March 2016
Volunteer Spotlight ................1
Programs at a Glance Journey in a Day Registration is OPEN.......................................2
Adult & Leader Highlights
Calendar............................14 Submit Troop or Volunteer News here!
Margaret is full of stories from the early days when she frequently drove girls to and from troop meetings. In fact, she is still in touch with many of the Girl Scouts who were in her very first troop, “…one is a lawyer, one is working on her doctorate degree now and one is working for the Indian River School District just like I do.” She admits, that while the girl’s ‘comfort zones’ have changed dramatically over the years, their passion for ‘giving back’ remains extremely strong. Anori’s troop loves working at their church’s soup kitchen, as well as ‘adopting’ senior citizens from their community. The troop helps with everyday tasks like grocery shopping, housekeeping and occasionally accompanying the adults to church too. Margaret can’t imagine her life without a Girl Scout troop as part of it – and she beams with pride when she talks about each girl she has met along her journey. “These girls are all the products of Girl Scouting. Girl Scouts is teaching them the right way to grow up.”
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Membership Update............11 You Tou-Can be an Early Bird..................................11 Product Sales.........................12 Retail Stores...........................13 Data Clean Up........................13
Margaret Dawson-Brown has been opening up the world of Girl Scouting to the girls of Gifford since 1984. Her very first experience as a Troop Leader began before her daughter Brittany was born and continues 32 years later, by leading Troop 50281 with members who include her granddaughter Anori and three nieces too! Margaret laughs when she shares examples of differences between Brittany and Anori’s troops; “Brittany and the other girls loved going outside and camping, but today Anori and the rest of her troop worry about wild animals – they really prefer being indoors and the cookie sales.”
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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-Social Media.........................................5 Adult Learning.........................7 Volunteer Essentials.............7 Troop Essentials.....................7 Ceremonies.............................8 Canoe Training........................8 Troop Organization...............8 Outdoor Cooking...................9 Troop Camp Training............9 2016 Adult Recognition Nominations............................9 Denise W. Valz Announces Retirement..............................10
Volunteer Spotlight
Programs at a Glance
Gold Award Deadline.............2 Trees & Flowers Workshop..3 Certified Archery Volunteers Needed.......................................3 Wet ‘n Wild’s Slumber Splash Bash...............................3 Palm Springs Bike Rodeo......4 GSSSEF Orlando Trip! ...........4
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
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Journey in a Day Registration is NOW OPEN!
Volunteers are needed, email Catalina Cano ccano@gssef.org no later than March 31, 2016 if you are interested in helping out.
Can’t make it to Journey in a Day? No problem!
Volunteers Lynn Burns and Dave Van Camp of the Sunchariot Service Unit are hosting the Florida Earth Festival on April 23, 2016 which will feature the It’s Your Planet—Love It Journey! Save the date as more information will be available soon! Registration will open on March 1st. Click here to register.
If you have any questions about your projects, please contact the Director of Program, Lammy Askar at aaskar@gssef.org
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April will be here before we know it! All girls working on Councilapproved Gold Award projects will have until Monday, April 4, 2016, at 6:00pm to turn in all completed final reports and scrap books to either Service Center. Girls that submit completed projects will be invited to an exclusive Gold Award Celebration on Saturday, May 14, 2016, at the Waterstone Resort and Marina in Boca Raton.
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Gold Award Deadline Approaching!
Adult & Leader Highlights
Who: Daisies through Ambassadors will complete the “It’s Your World, Change It” Journey series When: Saturday, April 16, 2016 from 10 am to 4pm Where: Camp Nocatee, 6009 Flaghole Road Clewiston, FL 33440 Cost: $30/girl (includes participation patch, supplies and a snack) Girls will need to bring a sack lunch and their age level Journey book with them to the program. RSVP: Registration deadline is March 31, 2016 or immediately upon specific age level session reaching capacity. Questions? Contact Meredith Slaymaker at mslaymaker@gssef.org or Catalina Cano at ccano@gssef.org
Programs at a Glance
Mark your calendars! Your favorite Journey program is back for the third year! Daisies through Ambassadors will have the opportunity to explore Camp Nocatee while they work on their It’s Your World, Change It!’ Journey. New to Girl Scouts? Visit the Journey Page to learn more. Click here to see all the details.
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Trees & Flowers Workshop at River Center
For additional information and to register, click here.
Certified Archery Volunteers--WE NEED YOU!
Wet ‘n Wild’s Slumber Splash Bash
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Wet ‘n Wild’s Slumber Splash Bash is here and this year it’s a glow party just for Girl Scouts! No ordinary campout can compare to the nonstop fun of all the rides and attractions of Wet ‘n Wild by the light of the moon. It’s a splash - and a bash - for the whole troop! Event admission includes exclusive use of Wet ‘n Wild’s attractions, commemorative patch, all-you-can-eat breakfast, a live DJ and themed entertainment. Advance Registration is NOW OPEN! Click here to get started and to find out more about the event.
Adult & Leader Highlights
The Program Team is seeking certified archers to lead the task of completing a full archery equipment overview and inventory. To ensure the equipment is efficient and safe, we would like to work with key volunteers to help us identify any repairs that the beloved equipment may need. If this is something you would interested in assisting with, please contact Lammy Askar at aaskar@gssef.org by April 1st to be part of this work group.
Programs at a Glance
In this getting back to nature inspired workshop, Juniors will earn their Flowers Legacy Badge and Cadettes will earn their Trees Legacy Badge. As naturalists, girls will also investigate the different parts of trees and flowers, uses, habitat and conservation. The workshop is part of the Society of Women Engineers Spring Eco-Action workshop series and will be held Saturday, March 5th from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the River Center in Jupiter.
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Village of Palm Springs Bike Rodeo On Saturday, March 12th, the Village of Palm Springs is hosting its 1st Annual Bike Rodeo. There will be activities for kids ages 5 and up to help teach and promote bike safety. Children are expected to bring their own bikes and helmets to participate in the bike safety obstacle course on site. For more information click here or call Brandon Zickar at 561-434-5112
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You can either pay the full registration fee by March 14, 2016 or for your convenience, you can pay a non-refundable deposit of $100 per person by March 14, 2016 and a final non-refundable pay-off amount of $100 per person no later than April 5, 2016.
Adult & Leader Highlights
Calling all Girl Scouts and their families, join us for an amazing weekend of fun at TWO of Florida’s coolest theme parks! WHEN: Saturday May 28th at 5:00 a.m. to Sunday, May 29, 2016 at approximately 2:00 p.m. WHO: Any Girl Scout and her family (children must be 5 or older to ride on the bus) COST: $200/person (includes tickets to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, hotel, transportation, patch and breakfast on Sunday morning).
Programs at a Glance
Take a Trip to Orlando with GSSEF
Get all the details by contacting Catalina Cano at ccano@gssef.org or Meredith Slaymaker at mslaymaker@gssef.org
Lammy Askar, Director of Program, aaskar@gssef.org Meredith Slaymaker, Regional Program Manager, mslaymaker@gssef.org Catalina Cano, Regional Program Manager, ccano@gssef.org Diana Mills, Program Registrar, dmills@gssef.org
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Program Team Contacts
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Green Grapevine - SOCIAL MEDIA Dear Green GrapevineI’d like to create a troop Facebook page to communicate with parents in my troop. Is that allowed? If so, are there any guidelines I should follow? ThanksMary Torrius Thanks for your question! Social media has become a part of all of our lives. The use of social media enhances the visibility of our council as a united front—reaching out to the community and media regarding council activities, events and more. It allows for quick, easy and fun communication. But, sometimes, using social media can have an unintentional negative impact. While we are continuing to develop our social media use policies, they currently include that “Hostile acts, malicious gossip, harassment or derogatory attacks concerning anyone associated with the GSSEF; including girls, registered volunteers, parents of members and/or employed staff” are prohibited (Council Volunteer Policies and Procedures, p. 7). Therefore, if Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida or GSUSA contacts you and requests that any content or links on your page be removed or altered in accordance with these guidelines, it is expected that you comply. We should each strive to adhere to the Girl Scout Promise and Law in all of our communications. Here’s a few ways we can do that:
1. Be honest and fair. Be transparent about your role as a GSSEF volunteer when communicating about Girl Scout-related issues online. Be proud to be a Girl Scout! 2. Be friendly, helpful, considerate and caring. Treat others as you want to be treated. Choose your words carefully, and if needed, take a breath before you post. It’s easy to take things out of context online. Don’t use social media to attack others. It’s just not nice, or becoming of a Girl Scout.
4. Be responsible for what you say and do. Remember that what you post online will be around for a long time (think of it as your online carbon footprint), and nothing is really “private” anymore. Use discretion and if you have questions about whether or not you should post something, ask your Volunteerism Manager.
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5. Respect yourself and others. Respect other people’s privacy and your own personal boundaries by using discretion when choosing to accept or invite a fellow volunteer and/or parent as your Facebook “friend” on your personal Facebook page or who you follow on Twitter. (For the service unit or troop Facebook page, the privacy settings will give you the ability to give permission to only those who are involved with the service unit or troop.)
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3. Be courageous and strong. We’re all charged with protecting Girl Scouts and that includes our girls and our organization. If you see posts, comments or behavior that concern you, please notify your Volunteerism Manager. Don’t be afraid to speak up or ask questions.
Adult & Leader Highlights
Social Media Etiquette
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6. Respect authority. GSSEF reserves the right to block or delete any postings, administrators or group members or to restrict volunteer access to social media sites within council control. Also, if you are contacted by a member of the media through a social media site and asked to comment on an issue, please refer them to Lisa Johnson, Chief Strategy Officer at 561.427.0175 (office) or 561.722.8000 (mobile). 7. Use resources wisely. Your time is a valuable resource and your social media activities should not interfere with your volunteer commitments. Respond to questions and concerns in a timely manner. Be a valuable resource for information. 8. Make the world a better place and be a sister to every Girl Scout. This is true regardless of how you are communicating. 9. Be mindful of how you look and act by living the Girl Scout Promise and Law. Your online presence can reflect positively or negatively on Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida. Be wary of your actions captured via images, posts or comments. Please remember that your Facebook profile picture can always be viewed publicly, so use discretion when choosing how the world, and most importantly our girls see you.
• If you wish to post Girl Scouts’ names on the page, first names only are recommended and you should not use a girl’s entire name. • Never identify personal addresses of Girl Scouts, however you may list your recruitment events. • If you must include contact information, create a generic email address (such as “GSTroop11223@yahoo.com”) to which communications may be sent that will effectively hide any individual identity within the Girl Scout Troop or Service Unit. Make sure you respond to emails in a timely fashion. • Never post photos without permission.
If you’ve any questions about social media use or our Volunteer Policies and Procedures, we’re here to help. Email volunteer@gssef.org for more information or assistance.
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Finally, we ask that if you need to communicate with a staff member, especially if you need a timely response to a question, please contact them directly via their council email or phone number rather than tagging them in your post.
Adult & Leader Highlights
Other important considerations:
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Adult Learning Highlights The Spring Adult training calendar was uploaded to eCouncil on January 1st. Be sure to take a look for a listing of classes available.
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 dos and donts of being a Girl Scout volunteer! Volunteer Essentials - Orientation training is a required for all new leaders and must be taken within 60 days. Class Location: Online. An email with login information will be sent prior to the class. Cost: FREE, but pre-registration is required Volunteer Essentials (Online) March 1 at 7:00 p.m. Register here!
Volunteer Essentials (Online) March 28 at 7:00 p.m. Register here!
Troop Essentials
Troop Essentials - Cadette-Senior-Ambassador (Fort Pierce) March 2 at 6:30 p.m. Register here!
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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
Adult & Leader Highlights
Volunteer Essentials (Online) March 16 at 7:00 p.m. Register here!
Troop Essentials: Daisy- Brownie- Junior (South Broward) March 26 at 9:00 a.m. Register here! Calendar
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Ceremonies Ceremonies can commemorate accomplishments or simply make the beginning or end of a groups meeting special. Girls can plan a ceremony around a theme, such as friendship or nature, and express themselves in thought, words, or song. All the girls will love you when you bring these Basic Ceremonies that will heighten your Troop’s year and learning experience! Cost: $3.00 Ceremonies (South Broward) March 26 at 11:00 a.m. Register here!
Canoe Training
Canoe Training (Camp Welaka) March 6 at 9:00 a.m. Register here!
Get Organized! Build your own Troop’s App!! Create calendar, link to GSSEF forms and organize your YEAR!! Please have your own Google account set-up prior to the class, and a favorite picture chosen for your icon. No coding experience required. Class is ONLINE - Participants will receive link with instructions on how to join prior to class date. Cost: $3.00
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Troop Organization: Be a Cyber-Leader (ONLINE) March 29 at 6:30 p.m. Register here!
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Troop Organization: Be a Cyber-Leader
Adult & Leader Highlights
Interested in taking your troop on local quiet water trips? This course is designed to give you the skills to deal with various flat water boating situations. Focused on safety for canoe leaders and methods of basic water rescue, we will practice a variety of rescue situations as well as demonstrate the equipment necessary to provide a positive and safe experience. Class is open only to GSSEF registered adult volunteers. Completion of this class will certify you to canoe on Council camp properties and approved flat water canoe trips. Course materials will be mailed to review and study prior to the class. Swim and subject matter tests and skills session will be held at Camp Welaka from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Please bring a bagged lunch. Cost: $50.00
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Outdoor Cooking with Juniors Come out to the campfire and get some hands-on cooking expertise as you practice 3 cooking techniques to start with your Junior Troops. The menu includes chicken in foil packets, dutch oven cobbler and…oranges peel cinnamon rolls! Come hungry! (All ingredients provided) Cost: $8.00 Outdoor Cooking with Juniors (Camp Telogia) March 6 at 12:00 p.m. Register here!
Register for Troop Camp Training! Love camping? Want to go with your troop? Then Troop Camp Training (TCT) is for you! Completion of Girl Scout TCT is required by one adult volunteer in your troop in order for your girls to go camping.
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. Information on what to wear, bring and know before you come will be sent to you prior to the event. Cost:$30 per adult TCT Basic (Camp Telogia- Parkland) April 2 at 9:00 a.m. Register here!
Adult & Leader Highlights
TCT - Basic
Questions about adult learning? Email volunteer@gssef.org
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Girl Scout volunteers are valuable assets and deserve to have their time and talents recognized! The Adult Recognition Award Nominations are designed to recognize outstanding accomplishments that go above and beyond what is expected of our volunteers. The significance and impact they make cannot simply be measured in years of service, but in the impact on the young women whose lives are enriched by the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Click here to submit your nominations. All nominations and letters of recommendations are due March 15, 2016.
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Nominate a Deserving Volunteer for an Adult Recognition Award
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Denise W. Valz Announces Retirement It is with both a heavy heart and great excitement that we share that our esteemed CEO, Denise W. Valz, will rejoin our volunteer ranks on September 1, 2016. As the first CEO for Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida, Denise has led our organization through both challenging times and times of great success. Despite the tremendous responsibility of leading our work and ensuring our ability to deliver our mission, it was always the girls that were the driving force behind Denise’s commitment to Girl Scouts. Her unwavering dedication certainly stood the test of time, as Denise’s volunteer and professional career with Girl Scouts spans 44 years. After serving for 17 years with the Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline, Denise came to South Florida in 2005 to take the reins of the historic Palm Glades Council. In 2008, after a national search, she was selected to lead the newly formed Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida.
There will be many opportunities to see and visit with Denise between now and September 1. If any of our Girl Scout family would like to send her well-wishes, they can be dropped at either Service Center or mailed to Denise W. Valz, Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida at EITHER of the following addresses: 1224 W. Indiantown Rd, Jupiter, FL 33458 OR 4701 NW 33rd Ave., Oakland Park, FL 33309
Adult & Leader Highlights
In sharing her plans to retire with the GSSEF staff team, Denise reflected that her greatest professional achievement is “knowing that I had a part in providing a positive impact on thousands of girls through Girl Scouting.” Denise knows that our Council is poised for growth and success in the future, and she is grateful to have been such an integral part of that success. She is looking forward to all that the next chapter will bring as she focuses on friends and family, and looks forward to joining the ranks of our amazing volunteers.
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Membership Update GSSEF’s girl membership goal for 2016 is 12,500, and the adult membership goal is 5,800. Over 9,716 girls and 4,723 adults have already registered for the 2016 Girl Scout year.
12,000 5,000 10,000
6,000 78% of 4,000
You Tou-Can be an Early Bird! The Early Bird is flying back! Early Bird re-registration is that special time during the spring when troops are invited to re-register for the next Girl Scout membership year…AND earn awesome incentives for both girls and leaders. Troops may re-register as Early Birds between April 1 and May 15, 2016. Click here to view the 2016-17 Early Bird Flyer.
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Below are some tips and reminders to help you prepare for Early Bird re-registration:
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• To be eligible, girls must be registered and on the troop roster by March 31 • To receive the complimentary leader and co-leader incentives the troop must re-register 80% of the girls on their roster as of March 31 • To receive the 3-cent or 1-cent cookie sale incentive, the troop must re-register 80% of the girls on their roster as of March 31 • NOW is the time to review your troop roster to move out any girls no longer participating in the troop (i.e. those who have never been to a meeting, moved, relocated to another troop) • Troops are encouraged to re-register the girls using the troop funds earned throughout the year • Financial Assistance may not be requested for Early Bird • Registration is completed online, and troop leaders (01s only) will receive an email with the registration link on April 1. • Leaders needing their e-Council login information may contact Mileneda Joseph at mjoseph@gssef.org and as backup, LaSwan Dinson at ldinson@gssef.org • Workshops for Service Unit registrars are scheduled for March 8th at the Jupiter Service Center and March 9th at the Oakland Park Service Center from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
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Product Sales Cookie Money in Action
Each year, girls do amazing things with the money they earn from the Cookie Sale Program. For example, they’ve purchased police badges for the canine officers, taken cruises and trips to Savannah, purchased supplies for children’s hospitals and donated to animal welfare agencies. We want people to know that the simple purchase of a box of cookies makes a difference to their community. We want them to know that through Girl Scouts, girls learn how to make the world a better place – one girl, one dollar and one cookie at a time. We want to hear about your cookie money in action. We will use the stories we collect in our marketing and public relations efforts throughout and after the Cookie Sale Program. Please send your stories to Melinda Glasco, Director of Marketing Communications at mglasco@gssef.org
Fall Product Sale a Success!
We are excited to report that the revenue from the 2015 Fall Product Sale was slightly up from the prior year. Troops earned $88,233 in proceeds, which was up 11 percent! While the number of troops selling held steady at 620, the number of girls selling increased by about 140 girls—troops are definitely growing. Total Nut and candy sales were flat, but online orders were up more than 42 percent. A special thank you to the volunteers and parents who made the sale possible. Membership Calendar
2015 2014 Change 2014-2015 Girls Selling 3472 3344 +3.8% Troops Selling 620 620 No Change Order Card Nut/Candy Sales 58,646 61,801 -5.1% Online Nut/Candy Sales 5,612 3,947 +42.2% Coupon Book Sales 2,209 0 N/A Online Magazine Orders 4,450 4,458 No Change Catalog Magazine Orders 1,031 1,140 -9.6% Address Booklets Sent 1,797 1,825 -1.5% Troop Proceeds $88,233 $79,324 +11.2% PGA Nuts/Candy 16.89 18.48 -8.6% PGA Magazines 1.58 1.67 -5.4% PGA Coupon Book .64 N/A N/A
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Retail Stores Starter Kits are Back!
Basic Starter Kit – we build it for customers Essentials Starter Kit – customers build their own The Basic Starter Kit contains everything a girl needs for a great year in Girl Scouting. We’ve eliminated the guess work and included The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting, American Flag Patch, Insignia Tab, World Trefoil Pin and Membership Pin. Girls just select an Official Uniform Item (sash, vest or tunic), Journey Book, Troop Numerals, Council ID Set, FREE BAG and they’re on their way! The Essentials Starter Kit is for a Girl Scout of any grade level who wants to select what they need for the year. They simply choose items from a list of Official Essentials. When the purchase reaches $50 from one grade level, they’re ready to grab a FREE BAG and begin their adventure! Click here to check out everything you get in the Starter Kit you choose.
Data Clean Up Continues 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 and girls’ families 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. As you prepare your troop roster for Early Bird re-registration, now is a perfect time to review everyone’s contact information, including troop grade level. Membership
Please check your troop roster to ensure that each girl and adult record has the following fields completed with current, correct 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.
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For assistance with any of these data updates, please contact Mileneda Joseph, council registrar, at mjoseph@gssef.org, LaSwan Dinson, troop development coordinator, at ldinson@gssef.org, or Rhonda Netzel, director of membership, at rnetzel@gssef.org.
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