Linking Leaders E-Newsletter September 2015

September 2015

Volunteer Spotlight.................................1 Introducing Our New GSSEF App ..........................................................................1

Programs at a Glance

Bronze, Silver and Gold Website Changes ..........................2-3 Gold Award Has Gone Paperless.............................................................. 3 Gold or Silver Award Project Deadline Approaching........... 3 2015 Fall Product Sale................. 4

Back to School Means Back to Troop................................................................... 5

Adult & Leader Highlights Green Grapevine - Insignia for Adults ..................................................... 6

Fall Troop Camp Training Registration is Open ................. 7 Save The Date - Volunteer Weekend ..................................................... 7 Membership Update ................ 8

Help a Girl Have Her Next Great Adventure ............................ 8 Complimentary Leader and Co-Leader Registrations .... 8 Back to School is Back to Girl Scouts ................................................ 9

Submit Troop or Volunteer News here.

Introducing Our New App-tastic GSSEF App! Yes! We have an app for that! Check out our new app-tastic GSSEF app. You can register, shop, call, donate, find and contact staff, get forms, receive messages from us, participate in special contests/activities and more. Get this app-tacular app now by visiting your app store - search either GSSEF on an Apple phone/tablet or Girl Scouts of SE Florida/Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida on an Android phone/tablet.

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Kristina Phelps has served as the Cookie Manager for the Luna Service Unit for the past 2 years. She handles this job with extreme patience, professionalism and precise attention to detail. Kristina stepped up to manage this important service unit level volunteer role in addition to being a Troop Leader for two troops. She has recently started a second troop so that she could be a Troop Leader for both of her different age level girls – talk about time and dedication! She is known as a fun, caring, creative and dedicated Troop Leader among her girls and the Luna Service Unit – and she manages to do all this while juggling family life and a very busy schedule. Kristina is always willing to lend a helping hand to the newer leaders just getting started in their great scouting adventure and is truly a wonderful asset to the Luna Service Unit team, and to GSSEF.

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

ACH Banking Process for 2015-2016 Product Sales........ 4

Volunteer Spotlight

Programs at a Glance

Spooky Safari at Lion Country Safari ........................................................................ 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 Melinda Glasco with comments, pictures or ideas at mglasco@gssef.org. All of the Linking Leaders issues are archived in the Volunteer Vault here for easy reference.

Spotlights

Spotlights

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Spooky Safari at Lion Country Safari

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October 17 - Cost: $15 per person and it includes FREE parking. All ages welcome!

Register today here!

Bronze, Silver, and Gold Webpage Changes

Bronze Award The Bronze award is the highest award a Junior Girl Scout (grades 4th – 5th) can earn. It shows that girls have made a promise to help others and improve their community. Before beginning the Bronze Award, the girl must complete her Junior Journey and spend a minimum of 20 hours building her teaming in order to complete her project. As leaders, you want to encourage your girls to take the lead in this project and begin to learn how to work as a team.

Adult & Leader Highlights

Have you seen all the new and exciting changes to our Girl Award page? Are you interested in pursuing a High Award? Visit our website to learn the step-by-step process on how to earn Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards!

Programs at a Glance

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! Join us on October 17th for a Spook-Tacular fun-filled day with thrills and chills at Lion Country Safari. Be on the lookout for zebras, monkeys and lions as you drive through the safari. Then chill out at the splash park pad or take a thrill ride down the slides if you dare…and are tall enough! An exclusive Girl Scout program with a spooky twist will be offered for each grade level that will fulfill several badge requirements. End your day with a quick change into your Halloween costume (something appropriate for all ages) and enjoy a Spooky Safari Costume Party complete with games, DJ, and cool prizes!

Silver Award Membership

The Girl Scout Silver Award is a prestigious award earned by Girl Scout Cadettes (grades 6 – 8). A girl can earn her Silver Award as an individual or she can work in a group of no more than five girls from her troop. Each girl must contribute a minimum of 50 hours towards the Silver Award project. Earning the Silver Award gives girls a chance to demonstrate that she is a leader who is organized, determined and dedicated to improving the world around her. The Silver Award project requires council-level approval.

Gold Award Calendar

The Gold Award is the highest award a girl can achieve in her Girl Scout career; only 5.4 percent of girls in Girl Scouting earn this prestigious award. This highest Girl Scout Award is only open to girls in 9th through 12th grade. Unlike the Bronze and Silver Awards, which can be pursued as a team or small group of girls, Gold Award Take Action projects are a unique opportunity for individual girls to grow into their own personal leadership style. Working with support from her GSSEF Gold Award Advisor, girls work to complete a true “Take Action” project after identifying an issue in their community, building a team to tackle it and fulfilling her high-level plan. Community

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resources are used to create a long term solution that continues after the project is completed.

Through the Gold Award project, girls will further develop their leadership skills by planning, organizing and leading other people. In the process of the projects, girls will develop patience, confidence, time management, communication, public speaking and other real-life skills that will carry over into their college life and future careers.

The Gold Award has gone PAPERLESS!

Besides the obvious ‘green’ benefits of moving to this system, GSSEF will also be able to easily nominate girls and their projects for GSUSA’s National Young Women of Distinction award.

Effective May 2015, this is the only way in which GSSEF can recognize and nominate those projects that meet the criteria for the award.

For more information on how to pursue any of these awards, please make sure to visit our Girl Awards webpage here.

Gold or Silver Award Project Deadline is Approaching

Membership

This is a reminder if you have an already graduated 8th or 12th grader working on an approved Gold or Silver Award project, the deadline to complete them is fast approaching. Completed project submissions (reports and scrap books) are due Wednesday, September 30, 2015 by 6:00p.m. at either the Jupiter or Oakland Park Service Centers. Please address your project submissions to the attention of Lammy Askar, Director of Program. Questions? Contact Lammy at aaskar@gssef.org.

Adult & Leader Highlights

Email communication just got a whole lot easier too. For girls that have questions about the awards GSSEF has created an easy-to-remember email box: Silver Awards: silveraward@gssef.org Gold Awards: goldaward@gssef.org

Programs at a Glance

GSSEF has recently converted the Gold Award process to GSUSA's Go Gold Online platform.

Through this system, girls will have the opportunity to upload their proposal, track their progress, and even complete their final report all online! Make sure to visit our Girl Awards page for more information.

GSSEF Program Calendar Calendar

Do you have girls interested in engineering? Maybe you have a future nurse or health conscious pioneer in your troop. The GSSEF Program Calendar offers tons of opportunities for you girls to shine bright. Check out more programs by visiting our online Program Calendar here

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2015 Fall Product Sale Program Our 2015 Fall Product Program runs from October 1 through November 15. It is intended to reach family, friends, teachers and neighbors and will help troops earn money for programs and activities throughout the year. Girls can also earn rewards. The Fall Product Sale Program helps girls develop five key leadership skills: goal-setting, decision making, people skills, money management and business ethics.

BONUS! Troops participating in the 2015 Fall Product Sale will receive $.04 more for EVERY box of cookies sold during the 2016 Cookie Sale. For additional information, click here

ACH Banking Process for 2015-2016 Product Sales

Suzanne Canter Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida 1224 West Indiantown Road Jupiter, FL 33458

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Please Note: Troops must also submit a NEW ACH Banking Process Authorization Form anytime there is a change to the Troop’s banking information. ACH Instructions and the form can be found in the Volunteer Vault here

Membership

As you begin the 2015-2016 Girl Scout year, please remember that all troops must have an ACH Banking Process Authorization Form on file with Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida that includes your current troop bank account information. If you have not previously filled out a form, please complete an ACH Banking Process Authorization Form, attach a voided Troop check, and submit both documents no later than October 1, 2015 to:

Adult & Leader Highlights

EXAMPLE: If a troop of ten girls participated and each girl sold 5 Magazine Subscriptions, 24 Nut/Candy Items and 2 “Enjoy the City” Coupon Books, the troop would receive $500 in proceeds. What a great addition to their troop bank account!

Programs at a Glance

Why participate?

• Troops earn early start-up funds • Girls earn individual recognitions • The funds help our council sustain and expand our programs for girls and volunteers • Online option makes it so easy for girls to sell How much could a troop make?

• $1.00 for every Nut/Candy item sold • $5.00 for every “Enjoy the City” coupon book sold • 12% of the Magazine Subscription sale price • $2.00 per completed Address Book

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Back to School Means Back to Troop It’s that time of year when office supply stores are full of parents and students buying notebooks, pens and crayons to prepare them for a new school year. Don’t forget that besides new school supplies, you’ll also need all your Girl Scout gear because your next Girl Scout adventure is ready and waiting for you.

Just in time for Back to Troop, we’re giving you more chances to shop. The Council Retail Stores will be open every Saturday from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. in September and October.

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Your Girl Scout adventure begins NOW!

Membership

A great item to add to your shopping list is a Starter Kit or Essentials Kit that has everything you need to get your Girl Scout year started right. And it includes a super cute drawstring bag while supplies last.

Adult & Leader Highlights

*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.

Programs at a Glance

To help you get started, the GSSEF Retail Stores are running a BACK TO TROOP promotion.

From September 1 through October 15, 2015, spend $75 or more and receive a $10 Coupon to spend on a $25 or more purchase from November 1 to November 20*. The $75 purchase can be made in store or online.

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Green Grapevine - Insignia for Adults Dear Green Grapevine, I see so many different pins available for purchase at the Council store and I have no idea what they stand for. Can you please explain what insignia Troop Leaders and adult volunteers are supposed to wear, on which color insignia tab should they place their pins, and what do they all mean?

Sincerely, Wanda Barr Dear Wanda, Wonder no more and pick up your green Adult Insignia Tab (Shown in Diagram A below as letter N) from the council store today! All Girl Scout adults, regardless of troop level, wear the adult green color. On this tab, adults (and girls) display the official Girl Scout Membership Pin (S) on the bottom of the tab. The Membership Pin comes in two styles - the traditional eagle shape or the contemporary-style pin shown here (S). The World Trefoil Pin (Q) which shows our membership to the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) is always worn at the top part of the tab. (See Diagram B below for how to display.)

On top of the tab, adults may wear their Volunteer Pin according to their Troop level, or (P) the Parent miniature pin for parents of Gold Award recipients. The Adult Tab is always worn on the left side, above your heart. Enjoy displaying your proud colors!

Membership

Diagram A

Adult & Leader Highlights

On this tab, members may also wear their Adult Numeral Tab (R) which represents the number of years they have been members of the organization. These tabs are created for volunteers to display their years of service in increments of five years.

Adults also may wear up to 2 Position Pins, or Bars, (labeled A-L here). For Position Pins, please contact your SUVM or Volunteerism team member in order to obtain the required authorization to purchase these pins at the council store. The picture above shows the meaning of each of the colors available.

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Diagram B

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Fall Troop Camp Training Registration is Open!

Love camping? Want to go camping 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. Fire building, basic cooking, simple knot tying, safety issues and other necessary outdoor skills will be the focus.

Basic Level Training The Basic level training will prepare you to camp with your girls at any GSSEF camp property, or similar facility. TCT – Basic is a full-day experience. Food (lunch) and supplies are included in the registration cost. Class fee: $30/adult volunteer. This class will be offered in October and November this fall.

Saturday, October 3, 2015. Check in is at 9:00 AM. The class concludes at 4:00 PM Location: Camp Telogia, 6501 Holmberg Rd., Parkland, FL 33067 Information on what to wear, bring and know before you come will be sent to you prior to the event. Click here to register.

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Intermediate Level Training Love tent camping? Ready to take your Troop’s camping to the next level? The TCT – Intermediate level training prepares you for tent camping and includes outdoor cooking, knot tying and knife skills. It is a full-day and one overnight experience. Food (lunch, dinner and breakfast) and supplies are included in the registration cost. Class fee: $35.00/adult volunteer.

Completion of TCT – Basic, or test-out approval* from the council, is a pre-requisite.

Membership

Saturday, November 14, 2015 – Sunday, November 15, 2015. Check in is at 9:00 AM Saturday. The class concludes at 11:00 AM Sunday.

Location: Camp Welaka, 10205 Girl Scout Way Tequesta, FL 33469 Information on what to wear, bring and know before you come will be sent to you prior to the event. Click here to register.

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Adult & Leader Highlights

Saturday, November 14, 2015. Check in is at 9:00 AM. The class concludes at 4:00 PM Location: Camp Welaka, 10205 Girl Scout Way Tequesta, FL 33469 Information on what to wear, bring and know before you come will be sent to you prior to the event. Click here to register.

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Questions about adult learning? Email volunteer@gssef.org.

Save The Date - Volunteer Weekend Calendar

March 11-13, 2016 Join us at beautiful Camp Nocatee for a weekend of 11 sharing, songs, sisterhood and s’mores! We’ll be GLAMPING in style at this special weekend designed just for you, our adult volunteers! More information will be shared as the event nears.

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Membership Update GSSEF’s girl membership goal for the 2015 is 13,120, and the adult membership goal is 5,800. Over 10,310 girls and 4,896 adults have already registered for the 2015 Girl Scout year.

Help a Girl Have Her Next Great Adventure It’s that time of year again. School supply shopping, new clothes and shoes, teacher meet-and-greets and the beginning of a new Girl Scout Year! We can’t wait to get started. Our next Girl Scout adventure is just around the corner.

6,000

14,000 12,000

5,000 10,000 8,000 79% of

Goal

84% of 4,000 Goal

6,000 3,000 4,000 2,000

2,000

Goal 13,120

Goal 5,800

Girl Adult For some girls, starting their Girl Scout adventure can take some time Membership Membership while new registrations are gathered and processed, new troops are formed or a troop is identified for the girl to join. To help reduce the time it takes to form troops and place girls into existing troops, we are introducing a new system to gather information from troops who have “open spots” to add a new girl or girls to the troop.

It’s easy! Click here to submit your troop’s information and the number of “open spots” you have available for girls to join. You will have the opportunity to include the grade level of your troop, when you meet and where. If you are in need of additional adults to help with your troop as a parent helper or co-leader, there is space to let us know that, too.

Once you complete and submit the form, LaSwan Dinson, our Troop Development Coordinator, will use the information to assist new Girl Scouts as inquiries come into the GSSEF service centers, local recruitment events and personal requests from parents seeking information for troops near them.

We will work in collaboration with you and your Service Unit recruitment team to register and place girls and form new troops.

Please contact LaSwan for additional information at ldinson@gssef.org or 954-513-3761.

Confirmation emails have been sent to all troop leaders participating in Early Bird registration with 80% girl membership retention. If you participated in Early Bird and have not received your email confirmation, please contact Rhonda Netzel at rnetzel@gssef.org to request the link to confirm your troop’s complimentary registrations.

Membership

Complimentary Leader and Co-Leader Registrations from Early Bird

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Back to School is Back to Girl Scouts!

With the beginning of the new school year upon us, GSSEF is also preparing for our back-to-school fall recruitment events. Recruitment events for each service unit are already underway and continue through September 30. New recruitment materials were distributed to service unit recruitment teams at the Super RecruitHER Membership Kick-Off event held on August 15. We had an awesome turnout with 20 Service Units attending. We even had a special guest join us to kick off the WONDER-ful fall recruitment season!

Troop leaders interested in participating in fall recruitment events should contact your service unit volunteer manager or membership recruitment manager for more information.

Click here to view samples of this year’s recruitment material and to see the new tools for troop leaders.

I can’t wait to Membership

We are always counting down to our next adventure.

Join the fun now at gssef.org

(866) 727-4475

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We design activities to teach girls about themselves and their world.

A year with us is filled with the kind of moments you just can’t wait to tell everyone about. You don’t have to wait any longer. The fun starts NOW!

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September S

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W

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F

S

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S

GSSEF Closed for Labor Day

Summer Funshine applications due

October S

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T Fall Product Sale Begins Baby Basics Infant Supply Drive Begins

Troop Camp Training (TCT) Basic at Camp Telogia

Spooky Safari

Baby Basics Infant Supply Drive Ends Juliette Gordon Low’s Birthday (Founders Day)

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Juliette Gordon Low’s Birthday Celebration in the Retail Stores