Leader Meeting Minutes 2/10/2016

Leader Meeting Minutes

February 10, 2016

Town Hall, Room 10

In attendance:  Debbie Nearing 73891, Joanna Maguire 78188, Kate Mahoney 71868, Stephanie Musgrave 71868, Michelle Gerokoulis 62796, Bridget Easler 76212, Karianne Bekier 62803, Cindy DeWolfe 85336, Joanne Gibson 69175, Kerstin March, Amber O’Driscoll 76211, Amy Kelly 73897/71901/62804, Kristen Pemberton 69171, Jenn Vant 85337, Dawn Gonthier 71890, Heidi Cushing-Candelario 62798, Denise Kung 62798, Anne Valade

Meeting start: 7:35 PM

Girl Scout Pledge and Promise

Anne:  Welcome

Kerstin:  Cookie info

·         Kerstin has cookies for swapping

·         Booth sales can take extra on consignment

·         First payment deadline next week on 2/17, 50% for initial cookies

·         Kerstin will be in touch with cookie advisors once she gets clear information from council

·         There are still some booth sale times left

·         Incentives will be in 3^rd week of April

Question:  How can a troop get ahead fund wise in order to offer more low cost or cost free opportunities?

·         Dues (should not be excessive)

·         Have the costs split 50/50 from parents and troop funds

·         Candy – Fall Product Sale Profit

·         Cookie Money (CANNOT solicit for donations at booth sales or put out a tip box)  If a customer has you keep their change or offers you money, that’s okay and is considered a donation, but you CANNOT ask customers for tips or donations for the girls or the troop!

Ideas for ways to use troop funds (REMINDER:  girls should choose how to they want the troop to spend their money)

·         Year end party

·         Can choose to donate money to a non – profit but cannot solicit funds for another non-profit

·         Save funds for larger expense like Great Wolf Lodge, Rocking Horse Ranch, Camping trip

If your troop is having any bank service fees withheld from the troop account, please speak with our town treasurer, Lisa Alexander, ASAP…troops should NOT be paying bank fees!  Citizen’s Bank does not charge bank fees to NRGS troop accounts.

Anne: 

Congratulations to registration team:  Amy, Kristin, Joanne and Ruth for meeting registration goals this year.  KUDOS!

In search of a Batchelder School Coordinator to be at registration events and help Registrar place girls in troops - primarily a Spring/Fall commitment

Anne: 

Upcoming events:

·         Free Kids fun fair and zoo at Shriners Auditorium for Scout Day – tickets were at meeting

·         Scout Night at Disney on Ice 2/19 code:  GSCOUTD20   bit.ly/1PDAWW5 

o   VIP pkg $30, Loge pkg $20

·         World Thinking Day 3/6 flyer on blog

·         Girl Scout Sunday 3/6 flyer on blog, girls should wear uniform and bring non perishable food item – girls attending another House of Worship or service on that day or outside NR can get a patch at March Leader meeting

·         March is food pantry month for girls, information to come.

·         Roller Skating event 1:30 to 3:30 on 3/11/16 - flyer on blog.  Not a drop off, only open for NRGS event that day/time.  Friends and family of NRGS may attend however.

·         Gymnastics event may not happen due to possible scheduling conflict at gym, stay tuned

·         Fly up troops can begin to gather up to 10 photos for slideshow, June event, more information coming

o   8^th grade troops running event are tentatively looking at Wed., June 1^st for Fly Up

§  Jenn Vant will ask Softball Coordinators to move games the night of Fly Up

·         Encampment, tropical luau theme see flyer on blog.  For troops interested in staying overnight training upcoming:

o   Lodge training Cedar Hill Waltham 3/12 from 9-5

o   Tent training Cedar Hill Waltham 4/16-4/17 overnight

o   Visit www.gsema.org  to register

§  When looking for events at GSEM, calendar view can be the easiest to look for events

Anne:  How can leader meetings be most useful?  What support can Service team offer?

o   Help obtaining financial aid for camps, financial aid resources (camp guide pg 59-62, cookie credits)

o   Gearing more events toward older troops

§  Partnering older troop with younger troop

·         Help earn a badge

·         Run events

o   Breaking up into groups by level periodically for leader meetings can be a great way to share ideas, each group having a mentor – Leaders prefer small groups

o   Bringing in leader trainings to town so leaders don’t have to coordinate travel/dates

Debbie:  Do Leaders prefer Quarterly or Bimonthly Leader meetings?

o   Leaders felt bimonthly meetings might be fine as the Monday email has most of what we discuss at the monthly meetings.  Leaders would like to see more round table discussions.

o   Facebook group has been helpful

Anne:  Discuss with your troops, changing promise from I will try to I will wording, send feedback to      Anne or Debbie afterwards.

Meeting adjourned at 8:55 PM

Minutes taken by Bridget Easler for Kristin Puliafico and Edited by Debbie Nearing as Secretary