VISTA 2:

1. Receive your Volunteer Essentials Training  at the end of the VISTA meeting.
2. Botanic Garden will visit and present their programs for Girl Scouts.
3. Troop 42661 will present their trip to Space Camp.
4. Several troops have earned their Bronze or Silver Awards.
5. Fall Product is underway.

October 13, 2009 VISTA 2 Meeting Minutes:

Couldn't make it to the Leader Meeting? Here is what you missed!

Next meeting: Monday, Nov. 9 at Longfellow School: 501 Arlington Hts. Road, Buffalo Grove from 7-8 pm.

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"The work of today is the history of tomorrow, and we are its makers." 
— Juliette Gordon Low

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Thank you Troop #42661 for hosting this months Bake Sale! Contact Julie G. if your troop would like to host the next bake sale.

Looking for an Outing event for your troop?

2BU Studios: An entertainment playground for kids. Children will build their confidence and creativity through many different offerings: recording, video production, book publishing, animation, and more. Located in Lincolnshire. Check out their website www.2BUStudios.com or call 847-276-2566.

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Troops Sharing their Accomplishments

Bronze Award – Kelly Wetle & Nina Strezewski, Troop #40025

Congrats to all the junior girls for earning their bronze award and sharing with us on how they achieved this great honor.

Space Camp – Troop #42661

These girls worked and earned their way to make their recent trip, Space Camp. They started their adventure spelunking through Mammoth Cave in Kentucky and then driving to Alabama to live like astronauts for six days. Thank you for sharing… looked like a blast!

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FALL PRODUCT PROGRAM  – Jan Grant (Fall Product Ambassador)

The Nut-E system is now ready. Troop Managers the log-in is: GCNWI Troop xxxxx (there is a space between GCNWI and Troop and a space between Troop and the 5-digit number). The password is Candy.

Please turn in your Fall Product Program papers before October 18 to your Fall Product Community Partner.

Product delivery date: Friday, November 13, location will be in Arlington Heights (Thank you so much, Heidi Graham for offering a location).

Troop Incentive has changed: When the troop averages a P.G.A. (per girl average) every girl in the troop who participated will receive their choice of an incentive. GSUSA did research for years and found this was the best marketing strategy to sell Fall Product. Please do not call the council (Vernon Hills Office) if you have concerns or comments regarding this matter, your voice might not be heard. Do fill the survey and turn in along with your papers to your Fall Product Community Partner.

Cookies or BUST!

We need your help to fill the following volunteer positions. If we do not have these positions filled our Vista will not be able to sell cookies! The more positions we fill, the easier it will be for everyone, including you! Please take a moment and look at the volunteer positions we need to fill our cookie team. Contact our Vista Managers if you any questions or would like to volunteer.

COOKIE AMBASSADOR: (2 adult volunteers or a high school troop willing to take this on for leadership.) The main contact source for the council and oversees cookie cabinet positions and paperwork.

COOKIE COMMUNITY PARTNERS: (4-5, one from each community.) Each community partner works with a Cookie Ambassador and assists with the distribution of cookie packets to all the troops in their area. Track and collect all paperwork for their area.

COMMUNITY SITE SALE COORDINATOR: (2-5, ideal to have one from each community.) Collect Site Sale form from the troops that will be participating and organize all requests for date, time, and locations.

COOKIE COMMUNITY DELIVER STATION COORDINATORS: (4-5, one from each community.) Locate a facility for the day of delivery. Organize, inventory, and assemble volunteers on the day of delivery. Older troops can help with this position.

COOKIE INCENTIVE COORDINATORS: This is the only job that is filled. A troop has volunteered to do this.

Cookie Dates to Know:

Theme: “Inspired by U”

Distributing Materials: December

Order-Taking Dates: January 3-23 (Jan. 24 orders are due to Cookie Partner)

Deliver Dates: February 15-20

Site Activity Dates: February 24 till March 14

Incentives: March/April

Troop Proceeds: Plan A: $.65/box with incentives or Plan B: $.75/box no incentives (available to Cadette, Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts only.) or Plan C: Camp Credit, no incentives. *Daisy, Brownie and Junior girls must take incentives.

Background Checks – Volunteer Application

All parent volunteers need to have a Volunteer Background check this includes any parent that drives the girls to an event, handle the troop bank accounts, and/or assist with Fall Product Program, Cookie Mom, or e-council database.

Not all volunteers need to be registered UNLESS they are driving and/or handling money. Registering does not automatically have a leader or parent background checked. Please update your troop, see attached Volunteer Application.

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Spring Registration Patches

If your troop registered before (or made a deposit by) July 31 of this year, your troop will receive a patch for each girl. Patches were distributed at the meeting. For those that were NOT at the meeting contact Julie B. to make arrangements to pick up your patches. If you have any questions regarding if your troop did received or are missing patches please contact your Registration Community Partner.

No More Panoramas???

Volunteer Essentials Books are replacing your current Panorama Books. If you did not pick up your copy at the meeting please contact Julie Barbakoff at julie_barbakoff@hotmail.com. Only one book per troop.

Why BUY when you can borrow from the Vista Storage Locker!

Take advantage of our Storage Locker, you can borrow Journey Books, STEM Kits, Songs, Tents, Flags, etc. Contact Julie Barbakoff at julie_barbakoff@hotmail.com for additional information and storage location.

The Council is no longer paying for our expense of a Storage Locker, we are asking each troop to pay $5 for the year to the Cluster 60 (Formally Vista2). Make checks to Vista2 for amount of $5.

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Up Coming Events!

Friday, November 6 & Friday, November 13:  Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus at Allstate Arena. 7 pm (doors open 4:45, clinic 5:15, preshow 6 pm— no clinic on Nov 13.) Offer expires October 30 at noon. www.ilcrossroads.org/vistas/2/events/detail/?eventid=2310

Saturday, November 7: Are you READY for the Road? GEICO Auto Event. Ages 11 – 18. (Code: 133) 12 – 5 pm at Collision Center of America, Naperville. $15 per girl includes a patch, goodies and snack. Register: www.girlscoutspw.org/program/search.php and enter in the program code.

Saturday, November 14: Are you READY for the Road? GEICO Auto Event. Ages 11 – 18. (Code 73) 9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at the Girl Scout Center for Leadership and Innovation, 770 N. Halsted St., Chicago, Illinois 60642.

Saturday, November 14: Environmental Fair. All ages, bring the whole family.  9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the
Schaumburg Praiarie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg IL (Three blocks E. of Roselle Rd., just S. of Schaumburg Rd.) The Hoffman Estates Environmental Commission and the Village of Schaumburg Environmental Committee co-present a day of environmental enrichment! Satisfy badge work requirements, get ideas for a "Girls Go Green" Bronze, Silver or Gold Award project, or just come because you care about our planet. Expert speakers give presentations on their projects in restoration, environmental conservancy, wildlife rescue and recovery, natural resources, and preservation. FREE! No need to register. Just show up. See the VISTA 2 website events page for more details. http://www.ilcrossroads.org/vistas/2/events/detail/?eventid=2330

Saturday, January 2, 2010: COOKIE KICKOFF Event for 10,000 — Chicago Wolves at Allstate Areana, Rosemont. Doors open at 2:45 with activities following. Game starts at 7 pm. $12 per person includes t-shirt and a patch to registered girl scouts. $4 vouchers for a hot dog and soda (optional). Confirmation and directions will be mailed the week of December 10-16. Registration deadline is Nov. 20. http://www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/media/forms/cookie_kick_off.pdf

Wednesday, June 16, 2010: BILLY ELLIOT the Musical at the Oriental Theatre, Chicago at 7:30 pm. 50% payment is due October 15 / Final Payment March 15. Discount tickets for Girl Scouts and their friends/families are available for $36, $27, or $16.50. Make checks payable to TROOP 40083. Contact Heidi Graham at graham847@gmail.com.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010: SHREK The Musical at the Cadillac Palace, Chicago. Show starts at 7:30 pm. 50% payment is due November 15 / Final Payment April 15. Discounted tickets for Girl Scouts and their families are available for $26, or $15.50. The whole family may attend! Make checks payable to TROOP 40083. Contact Heidi Graham at graham847@gmail.com.

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GS Bear Adventures:  

Take Daisy, Brownie, Junior or Cadette Bear on to your next outing or meeting. Then come to our next Leader meeting and share your stories. Contact Julie G. to schedule their next Adventure!

Trip Bits:  

Share your crafts, outings, events, or voice your idea at our Leader Meetings!

Meeting adjourned at 9:15. Minutes submitted by Karla Weiss

People you should know:

• Cluster Ambassador Managers:  Julie Greenfield (fieldwulf@comast.net) & Julie Barbakoff (Julie_barbakoff@hotmail.com)
• Fall Product Ambassador:  Jan Grant  (jcgrant@aol.com)
• Finance Ambassador:  Sue Jacobson  (sue109@aol.com)
• Communication Ambassador:  Cathy Rabeler-O’Hara  (v2_intcomamb@gsvista.org)
• GS-Vernon Hills Office: 847-573-0500
  Council Representatives:  Sara Nam (snam@girlscoutsgcnwi.org) ext. 2523 & Loretta Hernandez (Lhernandez@girlscoutsgcnwi.org) ext. 2524