Calling all Girl Scouts

[AnneinMpls]

Kim, wow! You've got a lot of program going on in just a few short months! for us that would be the whole spring and summer

You're near Seattle - does that mean sea-kayaking for your girls?

Anne

[purpledragon]

Hi Everyone,

 

I am Jean. I have been away form the computer lately trying to survive school and cookie sales. I am a single mom with a boy and a girl, so I am involved in both programs. BS- my son stared BS the last 6 months of Weeblos 2. He earned his Arrow of Light and all 20 pins. He is now in a BS troop for the past 3 years. During this time he has been involved in a leadership/PLC continuously. He is a Star rank working on Life right now. He just completed a term as the SPL and is off this weekend to Brown Sea Training. He will be returning to Brown Sea as a Troop Guide this year. I only need my Out Door Leader Training to be an ASM with the troop. I am on the committee as the treasurer. I have been the treasurer for the past 3 years. Our BS troop started from scratch 3 years ago with 9 boys that just completed the 5th grade. My son is one of 2 left from the original in the troop (the other is the scout masters boy).

 

The girl... Well she started her GS career 3 years ago as well. Unfortunately that troop had a few issues and we eventually left it to start our own troop. Right now we have 7 girls in grades 4-5. Five of the girls are new to scouts with this troop, one has one year, and my daughter is in her 3rd year. We just finished working on a council's own badge for the JR and Brownie level. We will roll that out soon. I am working on trying to get the girls into patrols and to start the outdoor training skills. This next meeting we will be having a big combined ceremony for the girls to get their badges, patches, re investiture and investiture. WHEW! The troop got up and running the end of November, so we have bee busy with the holidays and then cookies. The girls want to go outdoors and be active in nature. I am struggling to get the parents to allow them to do this. I will start working on the 8 basic outdoor skills in 3 weeks. http://www.geocities.com/heartland/Pointe/9385/8basic.htm

 

Hmm, I started as just a parent. Then after 18 months I was asked to be a Co-Leader. I agreed or the troop would fold. During this time I trained and learned about GS. It was with this training that I came to realize the lack of girl anything with the old troop and the issues with finances. It was time to get a new troop. No one in our area will take more than 7 juniors so I was forced to start a troop so that my daughter could continue. Another reason I started the troop was to now turn away girls who wanted to be GS and to provide the girls more than crafts and only girly things. We will see if I can deliver.

 

Wow this is long, I better stop typing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Introduce yerself

2. Say a lil something about your involvement in Girl Scouting and any other scouting programs

3. You can include an update on your current Girl Scout program

[purpledragon]

Hi Everyone,

 

I am Jean. I have been away form the computer lately trying to survive school and cookie sales. I am a single mom with a boy and a girl, so I am involved in both programs. BS- my son stared BS the last 6 months of Weeblos 2. He earned his Arrow of Light and all 20 pins. He is now in a BS troop for the past 3 years. During this time he has been involved in a leadership/PLC continuously. He is a Star rank working on Life right now. He just completed a term as the SPL and is off this weekend to Brown Sea Training. He will be returning to Brown Sea as a Troop Guide this year. I only need my Out Door Leader Training to be an ASM with the troop. I am on the committee as the treasurer. I have been the treasurer for the past 3 years. Our BS troop started from scratch 3 years ago with 9 boys that just completed the 5th grade. My son is one of 2 left from the original in the troop (the other is the scout masters boy).

 

The girl... Well she started her GS career 3 years ago as well. Unfortunately that troop had a few issues and we eventually left it to start our own troop. Right now we have 7 girls in grades 4-5. Five of the girls are new to scouts with this troop, one has one year, and my daughter is in her 3rd year. We just finished working on a council's own badge for the JR and Brownie level. We will roll that out soon. I am working on trying to get the girls into patrols and to start the outdoor training skills. This next meeting we will be having a big combined ceremony for the girls to get their badges, patches, re investiture and investiture. WHEW! The troop got up and running the end of November, so we have bee busy with the holidays and then cookies. The girls want to go outdoors and be active in nature. I am struggling to get the parents to allow them to do this. I will start working on the 8 basic outdoor skills in 3 weeks. http://www.geocities.com/heartland/Pointe/9385/8basic.htm

 

Hmm, I started as just a parent. Then after 18 months I was asked to be a Co-Leader. I agreed or the troop would fold. During this time (another 18 months) I trained and learned about GS. It was with this training that I came to realize the lack of girl anything with the old troop and the issues with questionable practices regarding the finances. It was time to get a new troop. No one in our area will take more than 7 juniors so I was forced to start a troop so that my daughter could continue. Another reason I started the troop was to now turn away girls who wanted to be GS and to provide the girls more than crafts and only girly things. We will see if I can deliver.

 

Wow this is long, I better stop typing.

 

 

 

 

 

[AnneinMpls]

Welcome aboard, Jean!

Hey, and thank you for your commitment to open your troop! Girls should never be turned away!

Let me know if you would like me to send along some patrol leader training I've put together specifically for GS. (I would need your email)

Anne in Mpls

[purpledragon]

Hmm rereading my post I noticed a few typos. Just so people understand and have some patients with my typing, I am a bit dyslexic...so I tend to mess up typing. Anyways, I just wanted to warn everyone.

 

 

[klwf730]

I haven't been on the computer in a while and noticed today that there haven't been many posts since early this year, but I decided to jump in!

 

Hi! My name is Karen and I'm a leader/advisor in Purcellville, VA. I've been involved in my older daughter's troop (6th grade Cadettes now!) since she was in 1st grade. I was hoodwinked into becoming a co-leader when our organizer told me that my daughter would have to be on a waiting list, unless they could find a leader. Sound familiar to anyone?? So 6 years later I have 13 really wonderful 6th graders, who are so busy, but don't want to leave the group!!

 

My second daughter begged me to be her leader in kindergarten (what's good for the goose sort of thing!), and we have just bridged to Juniors. It's a small group of 6, but it's okay with these girls because they ARE a handful!

 

I have a son who just finished kindergarten, and I've been informed that I WILL be doing Boy Scouts (LOL!)I know absolutely nothing about Boy Scouts, so I guess I'll have to catch up on the forum here!

 

Add all of that to my 4 years of Scouting when I was a kid, and I guess you can say I love Scouting!

 

Yours in Scouting!

Karen

[Sephrina]

Welcome Karen. It must be something about the name. I too ended up as a leader because there was no one else. My 15 year daughter's troop just folded this year because many of the girls went on to other activities, but she's continuing in another troop and plans to stay until she gradutates. My now Wolf son expected me to be involved in Cub Scouts with him, so it looks like I have lots of Scout years. He loved his Tiger year. Educate yourself about the program and be willing to accept the differences between the programs and you will do fine.

 

Karen

[AnneinMpls]

klwf730! Too funny - what a small world! Were you finally able to receive the meal planner I sent you? I noticed one list accepted attachments, and theo ther did not - I think JuniorLeaders did not, and JuniorLeadersOnline did. Let me know I can also private message you from here now too.

Blue skies!

Anne in Mpls

[shortridge]

Here goes... I'm not a Girl Scout yet, but as a former Boy Scout and father of a 4-year-old, I'm getting ready to sign up. I realize I'll probably be a polka-dot fish in a striped pond, but no matter.

 

I like what I've learned so far about the GS program and how it's adaptable and flexible. From my own experience, I know that having a sponsoring organization - for a meeting place and other tangible support - takes a load off the leaders, and I was kind of surprised to learn that GSUSA doesn't emphasize that.

 

For my daughter, I'm looking for a program that can help her grow and develop and have exciting adventures with her friends - she loves the outdoors, hiking, nature, swimming. In a simplistic nutshell, that's what I got out of Boy Scouts, and I'm looking forward to helping my daughter have the same experience.

 

If anyone has advice or insight on what I can likely expect as a Girl Scout dad - or give me suggestions on books to read, Web sites to study, etc. - I'd appreciate it! Thanks...(This message has been edited by shortridge)

[JFaFa]

Hey, Shortridge kinda of the same boat. We wanted to get our daughter,3 rd grade, into scouting because of the outdoors and meeting new friends. So I took her to a troop with a friend from school and she liked it. I stayed around since it is hard to find volunteers to help, I remembered it from BSA. Well before long the ATL quit so I stepped up, with the troop leaders blessing, and its been great ever since, and my wife volunteers also. On trips I get up earlier before the girls so I am done changing and wait for them to get ready or go to bed later. At council's camp the other leaders are supportive of a male supporting the girls but sometimes I do feel like "The Wicker Man". When that happens all I do is think of the girls that are happy when I show up at a GS function and tell the fuddy duddies to bite my left toe, under my breath of course. Then I see these same troops don't have the basic camp skills like to build a fire and keep it going or know how to read a compass... but that's another rant

The girls enjoyment is the main goal and when they are happy to see me that is all I could want.

[AnneinMpls]

1. Introduce yerself

2. Say a lil something about your involvement in Girl Scouting and any other scouting programs

3. You can include an update on your current Girl Scout program

 

Welcome everyone!

Anne in Mpls

[cubbingcarol]

Girl Scouts ROCK!!

We have 13 girls registered in my Daisy troop. This is our 2nd year so we've had a chance to work out some kinks. I have 11 to all 13 at every meeting all the time! We meet once a week for the first 3 weeks of the month and then on the 4th week we attend the Power Hour (just like a Pack meeting).

Oh BTW did I mention...

GIRL SCOUTS ROCK!!!

 

Carol

 

[IM_Kathy]

1. Introduce yerself

 

IM Kathy - duh LOL

 

2. Say a lil something about your involvement in Girl Scouting and any other scouting programs

 

for Girl Scouts:

* former Moingona council - now Greater Iowa

* was a helper for a couple of years

* was a co leader for a few years

* now I'm leader for a group of 4 Senior Girl Scouts (all in 9th grade) whice I'm very proud of... I've been their leader for a few years now and this is the first troop in our unit that has stayed active into high school years and they all plan to stay until they bridge to adults.

* I'm also the SUM - it's a small unit with just 8 troops, but our troop sizes have increased and the troops have gotten a lot more involved that they use to

 

For Cub/Boy Scouts:

* my husband was den leader for tiger and wolf

* I was den leader for Bear and both years as Webelos (my husbands work started to travel a lot more)

* I'm currently a Troop Committee member for my son's troop

* I'm merit badge counc. for Swimming, Life Saving, Family Life, Cooking, Sports, & Astronomy

 

3. You can include an update on your current Girl Scout program

 

my girls haven't decided whether they want to work on the new Journey program - since they have been doing it the "old" program for so long I've left it totally up to them. They have started their prerequisits (sp? it's too early to spell correctly LOL) for the Gold Award and a few of them have come up with a few different ideas of what they may want to do for their final project.

 

this coming summer the girls are planning a trip to South Dakota. they've picked out lots of things they'd like to do there and now have to do a couple of fundraisers to find out if they have to drop any of them. This is really our last "big trip" since the next year they will all be turning 16 and will start having jobs and a couple have plans of working at camp so I don't want to even attempt scheduling around all of that. But the girls have already discussed having a big final campout when they bridge out to celebrate.

 

my girls spent a lot of this fall helping out some of the younger troops by leading games for troops to have a parent meeting. They also led a meeting for all new scouts to teach them how to do a flag ceremony and how our unit does "line up" at beginning of our unit events.

 

they are also helping me in planning something new to our area - we're trying to organize a county wide encampment (camporee - what ever you want to call it) for juniors and above. It'll be much like BSA does their district camporees.

[ravennags]

Hi I am a leader of two troops.

One troop has girls entering 3rd-5th grade

 

The other troop has girls entering 6th & 7th grade.

 

I also serve as a SUD.

 

We are from Ravenna, Ohio.

 

Summer is one of our busiest times.

 

Younger girls went camping this past weekend and we had a great time creeking, swimming, going on hayrides, and cooking over the fire. Friday they will be going to our botantical gardens to work on their plants awards. Monday is their parent meeting to discuss next years big trip. ( This year they went to Beach JAM in NJ)

 

Older girls meet tonight to help pull weeds at the bog. They leave Sunday night for their June Camping Trip. My older girls didn't choose a big trip this year as it was their first year as a troop instead they decided to have a different type of camping trip each month this summer.