Ellington’s Girl Scout Registration night

This Thursday evening 10/20

6:30-8pm

Center School Cafeteria

Ellington’s Newest Gold Award Recipient

Erica Feenstra  of Troop #10749 has been awarded the Gold Award.

Erica refurbished and established a nursery program at St John’s Episcopal Church in Vernon CT.

Ellington’s Troop 10750′s Bronze Award Project in action

The effects of their service project from Becky Tanner:

“Yesterday I received a telephone message from someone with a different area code who was requesting a troop leader’s name or Service Unit leader’s name for Ellington.  When I called her back, she explained that she is a former Service Unit manager and troop leader from Guilford.

She went on to tell me that she wanted the contact information to send them a thank you as she had recently benefitted with a donation from the troop.  As we talked more, she told me she had recently lost her eyesight and had just received a service dog.  The dog came with a harness that had a tag saying it was donated by the Ellington troop.

The troop in question had worked with  The Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation as part of their Bronze Award project.  They had donated needed harnesses to the foundation with money from their cookie sale after learning that the lack of harness often delayed having a dog and new owner get started.

Near the end of our conversation, the woman told me she hadn’t realized it was the 100^th anniversary and wanted to know about special celebrations.  When I told her about the Jubilee, she expressed great interest.  She said she was going to email the girls who had been in her troop and invite them to come with her.

They are all in college and keep in close contact. The whole story brought tears to my eyes. We never know who our actions might influence. I am sure the girls in Ellington had no idea their donation would benefit a Girl Scout leader.”

You can read more about their project here:

http://ellingtongirlscouts.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/ellington-girl-scout-troop-earns-bronze/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t miss out on Election Day Booth Sales!

Register your troop’s Election Day Booth Sale now through September 24! 

Election Day Booth Sales give the community an opportunity to enjoy their favorite cookies while providing girls a great way to start earning for their troop’s treasury. Plus, they’re a lot of fun! Register your booth today.

Registration is easy! 
•  Review the booth sale guidelines on page 76 in the Program Resource Guide

•  Talk with your Service Unit Manager for guidance on choosing a location to host your troop from Nov. 8-13

•  Get approval from your Service Unit  Manager on your location

•  Fill out this form

Questions? Contact productsales@gsofct.org.

 

Journeys with the Girls’ Guide

Memorial Day Parade 2011

Leaders, feel free to add your pictures as well.

The Year Ahead

• September 10 – Firemen’s Parade
• October 1 – Campfire and Sing Along
• October 22 – Ladies’ Tea
• November 5 – Hike
• December – Decorate Library Tree
• December – Winterfest Parade
• January – Ice Skating
• February 10 – Someone Special and Me Dance
• February 24 (or March 5) – Thinking Day
• March 24 – Healthclub Sleepover
• April 28 – Leader-Daughter Appreciation
• May – Camporee
• June 4 (if not booked) – Bridging

Volunteers are needed to participate in planning and running these events.

A Town Registrar, Town Recruiter, Fall Product Manager, & Treasurer are desperately needed for next year.  The Ellington Service Unit also has the following positions open: training coordinator, Juliette Coordinator, service unit events coordinator, and a recognitions committee chair.

Reap the Benefits of Early Bird!
It is Early Bird Time! Each returning girl who registers will receive an Early Bird patch.

“The Girls’ Guide to Girl Scouting” is the new badge book and handbook.  These are 3-ring binders.  There is one for each level in scouting.  It doesn’t come out until September.  You can preorder it at $16.87 instead of $22.50.

Girls can continue to use their current books for now,  just keep in mind which awards are retiring since they will soon be unavailable to purchase.

Product Sales for next year:

QSP sale: Oct 14 – Nov 3, delivery Dec 1 – Dec 3.  QSP Manager needed for the town!!

Cookie Sales: Election Day booth sales Nov 8 – Nov 13, & then Initial Orders Jan 7 – Feb 5 is cookie sales with booths starting on Mar 3.

Ellington’s Cookie Booths

• Special Olympics Penguin Plunge at Crystal Lake Beach
• 265 Sandy Beach Rd. (Rt 140), Ellington, CT 06029
• March 12, 2011
• 10:00am–1:00pm
• The Crystal Lake Girl Scouts will be selling Girl Scout Cookies during the Plunge.
• http://soct.convio.net/site/TR?fr_id=2341&pg=entry

• GS of CT Fill-The-Truck for Heroes
• Meadowview Plaza (New Alliance Bank, Subway, etc.)
• 175 West Rd (Rt 83), Ellington, CT 06029
• March 19, 2011
• 10:00am–2:00pm
• People can purchase Girl Scout Cookies for themselves or donate some to send soldiers.
• http://www.gsofct.org/pdf/membership/formLibrary/fill_the_truck_flyer_2011_locationsREV.pdf

 

• Chuck Wagon Restaurant
• 12 Church Street, Ellington, CT 06029
• March 26, 2011
• 9:00am–1:00pm
• Troop 10198

A Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting

As previously announced, “The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting”, a girl handbook, will be out in September 2011. There will be on book available for each program grade level – Daisy through Ambassador. Although self-described as a book for girls, the book is considered to be a sufficient leader resource as well. Girls will use these books in conjunction with the Journey books.

What Will The Book Include?

This book will have three main sections: 1. Girl Scout Traditions 2. Cookie Sale Program Activities 3. Earned Awards (badges, religious awards, Bronze, Silver, Gold)

Each girl will want her own copy since the “Girl’s Guide” will contain information such as:

• Girl Scout history

• Girl Scout traditions

• What’s Special about being a Girl Scout

• List of emblems and awards ( i.e. membership stars, GSUSA strip, council strip, etc.)

• Awards log

• Diagram of sash/vest with badge placement

• Bridging award requirements for relevant program level

• Bronze, Silver, Gold Award requirements for relevant program levels

• Additional program information for each level such as Program Aide or Counselor in Training info

• Journey map for relevant program level

• Map showing all the councils and special Girl Scout places (i.e., the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace, World Centers, etc.)

Update on Badges

What’s Happening with Badges?

Skill-building badges remain an important part of the Girl Scout program. As promise, Girl Scouts of the USA is working on new badges for Brownies – Ambassadors, and new content for Daisies to enjoy as they earn their petals. The new badges will offer a great mix of tradition, variety, fun and challenge. Each grade level will feature a special shape for their awards.

In a more inclusive, less-jargon heavy approach, all shapes (except petals for Daisies) will be referred to as badges. No more “Try-Its”, “Interest Project Patches”, etc. Everything remains the same except the name. The shape and the contents or focus of the awards will be nothing new.

What happens to the existing badges and other resources like Studio 2B?

Some are remaining (see Legacy badges below) while some are being retired over the next 18 months. Some patches have already been discontinued. The discontinued items are listed here:  http://ellingtongirlscoutserviceunit.wordpress.com/2010/12/07/discontinued-gs-program-items/

Sometime this spring, GSUSA will discontinue the current badge designs as they transition to the new designs for use in the fall. The goal is for Girl Scouts in the United States to be participating in the national program – Leadership Journeys and the Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting by June 2012.

Here’s a few of the categories of the badges that will be available:

Legacy Badges – to honor the past and keep badges relevant to today’s girls, new content will be incorporated into the topics that have been a part of Girl Scouting since the beginning. These badges will be offered for Brownies through Ambassadors: Artist, Athlete, Citizen, Cook, First Aid, Naturalist, TheGirl Scout Way.

Financial Literacy Badges – these awards will be offered for Daisies through Ambassadors. (Daisies will have two “leaves” to add around their Daisy petals). Through these, girls will learn how to: Use money wisely to reach goals, be educated consumers, develop business skills for the workplace, become independent women who can support themselves and give back to their communities.

Cookie Badges – these badges will also be offered for Daisies through Ambassadors. (Daisies will, once again, earn two additional “leaves” to add around their Daisy petals and Promise Center.) Through these recognitions, girls will learn business skills through the practical application of the cookie sale.

Some other categories of the badges will include religious recognition, lifesaving awards, specialty badges and more.

How will the Journeys and the new badges work together?

Journeys engage girls in exploring Girl Scouting’s three keys to leadership. Badges provide skill-building opportunities in a variety of topics that are part of the Girl Scout legacy (like nature, art, cooking, sports, first aid and more) and topics girls love like photography, design, animals and car care. The new badges will have fun ideas about how earning them links to the Journey experience.

Planning for the Transition

Here are some tips to help you plan for the transition:

• If you have any patches, try-its, badges or IPs that are not on the discontinued merchandise list, return them at your earliest convenience if you wish to exchange them. If you are mailing back a return, please call and speak with a store representative first.(Please note that the returned items must meet our return policy standards.) Once merchandise is discontinued, the items can not be returned. (Note that the discontinued items will be marked on your receipt with an * asterisk. There will also be a note on the bottom of the receipt stating the return policy.)

• Have your troop plan for the rest of your troop year and order your patches now to insure you have them.

• February – March 2011: The existing handbooks and level resources are available at the council store. If someone is new, they still may want to purchase these items. The old program will be in effect until fall and merchandise available until it is phased out. The books are also available for loan for a 3 week lending period from the Volunteer Resource Center.

• April – Summer 2011 – Do not purchase the current handbooks or resources, If you need them for a reference, borrow them from another leader or the Volunteer Resource Center. Purchase any of the 3 Journeys to work on with your troop.

• Fall 2011 – The existing resources will no longer be available. Girls will use the Journeys and The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting for their program.

HAPPENINGS IN OUR COMMUNITIES

GIRL SCOUT ROLLER SKATING BREAKFAST Roll On America, Lancaster – Monday, February 21 (10 am - noon) – $5/person Fee includes admission, skating, skate rental and breakfast. Click here to view the event flyer, including information on how to sign up. “THE BIG NIGHT” Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary, Easthampton – March 26 – All Levels Guided tours will take you through a 45-minute, lantern-lit forest trail where participants will meet costumed characters from “Vernal Pools” and learn about their lives through short animated and humorous skits. Pre-registration is required. For more information, click here. BE A JUSTINE R.E.A.L. GIRL! One lucky girl who is currently a Girl Scout between the ages of 13 and 19 will be selected as the 2011 R.E.A.L. Girl and will appear on the upcoming 2011 Justine cover and in a feature article. For more information, click here.

NATIONAL GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS DAY – Play, Believe, Achieve! Despite the stunning advances made in the 38 years since Title IX was enacted, high school girls still receive 1.3 million fewer participation opportunities than do boys. Plan now to celebrate this fun day with Girl Scouts! Saturday, January 29 - MCLA, North Adams *FREE* Join MCLA for sports clinics, lunch and an MCLA women’s basketball game. Open to Brownies – Cadettes. Pre-registration required by contacting Dot Houston at 413-662-5437 or dhouston@mcla.edu. Groups are welcome. Saturday, February 5 (10:00 am – 3:00 pm) – YWCA of Central MA, Worcester – $5/girl This will be a fun-filled day of sports, sports and more sports! How about Zumba? Volleyball? Kickboxing? Yoga? Swimming? This is an event co-sponsored by Girl Scouts and the YWCA. Snacks, drinks and lunch are included! Open to Juniors – Cadettes. Attend as a group or individual w/ adult. Cost is $5/girl. To register, visit the Event Registration page orregister online. Saturday, February 12 - Springfield College *FREE* Participate in sports clinics with the soccer, field hockey and softball teams, then cheer on the Springfield College Women’s Basketball team. Open to Daisies through Cadettes. Pre-registration is required and space is limited. For more information, registration form, and permission slips, click here. WORLD THINKING DAY – HOLYOKE February 22 – All levels Get together with other area Girl Scouts on World Thinking Day from 4:00 - 7:00 pm at St. Paul’s Church on Appleton Street in Holyoke. At least four non-profit organizations will be attending to inform girls of the work that they do. The $5 fee includes a light meal. Everyone is asked to bring a can of tuna or a jar of peanut butter for a canned protein drive for the Haitian Health Foundation. Pre-registration required and space is limited. Contact Jenny Powers at 413-552-3363, for more information and to register.

It’s Girl Scout Cookie Time!

 

If you’re looking for Girl Scout Cookies in and around Tolland County Connecticut please contact us: EllingtonGirlScouts@gmail.com, and we’ll find a Girl Scout Troop to fill your order and deliver your Girl Scout Cookies in March.