Pinewood Derby Workshop at Home Depot

A few members of the NR Service Unit are looking to put together an event for a Pinewood Powder Puff Derby for Girl Scouts!  If your troop is interested in participating, let us hear from you so we know how much interest there is if we run an event.  Lisa Ayer will be reaching out directly to Home Depot to gather information. Stay tuned...

 

Encampment Date

Encampment will be held at Camp Runels in Pelham, NH starting on Friday, May 31^st at 4 p.m. and ending on Sunday, June 2^nd at 10 a.m.  We know this date may not ideal for some, but given that Camp Runels wasn’t available Father’s Day weekend and Camp Maude Eaton cabins were not available Father’s Day weekend or the weekend of the 8^th, we had no choice but to choose Camp Runels for either this weekend or the weekend of the 8^th which was our first choice.  We will put together a flyer after the new year and the Committee will start with planning the theme and activities.  There will be canoeing, swimming, archery, and hopefully high and/or low ropes!  Start talking to your girls about whether they would like to attend overnight or for the day. 

 

Girl Scout Cookie Season

If your troop is interested in going into the lottery for a COBS, please make sure your Cookie Coordinator reviews page 23 of the cookie book.  Jo sent out an email directly to the troop Cookie Coordinators too.  There are instructions and an online contact form they need to fill out. Fill it out early to avoid the last minute backlog that often occurs.  Last year, most troops who applied in North Reading received several dates for a Council Organized Booth Sale at a Mall so make sure you look into this.

The January 13th deadline is for February COBS

You enter the lottery in ABCsmartcookies

**New cookie coordinators: FYI, these are the booths that are organized by Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts council (rather than our local town booth sales that we have recently set up). They are held at malls, MBTA stations and various other miscellaneous places.**

If your troop is Daisy or Brownie level, they cannot do the MBTA COBS. They are eligible for mall (and other miscellaneous) COBS. I would recommend extra supervision. 

 

Financing the Fun Training in LEAD Online

We wanted to pass on some helpful information regarding funding troop field trips especially larger ones like the Museum of Science overnight, Rocking Horse Ranch, and other travel experiences.  Kim Lambert who is our support specialist from Council wanted us to pass on to you that Council does not offer financial aid for events that are happening within your troop.  The girls should be funding their own trip through product sales goals with fall products and cookies.  There is a training on LEAD online called “Financing the Fun” and we suggest you watch this video and then set some goals with your girls and then earn the money you need to finance their experiences.  Kim is of the opinion from personal knowledge being a troop leader that if the girls earn the money, it will make their experience much more memorable.  Some of these girls may not be able to experience some of these fun trips or activities if not involved in Girl Scouting and earning money through product sales goals. 

Caroling Event - URGENT!

Participation is extremely low for this event at this time.  PLEASE try to attend this one hour Caroling event if able as it is a service project and the girls singing and making a card will put a smile on the residents’ face this holiday season!  

Registration forms should be returned to Kristen by dropping off in her mailbox at 9 Bishops Way, no later than December 2^nd.  Consider sending Kristen an email if you plan on attending and haven’t dropped off yet so we can at least order patches.

On Sunday, December 9^th from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. bring your best singing voice and look festive as we will have our annual Caroling Event.  This year it will be held at CareOne, 750 Woburn Street, in Wilmington where we hope to have more interaction between the girls and residents.  North Reading registered Girl Scouts of all ages are welcome to participate, and parents are welcome to stay.  After Caroling indoor around the residences, the girls will enjoy cocoa and cookies and then go to another room to make a card for a resident.  Dress warmly in case the girls finish early and go outdoors!  There is no cost for this event and girls will receive a fun patch for participating.  Contact for this event is Kristem Pemberton at kris10pem@gmail.com

Girl Scout Leader Meeting Minutes 11/15/18

See attached here.

Girl Scout Cookie Season UPDATE...

Jo Gibson sent out a schedule for the troops who requested booth sales.  Make sure you check in with your Cookie Coordinator that she inputs her cookie order in time for your booth sale.  There are plenty of open dates remaining.  Email Jo Gibson for any questions.

June Encampment Dates

Encampment will be held at Camp Runnels in Pelham, NH starting on Friday, May 31^st at 4 p.m. and ending on Sunday, June 2^nd at 10 a.m.  

We know this date may not ideal for some, but given that Camp Runnels wasn’t available Father’s Day weekend and Camp Maude Eaton cabins were not available Father’s Day weekend or the weekend of the 8^th, we had no choice but to choose Camp Runnels for either this weekend or the weekend of the 8^th which was our first choice.  We will put together a flyer after the new year and the Committee will start with planning the theme and activities.  There will be canoeing, swimming, archery, and hopefully high and/or low ropes!  Start talking to your girls about whether they would like to attend overnight or for the day.
  

FALL SALE UPDATE...

Denise Kung informed us that about a case and a half of honey roasted peanuts were donated to the North Reading Food Pantry through the fall product sale.  They were given in time for Thanksgiving but we are not sure whether they went in the baskets for Thanksgiving or are being held for the Christmas baskets.  Thank you all for your efforts!!

NRGS T-Shirt Fundraiser by Troop 71901 -SALE EXTENDED!

flyer and registration on blog

NRGS T-Shirt Orders have been extended to Monday, November 19^th.  Proceeds will go to defray costs for a troop Service Project at the Lazarus House.  All questions should be directed to Amy Kelly.  Great gift idea! Orders will be in by the first week of December. 

Forms are here.

 

Caroling Event, Dec 9th

On Sunday, December 9^th from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. bring your best singing voice and look festive as we will have our annual Caroling Event.  This year it will be held at CareOne, 750 Woburn Street, in Wilmington where we hope to have more interaction between the girls and residents.  North Reading registered Girl Scouts of all ages are welcome to participate, and parents are welcome to stay.  After Caroling indoor around the residences, the Girls will enjoy cocoa and cookies and then go to another room to make a card for a resident.  Dress warmly in case the girls finish early and go outdoors!  There is no cost for this event and girls will receive a fun patch for participating.  Contact for this event is Kristen Pemberton at kris10pem@gmail.com or 781-789-5747.  Registration forms (attached here) should be returned to Kristen by dropping off in her mailbox at 9 Bishops Way, no later than December 2^nd.  

The 2018-2019 NRGS Troop Directory

The 2018-2019 NRGS Troop Directory is attached here.  This directory has information for every NRGS registered troop including Leader contact information, number of girls in each troop, and venue, time and day meetings are held.  We ask that you only use this directory for Girl Scout purposes and not share it with any individual or organization outside of NRGS.  It will come in handy if you are looking to run an event or take a field trip with another troop and is especially handy when looking for a troop when it comes time to bridge to the next level.  The information is only as good as provided to us through GSEM and as reviewed by Leaders at the October Leader meeting.  If you have changes to your troop information, please respond back to this email. 

Visit Senior Troop 71901’s table at the Hornet Holiday Marketplace

...happening at the High/Middle School this Saturday, November 17^th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

IMPORTANT - **Fall Products Coming this Week!!!!**

Leaders, please contact your Fall Product Coordinators and ask them to check their emails for a very important email from our Service Unit Fall Product Coordinator, Denise Kung.  Denise needs the FP Coordinators to respond ASAP by signing up for a pick up time through Doodle.  The time slots to pick up your fall products will be Thursday evening and all day Friday. 

At the November meeting....

• Investiture Ceremony for new volunteers and Leaders with a Rededication for all current volunteers and Leaders.  All Leaders and Volunteers in attendance will be recognized and new Volunteer Leaders will receive their Girl Scout Pin.  We do hope you can participate in this ceremony!

• Cookie Coordinators can pick up their troop cookie packet and a sample box of cookies.  If your Cookie Coordinator cannot attend, you may also pick up your troop cookie packet.  Every troop will have a packet available for pickup and if you do not send someone to pick up at the Leader meeting, the girls will not have their cookies sheets before Thanksgiving to sell to family.

• Come and try the new Gluten Free Cookie!  It’s delicious we are told…

• Attention All Volunteers and Leaders - Please bring to the November Leader meeting any supplies, crafts, uniforms, badges, or books for any GS level that you no longer need so other troops may benefit from these donations! Leaders, especially, younger new troops, please make sure you come and check out these donations.  In the past, we have had quite a variety of items for troops to take home for their existing troop.ting troop.
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Girl Scout Cookie Season is almost HERE!

Cookie season is fast approaching!  Joanne Gibson, our Service Unit Cookie Manager, emailed all the troop cookie coordinators from last year to see if they were continuing.  Some of them responded that they will not be continuing with your troop.  Please check with your coordinator and if you have a new cookie coordinator this year, you need to let Joanne Gibson know ASAP. 

Cookie season won’t start until December, but girls will be able to take orders from friends and family they see at Thanksgiving, but NOT door to door or online!

Camp Rice Moody History

Check out the history behind Camp Rice Moody in Reading.  Attached is the PDF file created by the Reading Service Unit and Reading Council for Girls and many others from the Reading Historical Commission and the Reading Public Library and many other volunteers from GSEM. See file  here.

Veteran ‘s Day Ceremony - 100th Anniversary of end of WWI

Veterans Day WILL be held on Sunday the 11^th of November on the Batchelder School at 11:00 AM Sharp.  This year NR will be honoring the 100^th Anniversary to the end of WWI.  They will be ringing the bells of peace 21 times.  They ask you all to participate in ringing bells 21 times at 11:00 am.  Attached is the flyer.  Should the weather not cooperate they would bring the ceremony inside the Batchelder School.  GREAT COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT for Girls.

Every year the Girl Scouts stand with the other Scouts in town during the annual ceremony.  Girls are asked to wear their uniforms.  We encourage everyone to participate and honor all our Veterans if you are able.  Girls do not have to participate as a troop so please let all your girls know about this event.  At the end of the Ceremony, there will be refreshments and small gifts we are told for the children from the Town of NR Office of Veteran’s Services.  Any troop wanting to drop off baked goods, should drop them off at the Senior Center unless moved to the Batch, they would be dropped off there.  Patriotic posters are also welcome!

Indoor Rock Climbing at Boston Rock Gym - Still time to sign up!

Contact Lisa Ayer at 781-820-1928 if you're interested. Open to Daisies, Brownies and Cadettes.

GSEMA Girl Scout CookieFest 2018!

 You’re invited to the first-ever GSEMA
CookieFest!

On December 1, celebrate Girl Scout Cookies and the leadership skills girls develop as entrepreneurs. This sweet day of fun at Bentley University Arena in Waltham features activity booths and games that embrace the excitement of cookie season, as well as the life skills girls learn as they take their cookie sales above and beyond.

• Girls can get a head-start on blinging their booths, setting goals, and practicing sales pitches.
• Bring your skates for ice skating around the brand-new rink, and watch a performance by the Boston Skating Club.
• Enjoy cookie tastings, including the new Caramel Chocolate Chip cookie (gluten and nut free)!
• Hear from keynote speaker Allyssa Beird, star athlete of American Ninja Warrior and Middleborough middle school teacher.
• Every Girl Scout receives a CookieFest patch and can earn a Cookie Activity Pin by participating in the five skills booths.
• You’ll also enjoy cookie-themed photobooths, live entertainment, and raffle entries for tickets to Blue Man Group, Disney on Ice, Pats Peak, and more.

Bring the whole family or make it a troop event! Lunch is included, and bus transportation is
available from Andover, Boston, and Middleboro. Registration is just $5 per person (free for
children under four years old).