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Girl Scout Resident Camping to be Reviewed
The Council Realignment Committee, on behalf
of the six legacy councils, has announced
that the soon-to-be formed Girl Scouts of
Greater Los Angeles will not offer resident
camp programs in the summer of 2009. Please
note: This decision does not include troop
camping, core camping or current council day
camps.
Over the past decade, attendance at Southern
California Girl Scout Resident Camps has
declined significantly. Ten years ago, 7,436
Girl Scouts attended resident camps
throughout Southern California, compared to
3,091 in 2007. Resident camp programs in San
Diego, Orange, San Bernardino and Los
Angeles Counties enrolled only 5.18% of
eligible Girl Scouts in 2007.
Of the three councils whose resident camps
have operated continuously since 1997, all
have sustained significant drops in
attendance, averaging a 35% decrease in
total girls attending in 2007.
While outdoor programs, camping and
environmental education remain a positive
and integral component of Girl Scout
leadership development, the Council
Realignment Committee recommends that:
1) a careful examination of the program and
business aspects of resident camping be
initiated to ensure that the best interests
of girls can be met, and
2) that before a new summer resident camp
program is launched, the council has a
long-range plan and infrastructure in place
to sufficiently sustain a reinvigorated
camping experience for Girl Scouts.
Along these lines, the Council Realignment
Committee has requested an analysis of the
interests and expectations of Girl Scouts
and their families, along with a review of
current facilities and their condition. As
work on this begins, volunteers will be an
important part of the process; please watch
for upcoming announcements about how to
become involved. |
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Connect Online!
Visit the Girl Scouts of Greater
Los Angeles Realignment Web site
as we share the news of our
exciting, dynamic council taking
shape.
www.girlscoutsla.org
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Girl Scouts Joshua Tree Council Set for Early Merger
Girl Scouts Joshua Tree
Council (GSJTC) will soon participate in two official
Girl Scout council mergers.
The northern part of
GSJTC,
including the headquarters office located in the
Bakersfield region of Kern County, will merge with the
Girl Scouts Golden Valley Council
on Oct. 1, 2008. This merger will be part of a new
council called Girl Scouts of Central California South (GSCCS).
Once the northern part of GSJTC merges on Oct. 1, the
southern portion of Joshua Tree Council (Los Angeles
County, i.e. Antelope Valley and Santa Clarita Valley)
will, as a "jurisdictional change," partner with Girl
Scouts of Greater Los Angeles.
The Antelope Valley and Santa Clarita Valley offices
will remain open and continue operations and services to
the local community. Many office functions, however,
will be hosted by Girl Scouts of the San Fernando Valley
Council starting on Sept. 8. For example, the former GSJTC online information will be changed to reflect
their new Girl Scouts of the San Fernando Valley source.
After October, the information on the former GSJTC Web
site at www.GirlsFirst.org will be removed, leaving two
links for members on the Homepage: One to the Girl
Scouts of Central California South Web site, for GSJTC
members in Kern County areas, and one to the Girl Scouts
of the San Fernando Valley Web site, for GSJTC members
in Los Angeles County areas. By clicking on the San
Fernando Web address, members will find
a link on the GSSFV Web site
to a page with all the necessary Joshua Tree Council
information formerly found at www.GirlsFirst.org.
Members in the Los Angeles County portion of GSJTC
please take note:
the merger-related mail-in ballots (August vote) will
ONLY include mention of the
Girl Scouts of Central California South merger.
Technically speaking, this is the only “merger” that
Joshua Tree is participating in, since it includes the
council headquarters in Kern County. By voting for GSCCS,
Antelope Valley and Santa Clarita members are approving
a contingent process that includes the “jurisdictional
change” for their
regions, which will make them part of Girl Scouts of
Greater Los Angeles as of Dec. 1, 2008 – the launch date
for the new Greater Los Angeles area council.
We appreciate your support and patience during this time
of transition. We hope you also share our enthusiasm for
the promising future that Girl Scouts holds for all our
members!
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Get with the
Program!
Family Science Festival
2008
All Girl Scouts and their families are invited to dig
into science at Pasadena City College during the second
annual Family Science Festival. Emergency preparedness
and the wonders of planet earth take center stage at
this year’s festival as numerous hands-on activities
explore the wonders of science, technology, engineering
and math (STEM).
Meet local scientists, learn
about earthquakes and how to prepare for them – a must
for all SoCal residents – and about general emergency
preparedness strategies, and much more! Plus, earn a
QuakeSafe patch as you travel from booth to booth with
your Earth Exploration passport.
| Who: |
All Girl Scouts
and their families |
| When: |
October 19, 2008
12:00 Noon to 4:00 p.m. |
| Where: |
Pasadena City
College
1570 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena 91106 |
| Fee: |
$10 per child
(Girl Scouts and tag-a-longs 5 years old and up) |
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Capacity: |
Minimum 500 persons, maximum 2000 persons. |
| Registration |
Register online at
www.gsmwvc.org
or download a GSMWVC Program Event Registration
form from the Forms Library at
www.gsmwvc.org |
-Presented by Girl
Scouts - Mt. Wilson Vista Council and Girl Scouts of the
San Fernando Valley [Click
for flier]
September
Affair 2008:
“Make New Friends and Keep the Old”
September, 19-21, 2008
at Camp Lakota
The
September Affair 2008 is
a
weekend retreat for all Girl Scout leaders and adult
volunteers.
Experience Girl Scout traditions and explore new
adventures for you and your troop through workshops,
games and group activities.
[Click
for flier]
-Presented by Girl Scouts of the
San Fernando Valley,
www.sfvgsc.org
SAVE THE DATE!
Merging of the
Minds Mini Conference for Trainers
All adult learning facilitators (formerly
known as trainers) from the merging legacy
councils are invited to a Merging of the
Minds Mini Conference on Saturday, Sept. 13,
2008. The mini conference will be held at
Girl Scouts - Spanish Trails Council from
10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The office is
located at 9525 Monte Vista Ave., Montclair
91763.
Share your best practices and "tips from the
field" with fellow volunteers, learn how to
transition from being a trainer to an adult
learning facilitator, and gain helpful
knowledge about the new Girl Scout
Leadership Experience Program Model and the
new Leadership Essentials course.
Please let your Adult Development Department
know if you would like to attend by Aug. 20.
The event is free and lunch will be
provided. Carpooling is encouraged.
2009 Adult Recognition Event
The soon-to-be-formed Girl Scouts of Greater
Los Angeles will host a single Adult
Recognition Event each year to honor and
celebrate our dedicated volunteers. The
first event will be held on May 3, 2009.
The event will be held in a different area
of the council each year. Awards to be
presented include the Appreciation Pin,
Honor Pin, Thanks Badge I and II and
President’s Award. Other awards will be
presented at the service unit or geographic
area level. More details about the 2009
event will be available soon.
2009 Girl Scout Gold Award Ceremony
The soon-to-be-formed Girl Scouts of Greater
Los Angeles will host one official Gold
Award Ceremony each year to honor Gold Award
recipients from throughout the council area. The
first event will be held on June 7, 2009.
The single, council-wide ceremony will
create an opportunity for Gold Award
recipients from throughout the area to
celebrate their achievements together and
for the community to see the collective
efforts of these outstanding young women.
More details about the 2009 event will be
available soon.
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Green Saturday Set for December 6!
Go
Girl Scout Green on
GREEN SATURDAY,
Dec. 6, 2008! You’re invited to take
part in one of numerous environmental
community service projects planned
throughout Los Angeles County and parts of
San Bernardino County on Dec. 6, 2008.
Celebrate the new Girl Scouts of Greater Los
Angeles Council by joining in this historic
council-wide effort and making a difference
in your community!
Details and
registration information available soon at
www.girlscoutsla.org and on all merging
legacy council Web sites.
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Imagine
the biggest, most exciting cookie
event ever!
Mark
your calendars! You won’t want to
miss the
2009 Cookie Kick-Off Celebration
Saturday, January 17, 2009
At Hollywood Park Racetrack
Games,
music, activity booths and much,
much more -- a full day of fun for
Girl Scouts. Join thousands of Los Angeles-area Girl Scouts
for the party of the
year!
Details and registration information
will be available soon.
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2009 Cookie Program Preview
The 2009 Cookie Program will be
exciting for girls, streamlined and simple for
volunteers and unified for our new council.
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Dates:
January 24, 2009
Cookie Program begins for Preorders
(a.k.a. Initial
Orders)
March 6, 2009
Cookie Booth Program begins
March 29, 2009
Cookie Booth Program ends
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The 2009 Cookie Program will have a
new look and new design!
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Troop
proceeds will be 75 cents for every box sold and 80
cents for older girl troops (Cadette, Senior,
Ambassador) that opt out of incentives; however,
girls will still receive the Participation Patch and
special recognition for the 500 and 1000 box levels.
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Service
Units will be provided
with .01 cent per box sold by members within the
Service Unit if the unit has increased girl
registration by 3% or more by December 15, 2008
(compared to 12/31/07).
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Daisies
can sell to family and friends.
The 2009 Cookie Season will give
girls a world of fun, while making a world of
difference. Girls will combine the power of
their imaginations with the power of the Girl Scout
Cookie Program to lead change in their communities!
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Special Delegate Meeting Dates
Following the work and input of Girl Scout volunteers
and staff over the past two years, delegates from each
merging legacy council will vote this fall to approve
the historic merger that will form a single Girl Scout
council; the new council will serve Los Angeles County
and parts of San Bernardino County.
Delegates will receive information and
instructions from their respective councils
soon. Documents to be reviewed and voted on
include the Articles of Incorporation,
By-laws, and the slate of Board of Directors
nominees. Delegates are asked to please mark
their calendars for this important meeting.
Join us as we prepare for the future of Girl
Scouting and celebrate our legacy!
Angeles Girl Scout Council
October 23, 2008
Girl
Scout Council of Greater Long Beach
October 27, 2008
Girl Scouts - Joshua Tree Council
Mail-in ballot
results will be announced on August 29, 2008
Girl
Scouts - Mt. Wilson Vista Council
October 27, 2008
Girl Scouts -
Spanish Trails Council
October 26, 2008
Girl Scouts of the San Fernando Valley
October 23, 2008
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Realignment News
from Across the Country
As part of
Girl
Scouts of the USA’s (GSUSA) Core Business Strategy that
was developed in 2004
to ensure that this historic
organization continues to be the best leadership
experience for girls ages five-17, the National
Board of Directors voted to endorse a plan to realign
312 councils into a robust network of 109
high-performance, community-focused councils.
This
change was approved by GSUSA with the goal of creating a
streamlined infrastructure that will facilitate the
greatest impact on girls’ lives nationwide and to be
able to deliver on the promise of our mission: to build
girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the
world a better place.
The reorganization of Girl Scout councils
is one step in an overall strategy.
As of July,
2008:
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83 of the 109 councils are in place (76%).
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54 of the 80 scheduled mergers are complete
(represents 67%).
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Of the original 312 councils in 2006, 283 are
merging into 80 new councils. To date 195 councils
have merged (69%).
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The merger between the six legacy councils in the
Greater Los Angeles area will be complete on Dec. 1,
2008.
- By late 2009, 109
Girl Scout councils across the nation will be poised
to deliver on our promise to be the premier
leadership experience for girls.
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About
Girl Scouts of Greater Los
Angeles Realignment News
Girl Scouts of Greater Los
Angeles Realignment News
is produced by the realignment
development and communications
sub-committee under the
direction of the Council
Realignment Committee.
The publication
is collaboratively published by the six
merging councils every month.
Archived Issues
Issue #3
▪
July, 2008
Issue #2
▪
May/June, 2008
Issue #1
▪
April, 2008
Girl Scouting builds girls of courage,
confidence and character, who make the world a better
place. |
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