Attendees: Service Unit (SU) Coordinator: Amy Kelly [73897, 71901], SU Secretary: Debbie Nearing [73891], SU Treasurer: Julia Slavin [71872], SU Recording Secretary: Alycia McGoldrick [73904], Little School Coordinator Barbara Gravel [71876], SU Cookie Coordinator: Kerstin March [71898], Amanda Heffernan [71888], Cindy Russell [73917], Janice Gulbicki [71905], Karen McCullough [71905], Susan West [73950], Karen Mericantante [85335], Kristin Lamont [85193, 71880], Ruth Kennedy [73899], Dawn Gonthier [71890], Kristin Puliafico
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 7:37 pm
Council Updates
New and updated program information can be found at http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/
including updated information on the 100th Anniversary Camperee.
As we receive information about other towns' offerings, we will pass them along (via the blog and Monday Leader email) if we feel it is relevant.
Council wanted us to know what a great job we are doing. Their feedback to us is that North Reading has the highest % of possible girls registered in the area (341 girls). We currently have the most Cadettes we've ever had, and over 150 Daisies and Brownies! We doubled our Fall Product Sales and doubled participation. We had a terrific last spring with S.H.A.R.E. Whatever we are doing right, we should keep it up!
100th Anniversary Camporee
If you know that you are going, at least register 1 girl by 3/1...that saves you a spot. If your troop is planning on going, send Amy Kelly an email - she wants to know. If you know that you can't come on Friday, send an email to the email address on the info sheet and ask to be a Saturday arrival. They're planning on a big opening ceremony on Saturday morning, but they'll allow you to come on Saturday. On Sunday, they're extending the day to include a midway in the afternoon (for an extra fee) - there will even be hot air balloon rides (for an extra fee).
April Vacation Camps are open for K-8th grade scouts. They are fun day camps if a scout needs something to do that week.
Summer camp sign-ups have started. The local options are Camp Rice Moody in Reading (good for younger girls), and Camp Maude Eaton in Andover (good for older girls).
Council is looking for Volunteer Recognition Nominations. Please encourage leaders, co-leaders, parents, etc...to let us know if there are volunteers that are making a difference and going above and beyond for the girls. We want them to be thanked!
More trainings (especially encampment) are being offered. Check www.girlscoutseasternmass.org for up to date offerings.
Sundown Singalong at Camp Maude Eaton - 4/18 for all ages. Looks like a new offering that could introduce the girls to the traditional songs.
Town Update
There are still open slots on the Meals on Wheels sign ups. Check the blog!
There is a Younger Girl Encampment Committee meeting after this meeting. It was suggested that the Committee look into getting the Low Ropes Course for the girls.
Fly up this year is going to be HUGE (there are 57 Daisies and ~100 Brownies!).
We have decided to split Fly Up this year and do a Daisy Fly Up (Girl Council has volunteered to run it). Date TBD.
Older Girl Fly Up is tentatively 6/20 (note, if there are no snow days school will be out)
Girl Council - this is a group of 6th grade and up Scouts who are looking for more involvement. Anne Valade meets with them and they work on putting together events and give ideas to the Service Team. Girl Council is working on the following:
- Town Wide Promise Circle on 3/12...they're trying to organize a location for all Scouts past and present
- Designing a 100 year banner for the parade
- A Fancy Nancy event for Daisies
- Art Exhibit for S.H.A.R.E. - Scouts will create art for display, the ticket to view the event will be the S.H.A.R.E. envelope
- Activities for Younger Girl Encampment
Mary Lasdin has offered to run a 1st Aid/CPR training class if there are enough interested leaders. Contact Mary Lasdin for more info at lasdin@comcast.net.
Cookie Info
Cookie Delivery is complete - though it was not without its problems.
A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HELPED OUT!
Cookie orders can continue to be taken - check with Kerstin if you need cookies as she is dealing with distributing the Round Up cookies. If she can't get you the cookies, the orders will be fulfilled through the Cookie Cupboard.
As an FYI - according to the GSEM website, over 75% of the price of a box of cookies goes to Girl Scouts...meaning that the bakers earn less than $1 per box.
Data entry is due by and cookie money must be available for debit by 3/9.
The Cookie Cupboard will stay open through 3/9.
After 3/9, the Cookie Selldown begins. For the Cookie Selldown, you can buy the cookies at $2.50 per box, but you must still sell them for $4 per box. This gives your troop $1.50 profit per box, but this does not add to the girls' recognitions.
Any questions - contact Kerstin March march.family@verizon.net .
Past Events
Meet and Slide Snowtubing at Amesbury Sports Park. Only one troop went - but they did have fun! The snow was REALLY fast and so they were only able to go down in singles (not allowed to make chains). We can try again next year to generate more interest...
Future Events
Friends and Family Ice Skating will be at Burbank Arena on 2/22 (Feb vacation week) from 12:30-2:30 pm. Cost is $5 per person (Scouts get a patch) and $3 for rentals. There is a limited supply of rentals. See flyer for more information.
We will take sign-ups at the door.
Don't forget to bring a Food Pantry item or two!
Pat's Peak Scout Ski Deal - March 3rd and 4th are Scout Weekend for Friends and Family. $38 for 3-10pm lift ticket, rentals, and 5-10pm tubing. See flyer for more details.
Please keep in mind that equipment rental will be first come, first served - so try to arrive early so that you don't end up without equipment!
Note - there isn't a lot of interest for this out of the Girl Scouts...
100th Birthday Karaoke Party for all levels will be held on March 10th at the M.S. Cafetorium from 6:30-8:30.
See flyer for more details.
The deadline for singing signups is March 1st (so that they can make sure to have the right music).
Don't forget to bring a Food Pantry item or two!
NRGS is looking into providing a 100th Anniversary patch to each girl in town. More info will be provided at the next meeting.
Mother Daughter Daisy Tea will be on March 11th- We will be bringing in the Juliette Lowe actress for this event. Cost will be $5/couple. Daisy troops will be coordinating the snacks.
Girl Scout Sunday is 3/11
See flyer for more details.
Food Pantry items will also be collected that day at St Teresa's.
There will also be a "Mass of Thanksgiving" at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross on March 18th. See flyer for more details.
March is Girl Scout Food Pantry Month -
Drop off of collected items will be on March 18th at the Town Hall gym from 11-1. Tours will also be available for troops that want them.
There are flyers available:
I promised a Girl Scout
I'll come back later - Coloring flyer
I'm picking up now
The Food Pantry has made improvements, including the addition of refrigeration.
Become a friend of the Food Pantry on Facebook if you want to help and they'll post when they have critical need of items.
Daisy/Brownie Fairy House Event will be on 4/1, 1:30-3:30 p.m. at Camp Maude Eaton. Cost will be $5. Flyer will be posted on the blog and sent out in the Monday mail when available. Sign ups will be collected at the March Leader's meeting.
Laser Quest Event for 4th grade and up will be on 4/19, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. as Laser Quest in Danvers. The cost is $15/girl. Each girl will get to play (2) 20 minute games. There is a limit of 60 girls and it is first come, first served for sign ups. Sign ups will be collected at the March Leader's meeting.
Note: if we get the 60 girls, it will only be North Reading Girl Scouts playing. If we don't get the 60, we will open it up to friends and family.
See flyer for more info.
Gymnastics for K-3rd will be on 4/17. Flyer and more info is forthcoming. Look for it on the blog and in the Monday email update.
Other ideas for the (mostly older) girls:
Elite Freestyle in Reading (781-942-9898, across from Home Goods) has offered, free of charge, to teach a karate class. This includes a short discussion of self defense. It was noted pretty much every karate place will do something like this in order to get kids to try a class.
Lowell Textile Mills offers programs at a cost of ~$16 per girl. Older girls would get an opportunity to do t-shirt printing and learn about silkscreening.
From an email:
"Sew Glam involves learning the tricks behind today’s hottest fashion trend known as self-made glamour.
For this Interest Project learn sewing and embellishing techniques to unleash your creativity as you transform fabric and clothes into custom designed outfits, accessories and bedroom decor. Some supplies you would have to bring would be a pair of jeans to embellish, clothing to remake for the Learn and Do (1or2) you choose and decide which Share activity (1,2,3). You can use the GSEM website to read the aforementioned requirements. We supply the rest of the materials and instruction to complete the activity. The cost is $12 per girl, 3 1/2 hours long.
For the screen printing class, the troop will decide what design they want to use and create this design on a screen, as the screen design is drying, they will learn about ancient and colonial printing techniques. They will then screen print on a T-shirt, tour the museum and identify the evolution of printing. All supplies are included in this program, cost is 1$16 per girl, 3 1/2 hours long."
For more information about their offerings, contact Kathleen Hirbour at khirbour@athm.org.
There is a book of "Interest Projects for girls 11-17" that has more info on the steps mentioned above.
Cinnamon Rainbows, up in Hampton Beach, offers 2 hour surf camps for girls at $35/girl. Check out www.cinnamonrainbows.com
Whitewater rafting out in Charlemont is usually offered through council but can also be arranged through Crabapple Whitewater www.crabapplewhitewater.com ($55/girl) or Zoar Outdoor www.zoaroutdoor.com ($57 and up/girl).
There was a Girl 2 Girl conference at Simmons College in January - one of troops went and it was a great experience. This is open to girls in the 6th grade and up. Look for it next year on the GSEM website under Programs.
Another troop took advantage of the Scuba Diving program offered by council and loved it. It is offered at the Beverly YMCA at a cost of $42/girl. Check out GSEM's website and search Programs for "scuba".
Hot Topic of the Evening: Last month we discussed Troop Finances. Amy reported that she approached her parents about the 1/3 paid by parents, 1/3 paid by the girl, 1/3 paid by the troop - and it was enthusiastically received!
Meeting concluded at 8:50 - and an Encampment Committee meeting followed.
No comments:
Post a Comment