The March 2018 VINE

By Girl Scouts of Central Maryland on March 14, 2018 • ( Leave a comment )

Voices Count

You will soon receive an invitation to share your opinions with Girl Scouts of the USA.

GSUSA will survey troop leaders, Girl Scouts and their parents nationwide, beginning April 2 to better understand their experiences. The survey will measure members’ satisfaction, the effectiveness of Girl Scouts’ investment in technology intended to make members’ lives easier, and the impact of Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE) outcomes.

GSUSA will also conduct a national survey of Service Unit volunteers in mid-May, focusing on the relationship between SUs and councils, and the perceived needs and goals of SUs.

In light of the survey results from 2017, we’ve made a number of changes intended to help make Girl Scouting more purposeful and to make volunteering with Girl Scouts more satisfying. GSUSA will be sending the 2018 online Girl Scout Voices Count survey invitation early next month. Before you receive it, we want you to know that we are paying attention to what our members are saying; your voices do count.

Click here for the highlights of the 2017 survey and what we’ve done in response to member feedback.

Voting for the 2019 Early Bird patch design is OPEN!!

We received over 200 amazing entries in our Early Bird Patch contest from girls throughout our Council! The following are the top 3 entries. Please, only ONE vote per registered GSCM girl.

Click here to vote. Voting closes 3/18/2018.

Adult Learning

Troop First-Aid Volunteer Approval
In order for volunteers to be approved as a First-aider for their Troop, they must complete the following steps:

Become a registered and background checked Girl Scout member. If you cannot find the First-aider role, when you go to select a role in MYGS, please pick the Family & Friends role instead. We can add you to the First-Aider role, once we have received your form.
Have current first–aid and CPR certification. Please note: Certifications from online or hybrid courses are not accepted by GSCM.
Fill out the First-Aider Form found at http://www.gscm.org – Volunteer Resources — Troop —Troop First-Aider. Please note: you will be required to download a copy of your First Aid and CPR certification.

Adult Learning Roundup | May 19

So many great Adult trainings to pick from, but too hard to fit them all into your schedule? Sign up for the Adult Learning Roundup, where you can get up to 4 trainings/workshops in one day! You can pick from over a dozen trainings, including: Archery, First Aid/CPR, Event Planning, Girl Scout Traditions, Tent, Grade Level Trainings, and much more! Click here for details. | Register

Celebrate Women’s History Month with the Right To Vote Patch Program

In honor of Women’s History Month, we encourage troops and girls to celebrate the strong G.I.R.L.s that came before them by learning about the history of voting rights and why it’s important for all to vote. Through the Right to Vote patch program, girls discover how the right to vote was granted, why it is important and how it affects their everyday lives.

Click here to get the patch packet!

2018 ME2 Magazine & Nut Sale

This is a simple and easy e-commerce troop money earning opportunity that requires NO WORK on the part of the adult volunteers! That’s right…NO Work – Just promote it to the girls and let them send emails. The troop gets a check in April 2018 for 15% of their girl’s total sales. Every girl can participate in this exciting opportunity. Haven’t started yet? It’s not too late! Click here to get started.

Sale ends March 31^st.

Show your love for all G.I.R.L.s during our Family Partnership Campaign

It takes $350 annually to serve each Girl Scout in central Maryland. Membership fees are only $35 of that total amount. A gift to Family Partnership provides your daughter and other girls across our region a place to become a G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™.

For FAQs, click here.

To make a donation, click here.

Updates from Juliette’s Closet

It’s Our 106^th Birthday! Enjoy Free Shipping.
In Honor of Girl Scouts’ 106^th Birthday, shipping is on us when you order $75+ online through Girl Scout Week, Now to March 17, 2018.

Celebrate the G.I.R.L.s during March
Visit our GSCM stores and get the popular G.I.R.L. pullover hoodie for just $20 ($25 for adult sizes). Limited time offer while supplies last. Not valid online.

Order Your Camp Care Kit Now!

Click here to check out the 2018 camp care kit options. Order before June 1 to take advantage of early bird pricing!

Bridging Preparation
Congratulations to our bridging Girl Scouts! Bridging Kits are now available at our stores and online. The kit contains everything you need for checking off achievements – Girl Scout bridging certificate, iron-on award, Girl Scout Membership Star pin, membership disc and a new Bridging Pencil.

Annapolis Mall and Adult Roundup Express Delivery Service
Too busy to go to the store? GSCM Stores will be offering Express Delivery Service for volunteers who would like their orders delivered to them at the upcoming Annapolis Mall Lock-In and Adult Round Up Training at Camp Conowingo.Email membercare@gscm.org with your contact information, order details and subject line “Express Delivery Service”, we will pack your order and have them ready for you to pick up at the event. Yup, It’s that simple.

Highest Awards Updates

Gold Award Banquet – The Gold Award Banquet will be held on Sunday, April 29^th from 2-4pm at Martin’s East in Middle River. Invitations will be mailed to Gold Award Girl Scouts by mid-March. Girls must turn in their final reports by April 1 to qualify for this year’s Highest Awards banquet.

Girl Scout Bronze Award – GSCM now has an online leader verification form for troops that earn the Girl Scout Bronze Award. This way we can keep track of all of our amazing girls who are out in the community doing amazing things to earn their Highest Awards! If you have girls who have earned their Girl Scout Bronze Award, even if it was 1, 2, 3, or more years ago, please take a moment to complete the form .
Girl Scout Silver Award – The Girl Scout Silver Award process is now live online! All girls need to submit a Pre-approval Screening Form regardless of where you are in the process of completing your Silver Award.
Girl Scout Gold Award – Did you know that girls can schedule an appointment to present their Girl Scout Gold Award Proposal to the Gold Award Advisory Panel in person at one of their monthly meetings? This is an opportunity to make sure everyone hears exactly what the girls are trying to say in their proposals! Girls can email mygoldaward@gscm.org at least one week before the next meeting to request an appointment.

Easier Financial Reporting Through the VTK

The Financial Reporting System that has been in place for several years is retiring. In the coming months, the new Finance Tab in the VTK will launch. This means a single sign-on for troop leaders/co-leaders to access resources, plan activities, communicate with parents, check the troop roster and update troop finances.

In the meantime, check out the new Finance Planning Excel spreadsheet located in the Your Council section of the new Volunteer Resources tab. This tool will help you track your troop finances and help you prepare for the new Finance Tab.