have educated and inspired others to act (Outcome 14)
- 86% of girls at all age levels show they have developed a strong sense of self (Outcome 1).
The Girl Scout Leadership Experience helps girls to discover themselves, connect with others, and take action to make the world a better place. And it is the Troop Leaders and other volunteers who make these successes possible! Measuring the 15 outcomes of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience can help us see the areas where our Girl Scouts are really shining, and where we need to focus our efforts to help them achieve more.
Expect to hear more survey results and how we can improve the GSLE for girls and our volunteers throughout the year. Girls results are making changes to training outlines and events and activities so our girls can grow in their positive experiences.
This year, almost 7% of girl members participated in the survey, but we need even greater participation next year. Please help spread the word to troop leaders, girls, and their parents. The first step is simple... girls should visit www.GirlScoutVoices.org and register to take upcoming surveys. As surveys are available, registered girls will receive an email with a survey link. Girls 12 and under will need parental permission, and may need some help in completing the surveys. All responses are anonymous.
Questions? Please contact Lori Tomlinson, Manager of Grants and Outcomes, at 941-921-5358 ext. 310, or outcomes@gsgcf.org
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Girl Scouting builds girls of Courage, Confidence and Character who make the world a better place. Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, Inc. is chartered by Girl Scouts of the USA and serves over 10,000 girls in ten counties including: Manatee, Hardee, Highlands, Sarasota, DeSoto, Charlotte, Glades, Lee, Hendry, and Collier. For more information about the Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida visit www.gsgcf.org.
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