Leader Meeting Minutes - 9/20/11

Attendees: Service Unit (SU) Coordinator: Amy Kelly [73897, 71901], SU Secretary: Debbie Nearing [73891], SU Registrar:Anne Valade, SU Recording Secretary: Alycia McGoldrick [73904], Little School Coordinator Barbara Gravel [71876], SU Treasurer: Julia Slavin [71872], SU Cookie Coordinator: Kerstin March [71898], Amanda Heffernan [71888], Janice Sarno [85121, 71872],Jan Wise [73894],  Sue Kirby [73899], Ruth Kennedy [73899], Cindy Russell [73917], Denise Forcellese [73901], Karen McCullough [71905], Jodi Sponzo [73897],, Kristin Lamont [85193, 71880], Kristin Pullafico [85118], Dorothy Lehane [73899], Kate Mahoney [71868], Stephanie Musgrave [71868], Patti Harrington [71876], Shauna Wagner

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 7:40 pm
Pledge of Allegiance and the Girl Scout Promise were recited

Welcome Back, Changes and Reminders
There are a few Service Team vacancies - Batch Coordinator, Event Coordinator.  If anyone is interested or knows of someone who might be "convinced", please let Amy Kelly know.
Troop Financial Reports are being accepted until 10/1 - turn in to Amy.
Volunteer Agreement Forms for 2011 are now online at www.girlscoutseasternmass.org.  You can find it under Troop Management Online at the bottom of the page - and once you log in to your account.  You will be required to have a signed form in order to register for any events online.
Troop Activity Forms have changed!  You are now only required to fill out the forms if you are doing what is considered a "High Risk" outing.  Forms are not required for meetings at your co-leader's house, the Fire Station, etc.  Check Volunteer Essentials (on the blog or at GSEM's website) to see if your activity is "High Risk".  Another change is that you must file the Certificate of Liability when submitting the form.  For Town or Troop Sponsored Events (Corn Maze, Parade, Halloween Party, etc...) the Event Coordinator fills this out for all attendees.

Council has a lot of programs to offer this fall (and coming up quickly):
Ringling Brothers - 10/14, 7pm, TD BankNorth Garden, $18 each
Rachael's Challenge - 10/23, 2pm, Bridgewater State, $10 each
Journey with JFK - 10/19, 9:30am, JFK Presidential Library, $10 each
Monster Camping for Juniors - 9/30-10/2, 6pm, Camp Virginia, $20 each
Sundown Sing-along - 10/14, 6pm, Camp Winnetaska, $7 each
Teen Escape for Cadettes and up - 10/14-16, 6pm, Camp Wind-in-the-Pines, $45 each
100 Year Camporee - 6/1-3
Religious Award Info Sessions - 10/8, 9am-1pm in North Reading!
Adult Learning Conferences - 10/29, 8:30am-4:15pm, Tewksbury, $10 each
Troop Camping Skills Tent - several offerings...this will be useful for the Younger Girl Spring Encampment and the Camporee
More information about all of these programs can be found at:
www.girlscoutseasternmass.org

Registration Update
Online registration ends 9/30 - after that time, all re-registrations will need to be done with the paper forms.
All troop changes (moving girls around, disbanding, etc) should go through Anne Valade so that she is aware of what is going on.
Registration Event was held tonight prior to this meeting.  Lots of 1st, some K and a few 5th grade girls.  Unfortunately only 1 adult volunteered to lead (Batch).  If you hear of anyone looking to register, contact Anne Valade!

Blog Update - www.northreadinggirlscouts.blogspot.com
The blog will continue this year.  Currently trying to update all of the info - so if you find any stale information or links, please let Alycia McGoldrick know!
We will continue to post minutes and event offerings.  The email notification does seem to work for when something new is posted to the blog. 
Please consider the blog a resource for your own use - if you want something posted, email it to Amy Kelly - and upon approval it will get posted!  Troops have used this to advertise events and meet "publishing" requirements for badges.

Event Committee
The newly formed "Event Committee" met 3-4 times this summer with the goal of fleshing out a calendar for the year with ideas so that Leaders can know what to take advantage of as they plan out their own calendars.
The calendar is up on the blog.
A reminder:  town-run events are those that mostly need adult help.  Troop-run events can be used to earn money for a specific fund-raising need.  The girls must be involved and doing the work of the event AND the troop must get Council approval and sell cookies.
We are looking for folk to help with or lead an event - Amy has the sign-ups.

Past Events
Thanks to everyone who came and helped with the 9/11 event.  It was a nice day of rememberance.
Another thanks to all who helped out with the Apple Festival - there were family members roped into helping...thank them for us too!

Future Events
Corn Maze for Older Girls - 10/15, 6-8:30 pm in Ipswich.  Girls will need to organize into groups of ~6.  Girls not yet in high school will need a leader in the maze with them.  Flyer is on the blog, forms due back by 10/7.
Halloween Party - 10/23, 2-4pm at the Moose.  This is open to all ages.  This is a drop-off event, though Leaders are welcome to stay to help with Safety-Wise numbers.  Flyer is on the blog, forms due back by 10/7 - HARD DEADLINE.
Monster Mini-Golf - 10/21, 1:45-3 pm in Danvers.  This is a Junior event.  Flyer is on the blog, forms due back by 10/7.
Fall Product Sales
Sales begin 9/30 and run to the end of October.  Product will be delivered in mid-November.  Product includes candy, nuts, and magazines.  The girls can earn patches and 15% of sales with recognitions, or 17% of sales with no recognitions.
If your troop wants to sell Fall Products, contact Shauna Wagner for a Fall Sales Agreement and to get put into the database.
Cookie Info
Cookie sales will be 12/9-3/9 this year.  Kerstin March will provide updates as they come in.
Service Project Ideas
Garden Club works with Sunbridge (the Nursing home on North Street) with a program called Garden Therapy.  The girls could come in and help out with a small project on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 6:30 pm.  They could help hand out material, or assist the residents.  This can be for just one meeting if you want.  This program runs in Oct-Dec, Mar-May. 
Sunbridge is also always looking for folks to come sing.
The Welcome to North Reading sign - need folks to plant marigolds in the spring or something similar.
Adopt an Island program has locations that need to be adopted.  This is a multi-year committment.
If interested in any of these Garden Club activities, contact Ruth Kennedy at ruthekennedy@gmail.com.
Meals on Wheels tray decorations - we will have sign-ups for this at the next Leader's Meeting.

Monster Mini Golf - for Juniors - 10/21

Call all Juniors to join us "fore" a frightfully great time!


When? Friday, October 21st 1:45 - 3:15 pm
Where? Monster Mini Golf, Danvers
How much? $7.25 per girl, patch included
Questions?  Contact Kate Mahoney


The flyer can be found here

Halloween Costume Party - October 23rd

Calling all Ghoul Scouts! It's a Halloween Costume Party!

Who: All ages
When: October 23, 2-4 pm
Where: Moose Lodge
Cost: $8

Registration is due by October 7th.  This is a DROP-OFF event!
Flyer is here

Older Girl Flashlight Corn Maze - October 15th!

Come join us for a fun evening at Marini Farm's Flashlight Corn Maze.  Put your logic skills to the test with your troop and try to navigate the maze in record time (best time is 1 hour).  Bring your flashlights and wear shoes that you wouldn't mind getting muddy...always best to be prepared!
Who?  6th grade scouts and up
When? October 15th, 6-8:30 pm (8:30 is an approximate time since it really depends on how quickly you can navigate the maze!) Raindate is 10/22
Where? Marini Farms in Ipswich
Cost? $10 per scout
Registrations are due by the 7th of October

The flyer is here