Leader Meeting Minutes 3/19/14

Present:  Ruth Kennedy-73899, Debby Nearing-73891, Kristin Puliafico-85118, Barbara Gravel, Kerstin March, Bridget Easler-76212, Lindsay Felix-76211, Anne Valade, Marcy Nelson-76213, Mary Hatton-78181, Kelly DeSousa-66232

• Field Trip Idea:  NE Textile Museum, Lowell.  Kristin took her Brownies.  Classes are available for all age groups.

• Food Pantry Update:  Community support has been great.  Troops are set up for March 22-23 Weekend at Stop and Shop to hand out lists to shoppers.  If your troop is interested, March is Girl Scout Food Pantry Month!  Sign up for a volunteer time on Volunteer Spot:  http://www.volunteerspot.com/login/entry/12790964001#/form

• Encampment Update:  Registration information from girls is due to leaders by April 15, with total numbers and payment to Deb Nearing by April 16.  Daisies do not stay overnight but are welcome during the day Saturday for all the events.  The weekend (Friday evening, June 13-Sunday morning June 15) is rain or shine.  If you have questions, contact Debbie at:  bcednearing@comcast.net

• Memorial Day Parade:  Monday, May 26.  Parade usually starts at 10am.  Girl Scouts are asked to congregate at 9:30am at the Building on the Common.  Troops should have a banner if they don't already have one.  Creating a banner for your troop is a fun project for new Daisy troops.  Lots of ideas on Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/Troop50170/banners-flags-and-parades-girl-scouts/

• Registration Updates:  Daisy Discovery Day had a low turnout.  But we are undeterred and hope to have another event to attract new girls to scouting.

• Cookie Sales:  55 girls sold over 100 boxes.  8 girls sold over 200 boxes.  Recognitions are due in late April.  Kerstin March will let leaders know when they are ready.  The town sold $71K in cookies.

• Arbor Day:  Thursday, May 1 at 6pm.  Meet at IRP Gazebo.  Help the North Reading Garden Club plant a tree at IRP.  Free event and open to all area scouts and other children and family members.  Rain or Shine.

• Mother Daughter Tea:  Sunday , May 18, 1:30-3:30pm at St. Theresa's Church.    Open to North Reading Daisy Girl Scouts.  Refreshments served.  Crafts and singing.  The GS Girl Council is hosting.  $10/couple or $5/person. 

• Brownie Storytelling event:  Friday, May 16, 6:30-8pm at Aldersgate Church (?).  Final confirmation is pending!  Girl Scout Girl Council to host.  Craft and snack related to story.

• Cupcake Challenge:  Date to be determined.  Open to girls grades 4, 5, 6.  Girls will be instructed on how to decorate particular cupcakes.  Each girl will learn how to do 3 different designs.  Please watch Monday Leader Emails for a finalized date.  Sounds like a lot of fun!

• Daisy Fly Up - Wednesday, May 28 at Aldersgate Church.  This is only for 1st grade Daisies.  Older girl fly up:  Date to be determined.  Will most likely be after encampment and the 8th grade DC field trip. 

GSEM Night at Worcester Sharks vs. PBruins Game

The game is April 19th at 7pm.  Any questions can be directed to Kristyn Galante of the Worcester Sharks at kgalante@sharksahl.com or Lu-Ann Souza of GSEM at lsouza@girlscoutseasternmass.org.  
Flyer can be found here.

Introduction to Camping for Brownies

NRGS Cadette Troop 71871 Camping 101 Event Cadette Troop 71871 will be running a Camping 101 Event - Introduction to Camping for Brownies - on Saturday, April 12th at Camp Rice Moody in Reading.  Girls will be introduced to basic troop camping skills.  Questions should be addressed to Mary at lasdin@comcast.net or 617-828-5005.  The deadline for sign-up is April 4th.  
Find the flyer here.

NRGS Spring Encampment

The Spring Encampment is being held at Camp Runels on June 13-15, 2014.  Since we have to return unused sites by May 2nd, we will be setting a deadline of April 16th for registration and payment to be received in order to guarantee your troop's participation in the Encampment. Find flyer here.

Also the Leader Recap sheet found here  is to be returned to Debbie Nearing ASAP at bcednearing@comcast.net but not later than April 16th.  This recap sheet has all the troop information for requesting accomodations for sleeping arrangements as well as to let us know what troops would like to be sharing sites together as well as any special accomodations that may be necessary.  Remember, those troops signing up first get first choice on camping sites!

Once we have the troops placed and we know how many sites we will need, we will be sending out all the necessary troop information you will need to either attend for the day or to stay overnight.  The packet will include attendance lists, what to pack lists for day campers as well as overnight campers, a list of what a troop will need to pack and bring for an overnight as well as for day campers, schedules of activities, maps of the campsite, camp rules, permission forms, health forms, SWAP information, etc.  

Also the Encampment Committee will be putting together a SWAPS in the Park Event where troops will be able to stop by and make SWAPS from all different kinds of crafts supplies and materials to be used at Encampment.  This was very popular the last time we had a town wide encampment.  Watch for more information in the near future!

Arbor Day Celebration!

Presented by the North Reading Garden Club.  Celebrate Arbor Day through the planting of a tree at IRP.  Event is rain or shine.  All Scouts are encouraged to attend and assist with the tree planting.  Please bring a pair of work gloves.  Shovels provided.  Meet at the Gazebo and we will walk to the planting site from there.  

http://northreading.patch.com/groups/events/p/arbor-day-celebration

Harlem Globetrotters!

Special Scout prices on Saturday, March 29th & Sunday, March 30th.
Please see flyer  here.

Peter and the Star Catcher

Scout Groups of 10+ receive discounts on admission.  The play runs from May 27 - June 8.
See flyer here  for more details.

Heartbeat of Home: a music and dance extravaganza!

Scout groups of 10+ save up to 50% on tickets March 26-April 6.
See flyer here  for more details.

Girl Scout Red Sox Games!

On April 6th and July 29th are Scout Red Sox Games.  These means special troop rates, pre-game parade, patches, and running the bases post game.
Please see flyer here for more information.

Need First Aid/CPR Training?

GSEM is offering more First Aid/CPR trainings.  

Check out this one in Tyngsboro on March 29th. 

Medic First Aid & CPR Blended Learning – 7 spots remaining!

Can't wait for your summer adventure?

You don't have to!

  
Girls in grades K-8 can attend April Vacation Journey in Andover, Plymouth or Waltham for one or two days, or the whole week. It's all the fun of camp without the wait! Bus transportation is available.

Brownies can try out overnight camp at one of our three Brownie Camping weekends. Activities include crafts, nature exploration and, of course, s'mores!

Summer camp is filling quickly! View the Camp Guide for a complete program listing and register online. Please contact camp@girlscoutseasternmass.org or 617-350-8335 for more information about registering for camp.

Share your love of GSEM summer camps!  

The ballot is now open for Boston Parents Paper's 2014 Family Favorites Awards. Last year, Camp Wind-in-the-Pines won Best Overnight Camp and our day camps made the top 5 in their category.

Free Screening of RIO 2!!

All Girl Scouts and their families have been invited to a free screening of RIO 2 from 20^th Century Fox!


Join us at Showcase Cinemas Legacy Place in Dedham, MA on April 5, 2014.
Pre-show activities start at 9am & show begins at 10:30am.  All Girl Scouts will also receive a patch. 


To attend, you must RSVP at http://TinyURL.com/RIO2GirlScouts
See flyer here. 


All your favorite RIO characters are back as they journey back to that magical city in the wilds of the Amazon and they're joined by Oscar(r) nominee Andy Garcia, Grammy(r) winner Bruno Mars, Tony(r) winner Kristin Chenoweth and Oscar/Emmy(r)/Tony winner Rita Moreno. 

Interested in Manufacturing and STEM careers?

SME would like to extend a special invitation to students in your school/district to attend the “Dream it. Do It.” student program held at Mfg4 in Hartford, CT on May 6-7, 2014.  The event will include hands- on activities/projects, touring the show floor, and a tour held at TRUMPF in Farmington, CT. The event focus is for students interested in manufacturing careers and STEM.  Space is limited each day (a maximum of 25 students per school) so early registration is recommended!  Please see the attached for details.

 

A stipend of up to $300 per school will be provided on behalf of our sponsor TRUMPF, to help cover bus/travel expenses* –for details send me an email.

 

We hope to see your students at Mfg4! 

 

Dolores Gauthier

Member & Industry Relations Manager

& Interim Manager, Member Units

One SME Drive | Dearborn, MI 48128 | www.sme.org

DGauthier@sme.org | O: 313.425.3130 | C: 313.498.3350

Service Project Opportunity: Learn to Quilt

A Girl Scout Leader from Georgetown has recently started volunteering for a non profit organization that makes quilts for war veterans. It is called Quilts of Vallor. www.qovf.org 

She is looking for a troop that would like to work with her to sew a quilt top for this organization. She has two sewing machines and a lot of patients. Or if you have troop leaders who know how to quilt please consider looking into this organization.

  

The girls could learn quilting while helping a great cause.

Contact information:

Renee Jones

Cell# (978)270-1854

Home# (978)352-2717
multi_mom2003@yahoo.com

NRGS Food Pantry Collection

NORTH READING GIRL SCOUTS WILL BE "PAINTING THE TOWN GREEN"!

March is North Reading Girl Scouts collection month for the benefit of the NR Food Pantry!  We are VERY excited to contribute towards the efforts of feeding families in our community!!  Participation from ALL North Reading Girl Scout Troops will help assure our food drive is a SUCCESS!  Our food drive drop-off date is March 29, 9:00-10:30am.  

Flyers about "Painting the Town Green" can be found here.
A list of items that the pantry is looking for can be found here.

*ENCOURAGE your Girl Troop members to sport GREEN apparel throughout the month of March to help promote our "PAINT THE TOWN GREEN"! food drive.  Contact person for this event is Lindsay Felix at lindsayfelix@verizon.net.  

Leader Meeting Minutes 2/12/14

Attendance:  Anne Valade, Kristin Puliafico, Debbie Nearing, Barbara Gravel, Kerstin March, Amy Kelly, Janice Sarno, Lindsey Felix, Sarah Stetson, Dawn Gonthier, Kristin Lamont, Debbie Aalto, Danielle Catureyo (sp? 85121), Ruth Kennedy

Ice Skating Event:  Thursday Feb. 20, 11-1pm, Burbank Rink, Reading.  See the blog.

Bingo:  On Friday, March 28, at 6 to 8:30 pm at the Moose Lodge, we will hold a Friends and Family Bingo Night for anyone over the age of 5.  Girl Scouts will get a patch and admission is $5.00 a person.  Bring your own snacks and raffles and prizes will be offered!  Registration forms and payment will be due at the March 19th Leader meeting and this is a firm deadline!  You can also mail your forms and payment to Kristin Puliafico at 177 Central Street.  Questions for this event should be addressed to Kristin at kscott1104@aol.com.

Daisy Discovery Day - An informational event - Sunday, March 2nd:  Open to girls who will enter kindergarten or 1st grade who are interested in joining NR Girl Scouts.  The Girl Council will hold a "meeting" for those girl in attendance and there will be a chance for parents to ask questions.

Food Pantry Month:  Details will be out soon on NRGS Blog on the food collection in March.  Lindsey Felix will coordinate this year's collection with the NR Food Pantry.

Girl Scout Sunday:   March 9th.  Girl Scout Sabbath is Saturday, March 8th.  Food collection (food pantry month) will take place at town churches.   All girls who attend religious services on that weekend will receive a patch.  If there is no one there to hand patches out, girls should ask their leader and they will receive a patch.

Cookie Updates:  Cookie sales (booth sales and cupboard sales) will end in early March.  Recognitions will be shipped in early April.  Final cookie payment is due March 4th.  There are still booth sale slots available if a troop wants to hold a booth sale in the next 2 weeks.

Fly Up - Grades, 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, and 12 are flying up this year.  Fly-up for all grades except grade 1 will be held in June.  All girls will "fly up" or transition to the next level of girl scouts.  If a troop wants to "bridge", there are requirements specific to each GS level to earn the bridge badge.  Fly Up date will be available soon.  However, there WILL be a specific Fly Up ceremony JUST FOR DAISIES!  Tentative date for Daisy Fly Up is:  Wednesday, May 28th at Aldersgate Church.

Leaders' Social - Feb. 27 at 7:30pm at Theresa's Grill. 

NRGS Family & Friends Bingo Night, March 28

On Friday, March 28, at 6 to 8:30 pm at the Moose Lodge, we will hold a Friends and Family Bingo Night for anyone over the age of 5.  Girl Scouts will get a patch and admission is $5.00 a person.  Bring your own snacks and raffles and prizes will be offered!  Registration forms and payment will be due at the March 19th Leader meeting and this is a firm deadline!  You can also mail your forms and payment to Kristin Puliafico at 177 Central Street.  Questions for this event should be addressed to Kristin at kscott1104@aol.com.

See flyer here.

 

Girl Scout Sunday, March 9

March 9th is Girl Scout Sunday and celebrated on March 8th for the Sabbath.  Attend any House of Worship on March 9th and you will receive a Girl Scout patch.  St. Theresa's will celebrate GS Sunday at the 9:00 am Mass and the Congregational Church will celebrate at the 10:00 Service and both of these Houses of Worship will be distributing GS Sunday patches during those times only.  We still need a volunteer to help run Girl Scout Sunday at the Aldersgate Church.  Girls should contact their Leader to ask a Service Team member for a patch if a girl attended any House of Worship that day and did not receive a patch.
 See flyer here.

 

Daisy Discovery Day, Sunday March 2

Interested in Girl Scouting for your new Kindergartener?  Girls entering 1st grade or Kindergarten in the fall can register to become a Daisy Girl Scout.  On Sunday, March 2, from 2 to 3 pm at the Town Hall, NRGS is having a recruitment event.  If you know anyone who might be interested, please spread the word!  Contact Barbara Gravel at barbgravel@msn.com if interested.

See flyer  here.

North Reading GS Gymnastics Event

Gymnastics Event for Daisies and Brownies will be offered again during April vacation on Friday, April 25th from 1:30 to 3:30 pm at the Reading Gymnastics Academy in North Reading.  This is a drop off event but a mandatory permission/waiver form needs to be completed and sent in with payment to your Leader no later than March 19th.  Parents are welcome to stay in the viewing room during this event. If you have any questions, please contact Kelly DeSousa at 978-979-2577 or email her at k_steed@hotmail.com.   Please note that there is only one session of 70 students which will be offered and it's on a first-come basis!  Forms and money will be collected at the March Leader meeting! 

Click here for the flyer.

Click here for the waiver.

Fun Larger Events for Girls

Cadette Sampler (Grades 6-8)

Explore your interests and attend four workshops of your choice on topics such as salsa sampler, T-shirt design, friendship bracelets, dance and more. Patch included.

$20 per girl 9am-3pm 3/1/14 Mansfield

Changing the World through STEM; Teen Career Expo (grades 6-12)

Do you like to solve problems and make the world a better place? Discover what you can do at our one-day science, technology, engineering, and math exposition for girls in grades 6-12. Get firsthand experience in STEM fields through engaging activities and thought-provoking guest speakers. Explore careers through workshop tracks that will pique your interest. Tracks will feature topics such as chemistry, physics and human-computer interaction. During the trade show, you will observe live demonstrations, hear from Massachusetts STEM businesses and universities, and participate in a QR code scavenger hunt. At the wearable computing workshop you will make your own patch that says Girl Scouts in Morse Code imaging. Design your unique career path and be inspired to change the world through STEM! Cadettes will have a separate workshop track. This is a drop-off event; only girls may register.

$35 per girl 9am-4pm, 3/9/14 Sheraton Hotel, Framingham

Party for the Planet:

Girl Scouts of all ages and their families can join us on April 27 for our annual Party for the Planet at Franklin Park Zoo. Guests will enjoy Earth Day activities and discounted admission to the zoo. 

Snowbound and Snowbound Extreme

Think camp is just for summer? At Snowbound and Snowbound Extreme you'll learn about winter camping and go on a snowshoe nature walk.  

Questions program@girlscoutseaternmass.org

Register at :   www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/program

World Thinking Day February 22nd

This is a day when Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world think about each other and learn that Girl Scouting is EVERYWHERE! This is the perfect opportunity to teach your girls the meaning behind the W.A.G.G.G.S. Pin. (Round pin with blue background)  If you haven’t given your girls the pin, this is a great time to have a ceremony and do it. 

Please consider doing an activity or two to help girls understand the World Wide Sisterhood they are part of. There are links on the blog for you to find out more about World Thinking Day or just GOOGLE it!

http://www.worldthinkingday.org/en/home

http://www.girlscouts.org/who_we_are/global/world_thinking_day/

http://www.pinterest.com/juliacjimenez/girl-scout-thinking-day/

NEW! North Reading Girl Scout Facebook page

At the January Leader meeting, someone suggested that we create another NRGS Facebook page (besides the current NRGS Leader page) which all Girl Scouts and Families can visit.  So we did just that.  If you have Facebook, feel free to check it out to get ideas for field trips, craft ideas or anything Girl Scout related.  Of course, feel free to post and share anything your sister Girl Scouts would love to try as well!  Come check it out at North Reading Girl Scouts.

Encampment Update! June 13-15 Camp Runels

As you heard, we did not get our first choice at Camp Cedar Hill in Waltham, but we did get our second choice at Camp Runels in Pelham, NH.  This camp is the same distance as Waltham, but easier to get to as it's right up 93 and off the highway!!!  Immediately following our February Leader meeting, there will be a brief 30 minute (hopefully) Encampment Meeting for any troop interested in our June 13-15 Spring Encampment.  This Encampment is for all ages, with Daisies coming just for the day!  We are making this a mandatory meeting if you want to attend this event.  If you cannot make the meeting, please send another representative, co-leader, parent, etc. in your place to get the information!  We are also seeking Leaders who are interested in helping us plan ideas for this Encampment on the Committee.  You do not need experience, just your ideas and willingness to help!  Please contact Debbie Nearing at bcednearing@comcast.net if you are interested in sitting on the Encampment Committee.

GSEM - Apply for the Girl Scout Scholarship

Two scholarships of $1,000 each will be awarded to two graduating senior Girl Scouts in recognition of leadership, community engagement and personal commitment to the Girl Scout mission. The Scholarship Committee seeks applicants who are motivated to make the world a better place by actively demonstrating courage, confidence and character. The scholarship is to be used toward post-high school study. A complete online application and two recommendation forms (one from school and one from the community) are due Friday, March 7 at 4 PM, EST. All application materials are due by the deadline for scholarship consideration. Contact Mary Browne with questions.

Ice Skating - Family and Friends North Reading GS Event

Thursday, February 20th, at the Burbank Ice Arena in Reading at 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.  This event is in conjunction with public skating and registration forms and payment will be collected at the Leader meeting being held on February 12th at the Town Hall at 7:30 pm.  Tickets may also be sold at the door for family and friends.  We are also asking each girl to bring one non-perishable food item to donate to the NR Food Pantry.  If your daughter is interested in attending, please give the form and payment to your Leader before February 12th.  

Please see the flyer here.

If you have any questions, please contact Barbara Gravel at

barbgravel@msn.com

GSEM - SEEKING GIRL BOARD MEMBERS

There are just a few days left for girls to apply to join the council's Board of Directors. This unique leadership opportunity is for girls, ages 14-17. Each year four girls are nominated to serve one-year terms as members-at-large. They have all the responsibilities of our adult board members in determining council policies and vote on all issues brought before the board (except those with financial implications). Board members are elected at the GSEM annual meeting in May and attend five board meetings during the following year.  Check out our NRGS Senior and Girl Council Member, Keanna Lamont, (third on the right) who is currently serving on the Girl Board of Directors!  Way to go Keanna! 

Click here to sign up!   http://surveymonkey.com/s/girlboardapp2013

Girl Scout Baking Day

Teen Scouts from 6th - 12th Grade

Camp Rice Moody, Reading, MA

11 am - 2 pm on 2/2/14 (Come for all or part of the time!)

Please join other Girl Scouts and bake for our heroes! We will be baking breads and cookies and donating them to the heroes in our towns. Girls are asked to bring a mixing bowl and a spoon and if possible, measuring spoons or measuring cups. We will be sharing and working together so if you don't have all these items, no problem!

Since girls will be joining from different towns, we will be donating to the heroes in the town from which you are from! Heroes might police officers, fire personnel, educators, veterans or your neighbor down the street who does good deeds.

RSVP to Michelle at michellekramer@verizon.net or 781-789-6774 by 1/30/14!

Once I receive RSVP's I will send permission slips.