PROGRAM NEWS
Fall Guide Available for Download Aug. 13!
The new fall guide (formerly referred to as the fall program
calendar) is coming soon to a computer near you! In an effort to Go
Green, the fall guide will be available in PDF format on our
website,
www.gswcf.org, and available for download Thursday, Aug. 13.
Registration for fall events begins Saturday, Sept. 5, so you’ll
have plenty of time to choose the programs and dates that interest
you.
New!
This year’s guide will include not only girl programming, but adult learning course offerings and a community resource directory as well!
Be an Eco-Hero: Serve to Preserve – Kick Off
the Program Year!
Change your world by signing up for our fall signature event,
Be an Eco-Hero: Serve
to Preserve. The date is Saturday, Sept. 26 and registration is
open. Help us kick off the new program year, new Girl Scout Journeys
and our initiative “It’s Your Earth – Care for It!” Purchase items
from the Girl Scout Store, which will be on site, and get active
with the 2010 Girl Scout Cookie activities. The Florida Aquarium,
Lowry Park Zoo and MOSI are a few community partners that will be
delivering programs, along with our host site, Brooker Creek
Preserve.
Two sessions are available: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 1 - 4 p.m. Sign up today!
Celebrate National Public Lands Day with GSWCF at the
Be an Eco-Hero: Serve to Preserve Event Sept. 26
In addition to joining GSWCF at the
Be an Eco-Hero: Serve to Preserve
kickoff event Sept. 26,
girls are also encouraged to monitor water on Sept. 18,
World Water Monitoring Day.
See below for more information on how to receive a FREE
water test kit.*
First 100 to Register for NPLD and World Water
Monitoring Day will Receive Free Test Kit
Hopefully we are all familiar with the saying, “Water is life.” While true, this phrase could be improved—“Clean water is life.” In the United States and throughout the developed world, people tend to take the availability of clean water for granted. We turn on a faucet and have water to drink, we dive into a lake and don’t get ill—for the most part. How is this possible?
Throughout the U.S., groups of volunteers dedicate their time to monitoring the quality of the nation’s waterways. If something doesn’t look quite right, they investigate and may eventually seek action from environmental agencies to identify and solve the problem. What are these water quality monitors looking for?
While conducting a river clean-up, or working in a park near a body of water for National Public Lands Day (NPLD), why not seize the opportunity to learn a little bit about water quality? It’s easy—simply register for World Water Monitoring Day as well, and order an easy-to-use water quality test kit. Monitor your waterway (along with tens of thousands of others around the globe) and then report your data. Information for how to do this can be found at www.WorldWaterMonitoringDay.org.
* In order to encourage more NPLD groups to also take part in World Water Monitoring Day, the program is offering a FREE water test kit to the first 100 groups that register on the WWMD website and identify themselves as being associated with National Public Lands Day.
For more information about WWMD or the free test kit offer, please contact Lorien Walsh.
2009
Council Camporee - 99 in 2009: Kicking Off 100 Years of Scouting
The dates have been set for the 2009 Council Camporee - 99 in 2009:
Kicking Off 100 Years of Scouting. Save Dec. 4-6 for what is sure to
be a great camporee.
Check out
the
flyer and then
register your troop online.
Registration closes Nov. 1, so don't miss out!
Breast
Cancer 3-Day Walk – Tent Donation and Volunteer Opportunities
Once again, GSWCF will be the beneficiaries of the entire donation
of tents from the Tampa Bay Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk. We are
expecting 800 tents!
In order to receive tents, you must be
available to pick up on Sunday, Nov. 1 between noon and 3 p.m. in
St. Petersburg. Confirmation and more information will be sent via
e-mail one week before pickup.
If you are interested in receiving tents, please e-mail your request
to the
director of outdoor programs. Those who did not receive tents
last year will be given first preference. Please request between one
and 5
tents only. Your request needs to include an e-mail address for
confirmation and cell phone number for the day of pickup.
Tent Descriptions:
- Pink – 2 shades
- Two-person dome tents
- Packed up dimensions: approximately three feet long and eight inches in diameter.
- Custom made for the three-day event; no brand name affiliation
- Flame resistant
- Water resistant
- Fiberglass Poles
- No tent stakes
- All of the tents will be used the two nights prior to the pick up date and taken down by the participants. Any cleaning of the tents will be up to the receiving organization/group/individual.
Interested in volunteer opportunities? Check out the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk in your area; click on information, volunteers, specific city.
Trip and Event (“tag”) Insurance – A Short-Term Issue
We
learned recently that United of Omaha’s contracts for Girl Scout
insurance expire on Sept. 30, 2009. The company is renegotiating but
doesn’t have its rates and documents in place, so for the time
being, it is not accepting applications for insurance for
trips/events that will happen after Sept. 30. If you’re
planning a trip or event in the 2009-2010 membership year, please
keep your planning on-target. As soon as we know if the rates are
changing, we’ll let you know. And as soon as we know when it’s okay
to send in your insurance paperwork, we let you know. If you’re not
sure what to do with your insurance in the meantime, call
Kathy Sandy: (813) 262-1771.
Program Aide 101 Tote Updated
The Program Aide 101 Program Tote has been updated with the new
Journey books and a complete new design. If the girls in your troop
missed the last program aide workshop, you can check-out the program
tote from one of our three Resource Centers. In Lakeland, call
extension 1830; Ocala, extension 1802; and Tampa, extension 1924.
Teen Recruitment-in-a-Box Tote Now
Available
The Teen Recruitment totes include fun-filled themed recruitment
events that are designed specifically to recruit teens. Tote
includes tips for implementing successful recruitment events with
complete agendas and activities:
· Polka Dot Party (tote includes everything needed for this event)
· American Idol
· America’s Next Top Model
· Pink Party
· So You Think You Can Dance
· Dancing With the Stars
· ’70s Themed
Register to Win a Dell Computer!
Anyone ages 13 and up – including non-Girl Scout members – can
register to win a brand new Dell desktop computer, courtesy of the
LMK
program, a partnership with GSUSA and Microsoft Windows.
Visit
http://letmeknow.girlscouts.org/ for official rules and the
online entry form; sweepstakes ends Monday, Sept. 7.
Become a Voice for Girls Through the Girl Scouts Advocacy Network
A
grassroots network that provides a collective voice for girls is
growing throughout Girl Scouts of West Central Florida and across
the nation.
By joining the Girl Scouts Advocacy Network, Girl Scout teens, volunteers, staff, alumnae and parents are working together to champion legislation and educate policy makers about issues affecting girls. Topics of interest include healthy living, increasing girls’ involvement in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), financial literacy and leadership.
As the Girl Scouts’ 100th anniversary approaches, the network is advocating passage of the Girl Scouts of the USA Centennial Commemorative Coin Act. This legislation will direct the U.S. Mint to produce 350,000 silver coins honoring the achievements of Girl Scouts and the 50 million women across the nation whose lives have been influenced through Girl Scouting.
Girl Scouts will receive $10 from the sale of each coin to help develop and deliver Girl Scout programs and to fund much-needed renovations at the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace in Savannah.
Girl Scouts needs your immediate assistance to advocate for the coin celebrating 100 years of Girl Scouting. We need to act quickly to send messages to our Senators and U. S. Representatives, since Congress approves only two coins each year and we have aggressive competition.
We urge you to take the first step today by logging onto www.GirlScouts4girls.org to join the Girl Scouts Advocacy Network. You’ll become part of a collective voice that responds to policy issues impacting girls and Girl Scouts. The Advocacy Network also provides a simple way to encourage your Congressional representatives to co-sponsor the commemorative coin legislation.
Use your voice to help Girl Scouts celebrate our 100th anniversary! For more information about the Girl Scouts Advocacy Network, contact Girl Scouts’ Public Policy and Advocacy Office at.