Mountain View Mirror - Online

OCTOBER, 1998

It is not that I expected to look like the cover of VOGUE, or even like I belonged on the front of the LEADER magazine. After all, my shirt collar rolls up just like yours does and the pockets in my skirt gap like everyone else's. Besides, wearing green does the same thing for my complexion as a six-day stint of food poisoning.

So, when I hauled my Girl Scout uniform out of the closet the other day and clutched it across my waist in front of the mirror, I was only trying to see if it came somewhere near fitting. "I don't have to get a new one, do I?

But, something strange happened. In the mirror of my mind, I caught sight of another uniform - my first one. It was cotton and when you looked closely, some the fibers were dark green and some were white. It had long full sleeves for the badges to come and a yellow tie that I could tie to perfection. But, I had an awful time getting my gold trefoil pin with the eagle on it to sit right in the middle of the knot. As I primped for my investiture, I anxiously asked my mother, "Where do I look while I'm making my Promise?" (I had realized that I would be facing my buxom troop leader and that her buxom-ness would be at about my eye level.) "Look directly at her Girl Scout pin," my mother said. And, I did.

In those days I never asked, "Why a uniform?" In the fifth grade in a new city, it was terribly important to look like everyone else. Or at least like your best friend. My hand-me-down clothes from my sister proclaimed daily my non-hip status. I might as well have worn a sign board. On Tuesday though, I wore my Girl Scout uniform! On Tuesday, I belonged. My teacher loved it. I always felt that she treated her uniformed pupils with a little extra respect. We got to do the favorite jobs like leading the girls' line down the stairs for recess.

Once that year, when I was in uniform, I gave someone my seat on a bus. I didn't usually do that, but somehow I was embarrassed not to. All around me there were looks of approval that kept me glowing all the way home.

And now, I wear this "grown-up" suit. I never thought about it before but the reasons for wearing it haven't changed entirely. A uniform announces, in one quick green flutter, where I belong on a number of important questions. It says, "I believe in 'God and country'." It says, "You can ask me directions without fear of a rude answer." It says, "You can trust me." The people I pass on the street can't recite the Promise and Law, but they know that Girl Scouting is somewhere over on the positive side of things. Sometimes, they smile and say, "I was a Girl Scout," and I can hear in their voices that it's a happy memory for them. Putting on a Girl Scout uniform is putting on belonging.

A uniform doesn't let you get away with anything. Little thoughtless acts that used to sneak past under a cloak of anonymity now are caught in the spotlight. "Aren't Girl Scouts supposed to be polite?" I imagine I hear a fellow shopper muttering as I push the revolving door a bit too briskly. When you wear a uniform you wear your "colors" like a team jogging out onto the playing field. You know that while you wear them, what you do, you do as part of the team. Putting on a Girl Scout uniform is putting on responsibility.

Then there was my first adult uniform with insignia buttons on the wide lapels. It came with all sorts of surprises - cases of cookies where the couch used to be, lessons in tent pitching and late suppers when I had to wait at the church for the last Brownie to be picked up. When I invested my first Juniors, I remember looking eagerly into their eyes to see if they ere feeling the magic I felt when I was their age. Realizing why I was a troop leader at all - putting on a Girl Scout uniform is putting on a commitment to tomorrow.

Sakakawea - May-August, 1988 - Author unknown

Editor’s Note: "Safety-Wise" Standard #11 states (page 37): "All Girl Scout members should wear the membership pin when participating in Girl Scout activities. Since Girl Scouting is a uniformed organization, girl and adult members should be informed, at the time they become members, that they are entitled to wear the Girl Scout uniform appropriate for their age level. Although the wearing of the uniform is encouraged, it should be clearly conveyed that the wearing of the uniform in not required for participation in Girl Scouting."

I know many of you do not own uniforms, but I’m sure we all have our pins. I challenge you to wear your uniform (if you own one) or your pins to each and every Girl Scout function this coming year. Let’s show our pride to not only our girls but to the community. Wouldn’t it be nice to be the first neighborhood in the whole council that had 100% pin/uniform participation? (yes, I’m guilty of not wearing mine, too….I’m going to try harder to remember.)

As an added bonus, did you know that your uniform costs are tax-deductible? Yes, they are…as a leader! (Sorry, your daughter’s uniform isn’t tax deductible) :-(

The Fitness Fair is coming! On December 5th from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Riverview Elementary you will have the chance to attend the Fitness Fair. This extravaganza is being put on by 5 Junior troops 117, 680, 992, 1046, and 1635 and will cost the sum of only $1.00 per person! This is an event for Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors and will be a lot of fun for everyone involved. For more information contact Becky W.

The Cans Film Festival is an annual event to help benefit the local food banks. Each year Act III theaters and the Girl Scouts team up to collect cans of food that will go to the local food banks. For the cost of a few cans of food you can see a first-run movie and help others at the same time. We’ll be looking for you!

Oct. ………………..… School District Reorganization and It’s Impact on Bridging
Nov. ………………….. Strengthening Self-Esteem of Girls
Dec. …………………………..… No Meeting / Newsletter Only
Jan. …………….….. Developing Leadership Skills in Girls
Feb. ………………….. Communication Skills for Leaders / Parents / Girls
Mar. ……………………………..…….. Leader Appreciation
Apr. ………………..…… Outdoor Skills / New Technology
May ………………………………….. Low Impact Camping
June ………………….…… Leader-Daughter Activity / Date to be Announced

Neighborhood Meetings will be held the 3rd Monday of each month. Service Team meetings will be held the 1st Wednesday of each month. Both will be at Hearthwood Elementary.

The neighborhood ice skating party is coming up on November 6th. In conjunction with the skating party, Senior Troop 72 will also be conducting a clothing drive with this event. Socks, mittens, hats, and gloves are requested as donations. The girls have decided to donate them to the Evergreen School District Clothes Closet. This is maintained as a service for students right here in our own school district that need the added warmth these items provide, but do not have the means to obtain them. So when you come to skate on the 6th, remember to bring a little something extra for someone else….and then enjoy yourself!

The purpose of Girl Scouting is to inspire girls with the highest ideals of character, conduct, patriotism and service that they may become happy and resourceful citizens.

Don’t forget that if your troop has service hours to report you can turn them in to Carol J at Neighborhood Meetings.
Bank Account information is to be given to Jan A. This includes the bank your troop account is in, what type of account it is (checking, savings, etc.), the account number, and who is authorized to sign on your account. In addition, please remember to pay $5.00 neighborhood dues per troop. This helps to offset the costs of the monthly reminder cards and other costs involved in running the neighborhood.

Thanks to Jane Maddin for posting this game to the Guide Mailing List!

This game helps the players learn each other's names and at the same time have some fun. It's a good 'ice-breaker' for the first night at camp. One player is designated to be IT. He takes his place in the center of the players, sitting in a circle in the dark. IT suddenly flashes his flashlight on one of the players and asks "Who are your next door neighbors?" And then he flashes the light on the nearby neighbors. If the player who was asked the question, can't name both neighbors correctly, he becomes IT. If he does name them correctly, IT asks him "How is So and So?", naming either of the players. If the reply is "OK", the players remain seated, but if the answer is "Not so good", all players must change seats. While everyone is shifting IT tries to get a seat. If he succeeds the one without a spot then becomes IT. Note: Until everyone is sure of the names, IT must give them time to learn the names of their neighbors before they shift.

Brenda Vogsland.....vogs@swcp.com

Take a paper cup, cut two slits in the cup so you can cut away a portion of it leaving the other half to make the tail with. Make the head and some tail feathers out of construction paper, fill the cup with nuts or candy. You can make enough of something like this as place settings so everyone (parents and siblings) can go home with one. You can also use real feathers for the tail feathers - you can get a package of very colorful feathers at a hobby warehouse store for a reasonable price.

Melissa Austin, Brownie Troop 298; Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

I took 6 boxes of blue Jell-O (it takes that many to fill a goldfish bowl. ) I put the Jell-O into a big goldfish bowl. I let it sit for awhile so it had started to firm a bit. Then I added gummy fish, and gummy octopus to the Jell-O. The girls all thought this was the neatest thing (I have young brownies). You could also make individual aquariums using small clear cups.

Leeh McArthur, Brownie/Junior Troop 613 -Totem Council, Seattle, Washington, United States

This also works well pouring the mixed blue Jell-O (jiggler recipe) into individual baggies and putting fish in to make a stream. The Jell-O sets up around the fish or octopus, the girls can carry them and peel the baggie off to eat.

Sheila Fowler; Fort Henry District, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Materials:

• A seasonal picture - about 4 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches (This could be a winter scene, a religious or other holiday celebration)-one picture per person.
• Crayons of felt markers
• Popsicle sticks (about 11 per person)
• Glue- tacky glue works best
• Sharp craft knife for adult to use
• An envelope to store the puzzle in

Directions:

• Suitable for ages 5-7+ (older girls could make these as a service project or for younger girls)
• Color picture as you wish. Lay down 11 popsicle sticks one above the other to form a square. Add another stick if necessary to fit the picture in place on the sticks. Apply glue evenly to the top of the sticks - and place the colored picture on top of the sticks. Allow to dry. Once dry, a leader can use a sharp craft knife to cut through the paper to form puzzle pieces- each piece the size of the popsicle stick.
• NOTE: Store the puzzle pieces in an envelope to prevent loss.

· If you fail to see the person but only the disability, then, who is blind?
· If you cannot hear your brother's cry for justice, who is deaf?
· If you do not communicate with your sister but separate her from you, who is disabled?
· If your heart and your mind do not reach out to your neighbor, who has the handicap?
· If you do not stand up for the rights of all persons, who is the cripple?
· Our attitudes towards persons with disabilities may be our biggest handicap, and yours too.
-Tony Wong

1. First of all, pick the number of days a week that you would like to go out (see a movie, eat pizza, whatever).
2. Multiply this number by 2.
3. Add 5.
4. Multiply it by 50.
5. If you have already had your birthday this year, add 1748. If you haven't, add 1747.
6. Last step: Subtract the four digit year that you were born.
(SEE BOTTOM OF PAGE FOR ANSWERS)

Plan an investiture to welcome new girls into the many worlds of scouting. Invite family and friends, so they can see what Scouting is all about! The Scouting handbook offers so many suggestions on discovering each "world"! Read through the pages. You may want to include more symbols in your ceremony! You might want to save the globes after you've made them. With a few changes you can perform a similar ceremony for " Thinking Day" depicting " World Friendship!"

General directions:
Make five globes from unused cardboard backing from pizza. * (Or you can use posterboard or corrugated cardboard.) Cover the cardboard with blue felt. With markers, draw the meridian and equator. Print each of the following "worlds" on paper: well-being, people, today and tomorrow, arts, out-of-doors. Paste name of world near the bottom of each globe, so the symbols can be added during the program. Cut all symbols from felt. (The felt symbols will stick to the felt globe when set in place.) As each girl recites her lines, she presses the symbols on her globe. Be sure to PRACTICE! After the ceremony, each new girl recites the Girl Scout promise and law and receives her pins. *We called our neighborhood pizza place and explained that we needed cardboard pizza pan backings for a youth project. They were happy to help!

ALL: Welcome to the World of Well Being

1st Girl: Everyone is special in her own way. Find out what’s special about yourself and others. Make a new friend.

2nd Girl: Do your part at home and in your community. Use your talents to grow and help others. Share good times with your family and friends.

3rd Girl: Fill your home with happiness. Make it a nice place to visit. Help prepare for and entertain guests.

ALL: Welcome to the World of People

4th Girl: The world is made up of so many different races and religions. We should respect them all.

5th Girl: Each family has a heritage, it’s own special background, events, peoples, places and stories. Learn about your family tree.

6th Girl: Each year we celebrate many different holidays with our family and friends. Learn about the holidays and customs in other countries.

ALL: Welcome to the World of Today and Tomorrow

7th Girl: Find out about the world by experimenting with our natural elements.

8th Girl: Build a better world. Make your own design. Plan well. Someday you will be putting the pieces together for a new world.

9th Girl: In the world of tomorrow you may have a choice of living in space. Rockets have already made it possible for us to get started with space travel.

ALL: Welcome to the World of Out-of-Doors

10th Girl: Watch a sunrise! It’s the beginning of a new day.

11th Girl: Count the stars at night. Find the Big Dipper!

12th Girl: Go camping! Cook outdoors! Sing songs around the campfire!

13th Girl: Find a shady spot and listen to the sound of nature! As a Girl Scout, see your world in a new way everyday!

ALL: Welcome to the World of Arts

14th Girl: Dip your brush into a pallet. Paint a scene from memory, or sketch the view from your kitchen window.

15th Girl: Music is an art we hear. Music is patterns of sound arranged in patterns of time or rhythm.

16th Girl: In almost every country, there are traditional dances called folk dances. Learn a folk dance and teach it to your friends.

17th Girl: Drama can be a short skit, a puppet show or a play. Do it just for fun, as a way to raise money, or as a service to your community.

ALL(Girls hold up each world):

Welcome to our world
To enjoy and explore
As you recite the promise
To be a Scout forevermore!

© 1997-1998 GirlScout.NET! All Rights Reserved

A Fabulous Song Tape and CD Featuring the Acapella Angels
(Okay, they are just a Senior Girl Scout Troop - but they sound GREAT!)

Answer these questions:

• Do you almost remember the words and music of the songs you learned as a girl?
• Do you really regret that you didn't learn the guitar/piano like you always wanted to?
• Do dogs howl in pain when you sing in the shower?
• Are you just out of ideas for now songs? If you answered -yes" to any of these questions then, you need our tape.

The tape features 40+ songs suitable for ages 6 through 60 and includes a songbook.

Including:
· rounds - Horsey, Horsey; Rose, Rose; I Love the Mountains; Music Alone Shall Live....
· graces -'Neath These Tall Green Trees, Back of the Bread , Gracias Senor...
· silly songs - Crocodile Song, Princess Pat, Black Socks,....
· old favorites - Zum Gali Gali, Dona Nobis Pacem, Ash Grove, and many more................

About the singers
The girls from Girl Scout Troop 4009 have been active in Girl Scouting for 10+ years. They saw a need for troops and leaders in their area and came up with this wonderful idea. They sing beautifully together and several of the girls have had some voice training. All of the girls recently bridged to adults and they have bequeathed the tapes to the Northern Lights Cluster. They are currently being used to help support a patrol of girls planning to attend Our Cabana World Center in the summer of '99.

***These tapes were professionally recorded and copied at a studio. To the best of our knowledge, none of the songs included are copyrighted, but our voices are so please do not copy tapes on your own.***

List of Songs on the Tape:

• A Ram Sam Sam
• Alive, Alert, Awake
• Alice The Camel
• Alligator
• An Austrian Went Yodeling
• Ash Grove
• Baby Bumblebee
• Barges
• Be Kind To Your Web Footed Friends
• Boogie Woogie Washer Women
• Bungalow Song
• Crocodile Song
• Daisy On My Toe
• Do Your Ears Hang Low
• Frog Song
• If All of the Raindrops Were Lemon
• Drops and Gum Drops
• Linger
• Linstead Market
• Little Skunk
• Old Lady Leary
• On My Honor
• Princess Pat
• Sarasponda
• Say When
• Waddaliacha
• When E'er You Make A Promise
• Have Fun
• Ah Poor Bird/Rose, Rose/Hey Ho Nobody Home
• Dona Nobis Pacem
• Zum Gali Gali
• Black Socks
• Fire's Burning
• Fare Thee Well
• Let Us Sing Together
• I Love The Mountains
• One Bottle Of Pop
• Music Alone Shall Live
• Make New Friends
• Horsey, Horsey
• Back Of The Broad
• Bless This Food
• God Our Father
• Gracias Sefior
• 'Neath These Tall Green Trees
• Thank You For The Food
• Hawaiian Chant
• Taps

Order NOW while supply lasts!!!

Name _______________________________Phone _____________________

Address______________________________________________________

City________________ State __________ Zip ___________

Please send me _____ tapes at $8.00 each _____________

Please send me _____ CDs at $12.00 each _____________

Ca. residents include tax ($.62 per tape $.93 per CD)

Plus $2.00 shipping per tape + _________________

Total enclosed _____________________

(Checks or Money Orders only payable to Girl Scouts) Send orders to:

Song Tape
814 Goldenrod St.
Escondido CA 92027

Turn in registrations as soon as you get them rather than waiting for that last one or two girls. You can turn in additional registrations as you receive them. Remember to check the forms to ensure they are complete. If Opportunity Funds are requested for membership dues turn in the Opportunity Fund application with the registration form.

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G.R.E.A.T. Guide Update

• Just a reminder that registration opens October 1st for G.R.E.A.T. Guide events that occur December - February and January 1st for events that occur March - May.
• A full day of workshops is being offered on Saturday, November 7 at the International Air Academy in Vancouver, Washington. The morning workshops:
  · Go Outdoors!
  · Girls and Science (Junior GS Leaders)
  · Neighborhood Treasurers (NEW!)
  · Communication and Problem Solving (NEW!)
  The afternoon workshops:
  · Girls and Science (Brownie GS Leaders)
  · Event Planning for large events
  · Program Consultant Training. (NEW!)
  · Workshops for Neighborhood Chairs (first in a series)

  Check your G.R.E.A.T. Guide for details. Registrations accepted by phone, fax, or mail.

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COUNCIL SHOP TALK

• The Girl Scout Shop is well stocked for fall back to troop activities. Remember, when using Girl Scout troop checks, two signatures are required in order to be valid and for your own protection.
• The shop will be closed Wednesday, November 11 for Veterans Day; November 26 - 28 for Thanksgiving and December 24 - January 2 for inventory.

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U.S. Bank Account Update

US Bank has requested that all new Girl Scout accounts be opened through the Girl Scout Service Center. This will begin October 1, 1998. Volunteers will only need to fill out a signature card. The signature cards will be available October 1 at the Girl Scout Service Center. Watch for your issue of Lead The Way for further developments.

Troop Talk

Daisy Doings

This area can be filled with things that your Daisy troop is doing. Please submit your news no later than one week before the next Neighborhood Meeting.

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Brownie Bits

Brownie Troop 224

These girls began meeting in August with a Sports and Games Try-It clinic the week before school started. The girls played games with paper balls they made, played the dress for the weather relay, and played games with balls from a variety of sports. The girls also held a bicycle clinic where the girls decorated their bicycles in addition to working on their riding skills. This event also gave the girls a chance to welcome back a previous troop member and a new member transferring from a Connecticut troop. Since school started the girls had a surprise birthday party for Sue whose birthday fell on a meeting day, planted bulbs and pulled weeds in the yard of an elderly couple, made Halloween ghosts for the hospital's pediatric ward, made Halloween bookmarks to share, and made get well cards for relatives and friends. On a recent Sunday afternoon the girls were working on their Outdoor Fun Try-It while they hiked at Round Lake with their Dads. Besides all the discoveries they made on their hike, the girls succeeded in getting all the Dads back safely and learned how to make porcupine snacks for them.

Brownie Troop 429

In September we had our first meeting before we were supposed to… on the 9th. We added 3 girls from another troop, 3 brand-new girls, and we started working on the Listening To The Past Try-It. The girls learned the rules of hop-scotch and jacks. For the last meeting they went to the Fisher’s Landing Cemetery on Evergreen Highway and looked for unusual names, old headstones. They found Solomon Fisher’s (founder of Fisher’s Landing) burial plot. In October they are working on the Plant try-It. They did a leaf hunt and learned to identify leaves through descriptions. They also tried the seed sprout. We are still waiting for conclusive results. We did a human food chain too. We will be having our Investiture/Rededication ceremony on October 21st, using the ceremony from last month’s newsletter.

Brownie Troop 664

Troop 664 just spent our first weekend at Homestead on a mother-daughter overnight. We hiked, made bread, learned knife safety, and shared our dinner with a Junior troop from Sherwood. After dinner we joined the Juniors again for the "New Law Ceremony" featured in last month’s Mountain View Mirror. We all had a great time.

Brownie Troop 7311

We hope you had a terrific summer - especially our Starburst sisters. We were proud to send 16 Brownies and 5 adults to Camp Segonku. Thank you, Becky, et al! In September the girls kicked off their 4th year by harvesting vegetables from the community garden they’ve tended since last spring. Through Kathy and Rita’s dedicated efforts over the summer, the troop has donated over 200 lbs to local food banks. And the girls were actually able to see what produce actually looks like before it arrives on the plate. At our 2nd meeting, they put on an inspired fashion show or "newsprint" creations and decorated shoe boxes for Christmas Child, an international relief effort. The girls then decided how to fill them with toiletries, undies, school supplies, books and toys. For the in-service day, we toured the End of The Oregon trail Interpretive Center and played in the Wagons Ho Workshop. The pouring rain washed out our plans for Fir Point Farms, but didn’t dampen our pioneer spirit. We picnicked at the local senior activity center where the girls received plates of Halloween cookies in exchange for an impromptu concert of their favorite songs. Be Prepared - or have a troop mom who is! Kristie saved the afternoon by inviting us to her home for popcorn, movies, games, and decorating cards for The Hampton. Have a wonderful celebration of "Daisy’s" birthday! Our troop looks forward to a terrific year bridging to Juniors!

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Junior Journal

Junior Troop 117

With all but one girl playing soccer, these girls elected to wait for their first meeting until they adjusted to their school schedules. So one afternoon we took over TCBY for a planning session. The girls are currently working on their plans for a Halloween costume / Juliette Low birthday party and their stations for the upcoming health fair, which will be sponsored by five Junior troops in our Neighborhood. The girls also made some get well cards for some fellow scouts.

Junior Troop 1046

Our first meeting in September was early. We were planning for a trip to Seaside. We went on the 19th and 20th and got to see a roadster show while we were there. October they did a Global Product Hunt for the Ready For Tomorrow badge. On the 10th we attended "Glance at TAMBU". At the next meeting we worked on the Math Whiz badge, and we are planning a Halloween craft. There are 4 transfers to our troop this year.

Junior Troop 1635

The girls are working on their Making Hobbies badge and Sports badge. They each have given a report in front of the troop about their favorite hobby. We visited Play it Again Sports for a tour for the Sports badge. They gave a great tour and the girls enjoyed it. We are starting the planning for our portion of the Health Fair. Our goal is to get the Sign of the Sun this year. The end of October we will be working on our Ceramics and Clay badge with the help of WIAN Ceramics on Mill Plain.

RESOURCES: WIAN (What's In A Name) Ceramics is a great resource for ceramic type of badges. The owner, Ron Coffman at 885-9597, will work with you to meet all the requirements for the badge. For the Junior badge, Ceramics and Clay, we will complete it in three sessions with Ron. He is charging less than $10 a girl. This is just for materials, he's donating his time. His store is located just down from Wal-Mart at 10214 SE Mill Plain Suite D.

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Cadette Capers

This area can be filled with things that your Cadette troop is doing. Please submit your news no later than one week before the next Neighborhood Meeting.

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Senior Sentinel

Senior Troop 72

Some of the girls from this troop enjoyed a visit to an international camp for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts held in West Sussex, England called Starburst. We came home with lots of pictures, pen-pals, and memories. We helped at Walk for the Diabetes by ringing cow bells at the finish line, and handing our Gatorade and water to runners at the Battle Ground Triathlon. Also, we won 3rd place, out of 8 troops at Tambu with first place finishes in: First Aid, orienteering, fire, and campsites. And we discovered it takes us 9 minutes to put up and take down a tent. (submitted by Lisa and Emma)

Service Opportunity

Operation 10,000 Or Bust!

"I was in the military during Nam and would have loved a letter from anyone. Use to send for free stuff to get mail."

"I went aboard my first ship 8 weeks after I joined the Navy. I got my first mail from home 18 months later. I know what mail means. A letter from a bill collector would have been welcome."

Operation 10,000 or Bust is a campaign to get each soldier 1 letter of support from home. They are there insuring our freedom with their lives. The least we can do is tell them Thank You.

SOS (Support Our Soldiers) has setup a page that you can send an electronic letter to a soldier. It is located at: www.opsos.org/eletter.sht. They will then print it and mail it to a deployed soldier. Soldiers especially love to hear from children. All pictures, drawings , letters, postcards, and electronic letters from anyone are welcome. Please send them to SOS or if you'd like to send them yourself, the addresses are available on their website. You can also now have the addresses Emailed to you. If you mail letters yourself, please send them the numbers so that they can update their goal.

The only way this will work, is if the word gets passed around. Please spread the word to all of your mail lists, web rings, friends, kids, schools, churches, clubs, orgs. Etc. etc. This is a wonderful way to teach children that there are faces behind those stars on our flag. And those anonymous faces don't even know their names, but make sure they are safe.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I know this will make the soldiers lives a bit better hearing from home!

How Can I Help?

There are many ways to show your support. The main and least expensive way is to just write a letter. I know it's hard to find time to write letters now, so if you will just Email a letter to www.opsos.org/eletter.sht, they will print, address, stamp, and mail all the letters they get from this site every weekend.
With our new 10,000 or Bust campaign, they send the letters in boxes of about 100 to save on costs. They get distributed once they arrive overseas. Since they don't know who the letters are going to (besides a wonderful deployed soldier), they cannot fulfill requests like: "Send to a Single Man from New York."

They get a lot of questions on whether or not these letters can go to more than one person, or if someone can write more than 1 letter. The Answer is YES! You can submit a letter as many times as you want. But please don't send more than 3 of the exact same letter in a week, because since they send them in boxes of 100 it's likely that soldiers will get the same letters.

Needless to say, Soldiers are very busy and you might send out many letters with only a few responses, but I promise you...The first letter you get back with a grateful soldier behind it will make all your efforts worthwhile. The soldiers are always so surprised to open a care package and there be 100 letters from home in it!

I know that first letters are a little difficult because you don't know what to write. Here's some ideas:

• Name
• Age
• Work
• Hobbies
• Family
• Thanx for being overseas for us
• Inquire about the same things. Ask questions, because that will give the Soldier something to write back to you about.

However, this isn't a dating service, so please don't write your letters with S/W/F/32 etc. It's wonderful to tell the soldiers a bit about yourself as an intro., but please make it sound like an intro. and not a personal ad.

If you would like to do more, it's more than welcomed.

Just to give you an idea, they just sent some manila envelopes with 2 magazines, 1 package of Sugar Free Kool-Aide, and a letter and it only cost about $3.00 to mail.

The first time you mail a package, be sure and take it to the guys at the post office, don't just drop it in the mail box. There is a little form to fill out declaring what's in the package. It only takes a second to fill out. While you're there, you can ask for some extra and next time you send something, you can go the post office after hours or when ever and you'll have everything you need.

Our Soldiers overseas need those things that we take advantage of everyday, like:

• Videos
• Magazines & Books
• Microwave Popcorn
• AA Batteries
• Water Flavoring agents because the water there doesn't taste too good. (Crystal Lite, Sugar Free Kool-Aid, don't send the kind that needs Sugar added.)
• Toiletries - razors, nail clippers, etc.
• Small Travel Games
• Cookies, Candies etc. (no perishables, please!)

There is a grocery store online. They sell all the stuff mentioned above and then will ship it to APOs etc. for something like $2.99. So for only $6.00 you can send a soldier a box of Microwave popcorn right from your computer chair! Their address is: www.netgrocer.com/default.cfm

Dates to Remember

October 19 ………………..….Neighborhood Meeting
October 24 …..……………# Brownie Try-It - Dancersize
…………......………….……# Hangin’ With Ms. Low
………….........….# New Leader Essentials - Vanc.
………….......……..# Program Age Level Training
October 31…………..…….…# Games Galore - Portland
……………….....……..….Juliette Low’s Birthday
November 4 ………………………….…Service Team Meeting
November 5 ………………………………..#Cans Film Festival
November 6 ………….…………..……….Skating Party
November 7 ………..…#Program Enrichment Day - Vanc.
November 26-28 ………….Council Closed (Thanksgiving)
November 16 ………………..………Neighborhood Meeting
December 5 ……………..…………………….…..Fitness Fair
May 21-23 …………...…… …..Neighborhood Campout

# = Council Event - not all events listed. Please check your G.R.E.A.T. Guide for more information.

Service Team

1998-1999 Service Team

Neighborhood Chair…………….Deb W
Registrar…………………………Carol J
Brownie Program Consultant….Natalie L
Junior Program Consultant…….Helen S
Treasurer…………………………Jan A

Mirror Contributors

Editor………………………..…………….….Gail B
Service Opportunity ………………………….…..Internet
Content …………………………………..…Service Team
Council Quotes …………….…Service Team Newsletter
Program Ideas……… ………………………Gail B
What Others Say ……………………………Gail B
Troop Talk ………………..……………………Our troops

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Math Fun Activity Results:

You should now have a three digit number:
· The first digit of this is your original number (i.e., how many times you wanted to go out each week.)
· The second two digits are your age!!!
** This is the only year (1998) it will ever work, so spread the joy around by giving this to your impressionable friends.

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Why We're All So Tired
by Cathy Cullicott

For a couple years I've been blaming it on iron poor blood, lack of vitamins, dieting and a dozen other maladies. But now I found out the real reason. I'm tired because I'm overworked.

• The population of this country is 237 million.
• 104 million are retired. That leaves 133 million to do the work.
• There are 85 million in school, which leave 48 million to do the work.
• Of this there are 29 million employed by the federal government. This leaves 19 million to do the work.
• Four million are in the Armed Forces, which leaves 15 million to do the work.
• Take from the total the 14,800,000 people who work for State and City Government and that leaves 200,000 to do the work.
• There are 188,000 in hospitals, so that leaves 12,000 to do the work.
• Now, there are 11,998 people in prisons. That leaves just two people to do the work.
• You and me.
• And you're sitting there reading this.

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Last updated 10/19/98.