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Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Leader Meeting Minutes 11/13/14



North Reading Girl Scouts
Leader Meeting Minutes 11-13-14
Moose Lodge Hall – New Round Table Format

In attendance: Kristin Puliafico, SUC and 85118; Debbie Nearing, Corresponding Secretary & 73891; Anne Valade, Treasurer; Melissa Audier, Blog Manager & 73894; Barbara Gravel, Registrar & 69184; Amber O’Driscoll, 76211; Kate Mahoney, 71868; Stephanie Musgrave, 71868; Lisa Coroa-Bockley, 85121; Lisa Alexander, 86279; Kim Baker, 69176; Lindsay Felix, 76211; Kristen Pemberton, 69171; Cindy DeWolfe, 85336; Bridget Easler, 76212; Joanna Maguire, 78188; Marcy Nelson, 76213; Amy Salomon, 69175; Mays Hanegraaff 78188; Theresa Craig, 85336; Andrea Bauer, 85337; Patti Harrington, 85122; Reverend Rachel Fisher, Aldersgate United Methodist Church

Leader Meeting called to order: 7:33 p.m.

Kristin Puliafico, NRGS Service Unit Coordinator
Opened the Leader meeting and welcomed our Guest Speaker, Reverend Rachel Fisher from the Aldersgate United Methodist Church in North Reading

Reverend Rachel Fisher, Aldersgate United Methodist Church
Rev. Rachel Fisher shared with the group regarding two items relevant to the Aldersgate Church (235 Park St), where she has been the Pastor for twelve years. 

·         The first item was to state the church’s missional identity as a place to house outside community-building groups, such as the Scouts, for little or no cost.  The church itself met for the first 3 years of its existence at the Little School until the church building was erected.  Because of this, the church always wishes to return the same favor and welcome to the community. 

·         Secondly, she shared that within the past year an adult child of a long-standing church family has returned home after completing incarceration, classified as a Level 3 Sex Offender.  The church has wrestled deeply with how to extend the grace of God to this individual and his family while keeping the community safe.  To that end, the church has drawn up an extensive and thorough Behavioral Covenant by which this individual must abide in order to participate.  He has been easy to work with and compliant on every detail, knowing that this is one of the only groups which has welcomed him.  The church is confident that, due to this heightened awareness, it is much safer than it was a year ago - even with this new member in its midst.  Church leaders are mindful of the many outside groups that meet in the church, and will work diligently to assure good communication about the safety of the building and grounds when there are meetings with children present.

The overall intention of Rev. Fisher’s visit was to build a bridge for open communication on this difficult subject – regarding Scouts or as it relates to the community generally – and to reiterate the offer to house any group that may need safe, affordable meeting space.  She can be reached at 978-790-6492 or aldersgateumc@gmail.com 

Pledge of Allegiance

Girl Scout Promise

Investiture/Rededication Ceremony – About 11 new Leaders were in attendance at the meeting and received their Girl Scout Pin after Leaders participated in a “Because I said Yes” Ceremony to dedicate and rededicate themselves to Girl Scouting. 

Introduction of NRGS Service Team Members
Members of the Service Team addressed themselves to the Leaders –
·         Kristin Puliafico as Service Unit Coordinator (runs the meetings and oversees all of North Reading Girl Scouts including the Service Team),
·         Debbie Nearing as Corresponding Secretary (sends out emails and flyers and sends out correspondence to Leaders and parents),
·         Melissa Audier as Blog Manager (manages the blog and posts information and flyers to our blog at www.northreadinggirlscouts.blogspot.com) ,
·         Barbara Gravel as Registrar (handles registration and places new girls into troops), and
·         Anne Valade as Orientation Facilitator (handles training the leaders and answers questions about managing the troop) and as Treasurer (handles all the money coming in and out of NRGS). 
Service Team members missing from the meeting were:
·         Ruth Kennedy as Recording Secretary (takes the minutes of Leader and Service Team meetings),
·         Kerstin March as Fall Products and Cookie Manager for NRGS (handles the fall product sale and everything to do with the cookie season)!!!

*Reminders from the NRGS Service Team*
·         The Service Team directory is on the blog which will give you contact information for each of the members on the Service Team.  You also should have a troop directory that was sent out via email which shows all the troops and the leaders’ contact information.
·         ALL LEADERS must sign a Volunteer Agreement.  This can be found on the GSEM website.
·         Every troop needs to have an 01 Leader and an 02 assistant Leader. 
  • Every troop needs one trained Volunteer and at least one additional registered adult at each meeting or event.
·         Every troop needs to have at least 2 trained Leaders.  Council states at least 1 but if that trained leader cannot attend an event with the troop, then the girls cannot attend.
·         Leaders must take Girl Scouting 101 (online), Orientation training either through Anne Valade or Council (GSEM) and Essentials training for the level they are working with.  Some Essentials level trainings are online.
·         There are trainings available on the GSEM website for First Aid & CPR and Camping
  • Each registered adult volunteer must be CORI’ed through GSEM if spending any time with the girls in the troop

Business
Cookies – In Kerstin’s absence, Kristin Puliafico talked about the upcoming cookie sale.  Cookie selling kits have been handed out at the Cookie Advisor trainings and the cookie sale begins on December 12th.  Contact Kerstin if you did not get your cookie kit.  Kerstin will be in touch with the Cookie Advisors about signing up for booth sales.   You can get more detailed information about cookies from your cookie advisor.  Girls can go door to door with actual boxes of cookies.  Remember that an adult must accompany every Girl Scout who sells door to door.  Cookie delivery is February 3rd but we do not have a time, just that the pick-up will be at Rockingham Park in Salem, NH!  Contact is Kerstin at march.family@verizon.net.

Caroling on the Common – December 14 from 3:00 to 4:30, Anne Valade talked about this event being a “girl” event with enough adults for each troop to attend for safety guidelines.  There will be a half hour of singing, a short walk from the Common to the Congregational Church for cocoa and cookies, and a Service Project for girls to make holiday cards to give to the Senior Center’s Meals on Wheels.  Girl should bring a flashlight. Registration forms and flyer can be found on the NRGS blog and can be turned in at the December 4th Social or dropped off to Anne.  Melissa Lally will be emailing song books to each troop in advance so troops can learn the carols.  Contact is Anne at annevalade@comcast.net. 

Registration Information – Barbara talked about a Recruitment Night for second graders coming up.  No date is set yet.  We are looking to recruit 2nd grade Leaders as well as we have 4 girls with no troop as the existing troops are large enough.  If a parent approaches you to join your existing troop, remember we have a chain of command to follow and they must contact Barbara Gravel to register.  To be considered a “Troop”, there must be a minimum of 5 girls registered to that troop.  It’s never too late to register!  Contact is Barbara at barbgravel@msn.com. 

Mitten Tags for CCS – Debbie Nearing handed out mitten tags and bags for toiletry/household type family items.  The information for the date to be returned is on the back of the mitten tag and there was an instruction sheet also supplied as well as a reusable holiday bag to fill for your “adopted” family.  These items are NOT to be wrapped and the mitten tag should be secured on the bag prior to drop off to identify the family. 

We still have 8 mittens that need a home.  If you did not attend the meeting and would like a mitten, please contact Debbie ASAP.  If you have a mitten and would like another or are a family and would like a mitten, we would be glad to give you another.  We don’t want to let down CCS so we are hopeful we can fill all 35 of these bags!  Contact is Debbie at bcednearing@comcast.net.

Leader’s Holiday Social – December 4th at 7:00 p.m. at the Ginger Gourmet.  The NR Service Unit will fund the appetizers and Leaders are responsible for their drinks.  An evite was sent out; please respond by 11/27.  Caroling on the Common registration forms will be collected at this meeting.  Adults only!!!  Contact is Kristin Puliafico at 978-664-3259 or kscott1104@aol.com. 

Journey Moment – A Journey moment is an activity or game from one of the Journey books that you can use at a troop meeting or any other time you have Leaders or girls.  We did a journey moment where we tossed a ball to random Leaders in a circle.  When you had the ball, you said your name and the level of scouting you had, and what was your goal for this year.  It was a lot of fun!

Round Table Discussions
We had a table for Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, and one for Cadettes and up where Leaders talked about anything they wanted to know.  Questions were answered and information was shared by level.  This was a lot of fun.

For the upcoming Meetings
We are working on putting reference books for all levels in the NR Library – more to come on this
Look for more information coming soon on Mystery Workshops
We will be bringing back monthly Leader meetings as opposed to every other month!!!
More Open Forum Round Table discussions

Door Prizes were drawn and free troop information and donated supplies were available for Leaders to take.  

Thanks to Kristin Puliafico for her wonderfully baked frosted trefoil sugar cookies!

Meeting adjourned:  9:15 p.m.

Minutes taken and Submitted by Debbie Nearing, Corresponding Secretary
in the absence of Ruth Kennedy, Recording Secretary

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