Girlfriends
Girlfriends is a publication of Girl Scouts of Nassau County
Thank you and Welcome!
hen you close your eyes and think of Girl Scouts, what do you see? Often times what comes to mind are images of a trefoil, Girl Scout Cookies, or a tent at Camp Blue Bay. Maybe you see a campfire, your favorite SWAP, or your Brownie Girl Scout uniform or maybe, we see a person. That person may be the best friend from your Girl Scout troop. Or perhaps that person is a parent or a volunteer troop leader. Similar to when we think about how we got to where we are in our lives, there is usually someone who helped us get there. In Girl Scouts, our volunteers are that someone. Our volunteers are the backbone of the Girl Scout Movement. With over 3,000 volunteers at Girl Scouts of Nassau County, we are able to serve over 12,000 Girl Scouts. Our volunteers are our superheroes. Each one brings their own unique perspective, talent, and passion to Girl Scouts. And because of them, our Girl Scouts are able to make the world a better place and mobilize the Girl Scout mission.
Juliette Gordon Low once said, “(Girl) Scouting rises within you and inspires you to put forth your best.” On behalf of Girl Scouts of Nassau County, we say thank you for putting forth your best. We appreciate you all year around but this month especially.
A lot of what we see when we think of Girl Scouts of Nassau County is thanks to the amazing efforts of both our marketing and fund development teams. We bid farewell to both Donna Rivera-Downey and Luci Duckson-Bramble as they retired and we thank them for their work. We wish them both the best life has to offer as they start their new journeys. We want to welcome Kelly Hill who will lead both of their departments as our Chief Advancement Officer. Kelly is from Columbus, OH, but has called New York home since 2006. She was a Girl Scout, troop leader, and is a lifetime member. Kelly graduated from the Ohio State University with a BS in Engineering and an MBA in Marketing. Kelly comes to us from Girl Scouts of the USA and is very aware of the work of our council. Over the years, Kelly has been a friend to GSNC, supporting and promoting our events and connecting with GSNC for national marketing opportunities. Her most recent position was as a key member of the Cookie Marketing team, responsible for consumer activations but during her time at Girl Scouts of the USA, Kelly has also lead brand strategy and membership marketing for the organization.
Prior to joining Girl Scouts, Kelly worked for JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) and Pernod Ricard (a Wine and Spirits leader) focused on brand strategy, national events, corporate and influencer partnerships. Kelly currently resides in Baldwin with her family where they are very active in the community. We offer Kelly a big Girl Scouts of Nassau County welcome!
Renew between April 1 and June 30, 2023 and receive our Early Bird patch. Leaders, renew your whole troop in the same time frame and your troop will receive the patch and be entered into a drawing for a free Possibilities program for your entire troop.
Spring Renewal for Girl Scout Year 2024!
In Girl Scouts, your daughter is making new friends, learning new skills, and exploring her potential, all while having fun. But it is only the beginning—bigger and better things are around the corner. Renew and see what she does next when she comes back for another year. Don’t let your daughter miss out on her next exciting adventure! Renew today at gsnc.org or contact us at customercare@gsnc.org and we will be happy to do the renewal for you.
Troop 2210 had an amazing time at Camp Blue Bay for the Enchanted Forest Mommy and Me weekend. We can’t wait to see your next adventure!
Celebrating Our Incredible Volunteers
April is Volunteer Appreciation
Month! It is a special time when we celebrate and honor the amazing Girl Scout volunteers who lead and mentor girls in powerful ways. Volunteering comes in many forms, so no matter the role you play in a girl’s life, we recognize your dedication and hard work and thank you for all that you do to support the Girl Scout mission!
Want to thank a volunteer? Here are ideas of how to celebrate the volunteer in your life:
l Host a special celebration at a Girl Scout meeting! Serve treats and invite parents and caregivers to attend.
l Present your volunteer a creative award like Girl Scout Song Star or Most Creative Field Trip Planner.
l Say thank you! Give your volunteers a verbal thanks or express your appreciation with a homemade card. Need support? Below are some resources our council offers to volunteers:
l Volunteer Connections includes a podcast, Zoom meetings, a dedicated newsletter, and a blog. It will expand your knowledge of Girl Scout topics and support your personal and professional development!
l Schedule an office hours appointment to ask your questions about programs, activities, and the highest awards.
l gsLearn is a free online training library full of guided videos to help lead your troop to success.
Visit the Volunteer Training and Resources page or scan the QR code for more information! (https://www.gsnc.org/en/for-volunteers/ volunteer-training.html)
Celebrating five years of the All About Guide Dogs patch program!
This patch program was created by Girl Scout Jane G. in collaboration with GSNC to teach girls about guide dogs and the important roles they play in helping others. After hearing stories about her dad’s friend Jim and his guide dogs, Jane was intrigued. She set out to learn more about guide dogs which led to her school project idea: a patch program that teaches girls about guide dogs. Upon completion of her school project, Jane worked with GSNC to bring her project beyond her school—to her Girl Scout community. All About Guide Dogs is for girls in grades K-8 and teaches them about the importance of guide dogs and offers collaborative, hands-on activities to learn about them. Explore the All About Guide Dogs patch program: https://www.gsnc.org/content/ dam/girlscouts-gsnc/documents/GSNC_all-about-guidedogs-patch-program.pdf
Girl Scouts of Nassau County is heading into the 13th year of our partnership with The Farm at Oyster Bay!
Girl Scouts from Daisy level to Ambassadors have the opportunity to learn what it takes to grow produce through the GS Gardener and Under Gardener’s program.
Each season opens with “Dig It Day,” where all the troops who registered to participate come together to plant the entire garden. It is a fun day spent learning new skills and getting to know one another. Amanda Roberts, the garden manager at The Farm, lets the Under Gardeners (Seniors and Ambassadors), or UGs, design and lead the activities for this event. All the produce that is grown through this program is donated to local food pantries. In the past, we have donated about 800-1000lbs of produce—per year!
A big thank you to The Farm at Oyster Bay for partnering with GSNC over the years. We are so grateful to them, and to Amanda Roberts for her expertise and dedication to this program.
The Girl Scouts of Nassau County have learned to make the world a better place through gardening.
Check out some of our FREE Earth Day-friendly patch programs:
l Be a Brownfield Buster
l Every Drop Counts
l “Go Batty!” Discovering Bats on Long Island
l I FISH NY: A Fishing Patch Program
l Project C/National Grid
4 Pillars Patch Program
l PSEG Patch Program
Go to gsnc.org/en/events/ council-patch-programs or scan the QR code.
Our volunteers are exceptional!
On Thursday, March 16, the Adult Recognitions Committee along with the Executive Team at Girl Scouts of Nassau County presented over 91 awards to some of the most dedicated volunteers in Nassau County at the 2023 Adult Recognitions Awards Ceremony and dinner at Stewart Manor Country Club. It was a lovely evening as we celebrated that we are stronger together.
Congratulations to all of our recipients!
Camp Blue Bay Open House
Meet the Summer Camp Directors!
Enjoy a drive with your family to East Hampton and visit our beautiful Camp Blue Bay. Learn more about our facility and summer camp programs. Our Summer Camp Directors and volunteers will be available to answer any questions you may have. Finally, take a self-guided tour of our campgrounds.
Saturday, May 6 or Sunday, May 7, 2023
Register online at gsnc.org
Summer Camp
Registration is Open!
Visit gsnc.org/camp to learn more.
Council Camp Programs
National Get Outdoors Day
June 10-11, 2023
Registration Now Open
Parent/Child Overnight
August 26-27, 2023 or
September 23-24, 2023
Registration Now Open
Troop Camping
Volunteer Outdoor Training Opportunities
Novice Camper Weekend: Are you looking to experience troop camping but haven’t had the opportunity to participate in the required Outdoor Training? We have an opportunity just for you: troops can enjoy a trip to Camp Blue Bay and leaders can participate in the training while at camp. Visit our website to learn more.
October 14-15, 2023
Registration Opens May 10, 2023
Left, Mary Vandenheuvel and Terry Edelman celebrate Judy Stenson’s award!
Delegate, Bay Association
Bronze Award Silver Award Gold Award
