Why Do Some GS Service Units Close Up Shop for the Summer?

[shortridge]

Gee, I'm sorry I missed that!

 

My council isn't merging or being gobbled up, but I know it recently got a new CEO, so the learning curve is still pretty steep, probably.

 

Thanks!

[Nike]

My experience getting the Pink Princess into Daisies is similar, and I was volunteering as a leader in the Spring. No one got back to me until August. I will hopefully start having twice a month meetings in October and plan to go every other week until June Day Camp then a July event and a back to school party in August.

 

Many GS leaders are tired because they are the whole program. Everything is on their shoudlers whereas in a pack you have others to carry the load for larger events as well as easily identified helpers. It looks easy to only deal with 10 or 12 girls, and I don't think many parents really know how much work it entails. That said, I've seen many GS troops starting to move toward a parent committee format.

 

I'd like to see them get the recruiting lead out.

[cubbingcarol]

We are the lucky oddballs here. My husband and I spearheaded getting Girl Scouts reestablished here in our town as soon as our daughter turned 5. Since he is the Cub master (and Scoutmaster) he stepped up to the Service Unit Manager position and organized it very similar to the Pack. We have monthly 'Power Hour' meetings (think Pack meeting). All the troops continue to meet weekly on our own. We had recruitment on the 2nd of this month and have been meeting since. Of course, it helped that we already had leaders for all the troops. In fact tonight was our 1st 'Power Hour' and we had 32 girls there!!!!!

 

Carol

[IM_Kathy]

This was one of my biggest questions with Girl Scouts and with Cub Scouts. Here in the midwest there are a lot of activities that you really need the warm summer days to do.

 

With Cub Scouts the pack would have an event each month, but many of the boys who were in dens that didn't meet during the summer didn't even know about them. I was lucky in that I didn't work during the summer and all my cub scouts were able to get to meetings during the day, so they would meet at my place after lunch once a month and they'd work on their outdoor skills and would be informed of all the pack activities.

 

With Girl Scouts when my daughter was younger I was just a co-leader and went with what all the other troops did and what the leader wanted to do. I was asked to step up as leader a few years ago and while we don't have "troop meetings" we have troop campouts during the summer. Our unit use to have just a few events through out the year and I would hear from all the girls who had brothers in Cub Scouts saying how they wished they were in Cub Scouts instead of Girl Scouts... so, when I was asked to be SUM I jumped at the chance. Our unit now has an event every month except August.

 

So, I guess what I'm saying is if you don't like the way things are done then step up and voice your opinions, and if that doesn't work then step up and volunteer and make it happen.

 

As for having to wait for leaders in Girl Scouts to get trained... there is a way to get around that policy that our unit does... there needs to be a trained adult with CPR/1st aider there. That person does NOT have to be "the leader" We have currently trained leaders sit in on the meetings for the new troops until they are approved and trained... it is a great way to see their "style" and make suggestions as well. For example I've sat in on 2 troops this year and they both had great leaders, but I highly recommend in meetings right off the bat to go over fire and tornado drills, bathroom policies, buddy system, and the like.

 

Another thing we have done that has helped new scouts get right into the swing of things is having an older troop host a new scouts meeting. They invite all scouts who have just signed up with the unit. There they learn the quiet sign, Girl Scout sign, and handshake. They also learn how we do line-ups at SU events and how to do a flag ceremony. Then they play a fun game or two. We ask all adults to stay at that meeting, we have the Daisy parents sit together and talk with their leaders so they can discuss meeting times and dates as well as to get to know each other.

 

ok, I've rambled on long enough LOL

[SMT224]

I'm a Boy Scout Leader, and also involved in my daughters Girl Scout Troop.

 

The Boy Scouts meet all year primarily because of camping - we camp every month irregardless of the weather or anything else. I'd say the boys become sort of obsessed about it. It is their favorite thing to do, so we do as much as possible. The two weekly meetings before a camping trip are almost exclusively focused on preparations, and the meeting after the trip focuses on clean up and discussing how the trip went. Of course not all the boys go on all the trips, but out of a Troop of 35 we have 10 - 20 on every camping trip. It takes a while for the new Scouts who have crossed over from Cubs to get into the swing, and some who do not like camping so much never do, but those who do really like it. So we don't think about it being summer or winter, we just think about what we need to do for the next camping trip.

 

I'm the "Camping Dude" for my daughters Girl Scout Troop (girls are 14-16), and am attempting to infuse the same kind of camping program in her Troop. We have been camping about 4 times a year, and the girls seem to like it. Before my involvement, they only did cabin camping, but now are getting into tent camping and all that goes with it. Again, once the date for the camping trip has been set, nothing matters other than getting ready for it and doing it.

 

I realize this is different from what goes on with the younger Scouts, but it's what drives the Troops I'm involved in to meet during the summer.