To our volunteers - Thank You!

Those who can, do.  Those who can do more, volunteer. 
~Author Unknown

Everyone at Girl Scouts of Western Ohio would like to say "thanks" to all of our hardworking, dedicated volunteers!

Your committment to the Girl Scout Leadership Experience is to be commended.

Thank you for all that you do!

2011 Woman of Leadership Hall of Fame Recipients

Girl Scouts of Western Ohio in Dayton is pleased to announce its 2011 Woman of Leadership Hall of Fame recipients. 

They are:

·         Charlotte Harris, Ed. D., Wright State University

·         Madonna Homan, Girl Scout Volunteer

·         Yvonne Isaacs, Dayton Public Schools, Board Member

·         Joyce Davis Willis, Community Volunteer

A luncheon to honor the recipients was held Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at Sinclair Community College, Ponitz Center in Dayton.

The Woman of Leadership Hall of Fame Award was established in 2002 to honor the many exceptional women in the greater Dayton area. The recipients exemplify the spirit of Girl Scouting, are role models and problem-solvers, maintain high standards of personal conduct and are committed to the betterment of society.

Vote for Girl Scout volunteers

Two Girl Scouts of Western Ohio volunteers, Kay Quinton (Dayton area) and April Jameson (Lima area) have been nominated for the Community Volunteer of the Year award presented by Hands On West Central Ohio and Hits 105.5 FM.  This award is given each year to one deserving volunteer in the following counties: Darke, Logan, Miami and Shelby.


Let’s help honor these two volunteers by voting at http://www.hits1055.com/ starting Monday, March 28.  Voting ends April 6 at midnight. You can vote as many times as you want.

This is a great opportunity to recognize Girl Scout volunteers for their outstanding volunteer efforts to help build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

Earth Hour - this Saturday!

Earth Hour is a global initiative that invites individuals, businesses, governments and communities to turn off their lights for one hour – 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 26 – to show support for environmentally sustainable action. In the United States, Earth Hour is partnering with the Girl Scouts to bring the movement to life.

Girl Scouts is parterning with Earth Hour to bring this movement to life.

Seventeen councils are specifically involved in this pilot for this years' Earth Hour, but we are inviting all girls in Girl Scouts of Western Ohio to participate too!

From a GSUSA press release:

Initially a single-city initiative in Sydney, Australia, in 2007, Earth Hour has become a global movement in which hundreds of millions of people from every continent join together to acknowledge the importance of protecting and improving the planet. Earth Hour 2010 was the world’s largest global climate change initiative, with millions of participants in more than 4,600 cities across nearly 130 countries and territories. Since its inception in 2007, Earth Hour’s iconic “lights out” event has seen some of the world’s most recognized landmarks switch off their lights, including the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Buckingham Palace in London, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge and the Forbidden City in China.

To see the complete press release and to learn more about Earth Hour, visit this link: http://www.girlscouts.org/news/news_releases/2011/girlscouts_and_earth_hour.asp

Let's do our part in recognizing the importance of protecting our enviroment and the planet.

2011 Woman of Distinction Honorees

Girl Scouts of Western Ohio in Cincinnati is pleased to announce its 2011 Woman of Distinction honorees.  They are:

·         Kathleen Burklow, Ph.D., Harmony Garden

·         Kimber Fender, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County

·         S. Kay Geiger, PNC Bank

·         Kathleen Kelly, Kroger Personal Finance

·         Mary Stagaman, Agenda 360

·         Barbara Terry, United Way of Greater Cincinnati

The reception will be hosted by John and Betsy LaMacchia (1994 Woman of Distinction) on Wednesday, March 8 at private downtown Cincinnati club.

Sponsoring companies include: Dawes LLP and PNC Bank, Platinum Level; Bartlett & Co., Cincinnati Financial, Clark Schaefer Hackett, Planes Moving and Storage, RiverPoint Capital Management and Turnbull-Wahlert Construction, Gold Level; Maguire Agency, Silver Level; and Horan Associates, The Kroger Company, Mutual of America, Nestle and Saralux, Bronze Level.

Julie Isphording (1992 Woman of Distinction), author, talk show host and public speaker is the Emcee.

The Woman of Distinction Award was established in 1990 to recognize the significant achievements of women who demonstrate strong initiative and personal leadership on issues related to women and girls.  While some of these women are well-known, others have worked quietly to accomplish their goals. Each honoree is an important role model for today's Girl Scout. Her life and work exemplify the values of Girl Scouting.

Girl Scout Week - March 6-12

On March 6-12 we celebrate the founding of Girl Scouts nearly 100 years ago. Juliette Gordon Low's vision started with 18 girls in Savannah, Georgia in 1912, and has grown and thrives today because of the dedication of our volunteers who deliver the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

As we celebrate the anniversary of Girl Scouts, why not thiank a special Girl Scout in your life with a gift to Girl Scouts of Western Ohio? By making a tax deductible gift, you will pay tribute to someone who has made a difference in your life and support Girl Scouts of Western Ohio.

This is a wonderful opportunity to thank a dedicated individual while support Girl Scouts.

For more information on how to honor a special Girl Scout in your life, please contact Sara Freeman at 419-243-8216 or make a donation online by visiting https://forms.girlscoutsofwesternohio.org/forms/donationform.htm

Vote for the Girl Scouts in the FIRST Lego League Global Innovation Awards

There are three Girl Scout FIRST Lego League teams in a field of more than 120 teams in the FIRST Lego League Global Innovation Award competition (http://www.firstlegoleague.org/).

The winner of the Global Innovation Award will receive a grant for up to $20,000 to fund a full utility patent for their device; the top three are invited to the awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. and will present their projects to the US Patent and Trade Office.


1. The Flying Monkeys (Iowa) - this team created a prosthetic hand device (the BOB-1) for a 3-year-old girl in Georgia who was born without fingers. The device allowed her to write for the first time! These Girl Scouts won the Regional and State Lego League awards for their device. The BOB-1 device is officially "patent pending" and they are in 3rd place currently in the competition.



To vote for The Flying Monkeys: http://fllinnovationaward.firstlegoleague.org/teams/flying-monkeys/submission/bob-1-hand-device

2. The LOL Comets won the Los Angeles Regional Champions Award for their innovation - this third year team created a KAT Map, an indoor GPS for the blind. They are currently in 41st place.


To vote for The LOL Coments: http://fllinnovationaward.firstlegoleague.org/teams/lol-comets/submission/kat-map-door-gps-blind



3. The Dbots from Pasadena, CA, are currently in 104th place with their Shirt of Awesomeness . They were honored for their teamwork, robot design and project idea. They are working on the details of how to build a shirt that would be a back brace for middle school students who have heavy backpack loads and for those with scoliosis who need a brace to correct their medical condition.



To vote for The Dbots: http://fllinnovationaward.firstlegoleague.org/teams/d-bots/submission/shirt-awesomeness

Right now the Girl Scouts need votes! Voting closes March 18 and it would be great if we could do our part to help our sister Girl Scouts!!

Take a survey about Girl Scouts!

Girl Scouts of Western Ohio invites you to share your thoughts and feelings about Girl Scouting's benefits for girls!

To give girls the best program experiences possible, Girl Scouts of Western Ohio is interested in whether girls are enjoying program activities, if they are understanding new materials, and ultimately if the program experiences are benefitting them.

We'd like you to help us in our research by occassionally completing short surveys about your experiences. We value your honest feedback.

To participate, click this link http://www.girlscoutvoices.org/ to register.

For more information please contact Ms. A.J. Office, Research and Evaluation Director at ajoffice@girlscoutsofwesternohio.org.

Get your Girl Scouts to "doodle for Google"

GSUSA recently announced that Girl Scouts is partnering with Google for their annual Doodle 4 Google contest where kids (and in our case, girls!) in grades kindergarten through 12 are asked to redesign the Google logo according to a selected theme. The national winner will be awarded a $15,000 college scholarship and a $25,000 technology grant for her Girl Scout council.

This is a great opportunity for your troops to dream BIG, be creative and look toward the future - all values that are central to the Girl Scouts (and Google).

Google is offering a special award for the troop that has the most entries and is able to get to the state finalist round. If one of your Girl Scouts is selected as a state finalist, your council/region would win 20 Netbook computers and a $2,500 technology grant.

Click here for the Doodle 4 Google doodling party kit - scroll down near the bottom of the page, and on the right hand side you'll see After School Program Doodle Kit - Girl Scouts. (It's a pdf you can download).

Register online now and start doodling - the contest deadline is March 2! Mailed submissions are due March 16. Each Girl Scout is only allowed to submit ONE doodle.

For more information and FAQs, click here.

Happy doodling!

It's almost cookie time!

In a little more than a week, the 2011 Girl Scout Cookie Sale starts for Girl Scouts of Western Ohio.

We are proud to be a part of a pilot program with Little Brownie Bakers called the "Super Six." Our Girl Scouts will be selling six varieties of Girl Scout cookies - Thin Mints, Tagalongs, Samoas, Do-si-dos, Trefoils and Lemon Creme Chalets.

The 2011 Girl Scout Cookie Sale starts Friday, January 21!

(Graphic provided by Little Brownie Bakers)

Calling all prospecitve national council delegates!

If you are interested in being considered as a National Council Delegate or Alternate Delegate, please see details below. 
 

Every three years, each Girl Scout council in the country sends elected delegates to the National Council Meeting to assume one of the major rights and most serious responsibilities in Girl Scouting.  

The next National Council Meeting will be held in Houston, Texas, Nov. 10-13, and Girl Scouts of Western Ohio will be eligible to send 28 national council delegates to the meeting. 

In order to be inclusive, Girl Scouts of Western Ohio pays national council delegate expenses. However, individuals selected may choose to pay all or a portion of the cost to attend  Information will be provided at a later date for those individuals interested in attending the national council session as a visitor.

The role of the national council delegate has been studied by the national board of directors and the following criteria are recommended for selection of national council delegates:

1. Ability to think strategically and focus on the future of the Girl Scout Movement
2. Experience in policy-influencing and policy-making positions
3. Demonstrated knowledge about the workings of councils and the Movement
4. Ability to analyze issues from a national, as well as a council, perspective as National Council actions and decisions have national implications
5. Commitment to attending all council and GSUSA training sessions in order to be as informed as possible about the issues and democratic process used at the National Council Session
6. Willingness to support all the decisions of the National Council.

If you are interested in attending this meeting as a national council delegate, are a citizen of the United States, are a registered member of Girl Scouts of the U.S.A., and are 14 years of age or older, please send a letter of application to the following address no later than January 7, 2011:

Girl Scouts of Western Ohio

4930 Cornell Road

Cincinnati, OH  45242

Attn:  Board Development Committee

Your letter of application should include the following: name, address, and phone number; present Girl Scout position and current occupation; other positions you have held in Girl Scouting and in the community; any awards or honors you have received within or outside of Girl Scouting; and a statement of 50 words or less on why you would make a good national council delegate for Girl Scouts of Western Ohio.

For more information visit our website here.

31 days until cookies...so, what can a cookie do?

For more than 80 years, Girl Scouts - with the enthusiastic support of their families - have helped ensure the success of local Girl Scout Cookie Sales. From its earliest beginnings to its current popularity, the sale of cookies has helped Girl Scouts have fun, develop valuable life skills, and make the world a better place by helping support Girl Scouting in their communities.

This year, Girl Scout cookies baked by Little Brownie Bakers are available in the Super Six flavors and are selling for $3.50 a box.

The Girl Scout Cookie Sale begins January 21, 2011.

The cookies are coming!

Are you craving some Thin Mints? Wishing you had just one more box of Samoas? Or maybe you asked Santa to bring you a few boxes of Tagalongs?

Rest assured.
The wait is almost over.

The 2011 Girl Scout Cookie Sale starts Friday, January 21 for Girl Scouts of Western Ohio.

And, this year we are excited to announce that Girl Scouts of Western Ohio is participating in a pilot program with Little Brownie Bakers - the Super Six. Our Girl Scouts will be selling six varieties of cookies - Thin Mints, Samoas, Tagalongs, Trefoils, Do-si-dos and Lemon Chalet Cremes.

Girl Scouts make the Super Six special - and the special ingredients make them irresistible.

Did you know....

• Thin Mints are  made with real peppermint oil, never flavoring?
• The caramel in Samoas is made the old-fashioned way in big copper kettles?
• The peanut butter in Tagalongs comes from the same folks who supply Reese Peanut Butter Cups?
• Do-si-dos are made with rolled baby oats for a special kind of flavor experience?
• Trefoils are the original Girl Scout Cookie?

In a few weeks, our Girl Scouts will begin taking orders! Remember that all proceeds from Girl Scout cookies stay in the community. The proceeds fund vital services such as leadership training, camp operations and a variety of Girl Scout program initiatives.

Keep watching this blog for more news about the 2011 Girl Scout Cookie Sale!

The cookies are coming!
Are you ready?

The question: Why Girl Scouts?

The staff of the Toledo Girl Scout Center recently participated in an activity where they had to answer the question "Why Girl Scouts?" in 140 characters or less.

For those of you wondering "why 140 characters or less?" - it's because a tweet is limited to 140 characters and the "average" text message is 160 characters. It was a challenge - know what you want to say and inspire your readers...but be brief!

The following are some of the 140 character (more or less) responses from the Toledo teams (each "team" was made up of two people from different functions).

Today, Girl Scouts learn leadership skills, develop meaningful friendships and make a difference in their community. What did you do today?


Why not Girl Scouts? The possibilities are endless. Fun, friendship, adventure, service, leadership, travel! It's more than you could ever imagine!


Who wants to have fun? Have new adventures? New experiences? Gain confidence and leadership skills? Girl Scouts is the place for YOU!


Leadership. All girl environment. Friendship. Fun. Educational. Diversity. Values. Excitement. Sisterhood. Why not Girl Scouts? The sky's the limit.


Girl Scouts helps girls learn about themselves, build confidence, self-esteem. Learn the value of giving while developing life-long values.


The Girl Scout experience helps girls build friendships and skills that last a lifetime. Join and be inspired to be your best.

Thanks to the staff of the Toledo Girl Scout Center for answering the question "Why Girl Scouts?"