NRGS Volunteer Leader Meeting – Tuesday, Oct 11, 2016
Meeting began at 7:35 p.m.
Service team members and Volunteer Leaders in attendance:
Debbie Nearing, Service Unit Coordinator and Troop 73891; Anne Valade, Fall
Sale Promoter; Jo Gibson, Hood School Coordinator and SU Cookie Manager and
Troops 62548/69175; Amy Kelly, SU
Membership Promoter, Troops 62804/73897/71901; Kristen Puliafico, Little School
Coordinator; Denise Kung Troop 62798; Kristen Pemberton Troop 69171; Michelle
Gerokoulis Troop 62796; Rebecca Lowe Troop 68550; Kate Mahoney Troop 71868;
Kerri Antonuccio Troop 62803; Joanna Maguire Troop 78188; Karianne Bekier Troop
62803; Cindy DeWolfe Troop 85336; Julie Galvin Troop 62802; Jenn Vant Troops 85337/76212;
Amber O’Driscoll Troop 76211
Welcome email - All
girl parents should have received a welcome email from NRGS. If they didn't,
please let Debbie know.
Juliette Low's
Birthday - founder of GS - Oct 31.
Google for fun ideas to celebrate with your girls. Idea: you can have each girl
bring something you need for a later event as a "gift" (e.g. craft
supplies) to your party.
Registration - The
process was changed this year. It's all done via online (vs paper) registration
and Council handles all placements. If a new girl signs up via the Opportunity
Catalog with a specific troop, she's all set. Otherwise, new girls get placed
in a "pool" and Council contacts the parents to help place them into
a troop. Amy has no visibility into this process - she cannot see which girls
are waiting to be placed and she does not get notified when a particular girl
is placed. If you are waiting for a girl to show up on your roster, please
email Amy directly for help (kellys@majekelly.com). She will contact Council.
In order to make sure no one is getting lost, Amy is going to be sending out
full troop rosters to each leader listing all the girls and adult volunteers in
your troop. All registered girls in your troop should be showing up in NutE
(the online system) for the Fall Sale.
Another issue this
year - new leaders cannot get their online access without going through the
Troop Pathway orientation. Existing leaders need to make sure they renew their
CORI's, which are good for 3 years, but GS asks that you renew early a couple
months early or they lock you out of your online account. The CORI deadline is
coming up in January. Tip: you can go to a notary to fill out your paperwork,
you don't have to do it through the service team.
Kindergarten Registration - registration and new troop
formation was also bumpy this year due to the new process. Currently, there is
NO kindergarten troop at the Little School. The advertising and flyers got
stalled in the system and never made it into backpacks. There was a lot of
discussion about how to spread the word about GS to the Little School - talking
to Ms Molle, advertising in the next PTO newsletter, various Facebook pages. We
need to get the word out (tell your neighbors). Anne says to remember there is
no cut off for registration - girls can sign up throughout the year.
Early Bird patches - some troops have still not picked these
up. Amy will be delivering them to leader mailboxes.
Fall Products - We
sampled some fall products at the meeting, including nuts and candy. Anne
Valade is the coordinator, direct any questions to her or watch the training
videos. Make sure all girls are in the NutE system because THE DEADLINE IS THIS
FRIDAY 10/14 to get girls in. If they are not in the system, you cannot put in
orders for them. Travis Sammons can help get girls registered quickly if you
email him directly.
Spooky Tales – Forms
are now due for the event. If your troop
is attending, please get your form to Anne and please include the number of
girls participating. Anne is at 24
Abbott Rd. and her email is
avalade@baystatedisposal.com
Halloween party - Jo
still needs volunteers for party setup, running crafts and games. We might not
have enough decorations. Jo is talking to the people running a Halloween party
at the Batch. The Moose doesn't want to loan out its Halloween decorations this
year. She could use more inflatables and wall decorations (we have table
decorations). Patches will be ordered tonight.
Right now we have about 50-55 signups.
Caroling on the
Common - Drop off is at the top of the common. After caroling, we walk over to
the Union Congregational Church for making cards and cookies. Pick up is from
the Church. You can stick around to sing, but siblings cannot go to the church
because we won't have enough food and supplies. Registration forms were
accepted for this event.
Veteran's Day - Nov
11 at the Town Common. Can be moved inside to the Batch, weather depending.
Event is for boy and girl scouts. There are usually refreshments in the meeting
house afterwards. We ask the girls to attend in uniform for the ceremony to
represent GS. If you want to participate in the event (flag ceremony) or help
with refreshments, contact smagner@northreadingma.gov
Service Projects – A
couple of years ago, we collected for the food pantry around Christmas, but not
this year, but your troop can participate individually. Other ideas for service
projects - meals on wheels (make crafts, cards, etc) that can be sent to the
seniors getting meal delivery. On the blog there is a whole section on ideas
for service projects. This can be helpful for earning a badge. Amy's troop
earned their garden badge by inviting the North Reading Garden Club to teach
the girls about planting and helping them plant bulbs (which were donated by a
local business). Amy encourages you to reach out to any organization or
business in the community and to be creative in how you earn your badges.
What's important is understanding the meaning behind the badge (or journey
too).
Encampment - Debbie.
At this event, girls of all ages from our service unit come together to enjoy
outdoor activities, learn skills, and camp overnight (no Daisies). Daisies can
come for Saturday only. You need to be certified for camping - get your
training ASAP if you are interested. Check the online GSEM Guide for trainings.
The best date appears to be Father's Day weekend (June
16-18). Debbie says you can leave by Saturday night to get back for Sunday (or
just come for Saturday). She is going to
submit the request and list that weekend as our first choice. We're trying to
work around lots of other events including HS graduation, Relay for Life, etc.
Debbie would like to get some older girls (6th grade and up) and adults on the
planning committee. She needs lot of help to plan and chaperone the event.
Bring any leftover materials you have to the November
meeting e.g. craft supplies, discs (for membership pins), books, etc. Hand them
down to another troop.
Next meeting is Monday Nov 14th, Library Activity Room 7:30
– we will have an Investiture Ceremony for new Volunteer Leaders and a
Rededication Ceremony for existing Leaders.
Meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m.
