Volunteer/Troop Leader Education

It’s Volunteer Appreciation Season! Show appreciation for volunteers you know and love by nominating them for formal recognitions! Submit nominations online by February 15. 
Youth Mental Health First Aid. Offered at a discounted rate for GSEMA volunteers, this training introduces participants to the unique risk factors and warning signs of mental health challenges for adolescents, builds understanding of the importance of early intervention, and teaches participants how to help an adolescent in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge. The course will be offered twice this winter and spring: at Camp Maude Eaton in Andover on February 22, and in Middleboro on April 25. Register.
Volunteer Resources Updates. Volunteer Resources and the Safety page of Volunteer    Essentials will be getting a redesign! We are restructuring Volunteer Resources to help you find the information you need faster. Travel and required training information will move to the Safety page, and will soon include recommended action items for volunteers. Please contact Danielle with feedback about the changes.

A few GSEMA Program Highlights

Adventures in Storytelling. Girls are invited to meet Kara LaReau, the award-winning author of the Infamous Ratsos series and Rise of ZomBert (coming July 2020), on February 22! The registration fee is $18 per girl, and includes a copy of Infamous Ratsos. Daisies and Brownies can register for the 3 PM–5 PM session, and Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors can register for the 10 AM–2 PM session. Volunteer supervision is required.   
Winter Online Journeys. Seniors and Ambassadors can learn exciting new STEM skills through online Journeys in January and February! In the Think Like a Programmer Online Journey, girls will join together to learn coding and computer science skills. Registration is $25 per girl. 
Winter Vacation Camp. Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors are invited to spend their winter breaks at Camp Wabasso! At Winter Vacation Camp, campers can enjoy cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, downhill skiing, snowboarding, tubing, and more from February 17–21. Registration is $425/girl, and includes heated lodging, equipment rentals, lessons, meals, and transportation to/from Waltham, MA. This is a drop-off event.
Winter Vacation Adventures.  Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors can escape the winter blues by joining their Girl Scout peers for winter break at Camp Cedar Hill! At Winter Vacation Adventures, girls will make new friends, go on adventures, and participate in games, crafts, STEM experiments, and more. Groups will spend the majority of their time in indoor heated spaces, with occasional outdoor activities (weather permitting). New for 2020: busing is available and included in the registration fee. Registration is $60/girl, and financial aid is available.

North Reading Girl Scout Information

Did you know that there are several resources for information on North Reading Girl Scouts? Take a look:

Facebook Pages: 

    Parents and Guardians of North Reading Girl Scouts

    North Reading Girl Scout Leaders

Blog:

www.northreadinggirlscouts.blogspot.com

Lego & Robotics

A special thanks to Lisa Ayer and Denise Kung for organizing and running two STEM events on January 19th! The girls had an amazing time! Also, thank you to the troop leaders who volunteered to help during the events. 

Shoe Donations

Troop 71901 is still collecting new and gently used shoe donations to help fund their trip to Europe this June. There is a donation box at Flint Memorial Public Library. Please email kellys@majekelly.com or call/text Amy at 978-590-6717 with any questions.

Troop 71901 Younger Girl Scout Event TBD

Friday March 6^th is a professional development day in North Reading. Troop 71901 would like to host a drop-off event for younger Girl Scouts that day. They are still in the planning stages and would like to gauge interest so please ask your troop parents if they are available that day.

Calling all Girl Scouts interested in Lego and Robotics!!

Join us for a Lego Robotics event with SOGO Action, Jan 19th 2-4pm for an introduction to the world of Lego WeDO!
This FREE event is open to Juniors and Cadettes and is presented by SOGO Action, a new STEM maker space located in North Andover. Staff from SOGO Action will be present to lead the girls through the workshop.

This class is designed to provide Girls a simple introduction to robotics and mechanical design while allowing them to explore and develop STEM skills through project-based activities. Working in teams, they will use these skills to design and program moving models, all while enhancing their problem solving abilities. Please register here.

Girl Scout Lego Build Challenge

Calling all Girl Builders - Daisies, Brownies & Juniors!!!!

Join us for a Girl Scout Lego Build Challenge on Sunday January 19 where Girls test their building skills and have a BLAST with a multi-level team to problem solve various challenges and scenarios! Last year's challenge involved being marooned on a remote desert island and building a shelter, food, and an escape pod off the island. Great fun for Girls of all skill levels! Registration link here.

Troop 71901...

Friday March 6^th is a professional development day in North Reading. Troop 71901 would like to host a drop-off event for younger Girl Scouts that day. They are still in the planning stages and would like to gauge interest so please ask your troop parents if they are available that day.

Troop 71901 is still collecting new and gently used shoe donations to help fund their trip to Europe this June. There is a donation box at Flint Memorial Public Library. Please email kellys@majekelly.com with any questions.

Cookie Update

Hopefully the December cookie booths went well. There are still plenty of slots open for January and part of February. Contact Lisa Ayer (lisa.ayer7@gmail.com) if you'd like to schedule another booth sale.  There are no longer any gluten-free cookies available so please do not take orders for them. 

Disney On Ice presents Celebrate Memories

Will play the SNHU Arena in Manchester from January 9^th – 12^th and there will be a very special scout night on Friday, January 10^th at 7pm! Tickets are $20 and are being sold directly through the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains Council and the Daniel Webster Council ONLY. For more information on how to purchase your tickets, please click on the council you’re affiliated with below to be directed to the purchase page. If you are a registered scout and do not know which council you belong to, but would still like to purchase tickets, please call one of the councils below directly.

Each scout ticket comes with a commemorative patch being distributed through each council AND there will be a POST SHOW CLINIC just for Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and any friends and family attending the show! To participate in the clinic, please stay in your seats following the show as a cast member will come out on to the ice to reveal tons of behind the scenes Magic!

Disney On Ice presents Celebrate Memories Info Page: https://www.disneyonice.com/celebrate-memories

Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains Purchase Page: https://www.girlscoutsgwm.org/en/events-repository/2020/disney_on_ice_presen.html

Daniel Webster Council Purchase Page: https://nhscouting.org/event/disney-on-ice/

Check out discounted ticket options for other shows and sporting events here: https://www.gsema.org/en/programs/program-list.html?q=&regions=choose&startdtRange=&enddtRange=&dateAdded=none&tags=girlscoutseasternmass%3Acategories%2Fmemberbenefits&_ga=2.256591499.1269275838.1568039782-842946843.1567530417

Lego Event - Coming Soon!

SAVE THE DATE - January 19th

Lisa Ayer and Denise Kung are organizing the Lego Challenge event for Daisies, Brownies, Juniors and Cadettes. More information coming soon!

Caroling Event - Big Success!

The caroling event was a big success with about 50 girls singing for the seniors at Care One!! A huge Thank You to Kristen Pemberton and Michele Reyen for organizing this great event. The oldies love the interaction with the kids.

It’s Volunteer Appreciation Season!

Show appreciation for volunteers you know and love by nominating them for formal recognition! Submit nominations online by February 15. 

 

Volunteer/Troop Leader Education Opportunities

Risk Management and Volunteer Safety Virtual Connections. Looking for additional guidance on how to ensure safe Girl Scouting experiences for your girls? Join us online on January 10 for Risk Management and Volunteer Safety Virtual Connections. You’ll be introduced to Safety Activity Checkpoints, Volunteer Essentials, and council policies and procedures for troop overnights, camping trips, and trips abroad. Register today. 

Wilderness First Aid. Our spring Wilderness First Aid course is now open for registration! Financial aid is available, and Girl Scout Ambassadors may also register to attend as part of earning their First Aid badges. Sign up now—space is limited!

Youth Mental Health First Aid. Offered at a discounted rate for GSEMA volunteers, this training introduces participants to the unique risk factors and warning signs of mental health challenges for adolescents, builds understanding of the importance of early intervention, and teaches participants how to help an adolescent in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge. The course will be offered twice this winter and spring: at Camp Maude Eaton in Andover on February 22, and in Middleboro on April 25. Register.

Program Highlights

Here are some new and interesting program highlights:

Adventures in Storytelling. Girls are invited to meet Kara LaReau, the award-winning author of the Infamous Ratsos series and Rise of ZomBert (coming July 2020), on February 22! The registration fee is $18 per girl, and includes a copy of Infamous Ratsos. Daisies and Brownies can register for the 3 PM–5 PM session, and Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors can register for the 10 AM–2 PM session. Volunteer supervision is required.  

Cybersecurity Badge Day. Brownies and Juniors can earn the Cybersecurity Basics badge on January 19, by taking part in exciting workshops taught by professional women in the cybersecurity industry. Girls will learn about pending cybersecurity legislation, engage in exciting discussions and debates, and explore potential cybersecurity careers. The registration fee is $20 per girl, and includes a badge. Volunteer supervision is required. Register.

Winter Online Journeys. Seniors and Ambassadors can learn exciting new STEM skills through online Journeys in January and February! In the Think Like a Programmer Online Journey, girls will join together to learn coding and computer science skills. Registration is $25 per girl.

Winter Vacation Camp. Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors are invited to spend their winter breaks at Camp Wabasso! At Winter Vacation Camp, campers can enjoy cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, downhill skiing, snowboarding, tubing, and more from February 17–21. Registration is $425/girl, and includes heated lodging, equipment rentals, lessons, meals, and transportation to/from Waltham, MA. This is a drop-off event.

Winter Vacation Adventures.  Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors can escape the winter blues by joining their Girl Scout peers for winter break at Camp Cedar Hill! At Winter Vacation Adventures, girls will make new friends, go on adventures, and participate in games, crafts, STEM experiments, and more. Groups will spend the majority of their time in indoor heated spaces, with occasional outdoor activities (weather permitting). New for 2020: busing is available and included in the registration fee. Registration is $60/girl, and financial aid is available.

Getting your troop activities in the Transcript

If you'd like to let the North Reading community know about some of the great stuff you do with your troop, consider sending it to the North Reading Transcript. Whenever you do something community related, outdoors, STEM related - anything really, you can send a pic and a blurb. The girls love to see their picture in the paper + it promotes girl scouts in our town.

Here are some tips:

- send a ready to print article of 200 words or less 

- include who, what, when, where and why

- always send hi-res photographs with captions (always make sure you have permission from parent/ guardian to publish)

- add a quote if you can (but not necessary)

- send it to nrtranscript@rcn.com

- please reach out to Jo Gibson (joanneg@gmail.com) if you want help.

Resources - Did you know?

There are several information and event resources for North Reading Girl Scout and their Families such as:

Two Facebook pages: 

1. Parents and Guardians of North Reading Girl Scouts

2. North Reading Girl Scout Leaders

This Blog:

www.northreadinggirlscouts.blogspot.com

Calling for volunteers

We are hoping to run these great events in the new year if we get enough volunteers:

Girl Scout Race Car Challenge

Seeking volunteers to participate on a planning committee for this event likely to be held in the March/April time frame. Plan to meet maybe 3-4 times between Dec-March. Please contact Lisa Ayer at lisa.ayer7@gmail.com

World Thinking Day

If you, or someone you know (such as a troop parent) would like to share their heritage, we would love them to help at our World Thinking Day. They would be asked to share a craft, or game, or food, or music, or a brief presentation. They would probably only need to do a couple of these things and keep the girls occupied for about 15 or 20 minutes. Your troop is also welcome to represent a country as a group. It can just be a country they are interested in - even if they don't have ancestry there. Please reach out to your troop parents. They can email Jo Gibson (joanneg@gmail.com) with any questions.

 

Cookie Update

1. This week kicks off our booth sales! Still plenty of December slots available if you want to get a jump start before the holidays!

2. You can also start placing order for cookies through ABCSmartCookies.com. Make sure your order is in by Sunday 10pm to pick up that week.

3. Don't forget to add your scheduled booth sales into ABCSmartCookie so that you can use the new credit card and booth divider options.

4. January COBS deadline is Dec 12th. Don't miss it!

5. Please note that all cookie cupboards will be closed for the holidays December 22–January 2. Deadlines for planned cookie orders are Sundays at 10 PM throughout cookie season, and the final day for cookie-selling is March 31, 2020.