Leader Meeting Minutes - 11/12/15

Leader Meeting Minutes

Thursday, 11/12/15

Room 10, Town Hall

In attendance: Anne Valade, Acting Service Unit Coordinator, Debbie Nearing 73891, Kristin Puliafico 85118, Lisa Alexander 86279, Kristen Pemberton 69171, Michelle Gerokoulis 62796, Amber O'Driscoll 76211, Marnie Littleford 78181, Victoria Labriola 69176, Melissa Audier 73894, Dawn Gaunthier 71890, Cindy DeWolfe 85336, Jenn Casoli Vant 85337, Joanne Gibson 69175, Lisa Ayer 62798, Kerstin March, Cookie Manager,

Meeting Started: 7:35pm

Anne introduces herself and Debbie as acting Service Unit Co-Coordinators. Tonight is the investiture and rededication ceremony. The ceremony starts with the Pledge of Allegiance and a Leaders’ Promise, A Charge to Leaders, and the Girl Scout Promise. Anne gives new Leaders Girl Scout pins.

Anne: The Girl Scout pin is the official uniform, everything else is optional. Wear it at meetings and events as well as any place you want to show that you are a Girl Scout member.  The pin shows the example to girls and tells everyone you are a leader should they need assistance at an event. Please wear your pin. Thank you for volunteering and making a difference in the life of a girl.

Old Business:

The Halloween party hit capacity and was successful. Lisa is looking for feedback and comments or feedback? Everyone was very happy and had a great time. There were a few photos of girls left behind. Lisa also has Halloween patches if anyone did not get one. Debbie will put it in the leader email.

Star Gazing: 17 girls attended and it went well. A cloud blew in but the girls still had a nice presentation. Wednesday night is open to the public for free. This is located at Merrimack College in Andover.

Food Pantry Flyer: We will be collecting for the Food Pantry during Christmas time. This year we are focusing on household cleaning, health and beauty. The flyer will be sent out in the Monday email. Each level will be assigned a particular category. Please return items to the December leader meeting or to the Caroling event.

Kerstin: Fall Product wrap up, The products will be delivered on the 20th. Ruth is looking for volunteers to help sort. 139 cans of peanuts will be going into the Thanksgiving baskets at the Food Pantry. 15% of sales goes to the troop or 17% if you opt out of prizes, Service Unit gets a little profit from council from what our town sold.

Anne: Cookies are going up to $5 a box. This is on the radio and people are positive about it and looking forward to cookie season. 90 cents a box goes to the troop or .95 cents if you opt out of prizes. The whole troop has to agree to opt out of prizes.

Debbie: The encampment committee met and picked Father's Day weekend, June 17-19. Debbie submitted the application last night. Camp Runels is the #1 choice followed by Camp Cedar Hill. More information to come in January. The distance is the same. Runels has a waterfront and Cedar Hill has a Girl Scout store and ropes course. The theme and activities will be based on the location. Would anyone else like to join the committee?

Lisa: Events, Caroling 12/13, World Thinking Day (no date yet), Me and My Guy or She and Me. Lisa would like to form a committee and plan for the spring.

New Business:

The Service Team introduces themselves to new leaders. Anne mentions the Parking Lot. Please put questions on sticky notes and place on the PL and we will answer all questions at the end of the meeting. There is also a green bag in the back for any comments, questions or concerns.

For our meetings that are held in Room 10 at the Town Hall, please come to the side door of room 10. Sign in your name and troop number on the sign in sheet. Leaders could also send a parent to the meetings to gather information if they can not attend.

Kerstin: Cookie information, Kerstin sent an email out for troop training on 11/24.

Sale starts 12/12 officially.

There are no booth sales at Stop & Shop before Christmas.

Leaders are welcome to attend the training about the sale with your cookie person.

Lemonades are 10 years old!

Girls can sell to JUST family over the Thanksgiving holiday.

The last day of the cookie sale is March 4th.

Order forms are due January 19.

Make sure to watch your money at booth sales.

Daisies should not handle money.

Sign up for mall cookie booths COBS through council. Check the website in January for dates.

If you would like to set up a booth sale in North Reading elsewhere or out of town, please let Kerstin know.

THERE WILL BE NO CUPBOARD RETURNS THIS YEAR!

Remind your girls to go door to door.

The payment system is different this year, and it's ok to collect money up front.

Opt out is for Cadette level and up.

There is no limit to how many booth sales you can have in North Reading through Kerstin. If you have a sale in another town, please let Kerstin know.

Kristin: Caroling on the Common December 13, 3:00-4:30pm. We are meeting on the common for the sing-a-long and will walk over to the Congo Church for cocoa, cookies and card making for Veteran's. Would you like to help at the event? Please contact Kristin. The Caroling flyer will be in the Monday email.

Anne: Leaders please make sure to tell the troop and parents about every event. Girls can go as an individual even if their Leader or other troop members cannot attend.

Troops can have a Facebook page, but please keep it "SECRET" so the public can not see it.

Did you know?

North Reading troops can use Camp Rice Moody for meetings for free. Melissa will put the sign up form on the blog.

Camp Rice Moody also has a projector for troops to use and borrow.

Membership stars: is everyone familiar?

For every year a girl registers as a Scout, she earns a membership star. You can give this in September when you register. Each level has a different color disc behind the star. You could have a rededication ceremony and give them their stars each year. All stars get carried forward to the new level uniform.

Are there any questions?

The program guide is constantly being updated. Check online for updates.

The next meeting is December 14th at the Town Hall.

Watch your Monday email for the flyers.

Meeting adjourned 8:50pm