The Albany Berkshire Ballet's The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker will be performed by the Albany Berkshire Ballet and local dancers on December 18 & 19 at the Lawrence High School auditorium.  See flyer for details on how to save on ticket prices through a Girl Scout discount.

Registration Event!

Become a Girl Scout Or Leader!

Tuesday December 3rd 7pm-8pm

Town Hall room 14

7:00 - Discover what Girl Scouting has to offer.  

Connect with North Reading Girl Scout adult members to get an overview of how Girl Scouting can work for you and your daughter.

7:30 - Discussion and registration for Girls and Adults.

Contact Barbara Gravel for details:  Barbgravel@msn.com

See flyer here.

Cookie Sale Update

If your troop doesn't have a Cookie Advisor yet, please assign someone asap so they can be trained.  Please contact Kerstin March with any questions. email address

Sign up for Cookie Booth Sale slots at the November Leader Meeting on November 20th.  

You can find sign up forms here.

The sale this year is shorter, starting on December 13th and going until early March.

Girl Scout Store Sale of Thanksgiving

November 15-26, 2013 use the coupon below to take 15% off everything at the Girl Scout Stores in Middleboro, North Andover and Waltham.

Print coupon

They also have a frequent shopper card now. Get 10 punches and receive 15% off a purchase. 

Looking for Help with New Troops

Help with New Troop

NRGS is trying to start a new second grade troop to help in placing 3, grade 2 Brownies.  These consist of one girl who has been in scouting, and two who are new to Girl Scouts.  We are in the process of sending out a recruitment letter to all grade 2 girls in hopes of finding more girls for this troop and with any luck, a leader!  In the meantime, these three girls are patiently waiting to be placed!  Are there any troops who would be willing to host a meeting or two so these girls can have the Girl Scout experience?   Our intention is that this will be a short term commitment.  Not only does this help in starting up a new troop, but it will also empower your girls in a leadership role.  If interested in, please contact me at BarbGravel@msn.com and I can tell you more.

Looking for Helper (Cadette or older) for new Daisy troop

A new Daisy troop at the Kindergarten level from the Little School, is looking for an older scout or two who can come to meetings and be a helper.   At this time, there are four girls in the troop.  Their meetings are to be held at the Union Congregational Church, every other Thursday, starting 11/14, at 3:30 pm.  If interested in checking it out, email the leader Bridget Easler, at bbeasler@verizon.net.

Old Sturbridge Village

Scout Day at Old Sturbridge Village is November 16th!

Here's the link to the website for more information and to sign up.

Service Project Idea!

Meals-On-Wheels

The girls in your troop can have fun creating decorations, especially a seasonal decoration, for the trays that the meals are on.  If this sounds interesting, you can contact Mary Prenney, the head of Elder Services.  Her email address is mprenney@northreadingma.gov.

If your troop is looking for other service project ideas, take a look at the "Service Project Ideas" page on the right column of the blog.  And if you have ideas you'd like to share, send an email to audier@verizon.net and it will be added to the list.

North Reading Veteran's Day Ceremony

There will be a ceremony on the Common on November 11 at 11am.  Please encourage your girls to attend.  They should wear their vest/sashes and stand together in a group.

Veteran Services of NR has requested that about 6 girls volunteer help in the Building on the Common to help serve refreshments.  If a troop of Juniors and older would like to fulfill this request, please contact Barbara Gravel at barbgravel@msn.com.  This would make a great community service project!

New Leader Orientation Training

Anne Valade will conduct a new leader Orientation Training on Wednesday, October 23 at 7:30

24 Abbott Rd.

Basics on organizing a troop meeting, field trip protocols, setting up a troop bank account, over view of Girl Scouting program.  

Things needed to get started with your troop.  

Other training beyond Orientation is available through council.

 annevalade@comcast.net 

Leader Meeting Minutes 10/16/13

Attendance:  

Stephanie Geiser, Membership Specialist from GSEM; 

ST Members and/or troop Leaders:

Kristin Puliafico, SU Coordinator and 85118; Debbie Nearing, Corresponding Secretary & 73891; Ruth Kennedy, Recording Secretary & 73899; Anne Valade, Treasurer; Barbara Gravel, Registrar; Kerstin March, Cookie & Fall Product Manager; Lindsay Felix, 76211; Sarah Stetson, 76213; Amy Kelly, 71901 & 73897; Jodi Sponzo, 73897; Kelly Desousa, 66232; Melissa Lally, 85118; Sandy Griffin, 71900; Lynne Alley, 85336; Kristin Lamont, 85193 & 71880; Michelle Rosenthal, 71902 & 78181; and Jennifer Dee, 78188 & 85122.

Meeting called to order 7:35

Introductions of service unit and Stephanie from GSEM N. Andover office.

Anne V:  New leader Orientation training on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 7:30pm.  24 Abbott Road.  Basics on organizing a troop meeting, field trip protocols, setting up a troop bank account, over view of Girl Scouting program.  Things needed to get started with your troop.  Other training beyond Orientation is available through council.

Barbara:  Father/Daughter Square Dance Saturday, Nov. 23.  Open to any important male adult (grandfather, older brother, uncle, etc).  Times will be announced.  If there is a lot of interest, there may be two sessions, but that will be determined by number of girls attending.  Open to Daisy, Brownie and Junior levels.  Cost is $8/couple, additional girls $4.  Each girl will receive a fun patch.  Flyers will be emailed.  Please distribute to girls in your troop.  Girls should turn in forms to leaders by Nov. 15.  Troop leaders should return forms/payment at the Nov. 20 Leaders' Meeting.

Barbara:  Registration - all seems to be working smoothly.  Most girls are placed.  3 new kindergarten troops, 1 new first grade troop.  50 new girls registered this year.  On line re-registration was cumbersome.  There is a delay in notification of about a week from the time a new girl registers on line to when Barbara receives the information.  

Ruth:  Daffodil planting party Saturday, Oct. 26 9-11am at North Parish Park.  Bring a shovel and work gloves and dress appropriately.  Rain on Shine.  All girls in attendance will receive a community service patch.  Please email:  ruthekennedy@gmail.com with a number of girls to ensure we have enough patches.

Debbie:  Corn maze at Marini Farm, Ipswich wrap up:  Older girl corn maze had 15 girls attend.  Beautiful weather made for a nice night.  

Troop Directory:  please check your troop information for accuracy.  

Encampment:  Town Wide at Camp Cedar Hill, Waltham.  Date in May or June.  Friday/Saturday.  Check out Sunday.  Looking at either weekend of May 16/17 or June 13/14.  June 15 is Father's Day, but the girls would be home early Sunday morning.  June 13/14 is the preferred weekend.   If you know of an important conflict on either of those weekends, please let the Service Unit know as soon as possible.  The window for making a spring reservation opens in November, so a decision on the weekend date will need to be made soon.

New leaders will need to be either "camping certified" or "lodge camping certified".  Debbie will look into organizing a local camping training through GSEM.

"Mitten" Project:  Christmas project through Christian Community Services.  The "mitten" lists the number and ages of children from a local family.  Girl Scouts provides toiletry and household products for these families.  Troops are asked to "adopt" a family and provide necessary items as a service project.  A list of suggested items is provided at the time the mittens are available.  More information on this subject will be at the November Leaders' Meeting.

Fall Product Sale: ongoing.  Open until Oct. 27.  A more detailed email on Fall Sale will be sent in a few days to those troops participating.

Cookie Update:  Early cookie training is Nov. 9 at 9:30am and Nov. 13 at 9:30am and 6:30pm in North Andover.  Cookie Rally Dec. 7 in Waltham.  

Juliette Lowe's Birthday is Oct. 31.  Wishing the Founder of Girl Scouts a Very Happy Birthday!

Trivia with Kristin:  Kristin led us in a round of Girl Scout Trivia.  We all learned something new about Girl Scouting.  Thank you, Krisitin!

Meeting adjourned:  8:25

Father-Daughter Square Dance Nov. 23

Back by popular demand!

This is a Daisy, Brownie & Junior event.

Deadline for money and forms is the Nov. 20th leader meeting.  Please see flyer here.

Math Moves U!

A GSEM Junior & Cadette Activity

November 17 from 9:30 - 4:00 at Middlesex Community College in Bedford, $20/person

Come have fun with activities to introduce you to the Science and Engineering fields .  

 Whether attending this event again or for the first time, you will experience all new activities.  Join us for a day filled with hands-on learning that introduces you to engineering and science fields.  Real  professionals, including women engineers from Raytheon and college professors from Middlesex Community College, will unlock the mysteries of numbers and show you how engineering can find solutions to everyday problems.  Cadettes will have a separate track focused on robotic technology.  A special patch and lunch are included. Space and transportation are limited so register today! 


The link below takes you to the Cadette registration form:

https://gsusa.ebiz.uapps.net/vp/FamilyManagement/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductId=161195330&pid=34

Daffodil Planting Party!

Attention all North Reading Girl Scouts.  Your green thumbs are needed on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 9-11am at North Parish Park on Rt. 62/Park Street.  This small park is between Chestnut and Central Streets on Rt. 62.   Bring a pair of work gloves and a shovel and we will plant yellow daffodil bulbs to beautify the park for spring!  

This SERVICE PROJECT is open to all Girl Scouts.  Daisy, Brownie and Junior Girl Scouts need to bring a responsible adult (due to the close proximity of the parking lot and street).  And per GS Safety-Wise guidelines, Cadettes and up need to have two unrelated adults for every 25 girls.

All girls in attendance will receive a Community Service Patch, which they can proudly display on the back of their uniforms.

This event is Rain or Shine!  Dress accordingly.  And please RSVP to:  ruthekennedy@gmail.com  so the proper number of patches can be purchased.  See you then!

Local Letterboxing Activity! Fun for All Ages!

Recently Carly Sponza, a local North Reading Girl Scout, finished her Silver Award and would like to share it with the Girl Scout community.  Click here for a letter from Carly explaining her letterboxing Silver Award project.

The Trick and Treat Parade at Wingate Nursing Home

Everyone is invited to attend the 12th annual "The Trick and Treat Parade"!  It is held at Wingate Nursing Home (Next to Home Goods) in Reading.  Children of all ages are welcome and it is a great event for Brownie and Daisy!   

Place:   Wingate Nursing Home

Date:   Thursday, October 24, 2013

Time:  4PM- 5PM (approximately)

We meet in the front entrance/lobby of Wingate. The children come dressed in their Halloween costumes.  I ask that each child brings a home-made card or colored picture with them.  They can sign their first name only, if they'd like, but don't have to.  The cards and pictures are distributed to the residents.  They hang them and put them on tables in the dining commons, too.  We walk through the halls and the residents, that are able, sit at their doors and hand out candy to the trick-n-treaters.  It takes approximately 45 min. to 1 hour.  It really is a great time and the residents love seeing the children!   

I ask that you please pass on this info to family, friends or troops that may be interested.  I ask to get a count of the # of children that are coming so we have enough treats for everyone!  Please let me know via e-mail lferrazzani@verizon.net or feel free to call me at (978) 276-1369 with any questions!

Thank you,

Lynn Ferrazzani

Pumpkin Carvers Needed for the 19th Annual Haunted Playground!

We were asked to spread the word for the 2013 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. 19th 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!  Then on Sunday, you can pick up your pumpkin anytime before Noon and proudly display it in front of your haunt...I mean home.

Scariest Regards,

Pumpkin Pete!"

Pumpkin Pete can be contacted atpeterbrayton@verizon.net

Please remember that if your Girl Scout is helping for a service project she cannot enter the contest.

Haunted Halloween Party!

Sunday, October 20th from 3-5 
at the Moose Lodge

$10 per person 
 This is a drop off event.
Find the flyer and form due by October 16 here.

 

 

NRGS Flashlight Corn Maze Event

Come Join The Fun!! 

For Girls in Grade 6-12

Saturday, October 5th (raindate Oct. 26th) from 6-8:30

At Marini Farm

$10/person

Sign up by Monday, September 30th at the latest!

See flyer with full details here.


 

 

Leader Meeting Minutes 9/18/13

Start time:  7:40pm

Present:  Deb Nearing, Anne Valade, Amy Kelly, Stephanie Musgrove, Kristin

Puliafico, Kate Mahoney, Mary Lasdin, Sandy Griffin, Dawn Gonthier, Kristin

Lamont, Kerstin March, Barbara Duff, Ruth Kennedy, Barbara Gravel, Lynne

Alley

Service Unit Changes: Amy Kelly stepped down as NR Service Unit leader,

thanking everyone for their help during her tenure.  Kristin Puliafico is

the new NR Service Unit leader effective at the October, 2013 meeting. 

Thank you, Amy!  And thank you, Kristin!  Amy was presented with a

lovely plant as a token of thanks from NRGS.

Other changes to the service unit team:  Barbara Gravel will be the

new registrar. Anne Valade will be the interim treasurer.  Melissa

Audier is the new blog editor.  Ruth Kennedy is the recording secretary. 

 Kerstin March and Ruth Kennedy will facilitate the Fall Product Sale.

New Girl Scout Registration:  Thursday, September 26 from 6-7:30pm

at Town Hall.  Facilitated by Anne Valade.  This event is for NEW GIRL

SCOUTS only.

REGISTRATION REMINDERS:

All RETURNING Girl Scouts must be registered by Sept. 30th. 

Registration is available on line.  There are no paper forms to

 re-register your girls.

All Girl Scouts need an ANNUAL GIRL PERMISSION form on

file with troop leaders.  This form is available on line at http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/forms.html?cat=6718

All Troops need two adults in the directory as troop leaders. 

There is a new 2013 version of Volunteer Essentials in the "forms"

section of GSEM's website.

All adults must be CORI'd.  Deb Nearing and Kerstin March can process

CORI forms, which must be done in person.  Please bring a valid photo ID. 

They will be available during the registration event.  If you can not attend,

please contact Deb Nearing directly to arrange a time.  CORI's are valid for

3 years.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Flashlight CORN MAZE!  For grades 6 and up at Marini Farm, Ipswich. 

Saturday, October 5 starting at 6pm.  $10/girl includes a fun patch.  Troop

leaders must return the permission form and payment to Deb Nearing by

Sept. 30.   This event was a big hit when last held in 2011.  Please remind

girls to dress appropriately and to wear shoes that can get potentially get

wet and muddy!

http://www.marinicornmaze.com/

Halloween Dance at the Moose (or place TBA)

This annual event is being planned.  Stay tuned for details!

North Reading Girl Scouts Supports Christian Community Service

Watch for the annual "household and toiletry products" baskets

that NRGS donate to families in need in December.

Girl Scout Letterboxing:  A fun, free activity in North Reading's Ives

Forest.  This Silver Award project was organized by Carly Sponzo. 

It is a fun scavenger hunt with trivia on the history of North Reading

Girl Scouts.  To learn more about letter boxing, visit: 

http://www.atlasquest.com/

FALL PRODUCT AND MAGAZINE SALE:

-Catalogs and Forms are now available.  Contact Ruth Kennedy or

Kerstin March if you did not pick up at the Leaders' Meeting.

-Sale begins Sept. 27 and Ends Oct. 27. 

-Earn quick money for your troop! 

-IMPORTANT!  Make sure girls collect money when a customer

places an order.  This is different from cookie sales, so they may

not remember to do that.

-If they choose, girls at the junior level and up may "opt out" of

sale prizes.  ALL GIRLS in a troop must agree to opt out and sign

a form (available on the website) which must be faxed to GSEM

in WALTHAM no later than Oct. 4.  By opting out, the troop will

earn 17% of sales vs. 15%. 

-Magazine sales can be done on line and customers will receive

their magazines faster.

-Girls can request customers donate a can of honey roasted

peanuts to the North Reading Food Pantry as part of the

"Community Caring Program" listed on the order form. 

NRGS has promised 80 cans of honey roasted peanuts to the

NR Food Pantry to be included in donated food baskets for local

families, received on the eve of Thanksgiving. If every girl sold

just ONE CAN, we would make that goal. Thank you for helping

reach it!

-Other important details are on the envelope for troop leaders. 

-Please consider participating as the NR Service Unit earns 1%

from all sales made, and uses that money to pay for Fly Up's and

other North Reading activities.

Meeting adjourn:  8:45

Close

Fun new GSEM service event!

Help First Responders by Making a Teddy Bear Full
Here are the event details:

Date/Time:	Saturday, September 21, 2013, 1 PM to 3 PM
Location:	Lasell College close to rt128/95 & Mass Pike
Address:	1844 Commonwealth Avenue • Newton, MA 02466
Notes:	This is a Girl Scout Gold Award nonprofit workshop hosted by Kayla Torres of Troop 73000. Teddy bears will be donated to local police departments to be distributed to children in need.  As first responders, police officers are often the first faces that traumatized children see and therefore teddy bears provide first responders with a tool that can offer emotional comfort and physical healing on scene. Email to register  Kayla33@earthlink.net to register Workshop fee includes: $20  o  2 Teddy Bears (one to keep and one to donate*) o  Teddy Bear T-shirt o   Birth Certificate o  Wishing Star o  Teddy Bear Donation Fun Patch o  2 Teddy Bear Ear Bows o  Green Cinch Bag o Snack