It's Girl Scout Cookie Time!

Let's Make It a Hit! Girl Scouts are now taking orders for Girl Scout cookies! Cookies will be delivered beginning February 23 and sold at various booth locations until March 9. Don't forget to sign up as a Cookie Hotline troop! Questions - contact your area Cookie Manager or Hem Sheth, product sales director, at (504) 733-8220, ext. 235.

Girl Scout troops who distribute and collect the most completed alumnae cards during the booth sale will earn a free weekend at CWP. Cards will be available when picking up your troop cookie order.

Adult recognition deadline Jan. 16.

Is there someone that went above and beyond to help your troop or service unit this year? Now is the time to thank them for all that they have done. We are accepting applications for the Appreciation Pin, Honor Pin, Thanks Badge, Thanks Badge II, Outstanding Leader, and Outstanding Volunteer. The Council level recognition applications forms are online, and January 16, 2008 is the deadline. Let's make sure we recognize our volunteers!

Realignment News

Here's the latest from the Council Realignment Committee's last meeting (1/10/08):

• The CRC is proud to announce the selection of the new Council name: Girl Scouts of Louisiana East.
• The new Council's by-laws and articles of incorporation have been approved.
• No existing council services will be interrupted during and after the realignment of the two Councils.

Teen Girl Scouts publish book

There’s a new book available on amazon.com, published by teen Girl Scouts in northern Virginia, titled “The Glacier Chronicles: Bear Angst, B.O. and Cell Phone Withdrawal.” This humorous, sometimes-introspective look at seven girls’ backpack trip in Glacier National Park last summer is based on entries from the girls’ journals and sells for $16.99. Proceeds will help fund the girls’ backpacking trip to Scotland this summer.

Arbor Day events at CWP & Covington

Have fun at CWP’s Arbor Day with the whole family on Saturday, February 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.! Enjoy a family picnic and Arbor Day activities where, as members of a planting “crew,” Girl Scouts of all ages will help to plant longleaf pine seedlings. Both troop and family camping will be available, and families will be housed in separate accommodations. Cost is $5 per person and limited to 150 participants. If camping overnight, cost is $4 per person for program. All camping fees apply.

Junior – Senior Girl Scouts are invited to Camp Covington on Saturday, February 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to help replant our forest. Cost is $5 per person and limited to 150 participants. No camping at Covington.

Register for either/both events by completing an event registration form per event by January 25. Confirmations will be mailed by January 30. Each $5 fee includes site fee, program fees, and one patch per girl.

Troops Helping Troops at GIRLfest

Support the troops and earn the Troops helping Troops patch at GIRLfest! The Soldiers Angels and Molly Marines groups will be on hand at GIRLfest, Saturday, March 15, at CWP, to lead activities sure to lift the spirits of the brave men and women protecting our freedom. The U.S. Marines and the Army National Guard will be there with displays and presentations about the technology involved in the protection of our soldiers, as well as answering questions about today's military and other patch criteria. A Senior Girl Scout will conduct a flag etiquette demonstration as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project. Patches will be on hand for purchase after completing the program. 

A patch requirement is participation in the care package community service project. A list of items needed has been posted on the website. Girls will also be able to create personal greeting cards and personalized book marks and to pack the boxes. Funds to offset the cost of postage are needed. Flat rate boxes will cost approximately $9, so if each Girl Scout at GIRLFest is able to donate at least one quarter, we will be able to send out 14 care packages! 

There will be plenty of other activities at GIRLfest including live fishing demonstrations, arts and crafts, interactive presentations including fire safety, cheerleading and dancing, games, animals, and much more! Cadette and Senior troops are encouraged to volunteer by sharing their favorite arts and crafts or another activity with the younger Girl Scouts. Interested, contact the Program Department at (504) 733-8220, ext. 243 to get involved!  Cost to attend is $10 per girl and limited to a maximum capacity of 500. Registration deadline: February 23.

Goodwill Good Turn Day, March 8  

This year Goodwill Good Turn Day will be on Saturday, March 8. For many years Girl Scouts have been gathering clothes and household items for Goodwill Industries. Donation bags and door hanger announcements are available for pick up at the Council. The announcement hangers are great to distribute along with the delivery of cookies! The list of stores participating in this spring clean is posted here! For more information, contact the Program Department at (504) 733-8220, ext. 243.

Sign up for some fun events this winter

Don't forget to sign up early since programs fill up fast. Just a few of the events include:

• National Girls and Young Women Day at Tulane- February 10, 2 p.m. The cost is $4 for the game (youth), $8 for adults. Pre-game activities are free. Free T-shirts and bracelets will be passed out at the basketball game. To register, call William Thacker at Tulane at (504) 862-8223.

• Chemistry Fun Day for Brownies - February 16, 1:30 - 4:30 p.m., Loyola University. $8 per girl.

• Chemistry Fun Day for Juniors - March 1, 1:30-4:30 p.m., Loyola University, $8 per girl.

• Harlem Globetrotters - March 15, 11:30 a.m. New Orleans Arena. $15 per ticket (patch, handling extra). Deadline: February 22.

Change your World - Call for entries

Girl Scouts of the USA is searching for shining examples of how Girl Scouts are changing the world. Selected troops will be featured in the 2009 Girl Scout calendar.

Interested troops and/or individual girls should submit a summary of a project (completed between 2006 and now) that is impacting and improving the community and world, by email to the Council’s program department at kshipp@girlscoutssela.org by January 23.  Submissions must also include a minimum of two photos that would help bring the project to life. The Council will then select one project and forward it to Girl Scouts of the USA for consideration. Click here for more information and checklist.

Great American Bird Count of 2008

The National Audubon Society and Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology sponsor the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). The GBBC will take place February 15 – 18, 2008 and Girl Scouts from across the country have contributed important bird information to scientists by counting bird species in their areas.  Birding is a fun way to introduce girls to nature!  This activity can help girls earn some badges and interest projects as well as help scientists collect data! To get involved visit the website at www.birdsource.org/gbbc//howto.html