March 2017
Volunteer Spotlight ..............1
Programs at a Glance
Adult & Leader Highlights Green GrapevineTroop Travel............................2
Membership
Calendar..............................6
Save the Date! - Journey in a Day
To learn more, see flyer here. To volunteer, contact Mica Minor at mminor@gssef.org
Submit Troop or Volunteer News here!
Calendar
Mark your calendar! Journey in a Day is coming up on April 22, 2017 at Camp Nocatee in Clewiston, FL. This year’s Journey series is “It’s Your Story, Tell It”. Space for each grade level is limited and will fill up quickly. Registration starts on March 1, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. and will be on our activities calendar here.
Membership
Early Bird Re-Registration...4 Fall Product Sale Results.....5 Girl Scout Week Retail Celebration..............................5 2017 Starter Kits.....................5 Cookie Merchandise Sale....5
Sandi Britton-Kluttz is the ASUVM of Sandy Beaches Service Unit. She has been an integral part of the service unit in various positions including Troop Leader, Product Sale Manager and Program Manager. She is always enthusiastic to help and radiates positivity to all. Sandy Beaches Service Unit leadership team – In 2014 she guided three Sandi on right of the girls in her troop as they earned their Silver Award. With her many years of experience, she is always encouraging the Troop Leaders to try new things and to planning fun activities for the girls. She is so dedicated to the girls and to the leaders in the service unit; she’s an inspiration to all.
Adult & Leader Highlights
Volunteer Essentials............3 Dive into Volunteer Toolkit (VTK)...........................3 Archery.....................................3 CPR/First Aid..........................3
Volunteer Spotlight
Programs at a Glance
Journey in a Day.....................1 Home Scientist......................2
We’d love to hear what you’re doing with your girls! Send us an email or post on Facebook! Feel free to contact marcomm@gssef.org with comments, pictures or ideas. All of the Linking Leaders issues are archived on the Training page for easy reference.
Spotlights
Spotlight
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Home Scientist - An Eco-Action Workshop Society of Women Engineers (SWE) presents Home Scientist, a Girl Scout Workshop, at the River Center in Jupiter on April 1, 2017. Girl Scouts will earn their Brownie Home Scientist Badge or Zinni’s Daisy Petal. Girls will understand how scientists in our community and around the world help our environment, keep our water clean, and protect animals. To register, click here.
Green Grapevine - TROOP TRAVEL Dear Green Grapevine: We are planning a trip this spring. We think it will be less expensive to rent a large van and drive the group. Is that ok? ThanksMiss Daisy
If you’ve any questions about troop travel, we’re here to help. Email troopsupport@ gssef.org for more information or assistance.
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Please also keep in mind that all troop travel must be approved. You must have a parent/guardian permission slip for each girl, each time an activity takes place outside of your troop’s usual meeting time and location. Additionally, you’ll need to secure proper Council permission for your trip in order for it to be considered an approved Girl Scout activity. Funds from the troop treasury, and access to the Girl Scout supplemental accident insurance, are only available for approved Girl Scout activities. For more information on obtaining Council permission for troop travel see page 22 of the Council’s Volunteer Policies and Procedures.
Membership
While you must be familiar with and follow all transportation policies, some key transportation guidelines are: • Drivers must be age twenty-five or older. (p. 26) • Drivers must be registered volunteers, i.e. registered member who has submitted a volunteer application and successfully passed a background check. (p. 26) • Anyone who is driving a vehicle with 12 or more passengers must be a professional driver who possesses a commercial driver’s license (CDL). 15 passenger vans are prohibited. (p. 27) • Drivers are not permitted to use a hand-held cellular device while transporting girls, per FL State Statute, 316.305, Wireless communications devices; prohibition. (p. 26) • Safety belts (i.e. seat belts) must be used and worn properly, at all times, by both the driver and all occupants of the vehicle. (p. 26)
Adult & Leader Highlights
Thanks for your question, Daisy! We’re glad you asked, since this is a topic that involves the safety of the girls (and the adults) participating in the trip. In fact, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind when planning your transportation for any trip. Guidelines can be found in both the Council’s Volunteer Policies and Procedures and the Volunteer Essentials Manual, and both of these documents can be found in the forms section of the website. We suggest reviewing the pertinent sections in both of these documents. As always, the rule established in the Council’s Volunteer Policies and Procedures sets the standard for our Council. Often these standards are more restrictive than the national baseline set forth in the Volunteer Essentials Manual.
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Volunteer Essentials Classes Take the first step in your leadership experience by getting informed of the policies and procedures of Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida. This class covers key policies and procedures and accountabilities, provides information on setting up your bank account and connects you with resources available to you as a new leader. Any adult member or volunteer is invited to attend; however, this orientation training is required for all new troop leaders and must be taken within 60 days of appointment. Classes are FREE, but pre-registration is required. Click on the links below to register: Wednesday, March 8 Tuesday, March 21 7:00-8:30 p.m. 7:00-8:30 p.m. Register here! Register here!
Dive into the Volunteer Toolkit (VTK)
Monday, March 13 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Click here to register!
Archery
Sunday, March 12 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Camp Welaka, 10205 SE Girl Scout Camp Rd., Tequesta, FL, 33469 Click here to register!
Membership
An archery certified adult volunteer is required for your girls to experience this fantastic sport. You’ll learn how to set up and operate a safe, short-term archery program, how to teach, how to maintain program equipment and learn common shooting errors and correction. After taking this class, you can teach your troop (or other troops) archery. Cost: $50
Adult & Leader Highlights
Make This Girl Scout Year Your Best Yet! Learn how the Volunteer Toolkit, the new web app that helps you save time and plan for success, can help you make every troop meeting awesome! This online organizational, planning and curriculum tool is specifically designed to help you communicate with your troop members and parents and stay organized. This class is led by volunteers, for volunteers! Get tips and tricks and insider info on how to maximize this awesome tool! Classes are free. Click on the link below to register:
CPR/First Aid
Saturday, March 25 Wednesday, March 29 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m.- 10:00 p.m. Palm City West Palm Beach Register here! Register here!
Calendar
Make sure your troop is ready for their next outing by getting CPR/First Aid certified. Pre-registration is required; no tagalongs. Cost: $40. Click on the links below to register:
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Get ready for 2017 – 2018 Early Bird Re-Registration: April 1 – May 15 Each Spring you can re-register girls and adults for the next Girl Scout Membership year, which ensures a seamless transition from year-to-year and allows your troop to earn fun, valuable rewards. Who can participate in Early Bird Re-Registration? • All girls and troops registered by MARCH 31st are eligible to participate in Early Bird re-registration. The annual registration fee for the 2017 – 2018 membership year, October 1, 2017 – September 30, 2018, is $40 for girls and $25 for adults. What are the Early Bird Guidelines? • All individually registered girls and troops must submit their online re-registration with payment by 11:59 PM on May 15th to be considered an Early Bird. • Troops must re-register 80% of their currently registered girls AND two leaders to be eligible for the 2017 – 2018 Early Bird incentives.
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What can you do now to prepare? Check your troop rosters and talk to your parents. Review your troop members on the Troops Tab in your member profile. If you need help with your log-in to your MY GS community, contact our Troop Support specialists at troopsupport@gssef.org. They can ensure your log-in is correct and answer any questions you might have so you are ready on April 1st.
Membership
Why should I be an Early Bird? • Early Bird re-registration ensures girls a place in the troop and allows the Leader to know how many new girls she can add throughout the year. • Troops may utilize funds from the troop treasury to re-register girls easily with the money earned together all year long. • For families that do pay for their girl to be re-registered as an individual or with her troop, we find there are fewer financial burdens in the Spring than in the Fall (i.e. school supplies, uniforms, etc.). • Plus, there are incentives including a patch, extra proceeds during the 2018 Cookie Sale and some secret prizes we’ll be revealing soon!
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Results are in for the 2016 Fall Product Sale Program We would like to take a moment and share with you the results of our 2016 Fall Product Sale Program. Thank you for all your efforts with guiding your troops through the sale. Over 600 troops participated in this sale. Troops earned more than $86,000 in troop proceeds to help fund their year-long activities. Check out the results here.
Come Join Us as We Celebrate Girl Scout Week We invite you to stop by our Retail Store in celebration of Girl Scout Week starting March 4th. The store will feature specials just for that day. On March 9th, there will be sweets and treats all day long (while supplies last). So be sure to check out the specials here.
2017 Starter Kits
The Essentials Kit is for a Girl Scout of any grade level who wants to select what they need for the year. Simply choose items from a list of Official Essentials, when your total reaches $50 for one grade level kit, you qualify for a FREE BAG. Let the adventures begin! For additional information, see flyer here.
Have you shopped our Girl Scout Retail Store this cookie season? Now is the time! All of the cookie merchandise is 20% off.* Come shop before it’s all gone. *Excludes badges, cookie activity pin, 100 year pin and patch. See store for more details and while supplies last.
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Save on Cookie Merchandise
Membership
Get your Girl Scout adventures off to a great start with a Girl Scout Starter Kit or an Essentials Kit. They contain everything you need in an all in one kit. We have eliminated the guess work and included in the Stater Kit: The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting, American Flag Patch, Insignia Tab, World Trefoil Pin and Membership Pin. Just select your Official Uniform Item (sash, vest or tunic), Journey Book, Troop Numerals, Council ID Set, FREE BAG and you’re on your way!
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Adult Recognition 15 Award Nominations Due
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Thin Mint Sprint – Stuart
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Thin Mint Sprint – Hollywood