Monday, April 17, 2023

Leader Meeting Dates 2023-2024


Please mark the following dates on your calendar now for our leader meetings next year.  ANY adult volunteer is welcome to attend these meetings. 

Please  alert your cookie managers about the November 6th training dates.  We encourage everyone who will be involved in cookie management to attend.

Meetings will once again be held at the Boys and Girls Club at 10 am and 7 pm. The evening meeting will be followed by a social hour, starting at 8:15 pm, generally at Goldies.

The Boys and Girls club is located at 10515 E. Lakeview Drive, Scottsdale AZ 85258. 

August 14
September 11
October 2
November 6 **Cookie Training 10:00-11:30 a.m. and 6:30-8:00 p.m.**
November 29 Leader's Holiday party (not a meeting)
December 4
January 8
February 5
March 4
April 8 (6:30. Leader's gala evening only, no morning meeting)
May 6

Thursday, April 13, 2023

Community Service Awards in Girl Scouts

Chances are your Girl Scout troop is doing community service.  Here is a rundown of the awards you can give your girls for their hours of service.

Girls can receive patches through the council called "Inchworm of Service."

Here's the link with information and instructions how to receive the patch.  The requirements are as follows:

To be eligible to wear the Inchworm patch, a girl must earn inches as follows: 

• Girl Scout Daisy 10 inches (hours) Blue Inchworm 
• Girl Scout Brownie 15 inches (hours) Brown Inchworm 
• Girl Scout Junior 20 inches (hours) Green Inchworm 
• Girl Scout Cadette 25 inches (hours) Yellow Inchworm 
• Girl Scout Senior 30 inches (hours) Yellow Inchworm 
• Girl Scout Ambassador 35 inches (hours) Yellow Inchworm

For an inchworm patch, the rules state that girls may only count service done with the troop and that girls can earn multiple patches.  Although these are earned awards and therefore should appear on the front of the vest, I personally prefer to place them on the back of the vest.

However, once girls move up to Cadettes, hours should be applied to service bars and torch awards.  Ensuring your girls receive the awards they earn is an excellent way to help them document their service for future college applications and resumes.  There are two kinds of service bars.  The first applies to service to the general community and the second is awarded for service within Girl Scouts.  


Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador Girl Scouts have the opportunity to earn a community service bar at each level.
 
Cadettes=red
Seniors=orange
Ambassadors=yellow

This award is earned by completing 20 hours of service for a community organization while putting the Girl Scout Law into action.



Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador Girl Scouts also have the opportunity to earn a Girl Scout service bar at each level.  These awards look just like the regular service bars, except they are green with a notch on the corner to indicate the level at which the award was earned.  

These bars require 20 hours of service to the Girl Scout community.

Service bars are worn on the front of the vest on the left-hand side underneath the wings and any earned cookie pins or torches.  Here is a link to a placement diagram.



Speaking of torch awards, these are also earned by 
Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador Girl Scouts.  These awards indicate service in a leadership capacity.  To earn these awards, girls must first complete a journey at their level and then serve "one term" in a leadership position either within our outside of Girl Scouts.  This level also can be earned at each level:

Cadette= Silver Torch 
Senior= Silver and Gold Torch
Ambassador= Gold Torch

As noted, torches are worn beneath the wings on the vest and above the service bars.

Finally, for girls who put in long hours, the neighborhood coordinates ordering Presidential Service Awards twice a year. Bronze, silver, and gold awards are available at various age levels based on the number of community service completed. 

Instructions for submitting hours for this award are here.  Please note that the neighborhood verifies hours for Girl Scout members only.  



Wednesday, April 5, 2023

Once Upon A Pima

REGISTRATION CLOSES 5/15/23 or when full

Seats Remaining: Registration for campers is Closed. If you are interested in PA training, please contact pima.neighborhood@gmail.com.

What is Summer Day Camp?


An awesome, week-long summer day camp. The theme this year is "Once Upon a Pima," celebrating reading and books and the stories we all love.

Daily activities include swaps & crafts, science, dance, music, and sports. Our day camp fills up fast because it's so fun, so register as soon as registration opens!

Day Camp is planned and organized by Girl Scout Troop 2256, a multi-level Girl Scout troop from Pima Neighborhood (part of Girl Scouts―Arizona Cactus-Pine Council, Inc.). Camp activities are led by volunteer Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador Girl Scouts and supervised by adult volunteers. 

When?

We have  scheduled camp for for June 19th-23rd (Monday-Friday), 9 am-2 pm daily.  Girls can be dropped off starting at 8:45 each day so that they camp day can start promptly at 9 am.

Where?

Shepherd of the Desert--Shea Campus
9590 E Shea Blvd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85260

Who Can Attend?

Day Camp is limited to 100 campers who are registered in a Pima
neighborhood troop
 (Daisy, Brownie, and Junior Girl Scouts, who have just completed K-5 grades in May). 
An independent girl member living in our area may also attend. Our staff will be 20 older girl volunteers (grades 8+) and at least 20 adult volunteers (18+ years). 

If your daughter is in a troop outside of the Pima Neighborhood, she may attend day camp but you must be a registered and background checked volunteer who is willing to volunteer for at least two days to assist us in meeting girl/adult ratio. Cost for out-of-neighborhood Girl Scouts is $200.

**Girls must have current membership with Girl Scouts.** 

Girls living in the Desert Mountain High School complex or who attend BASIS, Archway Scottsdale, Rancho Solano, Scottsdale Prep, Pinnacle Peak, Sonoran Sky, or Grayhawk elementary schools who are not Girl Scout members may also attend but will be required to join Girl Scouts. Membership is $25 and girls need not join a troop (although we are happy to assist you in finding a permanent Girl Scout home).  Please contact us to discuss a $35 membership option that would extend membership benefits through September 2024.

Program Aide Program for Grades 6+

Girl Scouts who have just completed grades 6-9 may register for a special older girl program.  This program is designed to give them the leadership skills to be camp counselors and to assist with other neighborhood programs.  Girls who enroll in this program will earn their Program Aide award during the week, as well as a variety of certifications, badges, and other awards. This program is limited to the first 20 registrants. The fee for PA girls is $75 if paid before May 1st and $100 after that date.

What is the Cost?

$100 per girl for Pima campers who register and pay before May 1st. 
 
$150 per girl for Pima camper who register and pay from May 1st to May 15th
$200 after May 15th if space allows

Please take note of the late fees.  If you do not pay your camp fee before May 1st, the cost is $150. If you do not pay by May 15th, the cost is $200.

There will be no refunds or partial refunds for any reason except for camp cancellation. 

All registrations, fees, and paperwork need to be remitted by June 1st to ensure your daughter has a spot at camp. We will cancel unpaid registrations on that date along with any registrations with missing paperwork.

We need adult volunteers who are registered/background checked members of GSUSA.  To guarantee a spot for your camper, agree to help as an adult volunteer!  (Adult volunteer link is here.)

How Do I Register?

Re
gister your campers here.


Could Camp Be Cancelled?


Our annual challenge it to be staff the camp with registered adult volunteers to meet safety guidelines.
 Chaperones are able to work remotely from camp insofar as they have no other duties other than sitting in the rooms and being present.

If cancelled, all campers will be notified and registration fees refunded. You can help us out by giving us a day or two of your time! (Adult volunteer link is here.)

What Does my Girl Scout Need to Bring?

Everyone should bring their own sack lunch Monday through Friday. Everyone should also bring a bottle of water each day.  Refrigerators and microwaves are not available.  

Girls need to wear closed-toe shoes and we encourage girls to dress according to the theme each day.

 The themes for the week are as follows:

Monday: Picture Books from A to Z (for example, Suess, Carle, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Where the Wild Things Are, If you Give a Mouse...)
Tuesday: Magical Books (for example, Magic School Bus, Harry Potter, Magic Tree House)
Wednesday: Search and Find (for example, I Spy, Where's Waldo, Richard Scarry)
Thursday: Mystery (for example, Scooby Doo, Encyclopedia Brown, Boxcar Children, Harriet the Spy, Sherlock Holmes, Judy Moody, Nancy Drew)
Friday: Fairy Tales (Grimm, Disney, Hans Christian Anderson, Strega Nona)

Drop Off, Pick Up, and Safety

We will strive to meet every Girl Scout safety recommendation.  All girls must be signed in and out by a parent/guardian each day.  If she is going home with someone else, we must receive a note from the parent.  Please pick up your camper on time.  No supervision will be provided before 8:45 or after 2:15 pm.  

What About...?

For more information, please contact Girl Scout Troop 2256 at girlscouttroop2256@gmail.com

Sunday, April 2, 2023

Pima's 2023 Adult Recognitions

 


Volunteers of Excellence

For outstanding service providing the Girl Scout Leadership Experience to girls or supporting building girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.

  • Kendra Vaughn
  • Dorothy Jokerst
  • Kim Jansen
  • Cheryl Graham
  • Anita Rawlings
Sustained Service Awards
The Sustained Service Award recognizes individuals for their continued outstanding service for 3 years after receiving the Volunteer of Excellence Award.
The following volunteers were received the sustained service award. We are particularly grateful to these long-serving volunteers of excellence.
  • Andrea Augustine
  • Emily Sullivan
Go-Get-Her Award
The Go-get-her Award recognizes a volunteers who have put significant effort and creativity into finding and recruiting more girls into Girl Scouts.
In Pima we use this award to recognize volunteers who serve as school organizers or who volunteer at recruitment events but we also recognize leaders who keep the circle of membership open and agree to merge troops or otherwise take new members into their established troops.
Pima's 2023 Go-Get-Her Award recipients:
  • Brenda Kimery
  • Taylor Francis
Standing Ovation Awards
The Standing Ovation award recognizes a product program volunteer (Fall or Cookie) who has gone above and beyond the expected product sales duties and given service of exceptional benefit which warrants recognition. 

Each year Pima uses this award to recognize individuals for their service to the council in working at the cookie cupboard and for those leaders and cookie managers whose troops post high sales numbers in the product sales, as well as those who manage multiple troops and who volunteer for cookie distribution and cookie rally.

Thank you and congratulations to the following:
  • Lori Hazan
  • Karen Connor
  • Kristina Eddy
  • Annie Cheang
  • Valerie Davis
  • Abby Ganswer
  • Amy Windisch
  • Jessica Wald
  • Jennfier Kovacik
  • Lydia Osolinsky
Rising Star Awards
Rising Star Awards are given to outstanding new troop leaders and recognizes a volunteer during their first three years for service beyond the expectations for the position. We particularly recognize this group of Rising Stars for their perseverance in the last two difficult years. Pima's 2023 Rising Stars are as follows:
  • Rochelle Lee
  • Jessica Burton
  • Bettina Reiter
Years of Service
The following volunteers received their three years of service pins: Annie Cheang, Mandy Graham, Bettina Reiter, Danielle Carpenter, Jessica Burton, Amy Silkman, and Heather Pelanne

The following volunteers received their five years of service pins: Lori Hazan, Jennifer Prior, Kelley Hurley, Serena Schein, Jennifer Nuss, Jennifer Dent, Karalyn Folmes, Annie Cheang, Brenda Kimery, and Taylor Francis

The following volunteers received their 10 years of service pins: Ruthe Aggarwal Jennifer Nuss, Tina Langevin, and Kristie Miller

The following volunteers received their 15 years of service pins: Lesley Shockness and Mike Grant

Numeral Guards
Numeral guards are awarded for every five years of membership (girl + adult years). The following members received guards:
Five-year guards: Emily Paladino, Julia Rutledge, Abigail Ganser, Kortney Hohle Mandy Graham, Chelsea Gilbert, Jennifer Dent, Karalyn Folmes, Annie Cheang, Gina Wright, and Lori Hazan
15-year guards: Jennifer Nuss, Mike Grant, and Valerie Davis
20-year guard: Tina Langevin, Teresa Dempsey, and Ariana Schein

2023-2024 Service Team Positions Open


Are you passionate about spreading the word about Girl Scouts? What about planning fun and amazing events for girls? Well, we’ve got just the jobs for you…

Maybe you’ve never considered becoming a volunteer on the service unit team. Please consider your talents and whether or not you can help us fill some vacancies on the service team roster for the 2023-2024 year.  
The roster is tentative. People may still be moving to new roles, but you should also consider ALL of the roles to be open, as in, we are happy to have you assist with any job that fits your particular skill set. Do NOT count yourself out if you are a first-year leader this year. I am unlikely to approach you in your first year to expand your duties but if you feel you are up to the task, please volunteer!

If you have an active parent volunteer (registered) in your troop who you think would be an asset to the team, please feel free to forward this to them as well.  

Volunteer Opportunities

New Leader Mentor
Anasazi School Organizer
Desert Canyon Middle School Organizer 
Mountainside Middle School Organizer 
Pinnacle Peak School Organizer
Sonoran Sky School Organizer
Cookie Team
Events Organizer
Arts Chair/Committee
STEM Committee
Robotics
Community Service Committee
Outdoor Ed Committee


April/May Leader's Meetings

 


Our leader's meeting will be at either 10 am or 7 pm on Monday, May 1st.

Where: Meetings will be held in-person at the Boys and Girls Club (10515 E Lakeview Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85258). 

Social gathering at Goldies following the evening meeting        (approximately 8:15 pm)

Enrichment: Service Awards

OLD BUSINESS

NEW BUSINESS
CALENDAR

April 2023
April 14-16: Spring Encampment
April 22: Annual Meeting 
April 29, 8 am: Morning Stroll

May 2023
May 7, 1- 3 pm: Mother/Daughter Tea
Community Service: DIY Pet Toys

June 2023
June 10, 2 pm: Lion King, Jr
June 22: Older Girl Bridging (at Day Camp)

July 2023

August 2023
Ice Skating

September 2023
September 24: Ice Cream Social (Tentative)

October 2023
October 29: Juliette Low Birthday Party (Tentative)
October 30-31: Haunted Yard

November 2023
November 5: TCC Training, Scottsdale Ranch Park (Tentative)
November 29: Leader's Holiday Party

December 2023

January 2024
January 13: Cookie Rally (tentative)

February 2024
February 25: Thinking Day

March 2024

April 2024
April 20: Annual Meeting (tentative)

May 2024
May 1: Older Girl Bridging
May 5: Mother's Day Tea

Early Registration Open Now


2024 Membership Year – Early Bird Registration


April 1 – June 30

Incentives to Troops

Register your troop by April 6th
  • Register at least 5 girls and 2 adults on by April 6th and be entered into a drawing to win a $1000 GSACPC gift card that can be used at the Council Shop or for GSACPC Sponsored Events
Register from April 1st to April 30th
  • Receive up to four free Troop Leader Renewals.
o Troops with 5-9 girls – 2 Troop Leader registration fees paid
o Troops with 10-15 girls – 3 Troop Leader registration fees paid
o Troops with 16+ girls – 4 Troop Leader registration fees paid

To take advantage of this offer:
  • Renew the girls in your troop by April 30th. (Do not renew the leaders who will be registered free)
  • Submit this brief form to tell us which leaders you would like us to renew.
Register from April 1 - May 30th
  • Exclusive Cookie Booth Round
o Renew at least 5 girls and 2 adults to be eligible
  • Each Troop will receive a voucher for one free First Aid/CPR class offered by the Council. Details to follow.
Register from April 1st – June 30th
  • Early Registration Patch