Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana

Vernon Hills Regional Service Center

“ Through VISTAs, communities will understand the value of Girl Scouting! ”

Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Park Ridge, Skokie

  • 1,409 current girl members *
  • 480 current adult volunteers *

VISTA Meeting Detail

Service Unit 405 Meeting


Meeting Agenda:

Wednesday, January 11, 2012 - 7:00 pm

St. John Brebeuf Ministry Center, 8301 Harlem Avenue, Niles


Happy New Year!

Meeting Minutes:

Wednesday, January 11, 2012 - 7:00 pm

St. John Brebeuf Ministry Center, 8301 Harlem Avenue, Niles

  1. Welcome!

    • Thank you for coming to our monthly Service Unit 405 meeting.
    • Please sign in.
    • Please help Morton Grove Cadette Troop 42525 earn their Silver Award by attending Disabilities Awareness Day! on Saturday, February 18, 2012. Their purpose is to teach others about disabilities, and to help other girls learn how to be more accepting and understanding of those with disabilities. The troop is offering two sessions--12:30 - 2:00 pm and 2:15 - 3:45 pm--and can accommodate 30 girls per session. Sessions will take place at National Park field house, 9325 Marion Ave., Morton Grove (between Waukegan & Harlem, just North of Beckwith). For more information, please check your roster for Sharon S.’s e-mail address.
    • If your troop would like to share a Service Project with our Service Unit, please contact Sue S. (Park Ridge) (Service Unit 405 Manager) prior to the next meeting so that she can put your troop on the agenda. Additionally, if you would like to have Mary Beth C. (Park Ridge) send your request to the entire Service Unit, please let Sue S. know first. Thanks!

  2. Caroling Party

    • Thank you to Chris W. (Park Ridge), Karen H. (Park Ridge) and Sue S. (Park Ridge) for a successful caroling party. Thanks to all the troops that participated and donated to the St. Paul of the Cross Food Pantry.
    • This was the best attended Caroling Party in many years.
    • A thank you from Margaret T. (Park Ridge). 112 families visited the food pantry and benefited from the peanut butter and jelly donations. The pantry is now out of these products. Please feel free to donate these and other non-expired, non-perishable products throughout the year.

  3. Fall Product Sale

    • Thank you to Chris W. and Sue S. (Park Ridge), Joyce M. (Niles/Morton Grove) and Susie S. (Skokie/Lincolnwood) for a successful Fall Product sale.
    • If you have any questions or issues stemming from this sale, please contact your community product sale manager.
    • If magazines are not being delivered in a timely manner, check the back of the pink receipt for contact information.
    • Check your order online at www.aphgirlscouts.com
    • Customer service number is 1-800-284-9711, Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm.
    • E-mail customerservice@aphearst.com.

  4. Thinking Day -- Girl Scouts 100th Birthday Celebration!

  5. 100th Birthday Promise Circle

    • In celebration of the first meeting held by Juliette Gordon Low, all Girl Scouts, alumnae, girls and adults are invited to participate in a Promise Circle. These circles will consist of groups of people who will stand or sit in circles, recite the Girl Scout Promise, the Girl Scout Law, and sing Make New Friends. Participants are encouraged to wear pins, uniforms and/or Girl Scout t-shirts.
    • Monday, March 12, 2012 at 19:12 (that’s 7:12 pm for you non-military people!)
    • Golf Mill Shopping Center, North Milwaukee Ave. (at Golf Rd.), Niles
    • Meet in the center lobby near the food court about 6:40 pm.
    • At exactly 7:12 pm, we will recite the Promise, Law and sing. Click here [www.scoutsongs.com/lyrics/makenewfriends.html] to learn all 8 verses of the song, however as a group, we will probably only sing the first 2 verses.
    • Why 7:12 pm? The first Girl Scout meeting held by Juliette Gordon Low was on March 12, 1912, thus 1912-2012 is 100 years!
    • This is a council event, so no Trip Application is needed. However, parents should complete a permission slip, leaders should carry their girls’ Emergency Health History cards. Make sure you have enough chaperones for the amount and age level of the girls attending.
    • This entire event will take about 15 minutes. Do not be late! Get the little ones to the bathroom in plenty of time!

  6. Council News -- Sara N., Membership Specialist

    • Cookie Kickoff Rally: The third annual Girl Scout Cookie Kickoff Rally was a success with about 7,500 participants in attendance. Word was it was much more organized this year than in the past two years; booths were age appropriate, and a lot of fun!
    •  
    • Girl Scouts Awards
    • There are new criteria for the Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards.
    • Click here [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/gs_gold_award_event] to start your discovery.
    • Training classes are available. Go to register.girlscoutsgcnwi.org and search for Girl Awards and Trainings in the Annual Girl Programs box.
    •  
    • 100th Anniversary Council Cookbook
    • Deadline for submitting recipes and memories is January 22, 2012.
    • Click here [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/100th-anniversary] for further information.

  7. Sharing Time

    • Bug House Studio
    • Judie E. (Niles) took her Senior troop to create ceramic pieces on a pottery wheel. The girls loved it!
    • They are located at 4845 Oakton St., Skokie. Phone number: 847-674-3774
    • Bug House Studio offers full courses, workshops, even birthday parties.
    • Their home page states that they are "registered with the Greater Chicagoland Region of Girl Scouts!" What they really mean is a COI is on file with our council. :)
    • Check them out at www.bughouseartstudio.com
    •  
    • Fencing Center of Chicago
    • One of our Junior troops visited this facility run by former World Cup Champion, Bakhyt Abdikulov. They teach fencing to kids ages 6 and up, teens and adults of all fencing levels.
    • They are located at 111 S. Washington Ave., Park Ridge (near St. Paul of the Cross). Phone number: 847-292-1146
    • Check them out at www.fencingcenterofchicago.com
    • They also have a COI on file with our council.
    •  
    • Parkview School in Morton Grove has a book drive whereby they collect new or gently used books to send to kids in Africa. Please contact Jeannie H. (Morton Grove) for further information.
    •  
    • Although five of our council’s camps are being rested or divested, Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana has retained seven properties for troops to use throughout the year. Those properties are: Butternut Springs, Friendship Center, Greene Wood, Juniper Knoll, Palos, Pokanoka and River Trails. Click here [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/camp-rentals] for a step-by-step guide to renting one of these properties.
    • Amy H. (Park Ridge) took her troop to Butternut Springs, and although you have to bring with you the supplies for any activities that you wish to do with your troop, there is a private camp across the road where she took her girls horseback riding, worked on a horse badge, and did a leather craft.
    • Camp Timber-lee, www.timber-lee.com, has a COI on file with council.

  8. Upcoming Service Unit 405 Events

    • We are still looking for a volunteer troop to organize our May 9th Service Unit 405 Leader Appreciation & Awards Night. Please contact Sue S. (Service Unit 405 Manager) if you are interested.

  9. Awards and Recognitions Update -- Margaret T. (Park Ridge)

    • All the nominations for council awards were submitted by the end of December. Thank you to those who submitted nominations.
    •  
    • Complete information for awards and recognitions presented at our local May 9, 2012 Service Unit 405 meeting will be available next month and due to Margaret in the spring.
    •  
    • There are several awards that the Adult Recognition Task Force would love to give out, but volunteers need to nominate volunteers.
    • Outstanding Leader Pin [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/media/forms/rec_outstandingleaderdescription.pdf] recognizes the leader who has done an exceptionally good job with her troop. This is the last year that we will be awarding this pin. This pin is being retired by Girl Scouts as of June 1, 2012.
    • Outstanding Volunteer Pin [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/media/forms/rec_outstandingvolunteerdescription.pdf] is for the volunteer who has surpassed what she was expected to do in a position other than that of troop leader (school organizer, event coordinator, cookie mom, troop committee member, etc.). This is the last year that we will be awarding this pin. This pin is being retired by Girl Scouts as of June 1, 2012.
    • Note: The two pins highlighted above may only be awarded once to any given volunteer.
    • New Found Treasure Award [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/media/forms/rec_nftdescription.pdf] is for a volunteer who was registered last year, and returned this year and "hitting the ground running."
    • Hidden Heroine Award [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/media/forms/rec_hhdescription.pdf] is for the volunteer who is always there to help out, but hidden perhaps, doing her job quietly and extremely well.
    • Service Unit 405 Honor Roll is meant to honor volunteers who do not fit the criteria of other recognitions.
    • Additionally, the recognition committee would like to award our volunteers their Years of Membership pins. This pin is for years of membership as both a girl and adult, and issued in 5-year increments. If you think you are eligible to receive this pin or know someone else who might be eligible, please complete the appropriate page of the nomination application, or contact Margaret.
    • When completing the Awards Nomination Application, please be as specific as reasonable. Details are important. Generalities such as "she is very creative" are helpful, but what has she done to show her creativity?

  10. Trip Applications

    • Thank you to all the leaders that are following the rules (see below). You are all getting better!
    •  
    • Please check Safety-Wise before taking any trip with your troop. Be sure to check for girl-to-adult ratios and other activity-specific information. Unfortunately, Safety-Wise is no longer available in print. Much of the information can now be found in the Volunteer Essentials 2011 booklet. Click here [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/volunteer-resources] to download Volunteer Essentials 2011, or click here [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/safety-activity-checkpoints] to see the safety requirements for specific activities. The old Safety-Wise booklet is outdated!
    •  
    • Every trip must have a Trip Application [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/volunteer-resources] on file before you take your troop to a location other than your regular meeting location.
    • Turn in your Trip Application [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/volunteer-resources] to Sue S. (Park Ridge), Michael M. (Niles/Morton Grove), or Susie S. (Skokie/Lincolnwood).
    • Please turn them in at least 2 weeks before you plan on going on your trip. Trip applications must be signed. Applications will not be accepted without a signature.
    • If you are going to a council site, you do not need a trip application.
    •  
    • Make sure that the information for any adult who drives any scouts besides their own daughter(s) is added to the application. This is no longer optional information. Drivers do not need to be certified in First Aid and CPR. Drivers do need to be registered. They need to carry permission slips and medical cards for any girl in their car.
    • Parents may drive their own daughter(s) to and from any Girl Scout event, but once they include someone else’s child, the above requirements need to be followed.

  11. Fund Raisers and Contracts

    • Troops are allowed to have an extra fundraiser only if they have participated in both the Fall Product Sale and Cookie Sale. You need to complete the Money Earning Activity Application [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/volunteer-resources] and turn it in to your community manager.
    • Extra fundraisers should be events such as bake sales, car washes, garage sales, etc. Troops may not sell other brand named products like World’s Best Chocolate, etc.
    • Leaders or other volunteers are not allowed to sign any contract. Please contact Sara N. (Membership Specialist) at the North Region Gathering Place in Vernon Hills. The main phone number is 847-573-0500.

  12. Finance -- Sandy H. (Park Ridge)

    • If you bank at TCF, please check your December statement to see if you were (or are still being) charged a check imaging fee. Girl Scouts should not be charged this fee. It is about $1.95 per check. If you are being charged this fee, please contact Sandy who will assist you in getting these charges reversed.

  13. Documentation / Training

    • All completed training documentation must be turned in to the following people:
    • Park Ridge -- Sue S.
    • Niles/Morton Grove -- Michael M.
    • Skokie/Lincolnwood -- Susie S.
    •  
    • Grade Level Leadership Essentials should have been completed by now. Grade Level training should be done 12 weeks from the start of the year. Classes are still available for Daisy; Brownie; Junior; and a combined Cadette, Senior, Ambassador levels. Please check the Council Training Calendar [www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/adult-learning-opportunities] [Fall/Winter 2011-2012 edition] for dates and locations. This calendar is good through the end of February.
    •  
    • Outdoor Training (for camping)
    • Outdoor Module 1 -- this is a self-study training, and a pre-requisite for Outdoor Module 2.
    •  
    • Outdoor Module 2 (for cabin camping) & 3 (for tent camping) Combo
    • Saturday, March 10, 2012, 8 am - 2 pm at Camp Greene Wood, Woodridge, IL. Program code: 4215.
    • Saturday, March 17, 2012, 9 am - 3 pm at Joliet Promise Center Gathering Place. Program code: 4217.
    •  
    • Outdoor Module 3 (for tent camping)
    • Saturday, March 10, 2012, 3 - 6 pm at Camp Greene Wood, Woodridge, IL. Program code: 4216.
    • Click here [register.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/] to access the online registration, or go to register.girlscoutsgcnwi.org.

  14. COOKIE INFORMATION / UPDATE

    • Cookie Information/Update

      • Cookie Managers

      • Service Unit 405: Sue S. (Park Ridge) and Chris W. (Park Ridge)
      • Site Sale Managers: Barbara M. (Morton Grove) and Jennifer M. (Park Ridge) [No Trip Application is needed for site sales]
      • Niles/Morton Grove: Joyce M.
      • Skokie/Lincolnwood: Susie S.
      • Park Ridge Cookie Managers: Sue S. and Chris W.
      • Park Ridge Delivery Day Manager: Allison B. (from Carpenter)
      • If you have any questions regarding cookies, before you contact your Community Cookie Manager, please check your paperwork. The answer to your question may already be in your possession!

      • Delivery Day

      • Niles/Morton Grove: Saturday, Feb. 11 at A-1 Towing
      • Skokie/Lincolnwood: Saturday, Feb. 11
      • Park Ridge: Friday, Feb. 17
      • Please, NO CHILDREN AT THE DELIVERY SITE!

      • Site Sales

      • There are a number of ways to secure your site sale.
      • There are about 20 locations / 200 time slots available in Service Unit 405. Please contact Barbara or Jennifer if you have questions.
      • Ebudde sign-ups: You will be required to sign up on-line and can choose 3 hour blocks of time for selling in various communities around the region. You are not limited to selling in your town. Council-sponsored site sales went on-line on Monday, January 16, 2012.
      • My Sales: These are locations for troops that have a personal relationship with a specific organization or business. These sites must be entered into Ebudde under MySales so that council has a record of where you are both for safety and insurance reasons, however no one else can secure your site.
      • Chicago Loop Sales: These are 12 hour blocks of time in very busy downtown buildings. You must committ for the entire time at one location. If you are interested, you must contact council and fill out an application of commitment. These dates are random, and are all week days. Cookies will be delivered to the location for you and picked up at the end of the day. For additional details please contact council directly. Two such dates available are: March 28th and April 3rd.
      • Please make sure that girls are respectful regardless of which site sale you participate in. Do not harass store customers.
      • Your entire troop does not/should not be at your site sale at the same time. Stagger the girls time slots. 3-4 girls at a time are sufficient.

      • Cookie Costumes

      • A great big THANK YOU to Joyce M. (Niles/Morton Grove) for finding Cookie Costumes!
      • Please contact Joyce for information on using the costumes at your site sale.
      • Currently, Joyce has two costumes (Samoas and Thin Mints). A third one may become available (Tagalongs).
      • Depending on demand, you may be able to use one or more of the costumes.
      • Please contact Joyce as soon as you know you want one.
      • Costumes should be picked up and returned to Joyce within 24 hours after your site sale is completed.
      • You are responsible for replacing these costumes if they get ruined.

  15. Camp Anokijig Update

  • Michael M. (Niles/Morton Grove) has patches from last August’s camping trip.

  • Dates for the next camping trip are: Friday, August 24 - Sunday, August 26, 2012.

  • This year’s camping trip is very late starting after most schools start in August because Camp Anokijig, a former YMCA camp, is a not-for-profit camp that runs their own summer programs. These were the first dates available to our Service Unit.

  • Please click here for Nancy’s letter to troop leaders and registration information.

 

Countdown to Spring!

 

Thanks for coming to our Service Unit 405 meeting!

 

Next Service Unit 405 Meeting

Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 7:00 pm

St. John Brebeuf Ministry Center

 
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