December 2015
Volunteer Spotlight ................1 GSSEF Winter Break ..............1
Programs at a Glance
Gold Award Workshops Now Open.................................3 Harlem Globetrotters Coming to Boca......................3
Adult & Leader Highlights
Calendar............................12 Submit Troop or Volunteer News here!
Many years later, Pam asked Christina to help out with a troop in the Silver Sands Service Unit. She loved it! Now, finally in 2015, Christina is a Co-Leader of a Daisy-Brownie troop and is looking forward to introducing girls to her favorite Girl Scout program – The Cookie Sale. All the national Cookie Business badges are new to her, but she is really excited to work with her girls to earn them and sell cookies in January.
GSSEF will be closed for Winter Break: December 18, 2015 – January 3, 2016 GSSEF winter break is quickly approaching and we wanted to provide you with information regarding Council and staff availability. Both Council Service Centers, including the Retail Stores will be closed from December 18, 2015 through January 3, 2016. We will re-open on Monday, January 4, 2016. All staff will be off for the winter break. Any documents that require council staff assistance or approval – such as requests for insurance certificates, travel applications and troop money earning activities – are due no later than December 9th. Please make sure you plan accordingly.
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Membership Update............9 GSSEF’s Growing Membership............................9 Data Clean Up........................10 Product Sales ............................10 Get Your Cookie Kit..............11 FunDay Monday....................11
Christina was a girl member from 2nd to 12th grade in Broward County. Today, she is a busy graduate student at Lynn University, and the proud Co-Leader of Troop 10322 in Coral Springs. Christina has had many amazing female role models as she grew up in Girl Scouts. One of those people was Pam Geronimos, who joined her troop as a Co-Leader. One night Pam called Christina to ask her why she wasn’t registered to attend Camporee. Christina said she hadn’t thought she could attend because of her physical disabilities, but Pam said, “Oh yes you can!” The rest – as they say – is history!
Membership
Membership
Every month, we showcase a volunteer who exemplifies the Girl Scout mission and serves as a role model for other leaders.
Adult & Leader Highlights
Green Grapevine-Safety Guidelines................................5 Volunteer Shout Out.............5 Adult Learning.........................6 Volunteer Essentials.............6 Troop Essentials.....................6 Bronze Award.........................6 CPR/First Aid............................6 Facebook 101..........................7 Troop Camp Training...........7 End of Year Troop Report Analysis.....................................7 Save the Date: Volunteer Weekend........................................8
Volunteer Spotlight
Programs at a Glance
#CookieBoss...........................2 Cookie Entrepreneur............2 Mall Madness Registration Opens Decmeber 1................3
We’d love to hear what you’re doing with your girls! Send us an email or post on Facebook! Feel free to contact Rachel Goossens with comments, pictures or ideas at rgoossens@gssef.org. All of the Linking Leaders issues are archived in the Volunteer Vault here for easy reference.
Spotlights
Spotlight
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#CookieBoss: Daisies, Brownies, Juniors
The program registration will close Monday, January 4, 2016 or immediately upon reaching program capacity, whichever occurs first. Questions? Contact Meredith Slaymaker mslaymaker@gssef.org or Catalina Cano ccano@gssef.org.
Cookie Entrepreneur: Cadettes, Seniors, Ambassadors
The program registration will close Monday, January 4, 2016 or immediately upon reaching program capacity, whichever occurs first. Questions? Contact Lammy Askar at aaskar@gssef.org
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Who: Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors Date and Time: January 9, 2016 from 12:00-4:00 p.m. Location: Imagine Schools Chancellor Campus, 3333 High Ridge Rd., Boynton Beach Cost: $28/girl (includes supplies, badge, patch and snacks) Register Now!
Membership
Registration is now open! GSSEF and the America Business Women’s Association (AWBA) of Coral Springs invite you to spend a day learning all about how to be a Cookie Entrepreneur! Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on, interactive workshops with some of the top female leaders in the community. In these sessions, girls will earn full components to national badges in their respective levels: Cadettes: Business Plan Seniors: My Portfolio (some pre-work will be required) Ambassadors: P & L
Adult & Leader Highlights
Who: Daisies, Brownies and Junior Girl Scouts Date and Time: January 9, 2016 from 12:00-4:00 p.m. Location: Imagine Schools Chancellor Campus, 3333 High Ridge Rd., Boynton Beach Cost: $28/girl (includes supplies, patch and snacks) Register Now!
Programs at a Glance
Registration is now open! Be the Boss! During #CookieBoss you’ll discover how the Girl Scout Cookie Program can connect you to all the skills you’ll need in the future. Girls will participate in hands-on, interactive learning activities to sharpen their skills and knowledge in financial literacy, product information, marketing and sales strategy, safety, customer service and much more. Girls will also develop unique marketing materials for their cookie booth and cookie website. Parents and Leaders are invited to an exclusive cookie chat with our very own Chief Strategy Officer, Lisa Johnson, to learn how to maximize the Girl Scout Cookie program for your own #Cookie Boss! Don’t forget to stop by our pop-up retail store while you’re there…we’ll have all your favorite Girl Scout merchandise. Be sure to have a healthy breakfast and a protein packed lunch as you enjoy your day filled with all things Cookie Business!
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Mall Madness Registration Opens on December 1st at 10:00 a.m.
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Calling all night owls!! Your favorite lock-in program is just around the corner! Come out and party all night with your Girl Scout sisters as we take over Coral Square Mall in Coral Springs! Our night of madness includes stores for shopping, a food court for fuel and a DJ with dancing tunes, just to name a few.
GIVE ME THE DETAILS!
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Are you a Senior or Ambassador interested in pursuing the Gold Award? Your opportunity to attend the Council-sponsored required workshop is here! Make sure to register today--space is incredibly limited. Check out our awards page for a full list of pre-requisites. *Our calendar is updated weekly. Please be sure to keep an eye on e-Council for additional sessions throughout our Council jurisdiction.
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Sunrise Athletic Complex Sunday, January 10, 2015 1 - 3 p.m Click here to register.
Calendar
Were you the recipient of the Girl Scout Gold Award, Golden Eagle of Merit, Golden Eaglet, Curved Bar, or First Class? We want to hear from you! Girl Scouts is celebrating 100 years of changing the world in 2016 with the centennial anniversary of the Gold Award. We want to honor and recognize those of you that have earned the highest national Girl Scout award. Please send your information and a picture, along with a description of your award project to Lammy Askar, Director of Program at aaskar@gssef.org.
Membership
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Oakland Park Service Center Sunday, December 6, 2015 1 - 3 p.m. Click here to register.
Adult & Leader Highlights
Gold Award Workshops are now open!
Programs at a Glance
When: Saturday, February 27 at 10 p.m. to Sunday, February 28, 2016 at 5 a.m. Where: Coral Square Mall, located at 9469 W. Atlantic Blvd., Coral Springs, FL 33071. Cost: $30 per person for General Admission which includes a patch. $35 per person for VIP Admission which includes Exclusive VIP patch, Priority Entrance Access and Express Shopping Pass. VIP Admission is limited to 500 registered participants! Who can party: Registered Girl Scouts of all age levels and their registered female Troop Leader or parent/guardian. All participants, including female adults, MUST hold a current GSSEF membership. No Tagalongs
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Harlem Globe Trotters are coming to Boca Raton! The Harlem Globe Trotters 2016 Tour is set to stop in Boca Raton in February and they have offered Girl Scouts special ticket prices and opportunities to participate! Click here for full details or feel free to contact Kyndra Flowers at kFlowers@harlemglobetrotters.com for more information.
Courtside
$124.50
No Discount
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Lower Sides/ Ends $64.50
$53.50*
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Corners
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GA Upper Level $32.50
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# OF GLOBETROTTERS PATCHES
FREE
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Patches will be mailed from HG office separate from tickets
***************************************************************** MAGIC PASS $22.00 $17.00 x _____ $ _____
Adult & Leader Highlights
Meredith Slaymaker, Regional Program Manager, mslaymaker@gssef.org SCOUT PRICES No minimum ticket purchase required (prices include all ticket andccano@gssef.org building fees) All Lower Level Catalina Cano, Regional Program Manager, Diana Mills, Program Registrar, dmills@gssef.org Seat Location Regular Prices Your Prices Quantity Subtotal
Programs at a Glance
Monday, February 29, 2016 @ 7pm ~ FAU Arena Program Team Contacts EXCLUSIVE SCOUTofDISCOUNT OFFER ~ SAVE UP TO $13 PER TICKET! Lammy Askar, Director Program, aaskar@gssef.org
Magic Pass is a 30-minute pre show event from 530-6pm (limited capacity. Separate ticket required)
Handling Fee TOTAL
$ $ _____
DEADLINE TO ORDER: Friday , February 25, 2016 (5:00 pm MST)
Accessible seating requested
Contact Name _______________________________________ Pack/Troop ___________________________________________
Membership
MAGIC PASS: Spend time on the court with the Globetrotters – shooting, trying out ball tricks and photo opportunities! All customers, regardless of participation must have a game ticket AND Magic Pass for entry. Soft/rubber soled shoes must be worn on court.
Mailing Address ____________________________________________ City ____________________State_____ Zip code_______ Phone _____________________________________________ Email _________________________________________________
METHOD OF PAYMENT PAYMENT: Visa
MC
Discover
Amex
Security Code ______
Card # _____________________________________________ Expires _________ City__________________ State____ Zip________ Mail, Email or Will Call (circle one)
Signature ______________________________ Will Call Name ______________________ All tickets ordered after Friday, February 19th, 2016 will be left in will-call All tickets are subject to availability. Tickets must be purchased in advance by mail, phone, email or fax. Orders will be filled on a first come, first serve basis. No refunds or exchanges. Children under 2 do not require a ticket provided they sit on adult’s lap.
Boca Raton, FL
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Billing Address(if needed)_______________________________________________
To order tickets contact Kyndra Flowers: Toll Free: 800-641-4667 x115 Direct : 602-707-7009 Fax : 602-258-5925 Or email your order to: kFlowers@harlemglobetrotters.com
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Green Grapevine - SAFETY GUIDELINES Dear Green Grapevine: I am a new Leader and I was told I need to have my girls get a signed permission slip for each activity we do, outside of our weekly Troop meetings. Is this true, and if so, why? Yours in ScoutingMaye B. Able
The Leader should hold onto these documents and keep them safe but accessible throughout the duration of the activity. The Parent/Guardian Permission Form can be found here. Should you have any questions regarding Council Policies and Procedures, please email volunteer@gssef.org.
Adult & Leader Highlights
It may seem like a lot of work, but Girl Scout Safety guidelines indicate, “When an activity takes place that is outside the normal time and place, advise each parent/ guardian of the details of the activity and obtain permission for girls to participate” (Volunteer Essentials Manual, p. 58). Completing and signing a permission slip for each activity outside of the usual Troop meeting provides an exchange of important information between the parents and the Troop Leader. The Leader is provided the most current emergency contact information, which today, with busy families, can vary from day-to-day. Parents receive pertinent details about where their child will be, with whom and for how long. They also get information about any additional money their girl may need to bring, or special clothes or equipment she may need. In addition to parental permission, the girl also attests to the Girl Behavioral Agreement where she agrees to take responsibility for her actions, and to uphold the Girl Scout promise and Law when she is participating in Girl Scout Activities.
Volunteer Shout Out!
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Shout Out to Jodi Weiksnar, Joanne Jones and Kristen Ritter from the Sea Star Service Unit for helping new Troop 30487 celebrate Juliette Gordon Low’s birthday. They taught the girls songs, talked about campouts and patches and led them in their very first friendship circle. They are great examples of everything Girl Scouts is meant to be.
Membership
Congratulations to Rae Ann Brewer who recently received the Broward County Sheriff’s Foundation Medallion for assisting with the launch of a new initiative called the Sheriff’s Foundation Classroom. Rae is the Service Unit Product Sale Manager for the Kowechobe Service Unit and also serves as the mentor to the new troop leaders in her area.
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Adult Learning Highlights New training classes are added throughout the fall. Be sure to check the adult training calendar periodically for new additions!
Volunteer Essentials Take the first step in your leadership experience by getting informed of the policies and procedures of Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida. Know the do’s and don’ts of GSSEF! Volunteer Essentials - Orientation training is required for all new leaders and must be taken within 60 days.
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Volunteer Essentials (Online) Wednesday, December 2, 2015 7:00 p.m. Click here to register.
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Volunteer Essentials (Online) Tuesday, December 8, 2015 7:00 p.m. Click here to register.
Troop Essentials
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Troop Essentials: Daisy- Brownie (Vero Beach) Sunday, December 6, 2015 6:00 p.m. Click here to register.
Adult & Leader Highlights
Troop Essentials Grade Level Training offers grade-level specific information on how to set-up your troop, from deciding when, where and how often to meet and how to’s on managing troop finances, to working with parents and planning engaging troop activities. This class will inform and inspire you in your new role as a Troop Leader. Cost: $3.00
Bronze Award
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Membership
All about the Bronze Award!! Help the girls achieve the first of the highest Girl Scout Awards they can earn on their way to the Gold! Cost: $3.00 Bronze Award (Online) Monday, December 7, 2015 7:00 p.m. Click here to register.
CPR / First Aid
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CPR/ First Aid (Davie) Thursday, December 3, 2015 6:30 p.m. Click here to register.
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CPR/ First Aid (Palm City) Thursday, December 12, 2015 9:30 p.m. Click here to register.
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Make sure your troop is ready for their next outing by getting First Aid/CPR Certified. Cost: $35 per adult volunteer
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Facebook 101 How do Girl Scouts and Facebook go together? You would be amazed. Come learn the how tos, dos and donts of Facebook when using it for Girl Scouts. Cost: $3.00 Facebook 101 (Port St. Lucie) Monday, December 21, 2015 7:00 p.m. Click here to register.
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Save the date for Troop Camp Training! Love camping? Want to go with your troop? Then Troop Camp Training (TCT) is for you! Completion of TCT is required by one adult volunteer in your troop in order for your girls to go camping.
TCT - Basic
Basic Training will certify you to camp with your girls at any GSSEF camp property or similar facility. Fire building, basic cooking, safety issues and other necessary outdoor skills will be the focus. Lunch and supplies are included. Save the date for our next class! • Saturday, February 20, 2016 at Camp Nocatee in Clewiston • Saturday, April 2, 2016 at Camp Telogia in Parkland Intermediate Training will introduce tent camping, knife skills and knots and advanced cooking techniques. Completion of BTC Basic or an approval from council is a prerequisite. Food and supplies are included. Save the date for our next class! • February 20, 2016 at Camp Nocatee in Clewiston Questions about adult learning? Email volunteer@gssef.org.
Adult & Leader Highlights
TCT - Intermediate
End of Year Troop Report Analysis
Among the highlights: Local Girl Scouts provided more than 87,202 hours of community service as part of their Take Action projects. This is OUTSTANDING and represents a 49% increase over last year’s 58,642 hours!
Please take some time to read the 2015 End-of-Year Troop Report.
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Troops are offering, and girls are participating in, amazing programs and are earning badges and other awards across our key initiatives areas of Healthy Living, STEM, Financial Literacy, Outdoor Education and Global Citizenship. Please know that this information is so incredibly valuable and the time each troop leader took to share it is much appreciated and will be used to continue to grow our program offerings in the future.
Membership
If you were one of the 645 troops participating in the 2014-2015 End-of-Year Troop Reporting process, THANK YOU!! It was just amazing to read about the incredible impact each of you is having on the girls you serve and, as a result, the amazing work the girls are doing to build their own skills and to provide service to others.
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Save the Date for Volunteer Weekend Where will you be on Friday March 11, 2016 at 7:00 p.m.? The correct answer is “checking in at Volunteer Weekend at Camp Nocatee, of course! We will ALL be there for a weekend full of fun, games, friendship, crafts, team building and pampering because the theme this year is (drum roll…) GLAMPING! Registration is already open. Click here to reserve your spot! Let us pamper you Friday night and all day Saturday so that on Sunday, after breakfast, you will leave refreshed, relaxed, cheered and...ready for more troop activities! The weekend is open to all registered volunteers so bring your cookie mom, your nut mom, your co-leaders and all your parent volunteers -- come one, come all to this glamorous event!! $55 includes food, T-shirt, lodging, materials, crafts and all the fun you will have!
Volunteers Still Needed for Volunteer Weekend Planning Committee!
Volunteers at the Survivor-themed 2015 event chose to go Glamping in 2016. What is Glamping? It’s glamorous camping, of course, and we’re going to do it Girl Scout-style. But in order to make this weekend the best yet, we want your input and your help! If you’re interested in joining the planning committee for this sure-to-be fantabulous, mah-velous and oh so glamorous event, email Gabriella Gaita at ggaita@gssef.org and let her know you want to join in on the fun. Please respond no later than December 10 so that the glam-planning can begin!
Adult & Leader Highlights
Make new friends! Get ideas for your next troop event! Be inspired! Join us at Volunteer Weekend for some roaring fun!
Membership Calendar
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Membership Update
12,000 5,000
GSSEF’s girl membership goal for 2016 is 12,500, and the adult membership goal is 5,800. Over 8,855 girls and 4,193 adults have already registered for the 2016 Girl Scout year.
10,000 4,000
8,000 6,000 71% of 4,000
Goal
We are SO excited to share that more girls in our six-county jurisdiction are Girl Scouts this year!
Goal
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GSSEF’s Growing Membership!
3,000 78% of
Goal 12,500
Goal 5,800
Girl Membership
Adult Membership
The back-to-school recruitment events throughout the late summer and fall have resulted in a total of 8,855 girls registered and participating in Girl Scout troops and programs as of mid-November. This represents 71% of the annual girl membership goal of 12,500 girls for the 2015-16 membership year. Overall girl membership is 10% higher than at this time last year. THANK YOU for all you are doing to bring the Girl Scout Leadership Experience to more girls in our communities.
Recruitment events are continuing to be scheduled in all Service Units. To help at a recruitment event or host an event to add more girls to your troop, please contact your membership recruitment manager.
Membership
Congratulations and Thank You to the following Service Unit teams who have registered between 75% and 100% of their annual girl membership goal. • Magnolia – 103% of Goal • Blazing Star – 92% of Goal • Luna – 87% of Goal • Royal Palm – 84% of Goal • Hibiscus – 83% of Goal • Everglades – 81% of Goal • Atikah – 80% of Goal • Sandy Beaches – 77% of Goal
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Data Clean Up Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and corrected information in your Troop’s roster! Having accurate contact information for each girl, parent/guardian and adult volunteer in the membership database ensures that important information and program announcements reach you in a timely manner. GSSEF continues our council-wide effort to update and “clean” the data in each membership record in the e-Council database. Please check your troop rosters regularly to ensure that each girl and adult record has the following fields completed with current information: name, address, city, state, zip, county, birthdate, phone number and email address. Now is also a good time to make sure all girls and adults registered into your troop are listed on your troop roster. In addition, please review the meeting location, meeting date and time listed in e-Council for your troop meeting. For safety and compliance purposes, this information must be included in your troop summary. For assistance with any of these data updates, please contact Mileneda Joseph, Council Registrar, at mjoseph@gssef.org or Rhonda Netzel, Director of Membership, at rnetzel@gssef.org.
Product Sales As we end the 2015 Fall Product Sale…..we have something else “Worth Sharing!”
The 2016 Cookie Sale Program is January 21 to February 14, 2016.
Online Cookie Sales are Back!
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This Cookie Sale, in addition to the already popular and successful door-to-door and booth sales, we are excited to announce girls will once again be able to sell Girl Scouts Cookies through the Digital Cookie Program. • Parents will receive a “Kick-Off” email that will include a link to the Digital Order Card during the first part of January 2016. We are using the parents’ email address that is listed in eCouncil. If a parent did not include their email when registering their daughter, they will not receive the information and the instructions to set their Girl Scout up to participate in the 2016 Digital Cookie Sale. If a parent wishes to add an email address to their daughter’s registration, please ask your Service Unit Registrar to enter this in eCouncil for you. • Parents will click on that link and set up their user name and password in the Digital Order Card.
Membership
Please make plans to attend your Service Unit Cookie Training. This is where you will learn important information and dates about the sale, see the rewards for this year and taste some of the delicious cookies.
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• After setting up their own parent account…. - If their daughter is 13 and over, parents will enter their daughter’s name and email address and the system will send the girl an automatic email to set up her account in the Digital Order Card. After she clicks on the link and sets up her own account, she can create and customize her own site. This site is not published until the parent approves it. - If their daughter is 12 and under, parents will work with their daughter to set up their account and customize their site. - Parents and girls decide on potential customers to reach out to and send emails through this site. - These transactions will require no delivery or money collecting by the girl. - These transactions will be entered automatically (by GSUSA and Little Brownie Bakers) into eBudde along with the payment from these sales. - These sales will count towards all girl rewards and troop proceeds. Customers are charged a shipping fee for any online order placed. Tier A 4-6 boxes $9.95 Tier B 7-8 boxes $11.95 Tier C 4-6 boxes $13.50 Tier D 7-8 boxes $14.95 More than 12 boxes: $14.95 plus additional tier (A, B, C or D) There is a minimum order of four boxes. Cookies are shipped within one to five days after an order is placed. Check out our Volunteer Quick Guide for lots of great info, tips and tricks.
Get Your Cookie Kit! Membership
Check out this colorful and helpful Cookie Kit now available in both Retail Stores for just $49.99. Packed with goodies, it’s the way to start blinging your booth and getting ready for Cookie season. And if you buy it in December, get a free plush pal with your $50 purchase.
FunDay Monday Calendar
Start your week off with a bit of fun. Beginning Monday, November 30, we’ll be sharing a special weekly Girl Scout merchandise item on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and our new GSSEF App. To receive the special offer, you’ll have to say the word that will be revealed to receive the discount at either retail store location. FunDay Monday dates are November 30, December 7 and December 14. Be sure to connect with us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram. To download our App, visit your App store.
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GSSEF Closed for Staff Holiday Event
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Cookie Eating Contest at the South Florida Fair
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GSSEF Offices Reopen
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