Re-Registration is Now Open!

Spring Re-Registration in E-Biz for the 2015 membership year is now open!Leaders can start talking with their girls and registered adults about re-registration for next year, and begin the re-registration process online.   If re-registered by June 30th, the girls will receive an early bird patch for their uniform.  If any questions, please contact our Registrar, Barbara Gravel:  BarbGravel@msn.com

Any Leader not continuing on next year, please contact Kristin Puliafico kscott1104@aol.com  ASAP so we can reach out to families with alternate placement options for 2014-2015.
The link to register is here.

Leader Meeting Minutes 4/16/14

Meeting Start:  7:50pm

Attendance:  Deb Nearing, Kristin Puliafico, Barbara Gravel, Ruth Kennedy, Christine Damphouse, Sarah Stetson, Amy Kelly, Debbie Aalto, Lynne Alley

Leader Appreciation Day is Tuesday, April 22.  Thank you, leaders, for all you do for the girls!  Service team chair Kristin Puliafico presented all leaders present with a lovely plant to thank them for their service to North Reading's girl scouts.

Upcoming Events (visit the NR Girl Scouts blog for additional details on these events)

Cupcake Challenge, Sunday May 4, 2-4pm at Union Congregational Church.  Reg deadline was April 16.  Contact Anne Valade:  annevalade@comcast.net    

Storytelling: Friday May 16, 6-8pm, $5/girl.  Third Meeting House.  RSVP by May 2.  Contact Anne Valade  annevalade@comcast.net.  

She and Me Daisy Tea:  Sunday, May 18, 1:30-3:30pm at St. Theresa's Parish Center.  Reg deadline May 2.  Contact Anne Valade:  annevalade@comcast.net 

Memorial Day Parade:  On Monday, May 26.  Arrive at Building on the Common no later than 9:45am to organize.  Parade starts at 10am.  Any Girl Scout can march in the parade with any troop or their own parent/guardian, especially if their own troop is not marching.  Girls should dress for the weather as the parade is rain or shine.  

Encampment:  June 13-15 at Camp Runnels, Pelham, NH.  

SWAPS in the Park:  A drop in event open to all North Reading Girl Scouts.  Saturday, May 31 from 1-4pm.  More details coming soon!  Check the blog.

Registration for 2014-2015 is around the corner.  Registrar Barbara Gravel informed leaders of upcoming changes to the registration process, including the elimination of paper registration forms.  Watch the blog and the Monday emails for updates on changes to the registration process effective this year.  

Arbor Day Celebration - Thursday, May 1 at 6pm.  Meet at the Gazebo at IRP.  From there, we will walk to the tree planting site.  Girl scouts and boy scouts are encouraged to attend and assist with the planting of the tree.  This event is organized by North Reading Garden Club.  Scouts in attendance will receive a patch and a seedling tree courtesy of the North Reading Garden Club.

Meeting End:  8:45pm

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Scouts Dayd May 1-4

Receive discounted prices for four performances of the dance troupe.  See flyer here for all the details.

Lowell Spinners Scouts Day July 22, 2014

Come enjoy a day of baseball with reduced prices for all scouts.  See flyer here for more details.

Memorial Day Parade

It's not too early to start working on your troop banner if you don't already have one!  Check out the flyer here for more information about the parade and the banner dimensions.  This year's parade is Monday, May 26.  The parade starts promptly at 10 a.m. from the Meeting House on the Common.  If your troop is marching, you should plan on lining up at 9:45.  Individual girls are also welcome to march and join in with other troops sharing their level of scouting! 
Reminder for girls to wear their Girl Scouts uniforms, sashes, vests, etc., and that NRGS no longer carry latex balloons in the parade for safety reasons and GSEM does not allow us to throw candy on the parade route for safety reasons!

Town Wide Fly Up Ceremony NOW INCLUDING DAISIES!!!

Fly Up for Grades 1,  3, 5, 8, 10 and 12
June 16, 7pm at the high school auditorium

The invitation flier can be found here.  We are asking all troops to please arrive prior to 6:45 and be seated.  Each troop should bring 2 dozen baked goods.

 If you are participating, you should be gathering about 10 photos of your troop for a slideshow, you should have your troop banner set aside as you will need it that night, and you should be compiling an accurate typed list of all the girls and Leaders in your troop for the program.  When you have your photos ready, please send them to Anne Valade ASAP to annevalade@comcast.net.  Please send your typed lists of all girls and leaders to Debbie Nearing ASAP to bcednearing@comcast.net. Remember that registered Girl Scouts for 2013-2014 in these grades are eligible to participate in our town wide Fly Up Ceremony whether or not they are continuing on next year!

NR Garden Club Celebrates Arbor Day

May 1 is Arbor Day (and May Day!) and the NR Garden Club is celebrating reading about the history of these two days as well as poems.  Every family that attends will receive a tree sampling and all children attending can help the Garden Club plant a tree.
This event will take place at Ipswich River Park's Gazebo at 6pm.
For questions contact Ruth Kennedy at ruthekennedy@gmail.com

NRGS sponsored Storytelling Event for Brownies

This fun event is Friday, May 16th, 6-8 at The Third Meeting House on the Common- flyer is here.

Cost is $5 a person and includes a fun patch for the girl, a craft, and a snack!  Deadline to sign up is May 2nd.  Contact Anne at annevalade@comcast.net for questions.  

NASA Celebrated Earth Day!

Earth Day is April 22nd and for the first time in more than a decade, five NASA Earth-observing missions will be launched into space in a single year.  To celebrate this milestone, NASA is inviting people all around the world to step outside on Earth Day, April 22, take a "selfie", and share it with the world on social media.  If your troop is interested in this fun activity, please click on this link to find out more http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2014-102.  For safety reasons, girls should probably NOT share their photos unless they have their parents' permission. 

The Cupcake Challenge hosted by NRGS

The Cupcake Challenge - Sunday, May 4 - find flyer here.

NRGS invites Girl Scouts in grades 4, 5 and 6 to participate in a Cupcake Challenge on Sunday, May 4 at the Union Congregational Church from 2 to 4 pm.  Cost is $10 a girl and includes a participation patch and each girl will get her own decorating starter kit to take home!  Deadline to sign up is April 16th.  Contact Anne at annevalade@comcast.net for questions.  

She and Me Daisy Tea Party hosted by NRGS

She and Me Daisy Tea Party - Sunday, May 18 - find flyer here.

NRGS Daisy Scouts and their favorite adult female are invited to a tea party on Sunday, May 18 at St. Theresa's Parish Center from 1:30 to 3:30 pm.  Cost is $5 a person and includes a fun patch for the girl, a craft, and sweet treats!  Deadline to sign up is May 2nd.  Contact Anne at annevalade@comcast.net for questions.  

Aleppo Shrine Circus Event - Scout Day

Aleppo Shrine Circus Event - Saturday, April 26

The Allepo Shriners are hosting their Scout Day Promotion for Scouts and their families at the Aleppo Shrine Circus on Saturday April 26 at our 10 A.M. Show! All tickets are only $5 for Scouts and their families!  Deadline for tickets at this price is April 11!  Contact for questions is Matthew R. Brodeur

-Aleppo Shrine Circus Scout Day Coordinator phone

(774) 263 5018 or email him at matthewbrodeur@gmail.com.
See Flyer here and ticket order sheet  here.

 

Chocolate Badge Workshop

Check out this chocolate badge program which GSEM asked us to share with you.   At Chocolate Therapy in Framingham (Route 9 behind Legal Seafood), they offer a great program for local Girl Scout troops (Daisies and older) that enables them to be a chocolatier for a day, learn about chocolate, how it’s made, and take home their own creation.  The flyer can be found here.  You can contact Carol Arnold at 603-502-0469 with questions!

 

 

 

NRGS Bingo Night Registration Extended!

You can still register for the Friends & Family Bingo Night on March 28 from 6-8:30 at the Moose Lodge.
Drop off registration at Kristen Puliafico's house at 177 Central St. by Sunday, March 23rd.

Leader Meeting Minutes 3/19/14

Present:  Ruth Kennedy-73899, Debby Nearing-73891, Kristin Puliafico-85118, Barbara Gravel, Kerstin March, Bridget Easler-76212, Lindsay Felix-76211, Anne Valade, Marcy Nelson-76213, Mary Hatton-78181, Kelly DeSousa-66232

• Field Trip Idea:  NE Textile Museum, Lowell.  Kristin took her Brownies.  Classes are available for all age groups.

• Food Pantry Update:  Community support has been great.  Troops are set up for March 22-23 Weekend at Stop and Shop to hand out lists to shoppers.  If your troop is interested, March is Girl Scout Food Pantry Month!  Sign up for a volunteer time on Volunteer Spot:  http://www.volunteerspot.com/login/entry/12790964001#/form

• Encampment Update:  Registration information from girls is due to leaders by April 15, with total numbers and payment to Deb Nearing by April 16.  Daisies do not stay overnight but are welcome during the day Saturday for all the events.  The weekend (Friday evening, June 13-Sunday morning June 15) is rain or shine.  If you have questions, contact Debbie at:  bcednearing@comcast.net

• Memorial Day Parade:  Monday, May 26.  Parade usually starts at 10am.  Girl Scouts are asked to congregate at 9:30am at the Building on the Common.  Troops should have a banner if they don't already have one.  Creating a banner for your troop is a fun project for new Daisy troops.  Lots of ideas on Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/Troop50170/banners-flags-and-parades-girl-scouts/

• Registration Updates:  Daisy Discovery Day had a low turnout.  But we are undeterred and hope to have another event to attract new girls to scouting.

• Cookie Sales:  55 girls sold over 100 boxes.  8 girls sold over 200 boxes.  Recognitions are due in late April.  Kerstin March will let leaders know when they are ready.  The town sold $71K in cookies.

• Arbor Day:  Thursday, May 1 at 6pm.  Meet at IRP Gazebo.  Help the North Reading Garden Club plant a tree at IRP.  Free event and open to all area scouts and other children and family members.  Rain or Shine.

• Mother Daughter Tea:  Sunday , May 18, 1:30-3:30pm at St. Theresa's Church.    Open to North Reading Daisy Girl Scouts.  Refreshments served.  Crafts and singing.  The GS Girl Council is hosting.  $10/couple or $5/person. 

• Brownie Storytelling event:  Friday, May 16, 6:30-8pm at Aldersgate Church (?).  Final confirmation is pending!  Girl Scout Girl Council to host.  Craft and snack related to story.

• Cupcake Challenge:  Date to be determined.  Open to girls grades 4, 5, 6.  Girls will be instructed on how to decorate particular cupcakes.  Each girl will learn how to do 3 different designs.  Please watch Monday Leader Emails for a finalized date.  Sounds like a lot of fun!

• Daisy Fly Up - Wednesday, May 28 at Aldersgate Church.  This is only for 1st grade Daisies.  Older girl fly up:  Date to be determined.  Will most likely be after encampment and the 8th grade DC field trip. 

GSEM Night at Worcester Sharks vs. PBruins Game

The game is April 19th at 7pm.  Any questions can be directed to Kristyn Galante of the Worcester Sharks at kgalante@sharksahl.com or Lu-Ann Souza of GSEM at lsouza@girlscoutseasternmass.org.  
Flyer can be found here.

Introduction to Camping for Brownies

NRGS Cadette Troop 71871 Camping 101 Event Cadette Troop 71871 will be running a Camping 101 Event - Introduction to Camping for Brownies - on Saturday, April 12th at Camp Rice Moody in Reading.  Girls will be introduced to basic troop camping skills.  Questions should be addressed to Mary at lasdin@comcast.net or 617-828-5005.  The deadline for sign-up is April 4th.  
Find the flyer here.

NRGS Spring Encampment

The Spring Encampment is being held at Camp Runels on June 13-15, 2014.  Since we have to return unused sites by May 2nd, we will be setting a deadline of April 16th for registration and payment to be received in order to guarantee your troop's participation in the Encampment. Find flyer here.

Also the Leader Recap sheet found here  is to be returned to Debbie Nearing ASAP at bcednearing@comcast.net but not later than April 16th.  This recap sheet has all the troop information for requesting accomodations for sleeping arrangements as well as to let us know what troops would like to be sharing sites together as well as any special accomodations that may be necessary.  Remember, those troops signing up first get first choice on camping sites!

Once we have the troops placed and we know how many sites we will need, we will be sending out all the necessary troop information you will need to either attend for the day or to stay overnight.  The packet will include attendance lists, what to pack lists for day campers as well as overnight campers, a list of what a troop will need to pack and bring for an overnight as well as for day campers, schedules of activities, maps of the campsite, camp rules, permission forms, health forms, SWAP information, etc.  

Also the Encampment Committee will be putting together a SWAPS in the Park Event where troops will be able to stop by and make SWAPS from all different kinds of crafts supplies and materials to be used at Encampment.  This was very popular the last time we had a town wide encampment.  Watch for more information in the near future!

Arbor Day Celebration!

Presented by the North Reading Garden Club.  Celebrate Arbor Day through the planting of a tree at IRP.  Event is rain or shine.  All Scouts are encouraged to attend and assist with the tree planting.  Please bring a pair of work gloves.  Shovels provided.  Meet at the Gazebo and we will walk to the planting site from there.  

http://northreading.patch.com/groups/events/p/arbor-day-celebration

Harlem Globetrotters!

Special Scout prices on Saturday, March 29th & Sunday, March 30th.
Please see flyer  here.