Linking Leaders E-Newsletter January 2017

January 2017

Volunteer Spotlight ...............1 Farewell to Camp Ranger Richie..........................................1

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 on the Training page for easy reference.

Spotlights

Spotlight

Programs at a Glance

Adult & Leader Highlights

Membership

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As many of you are aware, Richie Roth, our Camp Ranger for Camp Nocatee will be leaving us this week to relocate. We’ve been fortunate enough to have him as our Ranger at Camp Nocatee for the past 5 years, and previous to that serving as our Ranger at Camp Welaka. Richie’s knowledge of the outdoors and desire to provide educational opportunities to our volunteers and campers will be missed, and we all wish him well as he embarks on his new journey.

In that same spirit, we’d also like to introduce you to Steve Woodby, a local and long-time resident of Clewiston who will be officially joining us at the beginning of the year! Steve has already begun working with Richie in order to ensure a smooth transition for our customers. Please be sure to give him a warm Girl Scout welcome when you visit Camp Nocatee next year! Should you have any questions in the interim, please contact our VP of Operations Cindy McHeran via email at cmcheran@gssef.org.

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Submit Troop or Volunteer News here!

Farewell to Camp Ranger Richie

Membership

Membership Update............7 Cookie Sale Participation....8 Super Seller..............................8 Bling Your Booth.....................8 Cookie Starter Kit...................9 Semi-Annual Clearance......9

Alissa Hegele is the Sunchariot Service Unit Volunteer Manager. She is a Florida native; born in Gainesville and attended Florida Atlantic University, where she earned a degree in Elementary Education with an ESOL endorsement, and is currently an Art Teacher. Alissa also has her Director’s Credentials and worked at her church to begin a preschool. She married her husband Brandon in October 2013, and had her son in October 2014. Alissa has been a Girl Scout Troop Leader for four years for her step-daughter, Rory’s, troop. Alissa enjoys’ crafting in her free time, including stamping, paper crafts, sewing and scrapbooking. Other favorites include Target, chocolate chip cookies, Coke Zero and the Florida Gators!

Adult & Leader Highlights

Green GrapevineAnnual Membership.............4 Troop Support........................5 Presidents Volunteer Service Award.........................5 Certificates of Insurance....6 Volunteer Essentials.............6 Troop Camp Training............7

Volunteer Spotlight

Programs at a Glance

Hour of Code...........................2 Cookie Rookie.........................2 Mall Madness...........................3 Journey in a Day......................3 Baby Basics Results..............3

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Hour of Code – Free Resource

Hour of Code Tutorial offers: • Online and offline (“Unplugged”) activities for budding programmers ages 5-9 • A specially-designed online tutorial for girls ages 10-18.

Girls can complete the self-guided tutorial. Plus you will find all the ingredients to host a TechJam, an event to celebrate computer science with interactive activities, directions and resources for parents, leaders and adult volunteers.

Badges girls can earn: • Daisies will earn most of the requirements for the Talk it Up Leaf, the Money Count Leaf and the 2017 Cookie Activity Pin. • Brownies will complete most of the requirements for the Give Back Badge and the Money Manager Badge and the 2017 Cookie Activity Pin. • Juniors will complete most of the requirements for the Cookie CEO Badge and the 2017 Cookie Activity Pin.

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Don’t STRIKE OUT, be an MVP! Register today at www.gssef.org This is a program you can encourage your parents to attend with their daughter!

Membership

Hit a GRAND SLAM for this year’s Cookie Sale! Inviting all first and second year cookie sellers to STEP UP TO THE PLATE and knock your cookie sales OUT OF THE BALLPARK! Cookie Rookie is scheduled for Sunday, January 15, 2017 from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. at Wells Recreation Center in Riviera Beach. This training session will help girls and their coach (Mom or Dad) cover the BASES and learn all they need to know to SCORE a successful cookie sale! The session will include product knowledge, taste tests, money management, safety awareness, marketing strategies and much more. Girls will create their own MVP Cookie Rookie Card and receive a commemorative patch.

Adult & Leader Highlights

Cookie Rookie

Programs at a Glance

Girl Scouts of Greater New York teamed once again with award-winning Vidcode, a female-owned startup offering a coding app for girls, to create an updated coding tutorial teaching the basics of the most popular computer programming language on the web - JavaScript. Vidcode makes coding accessible through lessons built around creative, girl-friendly art projects. With the Hour of Code tutorial, girls learn to code by adding filters, graphics, text and music to a personalized video greeting card. We want to share this free resource with you and your girls.

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Mall Madness

Save the Date!

Journey in a Day is coming up on April 22, 2017 at Camp Nocatee. This year we will be completing the It’s Your Story, Tell It! Journey series. This program is open to all Girl Scout age levels. Registration will open March 1, 2017.

Thank you to the 1400 girls representing 140 troops across our council who collected over 4500 baby items in the 2016 Baby Basics Infant Supply Drive. Patches have been distributed to each Service Unit and will be available at your next Service Unit Meeting.

Membership

Baby Basics

Adult & Leader Highlights

Questions? Contact Catalina Cano at ccano@gssef.org. Don’t stay in the dungeon, register today at www.gssef.org

Programs at a Glance

Hear, Ye! Hear, Ye! My ladies, maidens and your majesties - the honor of thy presence is requested by the Royal Council to attend their majesties Medieval Mall Madness. Join us and revel at thine castle, located at Coral Square Mall. Partake in renaissance-themed crafts, games of chance and skill. Visit the castle and joust with your fellow knights. Earn renaissance councils own badges as well as ye olde time favorites. Rejoice and carouse with the renaissance court as in Medieval Times.

Admire the goods at the vendor’s faire. Music and merriment will match the renaissance cast and your festive attire. Suggested Attire: A tax shall be levied on any who attend upon their Highness’s without the proper attire. So theme-up your troupe, you can be a princess, a maiden, a fairy, a knight, a dragon or even a queen.

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Green Grapevine - ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP Dear Green Grapevine: I heard it’s going to cost more to join Girl Scouts next year. Is that true?

ThanksIvana Samoa Ivana, the short answer is yes. Our National Organization, Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA), voted to increase the annual membership fee to $25, starting on October 1, 2017, for both girl and adult members.

Every dollar of membership dues is sent to GSUSA to cover the cost of fundamental services supporting the Girl Scout Movement. This includes, but is not limited to, accident insurance for members participating in approved Girl Scout activities, program development, research, resources, training, technology, services to councils, and protection of the Girl Scout brand. Membership dues also help fund the implementation of new technologies to improve the Girl Scout experience for girls, volunteers, and parents.

With the dues increase, which will take effect in the 2017-18 Girl Scout year (beginning when Early Bird re-registration opens in April), and the unchanged GSSEF Council Service Fee, the total cost to join next year will be $40 for girls and $25 for adults.

As the first and largest girl-led organization in the world, a Girl Scout membership is one of the most valuable investments anyone can make in a girl’s life. Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida is committed to ensuring that all girls, regardless of financial means, can fully participate in our Girl Scout program.

We will be sharing more about this dues increase as re-registration approaches. But, if you want more information in the meantime, please visit our FAQ page.

Membership

The greatest opportunity you and your girls have to mitigate the cost of this increase is coming up soon… the Girl Scout Cookie Sale. By knowing about the increase now, your girls can plan their sale accordingly. For example, if each girl sells a few more boxes of cookies she can easily offset the $10 dues increase. The Cookie Sale is at its core a financial literacy program. Now is the time to work with your girls to empower them as entrepreneurs to meet this challenge.

Adult & Leader Highlights

Currently the membership dues for girls and adults is $15. A Council Service Fee of $15 is required of all girl members, resulting in a total cost to join of $30 for girls and $15 for adults. Again, the national dues go directly to GSUSA and do not remain here locally; the GSSEF Council Service Fee of $15 remains unchanged in 2017-18.

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Need help with your troop records?

If so, contact…Troop Support Troop Support focuses on EXISTING members and troops and the support they need. Once they are in a troop or a volunteer role (even if they’ve been there for mere moments) the troop support team is their point of contact.

• VTK Support • Login reset for MY GS and VTK (same login for both) • Troop leader welcome/questions • Troop to Troop transfers • Property reservations • Money earning applications • Record updates – including re-triggering expired/non-existent background checks • Renewal • Online forms status updates:

o COIs

* Initial submission must be made through the online form at www.gssef.org

*Registered members can log in and update their record and family member records in MY GS at www.gssef.org. Troop leaders can update in the Troop Tab. Troop leaders can see if an adult background check is current, expired, or not completed. In order for the background check to be processed the record must include a correct email and date of birth.

Adult & Leader Highlights

Who to Contact: • Sarah Knight - Troop Support Specialist – sknight@gssef.org Palm Beach County, Treasure Coast and Okeechobee • Asha Robinson - Troop Support Specialist – arobinson@gssef.org Broward County

Presidents Volunteer Service Award - Earn your Award for 2016 Membership

GSSEF offers the opportunity for our members to earn the President’s Volunteer Service Award. This prestigious national award is given by the President of the United States and honors our members who have demonstrated a commitment to volunteer service. Adults, girls and troops can earn this award. GSSEF serves as a certifying organization for the award and the window is now open to submit your hours. Please click here to receive instructions on how to submit your volunteer hours for 2016. You only have until February 1, 2017 to submit your hours, so don’t delay! If you have any questions, please contact Kathy Hummel at khummel@gssef.org.

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Certificates of Insurance – How to Get One If you’re having a troop meeting, Service Unit event or cookie booth, chances are the host facility will need a Certificate of Insurance (COI). We have a new Wufoo form for COI requests to ensure we receive all of the necessary information to process the request quickly and efficiently.

Volunteers just need to complete the Troop Certificate of Insurance Request Form and click submit. This form can be found in the FORMS section of our website at www.gssef.org accessed directly here. Please allow 10 business days for processing. A copy of the COI will be sent to you via email.

Volunteer Essentials Classes

Thursday, January 12th Wednesday, January 25th 7:00-8:30 p.m. 7:00-8:30 p.m.

Register here! Register here!

Canoe Certification – January 8, 2017 – Broward College

**This training is physical and you will get wet! Training includes a swim test to be performed in the lake. You will also practice tipping the canoe, falling overboard and climbing back in. Water rescue and canoe safety techniques will be practiced and performed while in the water. Bring (or wear) a swimsuit, towel, dry clothes and closed-toed shoes. Water shoes are acceptable. Bring a packed lunch, snacks and water.

$50 per volunteer. No tagalongs permitted.

Registration Deadline: January 5, 2017 Click here to register!

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Sunday, January 8, 2017 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM 580 Gulf Stream Way, Dania Beach, FL, 33004

Membership

Interested in leading your troop on local quiet water trips? A canoe trained adult volunteer is required in order to experience this activity with your girls. In the Canoe Certification class you will learn to deal with various flat water boating situations.

We will practice a variety of rescue situations, and we will demonstrate the equipment necessary to provide a positive and safe experience.

Adult & Leader Highlights

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. Classes are FREE, but pre-registration is required. Click on the links below to register:

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Troop Camp Training at Camp Welaka Love camping? Or want to try it for the first time? Want to go camping with your Troop? Then Troop Camp Training is for you! Completion of Girl Scout Troop Camp Training (TCT) is required by one adult volunteer in your troop in order for your girls to go camping. This training is designed to help Girl Scout volunteers prepare themselves and the girls they work with to enjoy outdoor experiences together. Training will introduce progression in the out-of-doors, review camp facilities and provide basic skills for outdoor program. Fire building, outdoor cooking techniques, safety issues and camp rules and regulations are reviewed.

This skills-focused training involves one overnight on camp property. Registration is open to registered volunteers only; No tagalongs are permitted. Information on what to wear, bring and know before you come will be emailed to registered participants prior to the event.

Saturday, March 4- Sunday March, 5, 2017 Check in between 9:30-10:00 AM on Saturday.

The class concludes after breakfast and clean-up on Sunday morning.

$35/per volunteer - food (lunch, dinner and breakfast), training supplies and TCT manual are included in the registration cost Register here!

Membership Update

6,000

14,000 12,000

Membership

GSSEF’s girl membership goal for 2017 is 11,000, and the adult membership goal is 5,200. Over 9,060 girls and 4,234 adults have already registered for the 2017 Girl Scout year.

5,000 10,000 4,000

8,000 6,000 82% of 4,000

Adult & Leader Highlights

Camp Welaka, 10205 SE Girl Scout Camp Rd., Tequesta, FL, 33469

Goal

3,000

81% of Goal 2,000

2,000

Goal 5,200

Girl Membership

Adult Membership

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Goal 11,000

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Why Participate in the Cookie Sale What are your hopes for your Girl Scout? Certainly, you want her to make good decisions. Know how to manage money. And how to set and reach goals, like attending college. The Girl Scout Cookie Program helps her succeed today and prepares her for future success. There’s a good reason it’s a beloved family tradition.

Goal Setting: Your Girl Scout sets cookie sales goals individually and with her team, creates a plan to reach them, and develops cooperation and team building skills all along the way!

Decision Making: Your Girl Scout helps decide how her team will spend their cookie money, furthering her critical thinking and problem solving skills that will help her in many aspects of her life.

Money Management: Your Girl Scout takes cookie orders, handles customers’ money and gains valuable and practical life skills around financial literacy.

People Skills: Your Girl Scout learns how to talk to, listen to and work with all kinds of people while selling cookies. These experiences help her develop healthy relationship and conflict resolution skills she can use throughout her life.

Business Ethics: Your Girl Scout is honest and responsible at every step of the cookie sale. Her business ethics here reinforce the positive values she is developing as a Girl Scout.

If that’s not enough, how about great cookie rewards for girls to earn. You’ll see awesome patches, a super cute owl-themed t-shirt, electronics, outdoor gear and more. Check out all the cookie rewards and set your goals now!

Are You a Super Seller?

Bling Your Booth is Back!

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Love to showcase your Girl Scout style at your cookie booth? Want to show your customers that you are a #cookieboss? All you have to do is grab that big imagination, get creative and enter the GSSEF Bling Your Booth contest. This year’s contest is 100-themed in honor of the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts selling cookies. The winning troop gets Bling Your Booth patches and a $250 gift card to the food or entertainment venue of your choice. Photos can be submitted starting on January 19th through our GSSEF app. Click here for all the details on what you need to do and how to enter. Questions? Contact Melinda Glasco at mglasco@gssef.org.

Membership

Calling all #cookiebosses! Are you a Super Seller? The top cookie seller in each Service Unit will receive a 2017 Super Seller Cookie Power patch, a Make New Friends jewelry box and a Carry All Caddy to organize all your must-have belongings.

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Cookie Starter Kit Get a jump start on your 2017 Cookie Sale with this awesome Cookie Starter Kit. It includes the super cute, colorful and highly coveted Cookie Cart, 2 pink cookie buttons, 1 cookie magnet, a set of five 11� balloons (1 red, yellow, blue, green and orange), 1 36� Balloon, 2 cookie pencils (1 black, 1 purple), 1 click pen (assorted colors), 1 cookie-themed bowl with matching spoon and 1 owl mascot spatula. The Cookie Starter Kit is $75, but quantities are limited so get yours now.

And the Cookie Starter Kit is the perfect thing to buy during the Winter Bounce Back promotion. Starting December 17, 2016 in-store (or December 26th online) through January 23, 2017, spend $75 or more in store or online and received a $10 off $25 coupon to be used in February.* (use with snow globe sign) Membership

*NOTE: The $10 coupons given out at stores can only be used at the store that issues the coupon. $10 coupon codes that are sent to customers who shop online can only be redeemed online at www.girlscoutshop.com.

Customers cannot use in-store coupons online and online coupon codes cannot be used at the GSSEF council stores. See store for complete details.

Semi-Annual Clearance Starts Soon

Missed Us? No worries, you can shop online 24/7! Visit www.gssef.org/shop

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From January 3rd through January 31st, stop by the Retail Store and check out all of the clearance deals. Lots of merchandise will be marked down so stop in early and often for the best selection.

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World Thinking Day

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