Pumpkin Carvers Needed for the 18th Annual Haunted Playground!

We were asked to spread the word for the 2012 Haunted Playground...

"Pumpkin Carvers Needed!

It's that time of year again, when a chill in the air means Fall is coming and also time for pumpkin carving for the Haunted Playground. We need Pumpkin Carver Volunteers for the 18th Annual Haunted Playground to be held on Oct. 20th from 5:30 - 9pm! Let me know if you are interested and what your name, address, and how many pumpkins you want to carve and I’ll drop off the pumpkins a week before the event. If you have any brownies, scouts, pixies, or hobgoblin troops that wish to carve, please let me know how many will be carving and if you need them by any special date. I’ll give you some additional information as I get the responses.
There will be awards given out for for best carvings for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place (really nice trophies!). The event will be judged right before the haunted playground gets started by Pumpkin Pete himself!

Scariest Regards,

Pumpkin Pete!"

Pumpkin Pete can be contacted at peterbrayton@verizon.net

Math MovesU - 10/21/12

GSEM has put together a full day event for Juniors and Cadettes that focuses on hands-on activities that use math. 

"Learn about different types of careers, participate in hands-on activities and have fun! "

These workshops will be led by women in industry and academia. 

Who: Scouts in 4th-8th grade
When: October 21, 2012  9:30 a.m-4 p.m.
Where: Middlesex Community College, Bedford
Cost: $20 - includes lunch
Deadline for registration is October 7th

Flyer is here

Haunted Halloween Party - 10/21/12

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

Who: All ages
When: October 21, 3-5 pm
Where: Moose Lodge
Cost: $8

Registration is due to you leader by October 16th. THIS IS A HARD DEADLINE!!
This is a DROP-OFF event!
Flyer is here

Leader Meeting Minutes - 9/18/12

Attendees: Service Unit (SU) Coordinator: Amy Kelly [73897, 71901], SU Secretary: Debbie Nearing [73891], SU Recording Secretary: Alycia McGoldrick [73904], SU Cookie Coordinator: Kerstin March [71898], Lisa Alexander [85193], Cheryl Carr [71888], Jan Wise [73894], Susanne Rech [85336], Kristin Lamont [85193, 81880], Janice Gulbicki [71905], Karen McCullough [71905], Ruth Kennedy [73899], Christine MacInnis [71900], Stephanie Musgrave [71868], Kate Mahoney [71868], Barbara Duff [71902], Michelle Rosenthal [71902]

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 7:30 pm!  Pledge and promise were recited.
Early Bird patches were available for those that re-registered their troops last June.
Ultimate Program Guides were available for those that did not receive them in the mail - same info is available on-line.

Service Unit Housekeeping
Registration update - If you haven't registered for the upcoming year, to do so as the Leader you must complete it by 9/29.  After that date, parents will have to individually register their girls.
If you have girls transferring into or out of your troop - they must first be registered with their current troop.  Transfer then need to happen through the Registrar - Anne Valade.  She can be contacted at annevalade@comcast.net
Anne has agreed to stay on as the Registrar since we don't have anyone to take her place, but technically the position is open.  She would love to have someone shadow her before she steps down.  The paperwork portion has fundamentally gone away and the focus is on placing girls into troops after Fall and Spring registrations.

Don't forget to fill out the Troop Volunteer Agreement Form (on-line), if you didn't do so when you registered.  This is required each year!

Also need Little and Batch school coordinators.  This job primarily involves recruiting new Daisy leaders, and forming new Daisy troops.  This also primarily happens after Fall and Spring registrations.

There will be a new Scout Registration Event on Friday 9/28 from 6-7:30 at Celebration Kingdom on Concord Street.  The event is open to all ages and the girls can bounce while their parents register them - spread the word to those who might be interested!

This will be Amy's last year as Service Unit Coordinator.  If you are interested (or think you might be), please contact Amy: kellys@majekelly.com.

This will be Alycia's last year as Recording Secretary and Blogger.  If you are interested (or think you might be), please contact Alycia: alycia.mcgoldrick@gmail.com.

Want to check out the Service Team before you volunteer for anything? The next meeting will be posted in the Monday email and anyone is welcome to attend.

Annual Troop Finance reports and a copy of the most recent bank statement are due by October 1st if you did not turn yours in at June's Leader meeting.  Forms can be found on-line at www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/forms.
 Council Updates
There are many religious awards and program available to girls through council.  Check out the info on-line.

Girl Scout of Eastern Massachusetts (GSEM) has been selected as a Boston Marathon Charity Partner.  This means that GSEM has received 15 Marathon entries.  Entrants do not need a qualifying time, but will be required to raise at least $4,000.  Applications will be accepted beginning in September and more info should be posted shortly.

S.H.A.R.E. is still being collected - and we are close to our goal.  There are envelopes available if you still need them.  Towns that meet their goal are eligible for up to 10% back to the Service Unit.

Volunteer Essentials and Safety Activity Checkpoints have been updated.  You can find these in the Resource Library and Forms section of the website. 

Wednesday Webinars are new to GSEM for Leaders.  The webinar is free, but registration is required.  Each webinar will run from 12-1 p.m. and be repeated from 7-8 p.m.
Sept 19 - The Quick and Easy Guide to the Fall Product Sale
Oct 17 - Healthy, Fit and Fun!
Nov 14 - Include All Girls: Inclusion Strategies and Resources
Dec 19 - This is Not Your Mother's Cookie Sale!
Jan 16 - Volunteer Recognitions: The Who, What, How and Why of it

Don't forget that Activity Forms are now online and are required for risky activities that are not council run.  Check the Safety Activity Checkpoints to determine if one is needed.

The 2012 Fall Training Calendar is now on the GSEM website.  Registrations close one week prior to the training. 

The Girl Scout Shops in Middleboro, North Andover, and Waltham are looking for volunteers.  If you are interested, contact Erin Olsson at eolsson@girlscoutseasternmass.org

Sue Asselin from GSEM joined to give an update on a policy change for the 2013/2014 year going forward.  At the 2011 Convention, it was decided that councils can charge a council program fee at registration.  This program fee will go towards program development, camp maintainance, scholarships, training, etc.
For the 2013/2014 registration year - the program fee with be $10 and the registration fee will increase to $15.
There was a question about whether S.H.A.R.E. will continue as this fee supports the same things.  Sue will get back to us on that.  If you have any questions about this fee, contact sue at sasselin@girlscoutseasternmass.org.

Town Update
The Service Team has decided that for this year, the focus will be on fewer Service Team run events.  There will still be a few that serve to fund the Town-wide Fly-ups, but any others will try to focus on the "back to basics" of scouting.  Rough idea of the year's calendar:
Sept - older girl camping, Registration event
Oct - Halloween party
Nov - Father/Daughter Event (Square dancing or Sports event - Cheryl Carr going to see if her troop is interested in running this again), Celebration Kingdom Holiday Shopping event - kids can bounce while parents shop the vendors on-site
Dec - Christian Community Service Take a Tag
Jan - MLK Day Ice Skating
Feb - World Thinking Day Event - Theme: Together We Can Save the Children.  Will plan on forming a committee at the next Leader's meeting
Mar - Poconos trip
Apr - Gymnastics event

Past Events
Older Girl Encampment: Sept 7-9, a small group of older girls went camping at Camp Favorite down at the Cape.  The weather was beautiful and the girls had a great time canoeing and swimming.  The attendance was lighter than anticipated and if you signed up but didn't end up going, there will be an additional payment required to help cover the cost of the unused sites.  Kerstin will contact you.

Future Events
Registration Event - Friday 9/28 from 6-7:30 at Celebration Kingdom on Concord Street. The event is open to all ages and the girls can bounce while their parents register them - spread the word to those who might be interested!

Halloween Party 10/21, 3-5 p.m. at the Moose Lodge.  Cost is $8 per girl.  Open to all ages, but typically Daisies, Brownies and Juniors.  This is a drop-off event and pre-registration is required!  Forms due back at the next Leader's meeting and this is a firm deadline!!  Flyer is here

Poconos Trip for Juniors and up 3/8-10 to Woodloch Resort.  There will be more information but we wanted to get you talking about this early.  3/8 is an early release day which will allow troops to get an early start.  Cost to be about $149/per person per night.  Cost includes 3 meals a day and lodging for 4 people per room.  Activities include: nightly entertainment, bumper cars, go carts, indoor pool, Wii game room, rock climbing and badge earning activities (Cupcake Wars, Scavenger Hunt, Beading, Name That Tune, Family Fued, Zumba).  The Girl Council is looking into arranging buses to help with the cost and ease of attending.
Check out www.woodloch.com for more info.  Amy will post her daughter's .ppt presentation that was shared at the June Leader's meeting.

Fall Product Sales
Shauna Wagner came to kick off the Fall Product Sale.
Sale runs 9/28-10/28.
Troops receive 15% of product sales.  Cadettes and up can opt out of recognitions and receive 17% of product sales.
Theme: What can a Girl Do?, mascot is a flamingo.
There are magazines and candy and nut options.  It was pointed out that the magazine sale duplicates the Middle School fundraiser and the candy and nuts duplicate the Little school fundraiser - however the Fall Product Sale options are dictated by GSUSA and we don't have a choice on what we sell.
The order entry system is the same as that used by the Cookie sale, but the login will be different.
If you want to participate in the Fall Sale, contact Shauna Wagner six.wags@hotmail.com
Products are delivered before Thanksgiving...perfect timing for holiday gifts! 

Next Leaders Meeting is 10/16, 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, Room 14