Girl Scouts of Silver Sage

We're celebrating YOU. Join in the fun!

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 22:06:00 +0000

To Our Amazing Volunteers,

In honor of Girl Scout Volunteer Day, the staff at Girl Scouts of Silver Sage would like to thank you for your dedication and service as a Girl Scout volunteer. Because of you, girls are learning leadership skills, positively impacting their communities and having a ton of fun! Whether you are leading a troop, helping the Service Unit, or camping with your girl, your efforts are truly valued. Thank you for the time, talent, and treasure you have invested in your girls, your community, and yourself! You are making a difference that will last a lifetime, and we very much appreciate all you do.

Thank you for being a Girl Scout volunteer!

Sincerely,

The Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Staff

_______________________________________________________________

How Are We Celebrating?

Facebook Contests for Volunteers!

We're giving away tons of gift cards this week in honor of our volunteers. Don't miss out! Like us on Facebook for a chance to win! Contests will be hosted daily April 22-25, 2014.

CLICK HERE TO LIKE US ON FACEBOOK.

Store Promotions for Volunteers!

We're offering some great deals this week to celebrate our volunteers!

In-Store

Enjoy 25% off selected items* and 10% off sale items April 22, 2014. *In-store merchandise ONLY. Not valid on program related products (ie uniforms, insignia, badges, patches, etc.)

Online

Receive 10% off on all online orders April 15-23! Type "APPRECIATE" in the web store coupon box at checkout and enjoy your savings!

CLICK HERE TO SHOP NOW.

Going for the Silver! Girl Scouts earn Silver Award by supporting Special Olympians

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 15:26:00 +0000

On March 28, the Boise council office received a visit from a group of extraordinary girls.

Cadette Troop 230 from the Wood River Valley popped in to give council staff a presentation of their Silver Award project done in coordination with Special Olympics Idaho. The Silver Award is the highest award a Cadette can receive. The award requires at least 50 hours of planning and implementation of a local community service project.

Troop 230 had a desire to help those with intellectual abilities so they chose to volunteer at both the Eastern Regional Winter Games and State Games in the Wood River Valley. The Special Olympics brings together more than 2,500 children and adults for 15 Olympic style events. The troop secured sponsors from a variety of businesses to host breakfast for more than 400 athletes. The girls also volunteered at each of the Olympic events.

“Working behind the scenes at council doesn’t give me many opportunities to see what amazing things our girls are doing with the curriculum they have learned in Girl Scouts,” said Sandy Wilson, Director of Human Resources and Business Services. “I was in awe of the amount of hard work and time these girls put into such a worthy project.”

The troop also made Special Olympics badges for nearly every Girl Scout level using the Make Your Own Badge activity. Each girl wrote an explanation on why they think Girl Scouts should include a Special Olympics badge in their national curriculum.

Troop 230 used their artistic side to show the realities and solutions to disability discrimination. Each girl made artwork using a variety of mixed media as part of the Idaho Human Rights Art Contest.

Troop leaders, Leslie Feltman and Lorie Hayes, were overwhelmed at the amount of time, effort and heart their girls put into their Silver Award.

“We are so proud of these girls,” said Hayes.

To view slideshows of Troop 230’s time volunteering at Special Olympics Idaho, please click here and here.

Do you or your troop have a community service project to share with council? Please email Marketing Specialist, Kelsey Kuhnhausen, at kkuhnhausen@girlscouts-ssc.org

Local Girl Scouts learn business, use cookie proceeds to help others

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 22:48:00 +0000

Girl Scout troops across the Treasure Valley have big plans this cookie season.

Troop 315 at the Oasis Food Center.

Already well on its way, Troop 189 hopes to sell at least 4,500 boxes this year. The troop is currently working on its budgeting badge and is saving up for an outdoor adventure in McCall. "We're learning about saving and giving," said Nampa Troop 189 Leader Rhonda Schaffer.

This year, Schaffer's troop has gone the extra mile to help sell cookies. The girls made business cards with matching banners and door flyers to match. They even ordered Girl Scout cookie shirts so they look more professional.

"I'm proud of the girls and their enthusiasm to want to contribute to the community and to put forth effort," said Schaffer.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program also helps girls earn money for troop service projects, activities, troop travel and helps girls pay for camp.

Nampa Brownie Troop 315 is in its second year of Girl Scouting and this year and plan to use cookie proceeds to help others. Not only do four of the six girls in the troop hope to sell enough cookies to earn camp tuition, they have several service projects that need funding.

These projects include picking up the tab for a local family at the grocery store and putting together kits for homeless people that include items such as deodorant, toothbrushes and granola bars.

According to 9-year-old Brownie Kylie S., service is what Girl Scouts is all about.

"To me Girl Scouts means that I have a privilege to help in the community. It means it's not all about badges but about helping others," she said.

Meet the 2014 Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Cookie Stars!

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 23:18:00 +0000

In November, Girl Scouts of Silver Sage held a council-wide contest to find this year's Cookie Stars! Girls submitted short videos of their best cookie pitch for the chance to be the face of the 2014 Cookie Season.

Each winner is featured as a cardboard cutout that will be displayed during booth sales as well as a billboard model for one of our 12 billboards within our council area.

Winners also participated in a cookie photo shoot, video interview, and are featured on cookie season promotional materials.

Six winners were selected based on the originality and content of their video. Winning videos will be released each week starting February 19.We had several incredibly talented entries and chose our Super Six Girl Scouts to represent Silver Sage.

Meet our 2014 Cookie Stars!

Girl Scout cookies are more than a sweet treat. Through cookie sales, girls build a lifetime of skills and confidence. They also earn valuable skills such as goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics.

Cookie pre-sales run January 17 – February 2. Booth sales begin February 28 and end on March 16. Remember when you purchase five boxes in one transaction, you'll receive a certificate to enter into a drawing (via Girl Scouts of Silver Sage’s website) for five cases of cookies!

Need help finding where cookies will be sold? Download the mobile app here: http://tinyurl.com/cefphso

Girl Scouts Cookie Money is for Girls and Girls' Programs

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 19:11:00 +0000

Dear Girl Scout Family,

As you know, Girl Scouts of Silver Sage and its 2,300 volunteers deliver relevant, educational leadership programs that build girls of courage, confidence and character who positively impact communities in which they live. We serve 4,400 girls in Southern Idaho parts of Northern Nevada and Eastern Oregon.

Cookie sales, one of our biggest fundraisers to benefit local girls and troops, are underway. As in a few years past, Girl Scouts is being wrongly accused of having a partnership with Planned Parenthood. In particular, The American Family Association is circulating an article that insinuates that “cookie dough”—money earned through cookie sales—is used to support Planned Parenthood. This is false. Neither Girl Scouts USA nor our council has a partnership with Planned Parenthood, and we do not contribute money to the organization for any purpose.

To set the record straight, here is a breakdown of our council’s cookie money: 45.1% for local Girl Scout programs and activities; 24.7% covers the cost of cookies; 13.6% goes to local troops; 6.6% toward girl rewards and “cookie dough,” which can be used for camp, travel, or Girl Scout garb; 6.0% for sales tax; and 4.0% toward cookie program administration.

If you have questions about our cookie program or our stance on social issues, you may refer to the official GSUSA responses here, or call the council at 208-377-2011.

Sincerely,

Maureen O’Toole, CEO

Girl Scouts of Silver Sage

Silver Sage Girl Scouts blossom with needs-based curriculum

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 23:53:00 +0000

For seven-year-old Rebekah, finding the “bone thief” in one of her troop's favorite games, Doggy Doggy Where's Your Bone?, was a snap.

"I have a good autism brain," she said. Like many children with autism, Rebekah has heightened senses which allow her to easily identify walking patterns and footsteps.

Rebekah is a part of the council’s first all-adaptive troop. Led by Cassandra C. and Renee W., the troop is made up of 1st through 4th grade Treasure Valley girls who have conditions ranging from autism spectrum disorders (include Asperger's), DiGeorge syndrome (a chromosome disorder) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Despite their various ages, all girls in the troop are working at a 1st grade level.

"I wanted to start this troop because of my daughter, Rebekah,” troop leader, Cassandra, said. Cassandra's older daughter is also a Girl Scout, but Cassandra knew that Rebekah wouldn't be able to function in a traditional troop.

Two years ago, Cassandra worked with Silver Sage council staff member, Martha Snyder, to get her troop up and running. Since then, she has been learning by trial and error to adapt Girl Scout curriculum and activities to fit the needs of her troop.

Like all troops, the girls begin each meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance and reciting of the Girl Scout Promise and Law. They are currently finishing the Daisy curriculum, constructing SWAPS for World Thinking Day on Feb. 22 and learning about England. Game time is a favorite among the troop, specifically the snowball fight where the girls throw small foam balls at one another.

"The little things matter to this troop,” Cassandra said.

While the girls are not yet able to work on more in-depth badges, they still earn basic badges and patches through participation in zoo days, pumpkin patches, Thanksgiving parades, and other Girl Scout activities and programming. They are also selling cookies for the first time this year. The girls hope to earn money for new uniforms as they are bridging to become Brownies this spring.

Since the troop began in 2012, Cassandra has witnessed the girls blossom in several ways.

"I've taken pictures each year to document their growth. Look at their expressions. In the first and second photo, you can see their inner growth and maturity over the year,” she said.

For many of the girls in the Adaptive Troop, Girl Scouts is one of the few activities that are specifically tailored for them, allowing them to increase their self-esteem and social skills.

"They've all gotten more confident in themselves and who they are. A lot of people do things for them and they never get a chance to do things on their own. Girl Scouts gives them a chance to try new things,” Cassandra said.

To learn more about the Adaptive Troop or how to become involved, please contact Girl Scouts of Silver Sage at (208) 377-2011.

6 Ways Girl Scouts Gave Back in 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 23:11:00 +0000

Wherever there’s giving, there’s Girl Scouts.

Community service is an integral part of Girl Scouting. Troops all across Silver Sage Council have been busy this year with service projects, putting in a total of 269,000 service hours. Wow! Below are just a handful of ways that Girl Scouts gave back in 2013.

Bronze Award Projects

For their Bronze Award projects, Meridian troop 43 filled 75 donated shoe boxes with new Scholastic books, winter hats and mittens, small games, toiletries, and candy for the City Light Home For Women & Children. Girls partnered with Shopko and the local library to complete the project. The troop also planted a vegetable garden and donated 75 lbs of produce to the Meridian Food Bank with the help of Zamzows.

Warm Hearts,Toasty Toes

Girl Scouts of Silver Sage and ICON Credit Union have partnered for the 4^th annual sock drive. Twelve troop and members of the Icon staff will be spending the next few months collecting socks to donate to local charities to help keep everyone's toes toasty. Look for them in your local community today through January 18^th!

Kuna Weekend Backpack Program

Girl Scout troop 130 donated $300 worth of food to the Kuna Weekend Backpack Program. This program supplies hungry children with enough food for an entire weekend. The troop’s donation provided meals and snacks for 54 children for two days.

Festival of Trees

For 30 years, the Festival of Trees has been a holiday tradition in the Treasure Valley, raising more than $7 million to improve community healthcare. Hundreds of lavishly decorated Christmas trees, wreaths, and holiday décor will take over Boise Centre on the Grove from November 26 - December 2. On Saturday, November 30^th, Girl Scouts from the Teen Advisory Committee will be on hand from 9:30 am – 9:30 pm running activities for the kids. Stop by and say hello!

Wagon Days

Girl Scouts Erica, Lily and Hadley volunteered a combined 140 hours for Wagon Days, a 55 year tradition in Ketchum featuring the largest parade in the Pacific Northwest complete with wagons, buggies and stagecoaches. These three Scouts were recognized by the city of Ketchum for selfless giving.

Gold Award Projects

Sarah is one of 5 girls who earned her Gold Award this year. Gold Award projects require a minimum of 80 hours of community service and girls must propose a long term, sustainable solution to an issue of their choice. Sarah collected 1,358 toothbrushes for villages in Peru and Bolivia. She created "Cepillarse los dentes! (Brush Your Teeth!)" banners and educated her Vacation Bible School about the need for supplies and dental education.

How has your troop helped the local community this year? Email your story and pictures to kkuhnhausen@girlscouts-ssc.org.

Halloween is a time for ghosts, goblins and…Girl Scouts?

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 20:09:00 +0000

On October 31 in 1860, Girl Scout founder, Juliette Gordon Low, was born in Savannah, Georgia. "Daisy," as she was affectionately called by family and friends, formed the first Girl Scout troop in 1912. Every year, Girl Scout councils around the nation celebrate October 31 as Founder’s Day. Troops from every state hold celebrations to honor Juliette and her passion for Girl Scouting.

Pocatello troop 564 celebrated this year with cupcakes and a history of Juliette Gordon Low. Troop Leader Autumn M. dressed up as Juliette complete with authentic 1900’s attire and 100 year old shoes. Service Unit 55 in Meridian held a 1912 style birthday celebration complete with period costumes.

Some troops used Founder’s Day to honor one of the core tenants of Girl Scouting: community service. Twin Falls troop 47 and Service Unit 19 collected more than 100 pairs of new and gently used pajamas to donate to the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program and Valley Health. Seventy Girl Scouts brought their donations to a pajama party where they made ghost lollipops, crafts and played a variety of games.

How did your troop/Service Unit celebrate?

Did You Know?

On Juliette’s wedding day in 1886, a piece of rice thrown in celebration became lodged in her ear. When the doctor tried to remove it, he permanently damaged her left ear drum.
Money was needed to keep Girl Scouts afloat so Juliette sold the pearl necklace her husband had given her as a wedding present.
Juliette was 52 years old when she created Girl Scouts.
In childhood, Juliette was known for taking in stray dogs and cats which earned her the nickname, “Crazy Daisy”.
In 1979, Juliette was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.

Girl Scouts give back to their community and complete the Daisy Flower Garden Journey!

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 20:12:00 +0000

Daisy Troop 602 have been busy bees in the garden completing their Welcome to the Daisy Flower Garden Journey!

Over the course of the Journey, the troop from Three Creek, Idaho not only learned how to care for a garden, but also learned leadership, teamwork, responsibility, and the importance of community service.

The first part of their journey involved planting lettuce, parsley, and peas in their mini-garden. Daisies quickly learned that if they didn't water their plants, they wouldn't sprout. This taught girls to be responsible for what they do, which in turn helped them earn the Watering Can Award.

To earn the Golden Honey Bee Award, the girls had to take action through a gardening effort to make the world a better place. One of the Brownies suggested planting apple trees at Three Creek School as a community service project. A portion of the troop’s cookie money supported the project and the girls planted 2 gala apple trees. "I learned how to plant and water apple trees," said Daisy Katie. "And I learned how deep the hole needs to be."

The girls also worked with teacher Dena Pollock to implement a community garden at Three Creek school. They learned about permaculture and worm composting with Rusty Bowman of Earthen Exposure as well as grew ladybugs for the Three Creek School community garden.

They also took a field trip to Tubbs Berry Farm in Twin Falls to learn about apiaries where the Daisies discovered the importance of honey bees, which is crucial in a Daisy Flower Garden.

To complete the journey and earn the Amazing Daisy Award, the Daisies planned their garden party at the end of our Court of Awards. They requested veggies, honey butter sandwiches (cut with a Daisy cookie cutter), apples, and V8 Splash Berry Blend juice. The troop leaders also decided to host an ice cream party with the girls making ice cream in a bag.

The Color Run Returns to Boise on August 24, 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 00:19:00 +0000

The 2012 Color Run in Boise was a blast for runners and volunteers from the Girl Scouts of Silver Sage. We were chosen as the charity partner again for the 2013 event on August 24th. All Girl Scout members, families and friends get a $5 discount off the registration price and the Silver Sage Council gets a portion of the funds raised from the event. How cool is that? No wonder The Color Run is the Happiest 5K on the Planet! Visit our web page at www.girlscouts-ssc.org for information.

With no winners or official times, The Color Run celebrates healthiness, happiness, and individuality. It brings the Boise community together to create a 5K canvas of colorful FUN in which thousands of participants are doused from head to toe in different colors at each kilometer. Visit their website at www.thecolorun.com and be sure to like them on Facebook and follow them on You Tube too. Then, sign up as an individual or team runner or event volunteer. You'll be glad you did!

Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Donates Cookies to Area Nonprofits

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 23:21:00 +0000

Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Donates Cookies to Area Nonprofits

Girl Scouts of Silver Sage cookie manager Clint Kofoed and
Idaho Foodbank driver Terry Kindall load 250 cases of donated cookies.

The Girl Scout Cookie season wrapped up in May and now the Silver Sage Council is busy delivering remaining cookies to area churches, schools, and nonprofit organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club of Ada County and of Nampa, Ronald McDonald House, Interfaith Sanctuary, Life’s Kitchen, and The Arc. Altogether, 1,023 cases (12,276 boxes) will be donated to 20 organizations by the end of this week.

The Idaho Foodbank and American Red Cross will receive 250 cases and 200 cases respectively. The Girl Scouts of Silver Sage also partnered with the American Red Cross during the spring cookie season to offer “Cookies from the Heart.” Through the program, Girl Scout cookie buyers can donate cookies they purchase to the American Red Cross of Boise and Treasure Valley. These donations benefit disaster victims, military members and their families, blood donors, and domestic disaster relief efforts.

Each year, the Silver Sage Council orders about 700,000 boxes of cookies from Little Brownie Bakers. Girls and troops take orders from friends and family in February, then fulfill those orders in March. In April, troops blanket the community to sell cookies to the general public. They set up education and sales booths outside high traffic stores, such as Albertsons, Walgreens, Paul’s Market, Walmart and Fred Meyer.

The annual Girl Scout Cookie season usually lasts only three months, but was extended through May this year due to poor weather in April. Most years end with some excess inventory, and these delicious boxes of Thin Mints, Samoas, Tagalongs, Do-Si-Dos, Trefoils and Savannah Smiles are donated to local organizations that help families and communities in need.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program is designed to help girls grow into leaders of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place. The five skills the girls learn through cookies sales – goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, business ethics - are a key ingredient in the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

Girl Scouts of Silver Sage serves more than 5,000 girl members, 2,300 adult volunteers, and 400 troops in southern Idaho and parts of eastern Oregon and northern Nevada. The Girl Scout Leadership Experience includes several pathways for participation, including summer camps, series programs, travel opportunities, and troop activities for girl members and adult volunteers. To learn more, visit www.girlscouts-ssc.org.

Girl Scouts Honored with Two AEP Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 22:09:00 +0000

Girl Scouts Honored with Two AEP Awards

Maureen O’Toole Named CEO of Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Council

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Thu, 02 May 2013 00:36:00 +0000

Maureen O’Toole Named CEO of Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Council

The Girl Scouts of Silver Sage has selected Maureen O’Toole to serve as the Council’s new Chief Executive Officer. She brings expertise in team building, training, strategic planning, business systems, public speaking, and organizational mission, vision and values alignment.

“We are excited to welcome Maureen to this important leadership position,” said Icon Credit Union CEO Connie Miller, who is chair of the Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Board of Directors. “She brings tremendous drive and a passion for helping youth identify and develop their potential.”

A retired military intelligence officer and public school teacher, O’Toole created and taught teen leadership classes and partnered with Idaho youth organizations to provide training. “Girl Scout programs are designed to help develop girls as leaders and build confidence by learning critical skills for success in the real world,” she said. “I can’t imagine a better place to be.”

O’Toole earned a BA in Anthropology from The College of William and Mary in Virginia, a BA in Bilingual Elementary Education from Boise State University, Idaho, and a Master’s of Organizational Leadership from George Fox University, Idaho campus. She is also certified as a Franklin-Covey facilitator.

She served in the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Reserves for 25 years, holding two command positions and earning the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. While in the military, she studied organizations and systems in depth in order to predict behavior.

Maureen’s 17 years as a teacher included private tutoring, private music instruction, K-8 curriculum and Spanish instruction. Leveraging off civilian and military teaching experiences, she created a leadership curriculum and instruction program to teach individual and group leadership and soft business skills.

Specifically, her program helped youth: Identify gifts, talents and potential; set specific goals to creating powerful, positive lives; and participate in small group problem-solving and teamwork. She partnered with local youth-centric organizations to build leadership boot camps and, over the course of four years, these programs impacted over 700 Boise youth.

In her role as CEO of the Girl Scouts of Silver Sage, O’Toole will provide strategic and tactical direction to achieve the organization’s critical goals, which include outreach and collaboration with community partners, increased visibility and financial sustainability, membership recruitment and retention, and constituent engagement.

Maureen started at the Girl Scouts of Silver Sage on April 29, 2013. “I see this position as a perfect intersection of my professional background and passion for helping youth reach their potential with the Girl Scout mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place,” she said.

Having it All: Girls & Financial Literacy

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:55:00 +0000

While lack of financial literacy is a growing concern for everyone today, relatively little research has been done on how young people think about and experience money and finances, with even fewer studies focusing on girls specifically. To address this gap, the Girl Scout Research Institute conducted a nationwide survey with over 1,000 girls ages 8−17 and their parents to better understand girls' level of financial literacy and their confidence about, attitudes towards, and experiences with money. Having It All: Girls and Financial Literacy reveals that girls need and want financial literacy skills to help them achieve their dreams, with 90 percent saying it is important for them to learn how to manage money. However, just 12 percent of girls surveyed feel "very confident" making financial decisions. Learn more about the financial literacy study. You'll find the summary and full report, along with the Girl Scouts Financial Empowerment Program materials here: http://www.girlscouts.org/research/publications/financial_literacy/

Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Donation Page is Active on Idaho Gives Campaign Website. Schedule Your Donation for May 2, 2013 Today!

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 18:44:00 +0000

On May 2nd, Idahoans will come together for a day of giving to support the nonprofits in communities across our state. From midnight -11:59pm a share of every dollar raised by Idaho nonprofits will be matched with funds from the Idaho Gives award pool. In addition, the top five organizations with the most unique donors (nonprofits are divided by size) will receive bonus grants of $3,000, $1,000, $500, $250, and $250 respectively.

Please help the Girl Scouts of Silver Sage raise $10,000 for our programs!

What can you do to spread the word about Idaho Gives?

•Like and follow Idaho Gives on Facebook and Twitter. Share the posts with friends.
•Promote Girl Scouts of Silver Sage participation in your emails, website, newsletters, groups and forums.
•Post flyers and hand out post cards with our donation page QR code at your workplace, school, church or club meetings (find these at the Girl Scouts of Silver Sage website: www.girlscouts-ssc.org on the Idaho Gives web page)
•Like the Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Facebook fan page. Follow our Blogger posts.
•Subscribe to our Girl Scouts of Silver Sage You Tube Channel. Follow us on Twitter.
•Tell your friends and family about Idaho Gives, even if they don't live in Idaho. They can schedule a donation for May 2nd so they don't forget about the incredible day of giving.
• Visit the Girl Scouts of Silver Sage donation page at www.idahogives.razoo.com and search for Girl Scouts.

If your company would like to offer a matching gift to the Girl Scouts of Silver Sage to encourage more donations on May 2, please contact Mary Ann at mreuter@girlscouts-ssc.org for details.

Silver Sage Council Girl Scout Cookie Booth Sales Begin Friday, April 5

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 00:16:00 +0000

Cookie Manager Clint Kofoed (aka the "Cookie Man") and Jeannie Pattan, program manager, staff the Silver Sage Council "cookie cupboard" in Boise. They will help troops load up their cookie supplies for booth sales, April 5 through April 21. Only a few short weeks to buy Girl Scout Cookies in southern Idaho!

BOISE – There’s more to Girl Scout Cookies than what’s in the box. That’s the message on every package of cookies sold by over than 400 Silver Sage Council troops this season. Some 3,500 girls will be selling Girl Scout cookies from community booths in southern Idaho beginning Friday, April 5.

Visit www.girlscoutcookies.org and enter your zip code in the “cookie finder” to locate a booth near you. The cookie finder is also available as a downloadable Smartphone app from the site. Booth sales end on April 21.

The Girl Scouts of Silver Sage is also sponsoring a 5 for 5 Cookie Contest this year. Customers who buy five boxes of cookies are entered into a contest with a chance to win five cases premium favorites, including Thin Mints, Samoas, Tagalongs, Do-Si-Dos, Trefoils and Savannah Smiles. Look for details on the Silver Sage website: www.girlscouts-ssc.org. Freeze the extra cookies to serve for the holidays!

The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led business in the world. The new cookie box describes the five financial literacy and entrepreneurship skills the program teaches. These critical skills - goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics - will last girls a lifetime. Did you know that 80% of women business owners in the U.S. are former Girl Scouts?

To learn more about the local Girl Scout Cookie Program and the 5 Skills and Girl Scout Leadership Outcomes, visit the Girl Scout Cookie page on the Silver Sage website.

Girl Scouts of Silver Sage 2013 Annual Conference is April 26 and 27

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 21:05:00 +0000

Girl Scouts of Silver Sage 2013 Annual Conference

Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27

Courtyard by Marriott, Meridian, Idaho

Friday workshops for volunteers, followed by a fundraiser/social on Friday night. Two keynote speakers on Saturday, plus a luncheon/awards ceremony and annual membership meeting. A highlight of the annual conference is the opportunity to honor and inspire our fabulous Girl Scout volunteers. Please plan to join the celebration!

Visit our conference web page at www.girlscouts-ssc.org for details.

Idaho Girl Scout Cookie Tax Exemption Legislation Hits a Roadblock in Democracy

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 21:06:00 +0000

Opinion by Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Council

It might be difficult for a girl studying political history in middle or high school to understand this, let alone a Girl Scout Daisy, but the governmental process allows for one person (a committee chairman) in the Idaho State Legislature to essentially vote for an entire committee by not allowing a bill to even have a hearing.

The committee hearing is part of a democratic process that allows a group proposing changes to state law to present their case, the committee members to discuss it, and these lawmakers, representing their constituents, to vote yes or no to send a bill out of committee to the full House of Representative or Senate for consideration.

In the case of the Girl Scout Cookie Program sales tax exemption, after passing unanimously through the House Revenue and Tax Committee to the full House of Representatives, where HB 250 passed without discussion by a 59-11 vote on March 19, 2013, the bill is being held by the Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee Chair, Senator Jeff Siddoway. Without a hearing, the bill will die.

With just one week left in this Legislative Session, Chairman Siddoway has yet to allow testimony on the bill to exclude the Girl Scouts from paying sales tax on the Girl Scout Cookie Program. Idaho is one of only two states to tax this financial literacy curriculum that teaches goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics.

The Girl Scouts want a hearing. We deserve the right to present our case. The committee members need the opportunity to vote on the matter. It’s unfair for one person to disrupt the democratic process by holding the bill in a desk drawer. It is bad policy and a bad example to Girl Scouts, who represent our future leaders, not to hold the hearing.

Please tell your legislators that all we want is a hearing. We encourage our supporters to email Senator Siddoway, Senator Hill, Senator Davis, Senator Fulcher and Senator Winder, all of Senate Leadership. EMAIL NOW at these email addresses: jsiddoway@senate.idaho.gov, bhill@senate.idaho.gov, bdavis@senate.idaho.gov, cwinder@senate.idaho.gov, rfulcher@senate.idaho.gov. Urge them to allow the democratic process to take place by a vote.

Cookie Season is Almost Here!

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 19:55:00 +0000

Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Cookie Season Starts Tomorrow!

It's that exciting time of year again! Preorders for Girl Scout cookies start tomorrow, February 15 for delivery in March! Public booth sales will begin in April.

Cookies are More Than What's in the Box
Everyone knows how delicious Girl Scout cookies are, but not everyone realizes how much of an impact the experience of cookie selling has on a girl.

When you purchase your box (or 5) of your favorite Girl Scout cookies, you are providing an excellent opportunity for girls to learn how to set goals, make decisions, manage money, improve people skills and learn about business ethics.  Not only that, but girls earn "Cookie Dough" from your purchase that helps fund troop projects, summer camp tuition,and basic Girl Scout costs!

How to Buy Cookies
As you can tell, a successful cookie season isn't just measured by the amount of boxes sold, but also by the lessons and skills each girl learns through planning, setting goals, and engaging in quality interactions with buyers. Check out this cool that helps cookie buyers make sure that each Girl Scout gets the most out of her cookie selling experience.

See How Far Cookie Dough Can Go!
It may seem like a daunting task for a girl to approach hundreds, if not thousands of people, to buy Girl Scout cookies but when you set a goal and see how far it can take you, it makes it much easier. Just ask Nickee B.

“Selling Girl Scout cookies may seem hard, and I'm not saying it's easy, but if the right steps are taken it becomes easier,” Nickee recounts, “I remember how hard it was going out on the weekends in the freezing cold and knocking on every door. But I learned to observe who actually bought from me, who answered their doors, when people were home, and what other neighborhoods I could sell from too.”

Nickee had set cookie sales goals high because she knew, with a little help from her parents and some sisterly advice, where she wanted to go and what she needed to succeed. She planned to earn enough to go on a destination.

“I wanted to go on a destination because my sister had before me and she still hasn’t stopped talking about it. I just became old enough to go on one and my parents wanted me to learn from raising money and earning the destination.”

Nickee has recently been accepted to the Adrenaline Rush Destination. She will spend a week with 23 thrill seekers from around the county engaging in high adventure activities around greater Atlanta. She will get to raft the Ocoee River, fly through the air on zip lines, paddle lakes and ride horses in the Appalachian foothills. She will get to top all that excitement off with man-made thrills at one of the world class amusement parks in Atlanta.

So how did she do it? Here are a few tips from this seasoned selling pro of 13 years old:
·         Make a goal, not just cookie sales, but what you can do with Cookie Dough afterward!
·          Let customers know what you’re doing with your proceeds
·         Get as much pre-selling as possible. Sell to your relatives, friends, door to door.
·         Observe who buys, who answers doors, and when they are home.
·          Next is cookie booths sales, be at as many booths as you can possibly manage.
·         When you are selling be really friendly. Just keep smiling!

Nickee’s last little bit of wisdom for girls, “You will not only learn from selling, but you’ll enjoy the trip more, it will have more significance to you.”

Help Local Girl Scouts Help Others in the Community

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 18:55:00 +0000

In the summer of 2012, Sergeant Michael McConnel, stationed in Sinai, Egypt, opened the four packages he received from his aunt in Ontario, Oregon.

“As soon as everyone saw them they were drawn to them like flies to honey,” Sgt McConnel wrote in a thank you note to the Ontario Girl Scout troop who sent several boxes of Thin Mints, Samoas and Tagalongs to the Multinational Force and Observers, an independent international peacekeeping organization.

The cookies were donated through the Gift of Caring program, in which troops can donate cookies to nonprofit groups or other humanitarian causes. It’s one of many community service projects that helps build girls of courage, confident and character – the mission of Girl Scouts.

Girl Scouts of Silver Sage is able to provide such opportunities to girls in improving the well-being of our communities and country through generous contributions from individuals like you.

With the holiday season already in full swing, many of us choose this time of year to donate to local charities and organizations. A financial donation to Girl Scouts of Silver Sage ensures all our girls, regardless of financial situation, can experience all that Girl Scouting has to offer.

Top Five Ways Your Gift Will Benefit Our Girls:

1. Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE) – In this over-arching program, girls build self-esteem, confidence, independence and life-long leadership skills.

2. Camperships – Every girl deserves the opportunity to experience Girl Scout Camp. Camp sponsorships remove financial barriers so all interested girls can attend one of many camp sessions each summer.

3. Visions – This in-school program for 4th-6th grade girls centers on age-appropriate topics such as Self Identity, Family & Community, Bullying, Body Image and Healthy Relationships.

4. STEM – The STEM program encourages girls interested in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math to explore these fields.

5. Travel – Girls have opportunities to travel across the country with their troops and independently around the world through the destinations program.

Girl Scouts of Silver Sage offers many opportunities for girls to become strong, capable and independent women. To donate to these programs and learn more about them, please visit our website at girlscouts-ssc.org. Click the Donate! button at the top of the page to make your tax-deductible contribution.

Selina Carver,
Director of Development
Girl Scouts of Silver Sage

Reflections of a Troop Leader

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 23:54:00 +0000

Excerpt from November 2011 issue
Treasure Valley Family Magazine
Publisher’s Thoughts, “The ‘Out’ in Scout”

I’ve been fortunate to have the time (and at one time, the energy!) to be involved with the many activities our daughter was engaged in throughout her life: sports, music, book clubs, and dance, just to name a few. But the one activity that has left the fondest memories for me was being the leader of Brownie Troop 54. When I look through our scrapbook and photos, I reflect back on all the fun things we did in our community and the friendships that we made.

Kathryn Buckingham

We marched in the Veterans Day parade and donated our time to help local groups, the Christmas Shoebox, and Heifer International. We attended performances, participated in a national postcard exchange with other Scouts, studied careers, went rock climbing, hiked and camped. We sold Girl Scout cookies every winter to help the girls learn about money management and fund our troop’s field events, crafts, crafts, and projects. Our vests and sashes were adorned with a variety of badges, pins, and honors.

Fortunately I’m still connected to many of the girls, adult leaders, and friends that I made along the way. It warms my heart occasionally hear a girl say to me, “Remember when we…?”

Liz Buckingham and Kathryn,
celebrating her 18th birthday in
Germany, June 2012

After I was a leader, I volunteered for the Visions© program offered then through the Girl Scouts. Its focus was self-esteem, respect, breaking through barriers and clichés, and preparing for the middle school years. You never know the impact you might have as a volunteer, but I hope, for this different group of girls, that it was a positive experience and offered some help for personal development.

Liz Buckingham, Publisher
www.treasurevalleyfamily.com

Top 10 Holiday Picks from the Girl Scout Store

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 21:59:00 +0000

by Uschi De Rose, Store Manager

Now is the time to stock up for the holidays with gifts for your troop or girl scout, so stop in to shop at the Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Council Store or visit us on the website at www.girlscouts-ssc.org.

If you shop between December 3 and December 17, you will receive a free Girl Scout water bottle with any purchase totaling $40 or more (in stock items only, excludes sale merchandise).

Our Top 10 Holiday Picks are:

1. Reversible Laptop Case $32.00

2. Quilted bag $20.00

3. Pewter Heart Girl Scout Ornament $16.50

4. Webkinz Stuffed Animal $6.00

5. Holiday Snowman Pin $1.25

6. Year of the Girl Glass Ornament $20.00

7. Holiday Patches (variety) $1.00

8. I Love Girl Scouts Lanyard $4.00

9. Giraffe Design Journal $6.00

10. LED Carabiner $2.50

Best wishes for a safe and joyful holiday season, and happy shopping!

Also, be sure to check out this playful store promotion video produced by cadettes in Troop #44. These girls earned digital movie maker badges for their production, posted to the Girl Scouts of Silver Sage You Tube Channel.

The Five Best Things About Being a Camp Counselor

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 20:08:00 +0000

My summer as a camp counselor was one of the most memorable, meaningful and worthwhile summers of my life. But it was not always easy. I had bad days, I got overwhelmed, I laughed, I cried, I laughed until I cried, and sometimes things didn’t go as planned. But despite it all, being a counselor is one of the best ways to spend a summer.

Here are the five best things about being a camp counselor (in no particular order):

The Kids
Children are some of the funniest, quirkiest, and best people to be around. I think it’s safe to say that I learned just as much, if not more, from the kids as the kids learned from me. It’s incredible to see the potential and ability of each child and working with them is electrifying. Campers will challenge your creativity, keep you on your toes, crack you up, and surprise you every day.

The Camp Experience
Who wouldn’t want to spend the summer horseback riding, kayaking, performing skits, swimming, canoeing, singing, painting, weaving, crafting, and just acting silly all day every day? The beauty of being a camp counselor is that you get to go to camp too. It is thrilling to be able to spend every day outside, being active, and having fun.

The Lovely People
Camp introduced me to some seriously wonderful individuals and lifelong friends. After months of being around the same people everyday, we bonded quickly and really got to appreciate each other’s differences and quirks. It’s both beautiful and strange how close we became by the end of the summer and how close we all remain even after camp. (p.s. I miss my camp family!)

The Gratification
Camp counselors can make a huge difference in a child’s life. It is incredibly rewarding to be able to help make a child’s summer memorable. You will also see first hand how much these kids grow and learn over the week. You watch them conquer their fears, come out of their shells, explore their creativity, make friends, learn new skills and become stronger individuals. It is an amazing feeling to know that you played a part in that.

The Personal Growth
Camp is just as valuable for a counselor as it is for a camper. I’ve never worked as hard or as much as I did at camp and I've never grown so much over such a short period of time. I learned how to push my limits, communicate clearer, think on the spot, go with the flow and how to not let the little things get me down. I learned to take things as they come and everything will always work out.

Being a camp counselor is a fantastic experience. Sure, I had to clean up puke every once in a while or jump into a lake at seven in the morning and or work long, jam-packed days, but at the end of the summer, I feel like a better person for it.

-Iris, 2012 Silver Sage Girl Scouts Camp Counselor

Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Council is holding a summer "Survivor Camp!"

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 15:37:00 +0000

Girl Scout Camp...Bear Grylls Style!

Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Council is holding its 2nd annual "Survivor Camp” for girls in grades 6-8 at Camp Alice Pittenger in McCall, ID. This year it will be held August 8-13, 2010.

At “Survivor Camp” girls will be in an all-girl environment as they participate in and learn about a wide range of outdoor survivor skills. They’ll find their inner “Bear Grylls” as they search for and identify indigenous plants and learn which are safe to eat. They’ll take nature hikes and learn how to preserve local animal’s natural habitats. Girls will work as a group to build outdoor shelters and obstacle courses. They’ll cook outdoors by the fire and experience Perseids, the August meteor shower on August 12!

Only 30 spots are available. Registration fee is $300. Financial assistance is available. Call Carol Ashton at (208) 377-2011 or email her at cashton@girlscouts-ssc.org to register by June 30, 2010.

Learn more about all of the wonderful summer camp opportunities, view camp sessions, dates, and pricing at www.girlscouts-ssc.org. Financial assistance is available.

Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Council Camp Can Dreams Into Reality!

noreply@blogger.com (Girl Scouts of Silver Sage) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 17:50:00 +0000

Has your daughter dreamed of waterskiing, hiking up and over a majestic mountain, experiencing horseback riding, or singing songs with new friends around a campfire? Or, maybe she's dreamed of being part of a community surrounded by others who accept her for her?

Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Council offers two resident camps for all girls, regardless of whether they are a current Girl Scout.

Camp Alice Pittenger (CAP) is a cabin-style camp located near Ponderosa State Park in McCall, Idaho. Nestled among the majestic pines on the shores of Payette Lake, CAP focuses on water activities, including swimming, sailing, waterskiing, wake boarding, lake kayaking, and canoeing. Girl also explore arts and sciences while being responsible stewards of the land.

Pine Creek Ranch (PCR) is a dormitory-style camp located in the Salmon/Challis National Forest near Shoup, Idaho. PCR focuses on horse activities, as well as learning about local flora and fauna, and taking ownership of the majestic Idaho outdoors. Swimming is not available at this camp.

One of the many different pathways into Girl Scouting is through camp. Through camp, your daughter will DISCOVER by engaging in activities to support a greater understanding of herself, and she'll use her knowledge and skills to explore the world. She'll CONNECT through participating in activities that express a sense of caring locally and globally, and she'll TAKE ACTION by engaging in activities to make a difference in the world.

To learn more about Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Council camps, visit http://girlscouts-ssc.org/girls/girlscoutcamp.aspx