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The Official Publication of Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council | Volume 46 Issue 3
Special Edition 2020
The Golden
Special Edition
Girl Scouts making the world a better place Jamie Liang of Troop #15233 donated blood.
ppert
melia Shue Girl Scout A Gold Award . ade masks made homem
Riya Patel baked brownies and wrote notes of encouragement to families staying at the Ballard House.
l rd Gir ld Awa s. o G , t t sk ke de ma l Plun Abigai ade homema m Scout,
Troop #110128 honoring first responders after donating the remainder of their cookies.
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President of the Council and Chair of the Board Dee Hinkle Chief Executive Officer Mary Vitek Chief External Affairs Officer Connie Chavez Marketing/Communications Director Sara Orsi Visual Brand Manager Joanne Pastalaniec Mission Statement GSSJC: Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place. Pluralism Statement Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council is a pluralistic movement, committed to understanding our similarities and differences, building relationships and promoting a dialogue of acceptance and respect. Each individual involved must uphold the tenet that Girl Scouting is for all girls. Circulation The Golden Link is published six times a year. It has a circulation of more than 44,000. The Golden Link reaches 26 Texas counties: Angelina, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Hardin, Harris, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity, Tyler, Walker, Waller and Wharton. To report address changes or if you have problems receiving The Golden Link call Customer Service at 713-292-0300. Deadlines Deadline for submitting items is the first of the month two months prior to publication. GSSJC does not accept responsibility for unsolicited materials. Send news and photographs and Scrapbook photos to communications@sjgs.org. The Golden Link is published by Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council, 3110 Southwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77098 713-292-0300 The Golden Link is also available to read online at www.gssjc.org/publications Copyright ©2020. All rights reserved.
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Contents
Special Issue 2020 Features 3 4 5 5 6 9 10 11 12
Letter from CEO Mary Vitek 2020 Cookie Program Update How GSSJC is Reaching Girls During Covid-19 Girl Scouting From Home How to Make a Mask How to Talk to Your Girls About Coronavirus Beyond Virtual Fieldtrips: Distance Learning During Coronavirus School Closures Help Kids Cope with Disappointment in the Face of COVID-19 Girl Scouting’s History of Service
Breaking News:
Highest Awards Extension Recognizing that many schools, youth activities and community gatherings have been suspended, and that we are navigating a period of rapid change, Girl Scouts is offering a three-month extension from Sept. 30 to Dec. 31, 2020, to provide flexibility for bridging Girl Scout Juniors, Cadettes and Ambassadors earning Girl Scouts’ Highest Awards. This applies to 5th grade Juniors, 8th grade Cadettes and Ambassadors who are 2020 graduates who will bridge to the next program age level officially on Sept. 30, 2020 and typically would be no longer eligible to earn the Bronze, Silver or Gold Award.
Nominate Your Troop Leader April is National Volunteer Month, and April 22 is Leader's Day in Girl Scouts. Help us recognize the amazing Girl Scout leaders across our council! Nominate your troop leader or leaders – by visiting gssjc.org/troopleader, and tell us how they've made a difference in your life and what makes them special.
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Letter from GSSJC Chief Executive Officer Mary Vitek:
Dear Girl Scouts, I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy. The past few weeks have been among the most tumultuous and emotional in our lifetimes. Like so many, I have a heavy heart as I hear about the impacts COVID-19 is having on our communities and life, overall. But I am also optimistic that our Movement and our community will get through this and emerge with a renewed sense of appreciation for the people and things we love - like Girl Scouts! In this special edition of The Golden Link, we look back on our legacy of service during major crises. I hope that our storied history will inspire you to embrace the challenges we currently face and find ways to make the world a better place. We have all been faced with uncertainty and forced to make difficult decisions lately. For me, the decision to suspend the Cookie Program and disappoint so many of our cookie entrepreneurs was one of the hardest choices I’ve had to face in the 20 years I have served as our council’s CEO. The Cookie Program has been a Girl Scout tradition for more than a century and serves as our council’s financial lifeline. You will find information about how we are addressing the funding shortage on page 4. I encourage you to use this opportunity to talk to your girls about what it means to run a business. Things do not always go as planned and in order to do the right thing, you sometimes must make difficult choices. As we continue to adapt to the new normal, Girl Scouts is committed to helping our girls and communities emerge stronger. Together with GSUSA, we have launched the Girl Scouting from Home initiative to pivot our programming Meetings may in a way that ensures our girls, volunteers and parents have the resources they be canceled. need to not only survive but thrive during this time. This new platform allows Cookie booths families everywhere access to self-guided, free activities to keep girls engaged may be canceled. and connected to their communities and the larger sisterhood of Girl Scouts. But Girl Scouts is not canceled. Check out details on page 5 to get started today. We are here and We continue to take measures to protect our staff and do our part in stopping we are strong, the spread of the virus. To that end, our facilities will continue to be closed with together. staff working remotely until at least May 4. In the coming weeks, we face another difficult decision about camps. Like always, health and safety are our number one priority and will drive the path forward. I know many of you are eager for an update, and I promise that we will communicate details as soon as possible. There is no mistaking the challenge of this moment. We are all indebted to the heroic first responders, doctors, nurses, public servants and all the essential workers who are helping the world meet this enormous challenge. Our marketing and communication team is working to promote the #Cookies4Heroes program so that we can donate thousands of cookies to local heroes. We invite girls to start making posters, cards and notes that we will collect and deliver when it is safe to do so. And I’m happy to share that the May/June issue of The Golden Link will be digital and will include important information about our programs and facilities, including a campaign to nominate your troop leader for her/his work to build future female leaders. It will be delivered straight to your inbox in mid-May. Stay tuned! In closing, I want to express to you my heartfelt appreciation for being part of our Movement. School may be canceled. Meetings may be canceled. Cookie booths may be canceled. But Girl Scouts is not canceled. We are here and we are strong, together. Yours in Girl Scouting,
Mary Vitek GSSJC Chief Executive Officer
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Implications to our council We understand that compared to the challenges facing our country, COVID-19’s impact to our Cookie Program may seem insignificant. With that said, we owe it to you, our membership, to fully share the implications to our council and our Movement. COVID-19 hit our organization and our peers across the country at a particularly vulnerable time. The Cookie Program fuels our organization and our girls rely on the troop proceeds for activities like STEM, outdoor programs, summer camp, community service projects, trips and travel, art adventures and more. On March 27, Girl Scouts of the USA launched a national digital campaign called “Eat. Share. Show Communities We Care.” Cookie fans are encouraged to buy their favorite cookies online and have them shipped to their doors or donate cookies and Girl Scouts will distribute them to first responders, volunteers and local causes on the frontline of the crisis. The national campaign supports local troops, like many of you, who had to suspend their sale. GSSJC is complementing the national campaign with localized efforts to promote Cookies4Heroes and online sales. We also added an additional option to “buy out” local troop inventory – customers can choose to donate it to local heroes or receive it when pick-ups/ deliveries are safe. All sales from the national and local campaigns will benefit you, our troops. Troops are being selected randomly to receive credit as purchases are made and will be notified once allocations begin. No sales will be allocated to the council’s inventory. Our current focus is on troop inventory. Learn more at gssjc.org/cookies.
So, where are we on troop inventory? At the end of the day on March 25, troops reported 32,215 cases of cookies in troop
2020 Cookie Program Update
inventory. That’s more than 386,000 packages. We also asked troops to complete a survey to allow us to gauge how many troops were finished with the program and how many are hoping to continue selling to meet their goals. At the beginning of March, troops were on track to reach our council goal. Their motivation, creativity and drive were producing an amazing year. That all changed when COVID-19 hit and we understand that many troops are ready to be done with cookie sales for the year. But if you want to continue right now, here are safe ways girls can continue to participate: • Promote their Smart Cookies link to friends and family • Host “virtual booths” on social media • Create thank you messages to accompany Cookie Share donations to local heroes and to send to the donors who support the campaigns There remains much we do not know. But one thing is certain: no troops or volunteers will be left with the financial responsibility of unsold troop inventory regardless of the financial implications to the council. We are in this together.
Questions?
We will continue to communicate with you as these campaigns progress and additional details are finalized. Please email cookies@sjgs.org with questions. You can also monitor COVID-19 council updates gssjc.org/covid19.
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How GSSJC is Reaching Girls During COVID-19 By James Forde, Senior Director of Girl and Outdoor Experience Seven months ago, I moved from New York to Houston to join GSSJC. I previously held positions with Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey and the YMCA, with more than a decade of experience in youth programming. I anticipated new challenges in working for the nation’s second largest Girl Scout council and was nervous about Houston traffic. But I did not expect a global pandemic to change everything. On February 26, I attended training in New York with other programming teams from councils around the country. We talked about strategies for outdoor programs and camps. We were gearing up for a normal spring and summer of incredible experiences for our members. As I sat in the airport on my way back to Houston, I saw several people wearing masks. It was the first time I felt worried about COVID-19, but I brushed it off and went back to writing an email about the kitchen updates at Camp Agnes Arnold. One week later, GSSJC convened a leadership team to prepare for the possibility of COVID-19 impacting our community. The conversation was about one thing and one thing only: how to keep our girls, volunteers and staff safe. We followed CDC guidance and stocked our facilities with disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer and soap. On March 11, I visited the new Cy-Fair resource center with my team. We were determining how to outfit it for our members when somebody received a news alert that the Houston rodeo had been canceled. Even though I was still new to Texas, I knew that was a big deal. Next, Houston area schools began announcing cancellations. Over the course of a few days, it seemed like everything was canceled and life as we knew it completely changed. As council leadership prepared staff to work from home, I directed my team to find ways for our girls to do the same. We were determined that Girl Scouting would not be canceled. That week, we began creating videos and programming for girls to do at home. We wanted our members to stay engaged with Girl Scouting, but we also wanted to enable parents to easily fill the void of troop leaders who were unable to meet with girls in person. Working together with our colleagues across the council, we launched Girl Scouting from Home the following week. We are also working with GSUSA and councils from around the country to provide additional online programming. This has been an exciting, albeit challenging, journey that has made all of us think outside the box and find ways to leverage technology in new ways. Like many of you, we’re learning as we go and continuously working to adapt to the new normal. Over the next month, we will add more content and begin using our YouTube channel in exciting new ways. I am proud of our team at GSSJC, but I’m even more excited that you, our members, have jumped into this content and shared it with your Girl Scout friends. It’s also been great to see many non-members taking advantage of the opportunity to get a taste of what Girl In such a Scouting is like. turbulent time, one thing Things will return to normal, and I can’t was clear to me, Girl Scouting wait to welcome Girl Scouts back to camps needed to be a source of and see in person-troop activities resume. stability for girls and a In the meantime, we continue to learn new resource for parents no ways to reach and serve our members. Please matter what came next. reach out if you have any ideas or feedback for how we can help our girls during this unprecedented time.
Girl Scouting from Home
As Girl Scouts, we live by the motto "be prepared" - and that includes when the unexpected happens. The safety and wellbeing of our members and their families are of paramount importance as we all navigate through the COVID-19 situation together. While we ask that all members continue to follow the guidance of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and their local health officials and cease in-person meetings, we want to deliver the opportunity for Girl Scouting to continue at home. Visit gssjc.org/girlscoutingfromhome to find more information on how girls, their families and troop leaders can continue to participate in Girl Scouting at home or virtually until we are able to meet again in person. Here’s a quick peek at what you’ll find on the page: Earn Girl Scout Badges Online: Want to earn a badge with your Girl Scout? Find badge activities for each level, including free materials for download and videos demonstrating requirements. Safe Service Project Ideas: It’s in our Girl Scout DNA to help in a time of crisis. For those that are healthy and want to help others, there are multiple ways to help those in need during the novel coronavirus outbreak. But how can we do so responsibly? In some cases, you don’t even need to step outside your home to help in a meaningful way. The guide on this page is a starting point for ideas you and your family can contribute to the community, whether it’s safely helping with COVID-19 outbreak efforts or taking action to support the community. Resources from Other Councils: While you might not be able to meet with your local Girl Scout friends during this time, you CAN connect with other Girl Scouts across the country! Find more at home resources, live streams and more our sister councils are sharing. This section is regularly updated. Resources to Meet Virtually: Find a list of free and low-cost tools troops and Communities in other councils are using for virtual meetings. While we cannot endorse or support specific online meeting tools mentioned, we encourage you to look at these and alternative options and discuss with parents and girls to determine what the best solution is for your troop or Community needs. Special Issue 2020 l The Golden Link
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How to Make a Mask Girl Scouts can play a part in stopping the spread of COVID-19 by making simple, cloth face coverings for their family, neighbors and at-risk individuals. The CDC recommends the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and suggests wearing them in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies). Note that these are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators. Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by the current CDC guidance. Watch Gold Award Girl Scout Amelia Shueppert demonstrate how to make one, https://www.facebook.com/GSSJC/videos/662344394598633/ or this video in English and Spanish: https://bit.ly/3elsOhI or follow the instructions from the CDC here on the following pages. Troops and volunteers may collect and distribute these masks so long as they follow social distancing guidance.
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How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus Rule number one when it comes to emergencies? Stay calm. But with the quick spread of COVID-19 around the globe and everyone from news anchors to influencers on social media talking about worst case scenarios, stress and worry can seem downright contagious. Basically, your girl could likely use a sense of calm in her life right about now, and you can help. In fact, having a conversation with her about coronavirus could be the most important thing you do with your girl all week. Depending on her age, simply asking what she’s heard about coronavirus and how she’s feeling about it not only helps ensure she’s getting correct information but also lets her know this topic isn’t off-limits and you’re there to support her and help her understand her emotions–whatever they may be. Here are some basic dos and don’ts when it comes to handling this subject with care:
DO let her know that feelings of fear, sadness, anger
and even confusion are totally normal in times like these. Sometimes just knowing that it’s OK to talk about her feelings can give her a sense of calm.
DON’T lead into the conversation by asking if she’s
DON’T turn a blind eye to stereotypes or generalizations
that have been made about who “started” coronavirus or who might be most likely to have it. Sadly, in times of fear, people often look for someone to blame. Remind your girl that a person’s skin color, the language they speak and the country their family comes from has nothing to do with the amount of respect and kindness they deserve in this world and that there is no type of person more likely to have or get the virus than others.
scared or upset. If she’s not already feeling that way, there’s no need to suggest that she should!
DO let her know that, as always, any and all personal contact DO answer her questions about things she’s observing, like face masks, in an age-appropriate and accurate way.
DON’T be afraid to admit you don’t have all the
answers! Unless you’re a medical professional and highly versed in situations like these, chances are, you may not have all the facts. What you do have on your side? Experts who can help you and your daughter make sense of things. Turn to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other trusted resources, if ever you’re not sure about what you’re hearing in the news or what your girl is hearing.
DO give your girl the tools to stay as healthy as possible.
According to the CDC, washing our hands properly, avoiding touching our faces, staying home unless we really need to go out and covering coughs or sneezes with a tissue that gets thrown away immediately are all smart, simple things we can do to prevent the spread of not just coronavirus but also many other illnesses. Taking practical steps to protect herself can give your girl a sense of control in times when she might otherwise feel afraid.
she has with others should be governed by her own comfort level. You may want to talk to her about minimizing physical contact (like shaking hands or avoiding sharing snacks from the same container), according to CDC guidelines.
DON’T feed the culture of panic. Remember: your girl is taking her cues from you. If you’re staying on track, she’s more likely to as well.
DO let her know that this is a conversation you can continue
as the days and weeks go by. If she thinks of questions she forgot to ask, you’re here to help. And in the case that the situation with coronavirus changes and there’s different or more information that she should know, you’ll bring it to her.
DON’T forget the power of the basics. Doubling down on
routines, including mealtimes, bedtime rituals and quality family time, can go a long way in keeping her world as calm and steady as possible.
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Beyond Virtual Fieldtrips: Distance Learning During Coronavirus School Closures COVID-19 has turned the world as we know it upside down to say the least. Millions of families are trying to keep the learning alive at home amid virus-related school closures–even while they attempt to adjust to their own new work-from-home realities, stock up on household essentials and do everything in their power to keep their loved ones healthy. Frankly? It’s a lot. You’re absolutely not alone in this struggle. Girl Scouts talked to a few teachers who’ve been there, done that, and they had some amazingly practical advice for how everyday families can get through this difficult time.
Put Family and Feelings First
These are trying times at best, and the fact is, not all families can make schooling their immediate priority. “Keeping your sanity right now and making sure your children are fed and healthy is, honestly, the first thing you should be focused on right now,” says Dr. Cyndy Karras, an Austin-based developmental psychologist and veteran teacher. Academics are, of course, important, she says, “but these are unprecedented times, and it’s OK to just pause and take a beat to get your family’s mental health on track, if that’s what’s needed. Once you’ve got the social-emotional part under control, the academics and learning will follow.” And if every single item on your girl’s school checklist doesn’t get accomplished while she’s learning from home? So be it. “Her academic future is not going to be damaged by this time away from a traditional classroom. Just take a deep breath and do the best you can.”
Give Kids a Choice and a Voice
Sarah Scheldt, a Brooklyn-based parenting coach and veteran elementary school teacher, says it’s important to include your girl when you’re coming up with solutions to new challenges in your family. “Bring your household together to write up a family plan that everyone can agree on–maybe you’ll say the kids will focus on homework packets or read during certain times of the day, and other blocks of time they can choose from a variety of fun activities you come up with together,” she suggests. “These are complicated times, and it’s OK to tell your kids that you need their help and their ideas. In fact, when you do that, you’re not just getting them to feel more ownership of the plan, you’re teaching them about responsibility, cooperation and teamwork. Later, if they’re not following the plan, you can revisit what you agreed on together to help get everyone back on track.”
You’re Not Going to Replicate the Classroom Experience and That’s OK
If your girl’s school is offering online classes, that’s great, and she should participate in them as much as possible, but it’s unrealistic to think kids are going to get the same experience from these as they would at school, says Melissa Abrahams, an elementary school teacher in Southern California. “It’s not helpful to pretend that everything is normal right now, because that’s not the reality, and your girl knows that. If she is having trouble focusing, give her a break to do something that doesn’t feel like school,” she says. “Watch a movie together 10 Special Issue 2020 l The Golden Link
and ask her what she thinks is going to happen to the characters next and why–that’s critical thinking. Play a board game that involves math and strategy. She’ll be learning without even thinking about it.” This teacher’s favorite non-school activity for kids being temporarily home-schooled? Keeping a diary. “There’s a lot going on right now that your girl might want to write about so she remembers it later. Plus, it’s a healthy outlet for some of the emotions she’s dealing with, and she’ll be practicing her language skills at the same time.”
Ask for Help with Homework Packets
What happens if your girl’s teacher sent home a packet of work, but you don’t have a clue about how to help your girl with it? “Be honest with your child and let her know that you don’t know all the answers,” says Dr. Karras. “When you admit that you’re not sure how to explain something to her–but that you’re going to find out together–she’ll start to see you as a team and feel even more supported by you.” Then reach out to your social networks, friends who may have expertise in that subject or even parents and caregivers of other students in your girl’s class. “The reason why there are so many free resources for distance learning right now is because people know these are difficult times and really want to help in whatever way they can. You are absolutely not alone.”
Keep It Bite-Sized and Kid-Friendly
If you had visions of your girl sitting at the kitchen table studying for two or more hours at a time, Scheldt says you might be asking a bit much of her. “For kids ages 6 through 12, it’s far more realistic to have them do focused work for 20 minutes at a time or so and then take a brain break with something else that’s quick and fun.” As for what your girl should be learning about beyond any formal homework, Scheldt says to let your girl decide. “If she’s into a certain TV show, movie or book, she could use household items to make puppets of the characters and act out the story. Or if she loves a certain family recipe, you can teach her how to make it. This is a lesson in following directions, chemistry, math and a big dose of family traditions all rolled into one.”
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Help Kids Cope with Disappointment in the Face of COVID-19
In the world impacted by coronavirus, it can seem like everything fun or even meaningful has been canceled. From birthday parties and vacations to school plays, sports and possibly even graduation ceremonies, a lot of special moments your girl has hoped and planned for are suddenly either postponed or simply not happening. Of course, in the grand scheme of things, missing out on a planned field trip or play date is a small amount of suffering compared to those whose loved ones may become ill or are at high risk for the virus, but that doesn’t mean your girl won’t feel disappointed. Here’s how you can help her cope and learn to be resilient in these rapidly changing times.
Be Honest
Trying to shield your girl from the truth for as long as possible might seem easier than telling her something she’s really been looking forward to has been canceled. But when the world is upside down, your girl is depending on you more than ever to be on her team as someone she can trust. You might not have all the answers–some events are being postponed indefinitely, some canceled altogether–and that’s OK, but it’s important not to hide information from her. If your younger girl is having trouble understanding why plans have to change, let her know that the grownups are working hard to keep everyone safe and healthy and that some activities are going to have to wait a while until the grownups can figure this out and make sure everyone’s out of harm’s way.
Give Her Space
Bottling up feelings and acting as though everything is fine when it’s actually not isn’t good for anyone’s mental health. It’s important for her to know that feeling disappointed right now is totally normal and even healthy. If she needs a day or two to sulk in her room or she’s feeling extra moody, let her know you’re disappointed about things right now too, and understand that she must be hurting–then give her a little time and space to get out her frustrations. Encourage her to safely connect with friends who are likely going through similar disappointments right now. A sense of community and friendship will help her see that she’s not the only one feeling sad or angry and can make her feel much better in the long run.
Have Her Lead the Path Forward
A lot of things are uncertain right now, but that doesn’t mean the world has stopped spinning. Life goes on, just a bit differently than we all planned. Sit with her and have her come up with new plans that work within your current circumstances. If she’s upset that a dance recital or school play will be canceled, are there other creative ways she could share her performance from home–perhaps using video? If she’s disappointed about missing a friend’s birthday or other special occasion, perhaps she could make something to mail to the loved ones she won’t be celebrating with in person. Coming up with creative solutions in challenging times is a skill that can give her a sense of control during the coronavirus pandemic and show her how to thoughtfully be of service to others throughout her life.
Let Her Help
One of the best ways to get over a disappointment? Helping others work through hard times of their own. A lot of people are feeling scared, angry and lonely right now and could use a little cheering up. Have her think of ways that she can bring some happiness and joy to people feeling isolated or frightened. From writing silly songs to sing to her grandparents on their next call to writing thank-you cards to the health professionals working hard to keep us all safe, finding a way to give back can give her a sense of purpose and control while also making the world a better place.
We want every girl to succeed. That’s why GSSJC is happy to bring you Girl Scouts of the U.S.A.’s Raising Awesome Girls, an online publication to help you and your Girl Scout answer questions, face challenges and find solutions to daily life. For more articles like this, visit www.girlscouts.org and find Raising Awesome Girls under the “For Adults” tab. Special Issue 2020 l The Golden Link
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Girl Scouting’s History of Service When you think of Girl Scouts, you likely think about those Thin Mints in the back of your freezer or hot summer days spent at idyllic camps. These are key components of today’s Girl Scouting experience, but there’s also another one that is always present: service. Today’s Girl Scouts complete one-time service projects with their troops, especially during the holiday season, or even look for ways to make sustainable changes through Take Action projects or through earning highest awards. These benefit the community immediately surrounding a girl or even across the world in different countries. What you may not realize, however, is that service is part of our roots and has always been a key component of Girl Scouting. And when a crisis like COVID-19 arrives, Girl Scouts are among the first to step up and ask how they can not only help their neighborhood, city or state. They’re the first to ask how to best serve their country. The Girl Scout motto is “Be prepared”. Beyond those simple words, this means a Girl Scout is ready to help wherever she is needed. She is not only willing to serve and do it well, but she’s also at the ready in an emergency. It’s something we have a storied history of doing.
National Girl Scout Service: World War I – Girl Scouts tended to victory gardens, volunteered as ambulance drivers with the Red Cross, sold war bonds and units gathered at Red Cross sewing rooms. A special pledge was also made with Girl Scouts and the U.S. Food Administration where girls committed to go without candy two days a week and go wheat-less one meal a day. “Do your best, not your bit” was a motto these early Girl Scouts adopted. Women’s Suffrage – While Girl Scouts is a non-partisan organization, it has always focused on civics education. The first civics badge was introduced in 1918, and when women were fighting for the right to vote, Girl Scouts put their badge knowledge to action and participated in the movement. The Great Depression – During the Great Depression, Girl Scouts focused heavily on community service. They collected food and clothing and worked in hospitals.
In 1948 Troop #178 made clothes as part of a nationwide “clothes for friendship” project. More than 1,500,000 items were shipped overseas to help with the WWII recovery effort.
World War II – During World War II, Girl Scouts interested in flying participated in the Wing Scouts program. Once the United States entered into World War II, the Wing Scout program took on a new importance. Girl Scout troops also operated bicycle courier services, ran Farm Aide projects, collected fat and scrap metal, and grew Victory Gardens, as well as sponsored Defense Institutes that taught women survival skills and techniques for comforting children during air raids. Japanese-American girls, confined to internment camps in Utah and California, also established troops.
Korean War – Girl Scouts responded to the Korean War by assembling Kits for Korea, pouches of items needed by Korean citizens. Civil Rights – Practicing their civic education skills once again, Girl Scouts held “Speak Out” conferences in the 1960s around the country to lend their voices to the fight for racial equality. They also launched the Action 70 project to help overcome prejudice and build better relationships between people.
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Local Girl Scout Service: Much like Girl Scouts across our country, girls right here in southeast Texas, as well as our council, have stepped up to help following emergencies and natural disasters. Here are a few of the most notable: 1947 Texas City Disaster - In April 1947 the S.S. Grandcamp docked in Texas City exploded. This caused several nearby ships to explode, killing more than 500 people and damaging almost every house within a half mile. Girl Scouts provided first aid, food and water, helped deliver messages and gave comfort to residents. Girl Scout Camp Tejas, near Clear Lake and now part of the NASA campus, opened as a shelter for people affected by the disaster.
GSSJC staff helping unload a full 18-wheeler of donated supplies after Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Katrina - While Hurricane Katrina in 2005 didn’t directly affect our council, it didn’t stop girls from stepping up to support our neighboring Gulf Coast councils. Girl Scouts from around the country were looking for ways to help the girls in the affected areas in Louisiana and Mississippi. GSSJC became the hub of collecting gift cards and backpacks to be delivered to newly relocated Girl Scouts in our council. Staff also stepped up and unloaded two 18-wheelers full of school clothes that were donated to Houston ISD and stored in the building that is now Program Place for Girls.
Hurricane Rita - Just weeks after Hurricane Katrina in the late summer of 2005, Hurricane Rita hit the eastern portion of our council from Port Arthur/Beaumont area up through Nacogdoches/Lufkin areas. Girl Scouts, including many girls still dealing with the aftereffects of Rita, took time out in mid-October to lend a hand with clean-up efforts at Camp Whispering Pines in Garrison. After hearing that the hurricane caused damage to cabins, a gazebo, walkway and a kitchen shelter at the camp, residents from the area wanted to know what they could do to help. Workers did everything from skim debris at the pool and replace mattress covers to repair and paint the archery range and clear tree limbs from the roadsides and Pipeline Trail. Hurricane Ike - Hurricane Ike hit the greater Houston area in September 2008. Immediately following the chaos and destruction, Girl Scouts began taking action in their communities by organizing food and clothing drives, helping neighbors clean debris from their homes, providing shelter and assistance for our four-legged friends and more. As an organization, GSSJC also proved itself a valuable community resource. For more than a week, the lodges at Camps Agnes Arnold and Misty Meadows in Conroe accommodated Entergy power crews who were brought into the area to help restore power after the storm. The council also organized and hosted a city-wide blood drive in October. Though some of our camps and service centers were affected by the hurricane’s strong winds, rain and rising waters, we were fortunate there was not more serious damage. Hurricane Harvey - Following the most recent hurricane our council has experienced, Girl Scouts got to work helping their neighbors. Troops as well as individual Girl Scouts collected and donated clothing and food to temporary shelters across southeast Texas. Girls who were old enough to participate helped members of their communities clean out their flooded homes. Girls who were too young walked up and down their neighborhood streets to deliver cold water, popsicles and even lunches to workers. Many girls who stepped up to help experienced loss during the storm themselves. If you’re looking for ideas on how to safely help with the response to COVID-19, visit gssjc.org/girlscoutingfromhome and open the Service Project Ideas for All Girl Scouts section.
Troops collected and distributed needed items, hygiene kits, goodie bags and toys/puzzles to shelters around the area. Some older troops also helped at shelters by organizing donations and helping to entertain children. One troop held a picnic for 50 Katrina evacuees. They had games, crafts and food available to give the families a welcome break.
Cookies4Heroes deliveries in 2018.
Special Issue 2020 l The Golden Link
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