Attendees: Service Unit (SU) Coordinator: Amy Kelly [73897, 71901], SU Secretary: Debbie Nearing [73891], SU Registrar:Anne Valade, SU Recording Secretary: Alycia McGoldrick [73904], SU Event Coordinator Angela Danico [71886], Little School Coordinator Barbara Gravel [71876], SU Treasurer: Julia Slavin [71872], SU Cookie Coordinator: Kerstin March [71898], Mary Lasdin [71871, 71893], Kerry Lord [71889], Denise Forcellese [73901], Cindy Russell [73917], Melissa Grew [71896], Batch Coordinator Michelle Rosenthal [71902], Christie Perrone [73898], Michelle Gwozdz [85120], Karen McCullough [71905], Ruth Kennedy [73899], Amanda Heffernan [71888], Kristin Lamont [71884, 71880, 85193], Lisa Craig [71880], Debbie Aalto [71880], Jan Wise [73894], Patti Harrington [71876], Laura Wall [73903], Kate Mahoney [71868]
Items requiring attention are marked in
red
ASAP!! Items requiring IMMEDIATE attention are preceded by
"ASAP!" and marked in red
Intro/Announcements
Meeting was called to order at 7:35 pm
Pledge of Allegiance and the Girl Scout Promise were recited
Council Updates
Three North Reading Service Unit Volunteers will be receiving awards from Girl Scouts of Eastern Mass (GSEM) at the upcoming awards banquet. Two North Reading Leaders will be receiving awards from GSEM at Fly Up. There is still time to nominate leaders and volunteers for Service Unit level awards.
There are changes coming from GSUSA:
◊ "Juliettes" will now be called "Independently Registered Girls".
◊ By Fall '12, the current badges and badge books will be obsolete. New books will be available this fall ('ll). New books will be 3-ring binders.
◊ New bridging requirements (easier) are available out at GSUSA
Reading Council for Girls is NOT going to be able to offer camperships (camp scholarships) this year.
Service Opportunities have been added to the blog:
◊ Cradles to Crayons - clothing and toy collection. Drop off is local at the NR Comcast on 4/22 from 1-3. Looking for older girl volunteers to help.
◊ 100 year celebration kickoff at Franklin Park Zoo on 4/16. Girls can register on-line until 4/1. Asking girls to bring plastic bags for a recycling project.
◊ Beginning 4/16, the Forever Green project starts. Girls can go to GSUSA to learn how to reduce their footprint AND take the Forever Green pledge. This will be available until April '12.
◊ Council-wide Camperee to celebrate 100 years next year, 6/1-6/3/12 down on the cape. Council is asking all towns to use this as their encampment. Cost will be $35 per person. Troops will need to meet their Adult camp requirements (troop camp certified, first aider)
Events
Events are now being posted to the North Reading Patch!
Girl Scout Sunday
◊ Feedback is that this went well townwide.
◊ Thanks to all the coordinators that managed each of the houses of worship.
◊ There are still patches available if anyone needs extras.
Mother/Daughter Game Night
◊ Cancelled due to low participation.
◊ There was a long discussion about flyers/blogs/attendance - and feedback was captured for the Service Team to discuss at their next Service Team meeting.
Food Pantry
◊ Post-it posters are working well at Stop and Shop and Wal-mart
◊ St. Teresa's response on Girl Scout Sunday was great...two vanfulls went to the Pantry
◊ Collection Drop-off is Saturday 3/19, 10am-12:30pm at Town Hall. There will be tours available for troops that want them
Rollerskating (flyer on the blog)
◊ 3/17, 1:30-3:30pm at Beverly Rollerpalace
◊ All levels
◊ Girls should bring an item for the Food Pantry
◊ Tickets will be sold at the door
◊ This is a Friends and Family event, and brothers can and do attend!
Brownie Ready, Set, Go Camping Try-it Event (flyer on the blog)
◊ 3/26 at Camp Maude Eaton, 10am-12pm
◊ Brownies
◊ Sign-ups were due at March Leader meeting - but additional sign-ups can go to Cindy Russell ctrussell@comcast.net
Me and My Pal Bowling (flyer on the blog)
◊ 4/2 at Wakefield Bowladrome (two sessions)
◊ 5th grade and up
◊ Sign-ups were due at March Leader meeting - but additional sign-ups can go to Mary Lasdin lasdin@comcast.net
Mother/Daughter Ice Cream Social and Magic Show (flyer on the blog)
◊ 4/3 at Moose Hall, 2-4pm
◊ Brownies
◊ Mail or drop off registration to Amy Kelly kellys@majekelly.com by 3/25
Vacation Gymnastics (flyer on the blog)
◊ 4/20 at Reading Gymnastics, 1:30-3:30 pm
◊ Daisies and Brownies
◊ First come, first served event - space is limited (60 girl limit)
◊ Forms will be collected at the April Leader's meeting
Fancy Nancy Arty Party (flyer were provided at Leader meeting)
◊ 4/28 North Reading High School Cafeteria, 4-5:30 pm
◊ Daisies
◊ Storytelling, painting (with washable paints and aprons), tea party
What's Your Make-Up Attitude (flyer on the blog)
◊ 4/30 at Camp Rice Moody, 6-8:30 pm
◊ Grades 5-12
◊ Girls will learn about hairstyles, haircare, appropriate makeup, skincare
◊ Girls will also learn how the media presents images of "perfect" girls...but nobody is perfect!
◊ Girls should bring a toiletry item for donating to the Food Pantry
◊ Forms will be collected at the April Leader's meeting
April Leader Meeting
◊ Moved to 4/12 due to April Vacation Week
◊ Will be in Library activity room
S.H.A.R.E.
◊ This is the fundraiser run by Council, once a year.
◊ Letters and envelopes were distributed at Leader's Meeting
◊ Every family should get a contribution envelope and SHARE letter. The envelope should be returned to the leader, sealed, with whatever donation they feel they can contribute inside. The Leader then puts all of the individual envelopes into the large white envelope and seals it. The Leader then returns the large white envelope at the April Leaders meeting.
◊ GSEM spends ~$300 per girl annually on programs, camp maintenance, scholarships, training, etc...
◊ Need to reach town-wide $1500 goal in order to receive 10% back to North Reading funds
Cookies
◊ Payments were due 3/15
◊ Didn't quite reach the sales total of last year
◊ Recognitions will be available at May Leader's Meeting
◊ Service Unit purchased a case of Thanks A Lots to use as thank you gifts for merchants and individuals in town who support NRGS. This includes: NR Transcript, Rev. Hughes, Rich Porter, Reading Coop, Citizens Bank, North Shore Printing, Karin Marlin @ Town Hall, NR Business Office, Library
◊ Looking for troops to write a Thank You note to one of the above and deliver cookies with the note. Younger troops can take a photo of the girls presenting the thank you and have it posted in the Transcript!
◊ Several Leaders attended the Cookie Creations event - and highly recommend it for next year! This is an adult event.
◊ Cookie Sell Down runs 3/18-3/26 (closed Mondays). Cases can be purchased at $2.50/box and then used for a booth sale - keeping the $1.50 as profit for the troop. Cases must be paid for with cash or money orders only. Cookies can't be sold past May 31st. The Cookie Cupboard in North Andover is part of the Sell Down.
Meeting was adjourned at 8:55
Fly Up Planning Meeting immediately followed
