VISTA 5:

no agenda defined yet

1. Welcome!
   • We welcome all of you to the start of a great year!
   • We hope everyone had a great summer. Thank you for all of your hard work. We are ready to start the Girl Scout year!
   • As much as we all try to memorize all the e-mail addresses from all of our Service Unit 405 volunteers, sometimes we forget, so...when sending any e-mails, please include your community, school and troop number, plus your first and last name.

   • SERVICE UNIT 405

   • Co-managers--Sue S. (Park Ridge) and Karen H. (Park Ridge/St. Paul of the Cross)
   • Finance Manager--Sandy H. (Park Ridge)
   • Registrar--Joyce M. (Niles/Morton Grove)
   • Web site & Roster--Michele H. (Skokie)
   • E-mail communications--Mary Beth C. (Park Ridge)
   • Awards and Recognitions--Margaret T. (Park Ridge)
   • Public Relations--Judie E. (Niles)
   • Council Membership Specialist--Sara N. (contact Sara and the Vernon Hills Gathering Place)

   • COMMUNITIES

   • Community Consultants--Michael M., Niles/Morton Grove; Sandy H., Park Ridge; Susie S., Skokie/Lincolnwood
   • Registrars--Joyce M., Niles/Morton Grove; Kay S. (Carpenter), Park Ridge; Susie S., Skokie/Lincolnwood

   • Fall Product

   • Service Unit 405 Co-chairs--Sue S. (Park Ridge) and Chris W. (Park Ridge)
   • Community Managers--Joyce M., Niles/Morton Grove; Chris W., Park Ridge; Susie S., Skokie/Lincolnwood
2. American Legion Guest Speaker
   • Jac A. Charlier, Post 134, Morton Grove
   • The American Legion has had a long-standing relationship with Girl Scouts and would like to present an opportunity to add another level of recognition to those girls who are receiving their Gold Award.
   • At the ceremony, they would like to be a part of the recognition ceremony giving a short speech about her accomplishment, and presenting the Gold Award recipient with a Good Citizenship Citation. It’s a parchment document in a beautiful mahogany frame.
   • There is no cost involved. This service is done free-of-charge, with no donations in return. They just need a few days notice to make sure they have a volunteer available.
   • Currently, this opportunity is only being offered to those girls earning their Gold Award.
3. Little Brownie Guest Speaker
   • Lynn, from the Little Brownie Bakers, offered an official apology a) for any inconveniences suffered due to the incentive issue last year, b) for the tote bag issue, and c) for the lack of communication.
   • With regards to the tote bags--the company underestimated the amount of totes needed, which was due to the fact that the girls had a fantastic year selling Girl Scout cookies. It took extra time to find another supplier after the initial order was placed. They also apologize for the difference in fabric, and promise to go through a more inclusive design selection process next year.
   • Incentives are going to be called rewards.
   • We’ll be seeing some new packaging on the cookie boxes next year.
   • Visit their web site littlebrowniebakers.com [littlebrowniebakers.com/] for craft ideas, games, cookie fun facts, and a lot more!
4. Junior Troop 41419 Bronze Award
   • Thank you to the girls of Troop 41419 (and their leader Lisa N. (Park Ridge)) for their wonderful presentation outlining their service project "Feeding the Hungry" that they did to earn their Bronze Award. The girls planted or participated in cultivating gardens, harvested the produce, and donated the food to the food pantry at St. Paul of the Cross in Park Ridge. They also collected food through food drives at school, block parties, and through their neighbors.
   • They participated in packing lunches at Feed My Starving Children. [www.fmsc.org/]
   • Thank you to those leaders who brought donations to the Service Unit meeting.
5. Fall Product Sale

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   • October 5 - 21, 2012
   • This is a quick and easy way for your troop to earn money for camping, trips and other activities.
   • These products make great teacher gifts and hostess gifts for the holidays.
   • In order to participate in additional fund raising activities, like garage sales, car washes, and bake sales, you must participate in both the Fall Product Sale and the Cookie Sale. You only need to sell 24 items per troop in the Fall Product Sale to qualify. (FYI: If you plan on doing additional fund raising activities, please complete the Money-Earning Activity Application [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/volunteer-resources].)
   • We are returning to Ashdon Farms (nuts & candy) and QSP (magazines) as our vendors who have done a great job in the past. There are new products, like the custom mailbox above that holds the GS chocolate mint candies.
   • If you missed the Fall Product Training on Thursday, Sept. 13th, please contact your Fall Product Community Manager to pick up your materials. (Joyce M., Niles/Morton Grove; Chris W., Park Ridge; Susie S., Skokie/Lincolnwood)
   • Please encourage your Fall Product volunteer to read all the e-mails they receive. And they must be registered.
   • Delivery is November 10, 2012.
   • Please consider this opportunity for your troop to work together towards a common goal.
6. Registration -- Joyce M. (Niles/Morton Grove)
   • October 1st is the start of the new Girl Scout year. If you did not do early registration last spring, you must have all your girls and adults registered by September 30, 2012.
   • If you do not register your girls by September 30th of this year, they are no longer considered registered Girl Scouts and should not participate in your troop activities, including meetings. Non-registered girls and adults are not covered under Girl Scout insurance.
   • Any girl participating in the Fall Product Sale must be registered or her orders will not be submitted. The community managers check that information thoroughly!
   • Don’t forget to register your adults (drivers, Fall Product volunteers, Cookie parents, first aid/CPR volunteers, meeting helpers, anyone handling troop funds).
   • Registration paperwork should be submitted to you community registrar (Joyce M., Niles/Morton Grove; Kay S. (Carpenter), Park Ridge; Susie S., Skokie/Lincolnwood). Once the paperwork is submitted to your community registrar, that girl or adult is considered registered.
   • Patches for Spring Registration should be available by the November Service Unit meeting.
   • Congratulations to Troop 41337 for winning the $50 towards a pizza party.
7. Finance -- Sandy H. (Park Ridge)
   • All troops are required to have a troop checking account. Although technically you may choose the bank of your choice, council recommends Harris Bank, and our Service Unit strongly recommends TCF Bank.
   • If you use TCF, please go to the branch at 1 W. Devon Ave., Park Ridge (at Devon and Canfield) to open your account. You may then use any branch after that. Sandy has set up all our paperwork at that particular branch, so it should be very easy for leaders to get their account established.
   • Every troop account should have 2 signatories from the troop, plus 1 more signatory designated from their community, such as a school organizer.
   • Use the Girl Scout Federal Tax ID #, not your Social Security number, to open your account. Contact Sandy H. or your community finance manager for the number. (Michael M., Niles/Morton Grove; Sandy H., Park Ridge; Susie S., Skokie/Lincolnwood)
   • Once you have opened your troop account, please e-mail Sandy with the account number.
   • For those of you banking at TCF bank, be sure to ask the bankers to put you on the Check Image Reversal List, and then check your statements regularly. You should not be charged the monthly $1.95 check imaging service fee. If you are, please contact Sandy.
   • These accounts will become essential with the 2013 Cookie Sale. Details of the updated cookie process will be available soon.
   • Finance reports for last year were due to Sandy by June 15, 2012. If you did not do this last spring, please send a completed form to Sandy now. You can find the Annual Finance Report at www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org, under Support Us/Current Volunteers/Resources and Forms.
   • Any troop disbanding should submit a Disbanded Troop/Group Form [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/volunteer-resources] and submit it to Sandy.
   • Refund checks from the Camp Anokijig event are available to those who were rained out of their activities. If you think you are due a refund, please contact Sandy or Nancy F. (Morton Grove).
8. Training
   
   • If you have an old printed copy of Safety-Wise, throw it away. It is obsolete. The information is outdated and most of the forms have changed. Click here [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/volunteer-resources] to access the on-line version. You can also find the new safety information in the current edition of Volunteer Essentials 2012-13. [issuu.com/girlscoutsgcnwi/docs/volunteer_essentials_2012?mode=window&backgroundColor=%23222222]
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   • All new leaders, co-leaders, drivers, Fall Product and Cookie Sale volunteers, First Aid/CPR volunteers, anyone who deals with troop funds, and volunteers who interact directly with the girls on a consistent basis must complete and submit a VOLUNTEER APPLICATION [www.ilcrossroads.org/vistas/5/events/] with your Social Security number, which allows council to do a background check.
   • Three references must be submitted along with this application.
   • This information should be submitted directly to council. (See back of form for mailing information.)
   • Then complete the registration process.
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   NEW LEADERS AND CO-LEADERS NEED TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING TRAININGS:
   • • Girl Scouting 101--This 60-minute on-line training provides an overview of the fundamentals of Girl Scouting, including the Promise and Law, Girl Scout motto and history, and much more. Click here [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/adult-learning-opportunities] to link to our council web site. Scroll down to Girl Scouting 101, and click on the link to begin the training program. Complete this session prior to attending Volunteer Essentials. (Please remember to push the Congratulations button when you complete your on-line training course, which notifies council that you have completed the training. You may also want to keep a copy of the Congratulations page for your own records.)
     • Volunteer Essentials--A minimum of one leader per troop needs to take this course. Classes are available on a variety of dates in a variety of locations. Please check the Fall/Winter 2012-2013 Council Training Calendar [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/adult-learning-opportunities].
     • Grade Level Leadership Essentials--A minimum of one leader per troop needs to take this course. Please check the Fall/Winter 2012-2013 Council Training Calendar [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/adult-learning-opportunities] for dates and locations.

   • Troops may not meet until new leaders have completed the background check, Girl Scouting 101 and Volunteer Essentials.
   • New leaders, co-leaders and any other new volunteer may take Girl Scouting 101 and Volunteer Essentials before they are registered to expedite the training process. Grade Level Leadership Essentials training should be completed within 12 weeks of beginning your troop.
   • Training may be coordinated locally if there are at least 10 volunteers who are interested in a particular class. Please contact Sue S. (SU manager) if you are interested.
   • First Aid and CPR classes are available through council. Check the Fall/Winter 2012-2013 Council Training Calendar. [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/adult-learning-opportunities]
     
9. Trip Applications
   • Trip applications can be found on page 119 of the current Volunteer Essentials 2012-13 [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/volunteer-resources] booklet.
   • Trip applications should be submitted one month prior to an overnight trip and two weeks prior to a day trip to Sue S. for Park Ridge; Michael M. for Niles/Morton Grove; and Susie S. for Skokie/Lincolnwood.
   • If you are going on a low-risk day trip, please call or e-mail Sue, Michael, or in place of a trip application.
   • For overnight and high-risk trips, trip applications must be submitted.
   • Council sponsored trips, or going to a council facility, do not require trip applications.
   • Park Ridge leaders: a copy of your troop volunteer’s First Aid card and CPR card must be attached to every trip application submitted. Records are not up-to-date.
   • Adult-to-girl ratios have changed. See the current information on p. 14 of Volunteer Essentials 2012-13. [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/volunteer-resources]
   • Approved bus companies can be found in the Approved Certificates of Insurance list. Click here [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/volunteer-resources] to access the forms page. If the COI has expired, please call Sara N. in the Vernon Hills Gathering Place.
   • According to recent changes at council, leaders are now allowed to sign contracts for room reservations, camp reservations, and bus contracts. For all other contracts, please check with Sara N. in the Vernon Hills Gathering Place.
10. Service Unit Communications -- Michele H. (Skokie)
    • Mary Beth C. (Park Ridge) sends out the e-mails for the entire Service Unit 405. If you are not receiving these e-mails, and you would like to, please send your e-mail address to Mary Beth.
    • School organizers: please send Mary Beth the e-mail address of the new leaders in your school.
    • Michele H. (Skokie) is our web site communications manager, and compiles the roster of troops and leader information.
    • Leaders or School Organizers may send the information needed to Michele. If you are a school organizer, please check with all of the troops at your school.
    • The information needed is: Community, School, Troop #, Level of Girl Scouting, number of girls registered in your troop, grade of girls, and name, complete address, phone, and e-mail of the leaders, Fall Product volunteer, and Cookie Sale volunteer.
    • Please send this information to Michele by October 1, 2012.
11. Camp Anokijig -- Nancy F. (Morton Grove)
    • Thank you to Nancy F. (Morton Grove) for coordinating this great event!
    • 328 campers attended this year; 240 of whom stayed for 2 nights. The amount of 2-night campers was a huge increase from past years.
    • No major injuries were reported.
    • Some people are due refunds due to the rain on Sunday. If you think you are due a refund, please contact Nancy.
    • Next year’s dates have not yet been determined. Please watch for that information towards the new year.
    • If you think you or your daughter lost an item (sweatshirt, pillowcase, sleeping bag), please contact Nancy. She has an assortment of items that were left behind.
    • Nancy is looking for one or more troops to help with some simple tasks that take place about 1 week before camp starts. If you think your girls may be interested in doing things like sorting wristbands, making table cards, please contact Nancy and volunteer.
    • Camp Anokijig has a wish list for things that they need to keep the camp operating at the high level that it strives for. If you are interested in donating specific items, or making a cash donation, please check their web site at www.campanokijig.com or go directly to their wish list [www.anokijig.com/wishlist.html]. Thank you!
12. Caroling and Hot Chocolate Party
    • Start the season with a Girl Scout Troop Caroling Party!
    • All Service Unit 405 troops are invited to join the Caroling and Hot Chocolate Party [www.ilcrossroads.org/vistas/5/events/detail/?eventid=1669] on the Friday after Thanksgiving, November 23, 2012, starting at 6:30 pm.
    • Traditionally, on the day after Thanksgiving, Park Ridge hosts a winter festival. Among other activities, the stores are open, there are double-decker bus rides, and Santa Claus comes to town. Girl Scout troops are invited to sing carols almost anywhere they would like in Uptown Park Ridge, including outside the library, in front of stores, or even on the double-decker buses.
    • Troops are invited to St. Paul of the Cross before or after caroling, from 6:30 - 8:30 pm, for cookies and hot chocolate. It’s also a great place to drop off and pick up the girls, as well as a great place to warm up (depending on the weather!).
    • This is a free event.
    • Service Project: We are asking that each girl bring a non-expired, non-perishable canned food item for the St. Paul of the Cross Food Pantry.
    • Any non-expired, non-perishable food item or paper goods item is always accepted. Cash donations are accepted, as well. The food pantry at St. Paul’s serves the entire Park Ridge community, as well as surrounding communities.
    • Please submit your Trip Application to Sue S. (Park Ridge), Michael M. (Morton Grove/Niles) or Susie S. (Skokie/Lincolnwood); and best practice is to have your First Aid adult volunteer with you that evening.
    • If you have questions about this event, please contact Sue S. (Park Ridge).
13. Ornaments
    • Any troop in Service Unit 405 is invited to make 1 or 2 large, weather-resistant ornaments to decorate the huge tree in Hodges Park in Park Ridge.
    • These ornaments should be large (roughly the size of a 10" dinner plate), waterproof & windproof...made for outdoor weather (rain, snow, wind, etc.)
    • Please make sure there is some type of hook to hang it from.
    • Ornaments are due by the Wednesday of the second week in November (Nov. 9th) No late entries will be accepted.
    • Ornaments may be delivered to the Public Works Building, 400 Busse Hwy., Park Ridge
    • Contact Sue S. if you have questions
14. Service Unit 405 Events
    • Thank you to Cadette Troop 40791 and their leaders, Judie E. (Niles) and Michele H. (Skokie), for coordinating our Leader Appreciation Night last May.
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    • Our Service Unit needs volunteers to coordinate the events for this year. One person does not have to organize the event alone. Leaders are encouraged to build committees of 3-5 leaders. Folders with information from past events are available to get you started. Contact Sue S. if you are interested.

    • New Leader Investiture and Re-dedication

    • This will take place at our November 14 Service Unit 405 meeting. This ceremony does not have to be an elaborate event. The investiture recognizes our new leaders, and the re-dedication brings together our veteran leaders. This event is perfect for a Junior troop or older, and should take no more than 10-15 minutes.

    • Thinking Day

    • Girl Scout Thinking Day is February 22nd. It is also known as World Thinking Day. We honor the birthdays of Lord Baden-Powell and his wife, Lady Baden-Powell, who inspired Juliette Gordon Low, our Girl Scout founder, to start the Girl Scout movement.
    • This event does not have to occur on February 22nd, but usually takes place in February or March.
    • This is a big event that usually attracts 300-400 girls. There is nothing specifically defined for this event, so it is open to someone who wishes to interpret it in a creative way. An event folder is available for this event (as well as all of the other events) to guide a coordinator and her committee. The folder contains years of information and ideas to draw upon.
    • If you are interested in participating on the planning committee, there is a web site dedicated to WAGGGS (World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts) that might give you some ideas and help solidify your decision to participate. Click here [www.wagggsworld.org/en/home] to check it out!

    • Leader/Daughter Event

    • Thank you to Barb M. (Morton Grove) for volunteering to coordinate this event!

    • Leader Appreciation Night

    • Leader Appreciation Night is also our Adult Awards & Recognition ceremony and takes place at the last Service Unit 405 meeting of the year. This year it will be May 8, 2013.
    • This event needs a troop to put together a small celebration for this event. They could decide on a theme, and make decorations, food or give-aways with that theme in mind, or anything else they would like to do. There is a small budget available for this event.

    • Camporee

    • Our thanks to Nancy F. (Morton Grove) for coordinating this event.
15. Park Ridge Library Showcase
    • Thank you to Margaret T. (Park Ridge) for coordinating this display.
    • In honor of the 100th Birthday of Girl Scouts, Margaret has secured a display cabinet at the Park Ridge library for the month of October for our Service Unit.
    • She still needs your help filling the case with Girl Scout memorabilia.
    • Anything of historic significance, such as uniforms, handbooks, dolls, mugs, books, etc.
    • Please contact Margaret if you would like to lend your items.
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    • The Park Ridge library is offering a program on October 25, 2012 at 7:00 pm called Daisy’s Girls: The Life of Juliette Gordon Low. Dramatist Betsey Means, who visited our Service Unit 405’s birthday celebration last March, will portray the founder of Girl Scouts. Contact the Park Ridge library at 847-825-3123 for more information, or go to the library’s web site [www.parkridgelibrary.org/] to register on-line. [schedule.parkridgelibrary.org/evanced/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=9926&rts=&disptype=&ret=eventcalendar.asp&pointer=&returnToSearch=&SignupType=&num=0&ad=&dt=mo&mo=10/1/2012&df=calendar&EventType=ALL&Lib=&AgeGroup=&LangType=0&WindowMode=&noheader=&lad=&pub=1&nopub=&page=&pgdisp=]
16. Adult Recognitions -- Margaret T. (Park Ridge)
    • Nominations for Adult Volunteer Awards and Recognitions that require council’s Board of Directors approval are due by November 15, 2012. These include Appreciation Pin, Honor Pin, Thanks Badge, Thanks Badge II, and President’s Award, as well as the new awards Hall of Fame and Daisy.
    • The entire publication can be found at our council’s web site, or by clicking here [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/Default.aspx?PageID=5285027&A=SearchResult&SearchID=5106920&ObjectID=5285027&ObjectType=1]. Download the packet to submit a Nomination Form and Letters of Endorsement to Margaret.
    • Information can also be found on page 21 of the Volunteer Essentials 2012-13.
    • Please contact Margaret before sending your nomination to council to see if Margaret has additional information to add to your nomination, and to avoid duplicate nominations.
17. Religious Awards
    • Religious awards are available for almost every religion through Programs of Religious Activities with Youth (P.R.A.Y.). Go to www.praypub.org to see if an award exists for your religion. Click on Partnerships on the left-hand side, then Girl Scouts of the U.S.A., then To Serve God Color Brochure to access the flier and further information.
    • Other web sites that you may want to go to are: www.njgsc.org for the Jewish awards; www.nccgscf.org or www.nfcym.org for Roman Catholic awards.
    • Betty H. (Park Ridge) will be holding a workshop for the Catholic awards on Saturday, September 22, 2012 at 1:00 pm at Mary, Seat of Wisdom, 1352 S. Cumberland, Park Ridge. Meet in the church’s annex room. You may enter from the west parking lot behind the church. Look for the Girl Scout sign on the west entrance.
    • For further information, please contact Sue S. (Park Ridge).
18. Sharing Time
    • Blanket of Dreams [www.ilcrossroads.org/vistas/5/events/detail/?eventid=247], Saturday, November 17, 2012 at Mary, Seat of Wisdom. This is an open house event that runs from 8:00 am - 6:00 pm. No sewing skills are needed! Please bring a pair of scissors that will cut fleece. If you can donate 2 - 4 yards of fleece material, that would be greatly appreciated, as well.
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    • 2012-2013 Program Essentials [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/activities-events] is on-line. Be sure to read through this book for many wonderful ideas that you can do with your troop. Earn a badge, sleep with the butterflies, go camping, work on a service project. The ideas are endless!
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    • One of our leaders has started to present an award for the Best Behaved at her troop meeting. Here’s how it works: the leader purchased inexpensive, plastic trophies through a catalog, like Oriental Trading. She also bought gold decal letters to put on the trophy at the end of the meeting. At the end of the meeting, have the girls vote on who they thought was the most well behaved scout at that meeting. Be sure to tell them that they cannot vote for themselves. Have one of the adults leave the room and count the votes privately. Put the decals on the trophy spelling out the girl’s name and present it to the winner, along with a fun patch that reads "best behaved." The girls loved doing this at her meeting.
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    • Adopt a stuffed animal as a troop mascot. Have the girls take it home on a rotating basis from meeting to meeting.
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    • Field Trip Factory [fieldtripfactory.com/] is a great source for ideas.
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    • Fourth Annual Cookie Kickoff Rally
    • Saturday, January 5, 2013
    • Allstate Arena, 6920 Mannheim Rd., Rosemont, IL
    • Rally at 2:00 pm; Entertainment at 5:00 pm; Door open to public at 6:00 pm; Chicago Wolves game at 7:00 pm
    • Cost: $15 per person
    • This is a family event.
    • Click here [www.ilcrossroads.org/vistas/5/events/detail/?eventid=2366] for more information and to download the official event flier.
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    • Chicago Blackhawks Girl Scout Night [www.ilcrossroads.org/vistas/5/events/detail/?eventid=1769]
    • Sunday, January 13, 2013
    • United Center,1901 W. Madison St., Chicago
    • 6:00 pm
    • Cost: $54 per ticket
    • This is a family event.
    • Register on-line [register.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/] using Program Code: 47025
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    • Earn your ceramics badge at Brickton Art Center, 306 Busse Highway, Park Ridge
    • Click here [www.ilcrossroads.org/vistas/5/events/detail/?eventid=1374] to see more information, or contact them at 847-823-6611 or bricktonartcenter.org [www.bricktonartcenter.org/scout-flier/]
19. Raffle
    • Congratulations to all the leaders and volunteers who won prizes in our end-of-meeting raffle. There were many!

Thanks for coming to our Service Unit 405 meeting!

Next Service Unit 405 Meeting:

Wednesday, October 10, 2012 at 7:00 pm

St. John Brebeuf Ministry Center