VISTA 12:

VISTA 12 Leader Meeting Agenda / Minutes

February 8, 2007

·        Welcome

Patricia introduced the new VISTA Manager/United Way Ambassador – Deana W

Deana expressed her commitment and confidence in The Hub and hopes that everyone will start fresh and wipe the slates clean. Deana discussed her very positive meeting with Rosita from council in which she discovered that former representation from The Hub was misinforming our leaders of many things. She specifically brought up the Crystal Tobias fiasco for the Zion/Beach Park/Winthrop Harbor leaders where we were told we could not attend services for Crystal as Girl Scouts as per New York. This was not true and Rosita was appalled that we were given this information.

Deana has trained 4 new leaders in Zion/Beach Park/Winthrop Harbor, Margaret: one new leader in Waukegan and Patricia: four new Daisy leaders in Waukegan since the last meeting. One of the new troops is a 4^th grade troop for Zion who is looking for more girls! Hooray!!!

All leaders at the meeting were asked to complete the GS Adult Volunteer Agreement. These forms are supposed to be completed each year for anyone who volunteers with Girl Scouts. 

·        Events update 

January - Mother/Daughter Event to see "The Wizard of Oz"

Saturday, January 27 at 10:00 a.m.

Updates – Patches – Michelle is working on a custom design for the patch. She will either have patches or a status on the patches by the next leader meeting.

Patricia wanted to make sure that leaders are aware that per GSUSA (National Girl Scouts) leaders are not supposed to work directly with patch companies. There is an “approved listing” of patch vendors in which we can purchase patches through by working with the Girl Scout Shop at The Hub. If GSUSA finds a patch company working directly with leaders, the company will be removed from the National GSUSA Sponsored Patch Company listing. 

February - World Friendship Day/Thinking Day

Saturday, February 24, 2007 at Abbott Middle School, Waukegan

E-mail Laura H to let her know which country your troop wants to present. The maximum number of duplicate countries allowed will be limited to two.

Bring a canned food item for entry, $1 for patch.

Updates – Setup is at Noon, event starts at 12:30 p.m. Everyone must enter from the side door. There are not very many electrical outlets, so if you need electricity, please bring extension cords. There are currently 19 countries being represented. All troops should bring their own passports and drinks for your girls. If you are providing a craft, please set your booth up near the bleachers. Patches will be available at the door.

A Saturday performance of Wicked is also scheduled for Saturday, February 24 for those who have tickets for that date.
Notes for those who have not gone, it is very easy to take the train. $5 for a weekend pass and kids are free. Taxi from the station to the theater was $6 approx. There is parking behind the theater which is approx. $22. Programs are $20, T-shirts are $40, candy and bottled water $3 each. We were told that the seats were not bad, it is a smaller theater & that the performance was “AWESOME”.

Annual Corporate Meeting – need two representatives from each community to attend on Saturday, February 24. Breakfast is served. Teen girls are welcome to come. The meeting will held at the Weston Hotel in Wheeling from 8:30 a.m. - Noon.

We have 6 representatives going to the meeting and a number of people receiving awards this day. 

March - Ice Skating is being planned by Laticia S

Updates – Laticia was not at the meeting will send updates when they are available.

CPR / First Aid Training – The Zion/Beach Park/Winthrop Harbor leaders utilized the Gurnee Fire Department for training last year. Donna D is setting up dates for the 1 hour CPR renewal, 3 hour CPR and First Aid training. The fee is $10 per person (special reduced Girl Scout rate). She is requesting a Saturday in March. Anyone who signs up needs to make sure they attend. At least one leader from every troop should have both CPR and First Aid training.

April - Father/Daughter Dance; planned by Deana W. Need additional Volunteers

 Updates – The Father/Daughter event has been changed to a Chicago Wolves game at the Allstate Arena. Michelle F will work on the details and provide them at the next meeting.

Sleepover/lock-in is being planned by Valerie H
Updates – Valerie contacted many possible facilities. The most promising and best variety of activities for the girls seems to be the YMCA in Palatine. The person who coordinates these events has been hard to reach, so Valerie will provide more information once it is available.

LEO – April 20^th. There are a number of leaders from the Waukegan and North Chicago areas going to this. Following is the link for more information and to register: http://www.ilcrossroads.org/Calendar/EventDetails.jsp?EventType=TRAINING&EventSubType=&AgeCat=ADULT&EventInstID=1213

May - Racine Zoo Camping

May 12 & 13

Girls bring their own tents.  Girls are divided up into groups to work at various stations.  All adults must stay in the tents - NO CAR CAMPING.  There is shelter in the event of severe weather conditions.

Updates – The Zoo permission slips are due back to Sue M NO LATER than March 9^th. These must be turned into the Zoo or your girls cannot attend. Sue has already sent these out. If you have not turned them in please contact Sue as soon as possible.

June - Leader Daughter Event / Lake Geneva River Boat

We need someone else to plan this event.

Updates – Jennifer G is taking over the planning of this event. Thanks Jennifer.

August - Family Picnic

Updates – The park is scheduled for the 1^st weekend in August, date to be confirmed. Cindy W has planned this event for many years and has already started working on getting donations for the event. She asked for assistance from a Waukegan and North Chicago Leader due to the increased number of people attending. Margaret B and Linda B offered to help. Donna D has a parent who may be able to help provide activities for the girls.

Pool Party - Eilene R and Adrainne E are planning

            Updates – No new information

·        Jewel Window - Zion

            March – Angie J

            April – Regina I

            Call or e-mail Jessica

·        Master Roster – Margaret

Margaret is working on a master roster for the entire VISTA. Please check your troop listings and make sure that all information is correct. A list of leaders and contact information was passed around to confirm troop number, community, phone numbers and e-mail addresses. If you did not attend the meeting please forward this information to Christine to be added to the master e-mail distribution listing.

·        Storage Unit and Materials List

There is currently a storage unit with materials for use by the VISTA being paid for by The Hub. It was questioned the necessity of this unit.  Deana will discuss with Rosita where the money used for the unit will go if we choose to not keep the storage unit. 

·        Cookies / Site Sales

Cookie Pickups:

North Chicago – Lake County Fair Grounds, Feb. 20 no later than 4:00 p.m.

Waukegan – Community Christian Church, Feb. 17 from 9:00 a.m. to Noon

Zion/Beach Park/Winthrop Harbor – North Point Church, Feb. 19 starting at Noon or 1:00 p.m. (TBD) until 7:00 p.pm.

Site Sales: KEEP IT SIMPLE, please do not have more than 2 adults and 4 girls at any site sale. Make sure that the parents attending the sales are keeping girls under control and are themselves acting appropriately for a Girl Scout event. Deana and the Site Sale Coordinators will be doing drive bys due to the multitude of problems that have occurred in the past. Many sites have limited our times and dates this year due to past occurrences and corporate requirements. If you are not going to use a site, PLEASE contact your site sale coordinator. Sherllyn P has a cadette troop that would like any available sites. If you are not going to use your sites, please make them available to her. Site sales are open to everyone now. If there is another community or site you would like to try, please contact your site sale coordinator who can work directly with The Hub to set them up. If you are willing to travel, areas like Winnetka and Glencoe have many sites available. Your site sale coordinator can set these up.

·        Vista Money

Money for new troops – Deana would like to see us charge at all VISTA events in order to develop a fund to help start up new troops. This will be discussed more at the mandatory meeting.

The VISTA account will be setup this week with Deana W, Laura H, and Margaret B as signers at the National City Bank in Zion. All monies from the former Services Units will be deposited into this account. We do not know how much money there is in the North Chicago unit and Patricia is working on it. She will update us at the next leader meeting.

·       Mandatory Meeting – March 31 at 11:00 a.m., pot luck lunch. All leaders must attend, if you cannot attend, you must send a representative for your troop. Many items will be discussed. More information will come on place and additional discussion items. If you have items for the agenda, please e-mail Christine

Getting Organized

            Training Records – Bring copies of all training records.

Bank Account Information – Bring bank account information, including signers and balance.

            School Organizers / Fill Positions

            Vote on date and time for leader meetings

Open Positions

Girl Membership Ambassador

Family Involvement Ambassador

Learning Opportunities Ambassador

Multi-Cultural Ambassador

Community Sponsorship Ambassador

School Coordinators

It is very important for leaders to attend meetings in order to get your voice heard. If you do not come to the meetings and vote on issues it is unfair for you to complain about an issue.

·        Update from GSUSA

Council: Due to the merge of 7 smaller councils, the council’s name is changing from Illinois Crossroads to Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana. Everyone will need new IDs next year.

Saturday, March 10th The Hub will be holding an event for Girls ages 11-17 from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for the girls to learn how to plan an event.  The cost is $5 per participant for pizza and snacks.  Girls will have the opportunity to meet other Girl Scouts, watch a movie, enjoy snacks and learn the tricks of the trade from a professional Event Planner.