July 29, 2009

Re-register for another year of Girl Scout fun!

It's hard to believe, but school is right around the corner, and so is another year of Girl Scout fun and adventure. The online activities & event calendar has been updated so troops can begin planning their year. Don't forget, Girl Scouting activities are to be Girl-Led, which means that girls of every grade-level take an active role in determining what, where, when, why, and how they’ll structure activities. As part of the adult-girl partnership fostered by Girl Scouts, leaders use this process to strengthen and support girls’ empowerment and decision-making roles in activities. A leader's role is to provide grade-level-appropriate guidance while ensuring that girls lead as much as possible in the planning, organization, set-up, and evaluation of their activities. The older the girl, the more an adult advisor serves as a resource and support.

Program Power, the annual program guide for troops, is in the process of being designed, and will be printed and mailed in August. A PDF version will also be posted online.

The fall schedule of leadership training classes is in the process of being finalized and should be posted on the website by August 3.

Shop News

Apparel Sale begins August 1

GSUSA is offering its first ever, 20% off Apparel Items Shop sale, from August 1 to October 15. Buy any two or more regularly priced apparel items* for girls or teens as featured in the 2009-2010 Girl Scout Catalog. This is the perfect time to stock up on all your favorites. The 20% savings is available in council shops only; not available online.

*Apparel items excludes official sashes, vests and tunics.

New Journey merchandise in

Girl Scouts' newest journeys take leadership to a new level with the Earth-friendly theme of It's Your Planet - Love It! now available for purchase in both Council shops. Each journey has girls using their leadership skills for the good of the earth and all its inhabitants. Prices for the girl books: Between Earth and Sky, WOW! (Wonders of Water), Get Moving!, Breathe!, Sow What?, and Justice are $7 each plus tax, and the Adult Facilitator Guide sets are $15 plus tax for each level.

Don't forget, the Brownie Quest Journey sale ends July 31. Adult Guide...$9.99 and Girl book...$4.99.

Forever Green Project

Calling all Girl Scouts! Girl Scouts Louisiana East was chosen to be a pilot Council for the GSUSA program “Forever Green.” To help prepare for and celebrate our upcoming 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting in 2012, we are asking you to commit to an earth friendly project over the next three years. Girl Scouts have always been “green” and we want to make sure we stay “forever green!” Here are some ways that you can help this cause:

Start a No Idling program at your school.
Start a walk to school program - count how many miles you walk in a week instead of always jumping in the car.
Start a recycling program at your school. Recycle paper you would ordinarily throw in the trash.
Talk to your principals about only using washable dishes at lunch, no more plastic or Styrofoam.
Plant a garden and harvest the vegetables.

These are just a few ideas to help get you thinking! Be creative with your ideas and make sure you will be making a sustainable impact on your community, school or home! Girl Scouts Louisiana East will be in the spotlight as this program continues over the next three years. Come join in the fun!

Please email your project ideas to forevergreen@gsle.org. Follow up information will be sent to you via email. We want to make sure we track our efforts and send all of our information in to the Girl Scouts national headquarters so they can present a final report to the nation when we celebrate our 100th anniversary. Additional collaborator information will be sent to you as well. This is a very exciting project for Girl Scouts of the USA and Girl Scouts Louisiana East! A few of the collaborators on board already are General Electric, The Disney Nature Group, Waste Management, Whole Foods, and more!

Please continue to check the website under the “Forever Green” link. All information will be posted and updated on a regular basis.

Online surveys for Girls

Last week to complete Cookie incentive survey

Girls have until August 1 to complete the online 2010 Cookie incentive survey, where they vote on which incentives they liks the most! Click here for the online Cookie Incentive Survey!

Cyberbullying surveys now online

Have any members of your Girl Scout troop ever experienced relational aggression or cyberbullying? It's been estimated that 30 percent of young people in the United States have been involved in bullying, either as a bully, a target or both.

Girl Scouts of the USA has selected the two Girl Scout councils in Louisiana to become an Advocacy Champion and build awareness and educate the state's residents about relational aggression and cyberbullying. As we research the effects relational aggression has on girls, online surveys (Amaze Survey and a Cyberspace survey) have been created for girls to complete. As troops meet this fall, please encourage girls to complete one or more of the surveys, but only after completing the Internet Safety Pledge.

For more information about this advocacy initiative, please contact Marianne Addy at (504) 733-8220, ext. 2226.

Online Donations now accepted

Girl Scouts Louisiana East is now able to accept online donations through the website. You won't believe how easy it is to give to Girl Scouts Louisiana East. Please spread the word to other volunteers, families, etc. that this is a new option for making a donation.

Don't miss out on some great council events this August and September! On the website calendar, go to the appropriate month and day, and click on the link for details including registration deadlines, age levels, times, etc.

8/3-7 - Girl Scout Day Camp Down in Da Parish (St. Bernard)

8/8 - Girl Scout Leader Day aboard the Steamboat Natchez 8/29 - Junior Fitness Fun, Baton Rouge

9/5 - What are Our Girlfriends for? (Daisies), Baton Rouge

9/5 - Bronze Award Workshop (Jrs), Baton Rouge

9/11-13 - New Wrangler/Spur Training Weekend, Camp Marydale

9/12 - Ceramics & Clay (Jrs), Baton Rouge

9/12 - Yoga & Pilates (Cad-Amb), Baton Rouge

9/19 - Lake Pontchartrain Beach Sweep, New Orleans & Northshore

9/19 - Brownies Fitness Fun, Baton Rouge

9/19 - Babysitter safety (Cad-Amb), Denham Springs

9/19 - Miss Manners (Br), Baton Rouge

9/26 - GSLE Extravaganza (all ages), Westwego

GSLE Extravaganza

Join us this year as the GSLE Extravaganza “Goes Green!” This year's event is on Saturday, September 26, from 12 to 4 p.m. at the Alario Center in Westwego, and will showcase the council's efforts in going green and offer tips on making an action plan for improving our environment.

There will be interactive tables and exhibits, presentations and performances, live entertainment, and much, much more!

Click here for the American Red Cross comfort kit service project occurring in conjunction with the GSLE Extravaganza.

The extravaganza, which costs $5 per person, will be ongoing throughout the day and all can come and go as they please, but a schedule of presentations and certain activities will be released closer to the time of the event. Presenters include many of the collaborators offering programs and events to Girl Scouts throughout the year.

Alumnae News

Girl Scout Alumnae are invited to the Metairie Dairy Queen, 6507 Airline Hwy., on Saturday, August 1, from 2-3 p.m., where we'll indulge in Thin Mint Blizzards!

The Girl Scout Alumnae Association is interested in hearing what type of community service projects you'd like to participatie in. Please email cthomas@gsle.org with your suggestions.

Re-register by September 1 to participate in Fall Product Sale

Is your Girl Scout troop interested in a money-earning activity that's easy and provides start-up funds for the troop right away? The council's Fall Product Sale of nuts, candies, magazines, and address booklets will be held this fall from October 2-25, and to participate in the sale, girls must be registered for the new membership year by September 1.

This friends and family sale differs from the cookie sale in that all orders are prepaid, and there are no booth sales. The troop earns $1 for every item sold and $2 for every address booklet completed (one per girl) and $2 for every magazine sold. Girls deliver the orders in mid-November, and since the money is pre-collected, the troops receives the proceeds immediately. The sale is for all age levels, but is, as always, entirely voluntary. Fall Product Sale Service Unit Training will be held Saturday, September 19, time and location TBA. For more information, please contact Alisha Moore, Product Sales Director, at (504) 733-8220, ext. 2241.

Click here to see the fall product line of nuts and candy.

Click here to check out the fall product sale incentives for girls!

New Orleans luncheon Table Captains needed

Table captains, who are those who host a table of their friends at the annual “Molding Girls, Making Leaders” luncheon, are needed! The fundraising luncheon, being sponsored by Baptist Community Ministries, will be Wednesday, November 11, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Audubon Tea Room in New Orleans. The actual luncheon itself is free to attend, but cash and pledges will be solicited.

For more information, contact Cerise McClendon at (504) 733-8220, ext. 2222, (800) 644-7571 or cmcclendon@gsle.org.

Get your summer photos in now!

Photos for the fall issue will be accepted until August 31. Photos for the fall issue of the Just for Girls newsletter will be accepted until August 1. Please email jpegs as email attachments to Marianne Addy or mail prints to Girl Scouts Louisiana East, 841 S. Clearview Parkway, New Orleans, LA 70121.

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