December 2016: Your Checklist for Success
December At-A-Glance
- December 1 – January 31: Winter Membership Campaign
- December 1: Service Unit Product Chair Cookie Training
- December 7: Juliette Parent/Guardian Cookie Training and Troop Cookie Program Refresh
- December 8, 9, and 10: Troop Cookie Program Basics
- December 20: Gold Award Training
- December 23 (12pm) – January 2: All Leadership Centers are closed for the holidays.
Upcoming – For Girls, Troops, and Families
Winter Events:
Troops and Girl Scout families can view and register for events around the council from the Events Calendar on our website. You can also find program kits and field trips online!
Be sure to check out upcoming programs near you:
- December 10: Explore Winter Wildlife in Okoboji (Registration deadline: 12/2)
- December 18: 2nd Annual GS Day at Drake Women’s Basketball (Registration deadline: 12/1)
- December 27: Winter Day Camp at Camp Tanglefoot (Registration deadline: 12/16)
- January 14 – 15: Astronomy Overnight at the Air and Space Museum (Registration deadline: 1/6)
- January 22: Working with Clay – Scrapbook Frame in Sioux City (Registration deadline: 1/9)
Gold Award Training:
Senior and Ambassador troops – are your girls ready to take on earning their Gold Award? Be sure to take a required online Gold Award training, which occur every 3rd Tuesday of the month. The next training is scheduled for December 20 at 7:00 p.m. Register on our Event List!
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Service:
Make Martin Luther King Jr. Day – January 16 – a day ON, not a day off! Many businesses and schools will be closed that day, which makes it the perfect day for a troop or service unit to come together for a day of serving your community. Need some ideas for service projects? Be sure to check out our Girl Scouts Give Back post on The Bridge!
Volunteer Resources
Circle of Creativity:
There’s still time to attend a Circle of Creativity event this year! Check out our Event List online to see if there is one left in your area.
First Aid/CPR
Do you need to get your First Aid/CPR certification? We just scheduled a new training in Des Moines on December 17! Check out the details and register on our website.
Cookie Training
- The 2017 Cookie Program is fast approaching! Be sure to attend the upcoming Cookie Trainings, happening first week of December. (Recorded versions will be available if unable to attend live versions.) You can also find links to register for the trainings below on our website at girlscoutsiowa.org > Cookies > For Cookie Sellers > Resources. And keep an eye out on The Bridge for another resource round-up post for the Cookie Program!
Service Unit Product Chair Training: December 1 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Juliette Parent/Guardian Training: December 7 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Troop Cookie Program Refresh: December 7 from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Troop Cookie Program Basics: December 8, 9, and 10
Circle of Excellence
We want to celebrate you! We’re planning one big Circle of Excellence event on April 22 to honor the amazing accomplishments of volunteers and girls this year. Keep an eye on your mailbox for a special invite after the holidays!
Building Girl Scouts
Volunteer Invite-a-Friend
- Did you know? Now through December 15, GSUSA is offering an awesome promotion if you recruit a friend to start a new Daisy, Brownie, or Junior troop:
- You get $50 to spend at Girl Scouts’ official online store—sweet!
- Your friend gets awesome resources (a $50 value!) to help them get their troop up and running!
- Learn more on our Volunteer Invite-a-Friend Bridge post, and fill out this form when your friend has become a leader!
Winter Membership Campaign
- We’re also doing our own “cool” winter membership promotion here at GSGI! Here are the basics – keep an eye out for a Bridge post on December 1 with more info:
- If your troop adds a new girl or volunteer between December 1 and January 31, you’ll be entered into a drawing for five $50 gift cards (that’s one entry per new member)!
Your Girl Scout Shop
Holiday Office Closures
All GSGI Leadership Centers will close at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, December 23, and re-open on Tuesday, January 3. As we get further into winter, be sure to check our Hours & Locations page for office closures before you drop by to see us!
Shop Survey
We want to hear from you! Take our Shop Survey to let us know your thoughts on our hours and more (you can also access the survey by visiting girlscoutsiowa.org and clicking “Shop” in the upper right corner of the page).