Table of Contents *

What is Service Unit 52-8? *

How Do I Get My Troop Started? *

Suggested Parent Meeting Agenda *

Basic Investiture / Rededication Ceremony *

Ice Breakers, Quick Games, and Ways to Divide Up Your Troop… *

Checklist for New Leaders *

The Basics *

Scouting Resources on the Internet *

Troop Money Management *

The Cookie Sale *

Field Trips *

Girl Scout Training *

Typical Service Unit Planning Calendar *

Terms, Definitions, Explanations! *

The REAL Definitions of Girl Scout Terms *

Sponsoring A Service Unit Event *

Service Unit Library *

The Girl Scout organizational structure is broken into geographical areas, the smallest of which is the Troop. Working from the top down, the overall organization we belong to is the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS). The national headquarters for the Girl Scouts is the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA). (Headquartered in New York City). The next level down consists of the Girl Scout Councils. We belong to Girl Scouts of the Nation's Capital (GSCNC), based in Washington, D.C. The Council is so densely populated that we are broken up into areas – we are Area D. Within each area are several associations. Association 52 is called Masons Crossroads, and covers the southern areas of Fairfax County. Within the associations are the service units. We are Service Unit 8, consisting of about 26-30 troops with approximately 350 registered girls and 200 adults. Geographically, our Service Unit consists of the school boundaries for Silverbrook and Halley Elementary Schools.

GSCNC employs Field Directors (also called Membership Specialists) who are assigned to assist the service units. Our Membership Specialist, or Field Director is Sandra E, and she can be reached at the Council office in Washington, DC at (number). Check your Green Pages for directions to the Council office.

The Service Unit is governed by Service Unit Managers and the Service Unit Team. The Service Unit Managers (SUM) are volunteers who attend Manager and Council meetings to keep the troops informed of upcoming activities, programs, policies and procedures. They provide guidance and help to organize events for Service Unit troops and assist in association sponsored events.

The Service Unit Team consists of the other volunteers necessary to keep the Service Unit operating smoothly. This includes organizers, consultants, registrar, treasurer, secretary, orientation specialist, fund development representatives, and event chairpersons, to name a few.

Organizers recruit adults and girls, and organize them into troops. The troops may or may not be organized by the local school boundaries. Your organizer is your first contact and is your source of information until after your parent meeting. If you or a parent has a question concerning the organization of a troop, please have them call the appropriate organizer.

Consultants serve a specific program level. They consult, advise and help leaders develop quality programs. They serve as a liaison between the troops and the Service Unit Team. Your consultant may attend your parent meeting. Consultants serve as your primary source to answer questions concerning your age level of Girl Scouting. Your consultant's name can be given to parents in case they have a question concerning Girl Scouting policies.

The remainder of the Service Unit Team positions are described later in the guide.

Monthly Service Unit Meetings are held for all troop leaders to receive information about or from GSUSA, GSCNC and SU 52-8 program activities. We require at least one adult representative from your troop to attend each meeting. This may be one or both leaders or a parent from your troop. When you (or your troop representative) arrive at the meeting, please sign in and put on a name tag. Meetings are held Thursdays at Halley Elementary School. After the business on the agenda has been completed, please check the file box for your "packing" (flyers, forms, information from council, etc.) At this time, we will (hopefully) break into clusters where each level of Girl Scout leaders will have an opportunity to ask questions of their consultant and share ideas with each other or have activities that span all levels.

Leader support is organized in different ways depending upon a service unit's needs. The leader support team is responsible for seeing that leaders have the help they need, and that Girl Scouting is carried out as directed by the Girl Scouts of the United States of America and GSCNC. (Please note: the team members are NOT necessarily listed in the order of importance!!)

Field Director Sandra E (email address, phone number inserted here)

The Council employee accountable for membership development in the unit. Appoints and gives direct support to volunteer field administrators and the team in delivering council support services to the leaders.

Service Unit Managers Gretchen (email address, phone number inserted here) and Barb (email address, phone number inserted here)

Coordinates team efforts, facilitates communication, serves as information clearing house and chairs meetings. Is trained by GSCNC and appointed by Field Director.

Silverbrook area Pam (email address, phone number inserted here)

Halley area Nancy (email address, phone number inserted here)

Systematically recruits and places girls and adults throughout the year. Assists in obtaining troop sponsors and meeting places in cooperation with leaders. Keeps records of troop vacancies and waiting list. Is appointed by Service Unit Manager (SUM) and trained by GSCNC.

Orientation Specialist Laura (email address, phone number inserted here)

Provides the basic orientation training to new leaders and adult volunteers. Hands out basic materials to new adults. The person you need to meet with before you lead a troop. Appointed by SUM and trained by GSCNC.

Daisy Tina (email address, phone number inserted here)

Brownie Lynne (email address, phone number inserted here)

Junior Beth (email address, phone number inserted here) Cadette/Senior Pam (email address, phone number inserted here)

Provides supervision and support to leaders. Acts as first contact for a troop leader or parent when a problem arises. Is appointed by SUM and trained by GSCNC.

Registrar Pam (email address, phone number inserted here)

Provides registration assistance to troop leaders. Sees that all troops and girls are registered. Keeps registration forms and records for girls and adults. Is trained and appointed by Field Director.

Treasurer Marcie (email address, phone number inserted here)

Keeps an account of Service Unit funds, provides support for troop checking accounts. Liaison between bank and troop for financial purposes. Is appointed by SUM.

Secretary Susan (email address, phone number inserted here)

Provides minutes and keeps records of service unit meetings, types newsletter and initiates correspondence for Service Unit. Is appointed by SUM.

Responsible for council-sponsored product sales or other fund support in the service unit. Trains troop fund development representatives, distributes materials and maintains records. Is trained by GSCNC and appointed by SUM. (SHARE is a program that solicits donations from families for GSCNC, the products include the cookie sale and QSP magazines.)

Organizes an activity to provide program support for the service unit. Uses the guidelines provided later in this publication to ensure a successful event. (The events listed above are those currently being planned or ones we have done in the past). Any interested person or troop may plan one of these events or another of their own choosing. See the SUM if you are interested in helping with a service unit event.

Service Unit Newsletter Cindy (email address, phone number inserted here)

Prepares and publishes a newsletter for all troops to help the flow of communications. Accepts input for articles from all sources! Is appointed by the SUM.

Press Representative

Ensures visibility and identity with the community. Is appointed by the SUM.

Recognitions Debbie (email address, phone number inserted here)

Encourages others to nominate leaders who "go beyond the call of duty" to the Association Recognitions Committee. Serves on the Association Committee to choose, from among the nominees throughout the Association, who will receive the awards given that year.

Attends GSCNC Annual Meeting and Fall and Spring Association Meetings.

Service Unit Librarian Sandy (email address, phone number inserted here)

Keeps resources that are available for checkout. Ensures that leaders are aware of available resources.

1. Meet with your organizer, fill out the volunteer personnel application and return it to the organizer for approval. Get the name of the other volunteer leader for your troop. Your organizer will give you a rough draft roster of the girls assigned to your troop when you are ready.

2. Meet with your other leader/co-leader. Decide on a time, day and place to meet. Discuss options for collecting dues and the direction you want to take in the Girl Scout Program. Set a date and place for your initial parent meeting. If you will meet in a public building, make the necessary arrangements with the building supervisor. If you plan on using one of the Fairfax County schools, you will need a school use form and include a check for $5.00. Coordinate this with your school organizer who may be able to help with you a list of available times. Because of the growth in our Service Unit, troops may have to share cafeteria space with other troops. Use the Site Safety Checklist to determine if the site is appropriate for your use.

3. Call the parents of the girls. Check the information given to you by the organizer (including each girl's former troop number, if applicable). Check that the meeting time, date and place are agreeable to the parents. (Call the organizer with the names of any girls who decide not to join your troop.) Remind parents to bring a checkbook to the parents' meeting. It is also helpful to remind the parents to bring emergency contact phone numbers and addresses, as well as immunization records.

4. Make an appointment with the Service Unit Registrar to pick up registration forms and receive instructions on completion.

5. Before you hold the parent meeting, be sure to have sufficient supplies of the following forms. Examples of these forms can be found in the Green Pages that you get from either the troop you inherited or from the Orientation Specialist.

Registration Forms - Computer printed forms for returning girls, blank forms for new girls.

Health History/Authorization for Medical Treatment - Actually two forms that are frequently printed back-to-back to save paper on field trips. No one, including an adult, can attend a field trip without these completed forms. It may be helpful to you later to have any adults who will helping throughout the year complete the forms now. These forms are in Green Pages and on the Leader Disk. THESE ARE IMPORTANT AND SHOULD BE FILLED OUT AS SOON AS YOUR TROOP YEAR BEGINS!!!

Troop Transportation Form - Information about vehicles to be filled out by any parent who will help drive the girls on a field trip.

Parent Resource Survey - An aid to soliciting support from the parents for your troop activities.

Financial Aid Form - Parents or Troop Leaders can apply directly to GSCNC for financial aid if they need to. They do not need to turn the form in through the troop or service unit. This form should be given out to all parents so no one has to ask for it. Form is in Green Pages and on Leader disk.

Information on uniform and handbooks. Let parents know that the only mandatory uniform is the pin; however, you may request that each girl have at least a sash or vest on which to keep their recognitions. Sashes and handbooks are provided by Council for those that cannot afford them. Fill out the form and send to Council. You may have families that may be embarrassed about receiving these. You might consider giving it to the girl and telling them that you had some extras from before that someone didn’t need and turned in and that she may have them if she wants them.

6. Hold the parent meeting. You may wish to invite your level consultant to attend so they can help answer any questions your parents may have.

7. Open a troop checking account and deposit the checks from the parents into the troop checking account. Write one troop check for registration. Record the names of the girls and adults who registered. It is also helpful to record the membership number of anyone who is re-registering. (Note: the signature of either a SUM or Service Unit Treasurer must be on your troop account).

8. Compile a new roster and return it to the Registrar with the registration forms, registration check, training already received by the leader/co-leader and the names of your troop representatives for SHARE, Cookies and QSP.

1. Welcome the parents and introduce your leaders and representatives. You might consider a parent/daughter meeting. Play a name game or start the meeting with a welcoming ceremony.

2. Explain the purpose of the Girl Scout Program, the benefits their daughter will derive from Girl Scouting, the Promise and Law, Investiture and Rededication, and the program framework for the age level. Provide names and phones numbers of your organizer, consultant and GSCNC for the parents to contact if they questions or concerns about the Girl Scout Program.

• the number of girls
• the meeting place and time
• the structure of a routine meeting, Kaper charts and troop government, Girl/Adult Planning
• dues to be collected and the availability and confidentiality of financial aid
• whether or not snacks will be served and how they will be provided
• the role and availability of the Girl Scout Uniform
• how funds will be raised for troop events, field trips, etc., and why cookie and other sales are important
• the "ABC’s … not just "Cs" of scouting (more than cookies, crafts and camping)

Try Its, Proficiency Badges or other patches to be earned (and how you’ll handle "make ups" for missed meetings, or independent work on badges), Service Unit Events that may be attended (Thinking Day, Bridging, Encampment, etc)

5. Discuss methods of communication with parents (telephone tree, informal notes or newsletter)

Discuss the necessity of returning completed permission slips (explain the health and safety standards we observe - see Safety-Wise, pages 11-12). Emphasize you MUST live within the guides of Safety-Wise!

6. Recruit troop committee members. The most successful troops have strong parental support. It may help to have a poster-sized sign up sheet in a visible place available for parents to use. Make sure that parents understand that you and your co-leaders are volunteers and that their help is essential to make the troop work well. Every troop is what the parents make it and it’s important for all of them to be involved. Possible volunteer positions include:

*Adults in these positions should become a registered Girl Scout

9. Pass out the forms to be completed. Collect the registration fee and any start-up dues you may require with the completed forms.

This is by no means the "be all, end all" ceremony, but it is a generic, basic ceremony that you can adapt to give your girls their pin and "invest" them into Girl Scouting. Check with the experienced leaders in the Service Unit for other ideas and variations.

An investiture is a ceremony to officially welcome a NEW girl or adult into Girl Scouting. The new member recites the Girl Scout Promise and receives her Girl Scout pin. Daisies receive their Daisy pin, Brownies receive their Brownie pin, and Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors and Adults receive the Girl Scout trefoil pin.

Rededication is done each year by all members of the Girl Scouts. At this ceremony, everyone reaffirms their commitment to Girl Scouting. The investiture and rededication ceremonies may be done separately or together. Usually, when a new girl is invested into a troop, everyone is present for the ceremony. This is, therefore, a good time for the entire troop to rededicate themselves. Go to http://www.girlscout.net/ceremonies/ceremonych3.htm for additional information and to http://www.girlscouts.org/girls/GS/Ceremonies/ceremonies.htm for some wonderful ideas.

Basic Ceremony:

Before and/or after the investiture/rededication portion of the ceremony a troop may choose to have a flag ceremony, sing a song, etc. However, the investiture/rededication should be the main part of the ceremony.

Props: 14 candles (3 for Promise, 10 for Law, and 1 to light all other candles from). The troop stands in horseshoe formation around a table with ceremonial candles. Open end of the horseshoe should be towards the audience.

The leader, or one of the girls, begins the ceremony by explaining the meaning of "investiture" and/or rededication and the symbolism of the three candles for the Promise and the ten candles for the Law. The participating girls and/or adults begin to light the candles. One candle is lit for each part of the Girl Scout Promise and the ten parts of the Girl Scout Law. The number of participants will determine how many candles each girl lights. If you need more "parts", consider having one girl speak and one girl light the candle

Part 1 - The Girl Scout Promise: On my honor, I will try (this is the candle used to light all others)

Part 2 - To serve God and my country

Part 3 - To help people at all times

Part 4 - And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

Part 5 - The Girl Scout Law: I will do my best to (no candle lit)

Part 6 - be honest and fair

Part 7 - be friendly and helpful

Part 8 - be considerate and caring

Part 9 - be courageous and strong, and

Part 10 - be responsible for what I say and do. And to

Part 11 - respect myself and others

Part 12 - respect authority

Part 13 - use resources wisely

Part 14 - make the world a better place

Part 15 - be a sister to every Girl Scout

Leader: "At this time the girls of Troop # ________ will rededicate themselves to the service of Girl Scouting"

All returning members are called forward. They repeat the Girl Scout Promise and are welcomed back to the troop by an adult member with the Girl Scout handshake. They then return to the horseshoe.

Leader: "Now our new members will be invested into Girl Scouting"

Leader, or one of the rededicated girls, calls each new girl and adult forward. Each new member then repeats the Girl Scout Promise, individually, or as a group. The new members are welcomed into Girl Scouting they receive the appropriate Girl Scout pin, give the Girl Scout handshake, and return to the horseshoe formation

There are many variations of this Candlelight Ceremony. If your girls are too young to light candles, or if candles are not allowed where you meet, small flashlights can be substituted.

Ways to group your troop (or break up cliques!!!)

"Group with other people who have the same favorite color as you."

After in these groups, go to the next one...

"Now group with other people born in the same season as you."

Can go on...

"Now group with other people who have the same kind of pet."

You can use any other type of question, using personal or GS stuff. When the groups look even, tell them those are the groups for the next session.

If you are only breaking into groups once or twice, you can color/symbol code your name tags...

"Look at the color line across the top of your name tag, if it's blue, go here, red go there..."

*OR*

"Check out the sticker on the cover of your handout. Smiley faces gather by the door, flowers by the table, stars by me..."

Silly / Fun Ice Breaker / Get Acquainted.

Equipment: balloons and string.

Blow up balloons and tie string around them so you have about 12-18 inches left. Each participant ties the balloon around their ankle.

Object: stomp on someone else's balloon but try to "protect" yours. Whenever a balloon breaks, everyone has to stop. If it's a get-acquainted game, the person who lost their balloon tells the group who they are. You can also do this with trivia - put a trivia (GS or other) inside the balloon before it's blown up, and the group has to stop and answer that question ("What's a Service Unit?" "What does "WAGGGS" stand for?" or whatever is right for your group). Everyone keeps playing until the last balloon is broken (you can give a prize if you choose for the last person).

There are various ways to line up, then the group can count off by 4 or 5 or what ever number of groups you want. Fun getting-to-know you line-ups include:

Alphabetically by first name, if the participants don't know each other

Alphabetically by middle name, if the participants do know each other

Date order by birthdates (months and days only for tact)

By height, by length of hair, by foot size, etc.

This is good if you want to form groups a few different ways in one session, as they will learn more about each other, each time they line up.

Barnyard Mayhem -

Make cards with animal names on them (or pictures if you want to get fancy).

Pick animals that make easy but funny sounds. (Cows, ducks, cats, dogs, monkeys, pigs, donkeys, lions, etc.) Use enough of the same animal to form the size groups you want. Pass out the cards, telling each person NOT to show their card to anyone.

Then have them make the sound of their animal AND see how fast they can find all the rest of their group by sounds alone. Can be done with eyes closed or blindfolds too.

Players count off by the number of groups needed (e.g., five groups, they count off by five). They then walk around and without speaking shake hands with players they meet. "One" shake hands with once, "twos" shake hands twice, and so on. As they meet others shaking the same number of times, they link arms until they've found their whole "handshaking group".

Write on separate strips of paper the same number of nursery songs as the number of groups you need. e.g. "Twinkle, Twinkle", "Mary had a Lamb" etc. Give each player a strip of paper.

Players walk around the room humming their songs. As one "humdinger" hears another humming the same tune, they link arms. The search goes on until all the players have found their own little song group.

Cut out several different newspaper comic strips into their individual frames. Let each participant draw a frame from a hat and give players a chance to mingle and match up their strip. So you could have a 'Peanuts' group, a 'Phantom' group etc.

Each group will have about 12 or so people. Each group must come up with an appliance, gadget, or machine that they will portray WITHOUT WORDS.

("Machinery noises" are permitted. Example: whirring, humming, etc.) Everyone in the group must be a part of the portrayal, so no one gets left out. For instance, our group portrayed an electric can opener. The two tallest people in the group stood next to each other with their arms up together forming the lever of the can opener. The rest of us formed a tight circle in front of them. When it was our turn to portray, the two "levers" moved their arms down together like when you push the lever down on an electric can opener and started making a whirring noise. Those of us in the tight circle then moved around in a circle, like the can does while the lid is being removed. I hope you get the visual idea here!

This game was lots of fun. Groups portrayed popcorn poppers, toasters, typewriters, and lots of other things.

On my honor, I will try: I will do my best to be:

You can learn more about the above topics easily on the internet. There are great websites and email lists out there. The best resource I’ve found on the internet has been membership in the WAGGGS-L mailing list. Anyone who has e-mail access can join WAGGGS-L, a world wide guiding and scouting list service. Members receive frequent publicly posted messages. It’s a great place to share program ideas, opinions, and travel information (just to name a few!). To join:

The following is a list of web sites of interest to scouts. This list was put together by a wagggs-l member and printed here for your benefit.

If you go to these few websites, you are likely to find any information you need about troop ideas, crafts, ceremonies, camping, recipes, mascots, swaps, etc., etc., etc.

http://www.girlscouts.org

http://www.gscnc.org

http://www.scoutinglinks.com

http://www.kidslist.uc.edu:/kidslist/wagggs.html#9

http://www.tidalwave.net/~horstman/su/LeaderResource.html

http://members.tripod.com/~a_scout/Scouting_File_Cabinet.htm

GSCNC has an agreement with specific banks in Maryland, Virginia and D.C. for troop accounts to be held without the usual banking fees. In return, we will not be excessive in opening and closing accounts, will not have a negative balance or be overdrawn.

In Service Unit 52-8, the SUM’s or Treasurer's signature will be included on all account signature cards.

As a troop leader and/or money manager for the troop, you will sign and agree upon the terms listed in the money management agreement in order to secure the troop checking account. It is recommended that at least two registered adults from your troop be included on the account signature card. While it is not necessary to have two signatures on every check written for the troop, you may wish to have two signatures whenever there is a possibility of misinterpretation of troop expenditures.

You will receive a blank Money Management Report at the September Service Unit meeting (also included in the Appendix of this book). This will allow you to review it and be prepared to complete it later in the year. We encourage you to keep good records of your troop's transactions. Keep all receipts: it may be helpful to jot down on the back what activity they were used for. The Annual Troop Income and Expenditures is helpful for record-keeping, but it is not required (also included in the Appendix). The completed Money Management Report is due at the May Service Unit meeting. Because the troop may not have completed all activities when the report is due, end-of-the-year expenses may be estimated.

There are many ways a troop can supplement their funds. The first and most obvious way is from the parents and girls themselves, in the form of dues, or by asking parents to pay any fees required to attend activities. The cookie sale is a major fund raiser for most troops, but this money is not available until late spring. Troops are permitted to raise funds in other ways, but they may not sell any commercial product, only products and services produced by the troop members (see Green Pages, pages 35-36 for a complete explanation). Before a troop undertakes a money making activity, a Request for Approval for Troop Money Earning Event must be submitted to the SUM, who will forward it to the Field Director for signature (copy at the Appendix). The Field Director will return a copy to the troop. Troops may request short term loans, to be repaid within 6 months, from Council to fund programs that occur prior to cookie sales. The form is included in Green Pages.

Troops are reminded that any money earned by a troop member for the troop becomes troop property as a whole. The only exceptions are for Daisy troops, who may not handle any money at all; and Cadette/Senior troops who elect to use the Individual Accounting method. (Note: Daisy Troops must STILL complete a Money Manager Report!) Again, please refer to the above section in Green Pages for a detailed explanation.

In order for the Service Unit to track assets held by the troops, you will be asked to complete and return the Troop Inventory (sample form at the Appendix). Property held by the troop remains with the troop when the girls and leaders move on. This inventory form will help the Service Unit Team pass property from one leader to the next.

If you have any questions at all concerning troop money management, or if you need help completing the report please call the Service Unit Treasurer.

While most of the responsibility for the cookie sale should rest on your Troop Cookie Manager's shoulders, the following list of information was developed to enhance communication between you and your TCM, and to avoid potential "trouble spots." Please remember that the information was compiled from previous years' cookie sales and may change in detail once this year's sale gets underway. Be sure to consult your TCM for current information after he/she has attended training. Questions that cannot be answered by your TCM should be referred to the Service Unit Cookie Manager (SUCM).

• Also check to be sure your TCM is making weekly deposits and is not depositing troop profits. For each box sold (at $3.00), $2.50 should be deposited to GSCNC and $ .50 should be retained by the troop. In order for the troop to get credit for the deposit, the pink copy of the deposit slip must be turned into the SUCM.

Troop leaders are encouraged to expand their scouts' world by taking them on field trips. Certain things are required before you do so, however. (Footstomp here -- they are REQUIRED!!!) For the girls' safety and for your own protection, please be sure to complete the following forms before moving beyond your regular meeting place. Always refer to the most current version of Safety-Wise for specific requirements for your trip.

(Write the participant's GSUSA ID number on the form, if known.)

While not necessary for all field trips, one (never both) of the following may be required for some trips:

Again, PLEASE be sure to check the Safety-Wise Standards for your planned activity(ies) to see if First Aid, Outdoor, or other certifications are required. Also, just as with camping with the girls, progression in field trips is equally important. Start with day trips and shorter length trips before taking girls on a trip to Savannah - and remember, many of the Junior troops in GSCNC do go to Savannah.

Additional items may be required for more complex trips. Please refer to Training Module 002, Nuts and Bolts, for more details.

The Washington D.C. area has so much to offer, it can almost be overwhelming! Here are some starter ideas for you and your troop

"Parktakes" - the Fairfax County Park Authority - offers a number of different Brownie Try-It and Junior Badge programs. Some are as close as South Run Recreation Center. As a resident, when you get your quarterly issue, look closely for the scout-specific classes. There is normally a fee associated, and the offerings fill up quickly. Below is a sample of Badge / Try-It programs that were offered in the past:

- Listening to the Past - available at Frying Pan Park (437-9101) and Colvin Run Mill (759-2771).

- Water Everywhere - Colvin Run Mill (759-2771)

- Earth and Sky - Hidden Pond Nature Center (451-9588)

- Outdoor Fun - Hidden Pond Nature Center (451-9588)

- Animals - Hidden Pond Nature Center (451-9588) and Frying Pan Park (437-9101)

- Horse Lover - Frying Pan Park (437-9101), Wildlife - Huntley Meadows Park (768-2525), and Hidden Pond Nature Center (451-9588)

- Ecology - Green Springs Gardens Park (642-5173)

- Scout Orienteering - Ellanor C. Lawrence Park (631-0013)

- Junior Wildlife - Ellanor C. Lawrence Park (631-0013), Hidden Oaks (941-1065)

- Junior Plants and Animals - Huntley Meadows (768-2525)

- Junior Geology - Ellanor C. Lawrence Park (631-0013)

- South Run Rec Center (866-0566) has offered the following Scout programs: Water Badge and Small Craft Badge activities, Brownie Science Wonders, Brownie Puppets, Dolls, and Plays, Junior Science Sleuth

Along with the GSCNC Campsites, "Camp Wilson" at Pohick Bay has group camping (and flush toilets). Some leaders find this an ideal camping location during the height of soccer season, as it is close enough (10 minutes) for parents to pick up / drop off their kids and allow them to do both their sports and the camping. Call 339-6104 to reserve a Camp Wilson campsite.

Smithsonian Museums…need we say more? (Note: The National Portrait Gallery, located at Gallery Place Metro Stop, has the oil painting of Juliette Low that most of you have seen).

Mosaic, published by Council twice a year, has numerous local offerings.

The "Limited, Too!" stores at the malls offer programs to help girls earn their Fashion Adventure project. The Limited, Too! has a corporate initiative to work with local troops. Typically, scouts get a workbook with activities - half of them go towards Art to Wear and half towards Looking your Best. The program, aimed at Juniors, often lets them try on trendy clothes, hair glitter and accessories, too. The staff are normally supposed to give a very soft sell - they’ll talk about careers in fashion and what drives fashion trends. Scouts normally get certificates of completion and a discount card.

Other great places to visit: Home Depot has supposedly begun a corporate program for Girl Scouts with basic information about home repair, tools, etc. The Wild Bird Center at Hechinger Plaza in Burke will come to your meeting (for a fee) and provide information, kits, booklets, etc. pertaining to wild birds, bats, etc. They have several programs to select from. Most Bagel Bakery chain stores seem to have thank you notes on the wall from troop visits - must be good. Fresh Fields does a great store tour that ties in nicely to the Good Food and Fun Food Try-its.

The Girl Scout motto is "Be Prepared." What better to be prepared than to have the tools you'll need right at your fingertips, as well as some good ideas up your sleeves?! Girl Scout training can provide you with these tools and ideas, helping you to provide a safe and exciting program for your troop.

There are three courses that are considered essential for all Girl Scout leaders, and you should complete them at your earliest opportunity, and definitely within your first year.

001 Orientation } all leaders take these

002 Nuts and Bolts } available in traditional classes or web-based version

102 Daisy Level } take the appropriate course for

103 Brownie Level } your level and if you change levels

104 Junior Level }

105 Cadette/Senior Level }

Girl Scout training is offered throughout the Council. See your training calendar, the web page (www.gscnc.org) or the monthly updates for the dates and locations of the courses being offered. You may take training at any location. The trainers are volunteers, just like you. If you register for training and cannot attend, please call and cancel so others can register. Courses are offered free or at a minimal charge.

Once you have completed the basic training, please consider First Aid training and/or Outdoor Certification. Many field trips and outdoor activities will require one or both of these certifications, as set forth by Safety-Wise and/or Green Pages. Please be aware that if both certifications are necessary for an activity, they must be held by two different people. It is not necessary, however, for a certified person to be a troop leader. If you have parents who are interested in the out-of-doors, you may suggest they become camp certified. Similarly, another adult may be your First Aider. Any American Red Cross First Aid class may be taken, although it is often more inexpensive when taken through GSCNC. All First Aid and Outdoor Certifications must be renewed every three years to remain valid.

Training is also offered for enrichment and for leader development - songs, games, ceremonies, arts and crafts, contemporary issues and more. Special training days, such as the Outdoor Odyssey, are held at various times throughout the year. Check your training calendar updates or call the training hotline, GSCNC extension 430, for courses that have been added throughout the season.

To encourage leadership development, GSUSA has developed a recognition for those leaders who complete training. Once a leader has completed the three required courses, has participated in two activities beyond the troop level, and has secured a First Aider for the troop, he/she may apply for the leadership development pin, also called the Owl pin. (See the appendix for the appropriate form.) Thereafter, for each 10 additional hours of training received, the leader can apply to receive a green leaf to add to the pin. Five green leaves can be turned in for one silver leaf, and five silver leaves can be turned in for one gold leaf.

SU Welcome Back

SU Meeting

School starts

Recruit and train new leaders!

SHARE Kick-off

Leader/Daughter Weekend

SU Meeting

School holiday

Calendar sales

Fall Association Meeting

SU Party for Juliette Low’s Birthday

31^st Juliette Low's Birthday

Teacher Work days - no school

Veteran’s Day - no school

SU Meeting

SHARE packet turn-ins

School holiday

SU Meeting

Cookie Training for TCMs

Winter Break

Winter Break over; school begins

Cookie Sale begins

Leader Enrichment Training Day

SU Meeting

ML King Day - no school

Teacher Work Day - no school

SU Meeting

Holiday

Junior Sweetheart Dance

Thinking Day

Cookie Booth Sales begin

Girl Scout Sunday

SU Meeting

Brownie Square Dance

Girl Scout Birthday

Cookie Sale ends

Spring Break Begins

Spring Break ends

Teacher Work Day - no school

Annual Council Meeting

QSP Sale begins

SU Meeting

Leader Appreciation Day (22^nd)

Take Our Daughters to Work Day

Service Unit Encampment

SU Meeting

QSP Sale ends

Spring Association Meeting

SU Bridging Ceremony

Early Bird Registration

School Holiday

SU Meeting / End of Year Party!

Last day of school

Anywhere from 4 to 10 Service Units like ours make up an Association. We’re part of Association 52, Masons Crossroads, and it includes Service Units from our area, Annandale, Baileys Crossroads, Fall Church (Fairfax County portion), Fairfax Station, Lorton, Mason Neck, Springfield, and West Springfield. There are meetings twice a year, and it’s a great place to see what happens with Girl Scouting beyond the Silverbrook / Halley area.

A traditional ceremony, sometimes combined with a Court of Awards, celebrating a girl's graduation from one level of scouting to another. In our Service Unit, we traditionally have a mass bridging ceremony to recognize all girls at once. Girls who complete a specific set of requirements designed to make the transition easier for her receives a bridging patch to wear on her uniform. Flying Up specifically refers to Brownies moving to the Junior level of Girl Scouting. Only Brownies receive wings when they move up to Junior Scouts (there are no other requirements for Brownie wings). A "picture perfect" opportunity to invite family members.

Calendar Sales

Troops earn money for sale of calendars. The campaign runs in Oct/Nov. There is not a lot of pressure for calendar sales, but you can pick up some much-needed dollars for your troop!

Capital Notes

A newsletter published monthly by GSCNC and distributed to troop leaders at Service Unit meetings.

Start recruiting a good Troop Cookie Manager (TCM) right away. The Service Unit will train them in December; the campaign runs from the first part of January through the end of March. Troops can earn several hundred to over a thousand dollars in a well-run cookie sale.

Normally in April or May; it’s a chance for the entire Service Unit to camp together. For the past several years, we’ve gone to Prince William Forest Park (south of Potomac Mills). It’s a 2 night, 3 day structured camp entirely put on by troop leaders. Daisies normally only attend on Saturday during the day. Most of the meals are provided cafeteria-style with the troop preparing its own Saturday lunch. This is the ideal environment for troops who have not built up their confidence in the out-of-doors!

Happens the week surrounding March 12^th, and includes "Girl Scout Sunday" and "Girl Scout Sunday", when girls are encouraged to wear their uniform to their house of worship. In the past, there have been activities at Springfield Mall.

Girl Scout Shop/Mobile Van

All official recognitions (Try Its, Proficiency Badges, etc.), as well as uniforms, Girl Scout publications and other Girl Scout related items may be purchased at the Girl Scout Shop, located at GSCNC headquarters in Washington, D.C. (See Green Pages for information on hours and directions.) As a convenience to those of us who live in the outlying areas, a Mobile Van travels around the areas, full of Girl Scout items. You may have your catalog order ready for you by calling in advance, or you may choose from among the items stocked in the van. You must pay by check, not cash. Watch for the Mobile Van schedule, distributed in troop packing early in the scouting year. Phone orders can also be sent to the Manassas Out-based Office for pick up.

The highest award a Senior Girl Scout can earn. This award requires a Senior to earn 4 "IPs" (interest project patches at the senior level), the Career Exploration pin, complete the Senior Challenge, learn about leadership and earn leadership hours and design and plan a major service project which benefits her school, community, or religious institution. Many compare it to the Eagle award in Boy Scouting. For those who were in scouting as a girl, it was previously called "First Class" or "Curved Bar".

An experienced leader who pledges to help a new leader get through the first year.

Green Pages

Guidelines published by GSCNC concerning their policies and procedures.

Honor Troop

In order to encourage a well-rounded Girl Scout program, GSCNC offers the Honor Troop Program. Look for the program requirements, distributed early in the scouting year. Each girl whose troop completes the requirements will receive an honor troop patch and year bar the first year it is earned, and the year bar alone in subsequent years. (Don't forget to indicate both the number of patches and year bars required by your troop!)

Investiture/Rededication

A traditional scout ceremony, normally held in September or October. A girl or adult is invested, and receives her Girl Scout pin, the first year she becomes a Scout. Each year after that, she is rededicated. Check out the Service Unit Library for ceremonies you can use, or troop can make up their own ceremony. This is an excellent time to invite family members to a troop activity.

Juliette Gordon Low founded Girl Scouting in the US in March of 1912. She was quite a fascinating woman, and we celebrate her birthday, which falls on October 31^st (yes, Halloween!). Sometimes the Service Unit will have a birthday celebration, sometimes you can just do this in your troop. (See the Brownie Handbook for information on this). One suggestion: a birthday party for Juliette - have the girls bring "birthday gifts" for the troop based on a list you give the parents of stuff you may need for troop crafts or camping (e.g., glue, scissors, dishwashing buckets, etc).

A Senior Girl Scout who has received training from Council as well as a number of hours of observing different troops. She receives her LIT pin and is ready to work with a leader in assisting in planning meetings, field trips and camp outs. After 50 hours with a troop, she receives her LIT patch. This program provides not only invaluable leadership training for the Senior Girl Scout, but also much needed help to leaders.

Sometimes troops select a small stuffed animal to be their "mascot" and then send it to other troops in the area or around the country with a journal so the mascot can learn about other scout troops. To learn more about mascots, visit the website http://mascots.efkids.net/

Mosaic

A booklet of GSCNC-sponsored events, published several times a year. Note: popular events fill up quickly. Many events have limited seating / room, so call early if you want to go to a certain event!

The materials a troop gets every month during the school year from Council, through the Service Unit Managers (SUMs). The SUMs go to an association meeting, where they pick up all these materials and then break them down / divide them up for the appropriate numbers for each troop. Packings are distributed at the end of SU meetings.

Program Aides

A wonderful help for troops - especially to young troop or to new leaders! Some guidelines: Aides are Cadettes or Seniors who have been trained to help with GS events and/or troops. They should NOT be left alone with the girls while the leaders are off doing something else. They can help in planning games, songs or program for troop and then present what they have planned. Some Aides have taken additional training and can also 'teach" outdoor skills, science activities, etc. Aides are NOT maids! Don't take them to camp and use them as 'gophers' or to do the kapers the scouts should be doing. This is not why they are there! Leaders need to be careful when using Aides and keep in mind that they are GIRLS - not short adults! Sometimes, they will make mistakes (Don't we all!!!) But keep in mind that Aides are at an age when 'words' can be especially harmful! Aides and Leaders can work together to plan - they still need some guidance. As a rule here, Aides DO NOT pay to accompany troops at meeting or camping trips - they are there to help you out. Brownies especially love having an Aide around - it's an older girl to look up to. It's important for Juniors to see Aides helping, too. It's a great retention tool -- a lot of girls will stay in Scouts because they want to become an Aide, too.

QSP is a magazine-sales program that happens in the spring. Our council gets 50% of the price of any magazine subscription, and the girls are offered incentives (patches, stuffed animals, etc.) depending on how many they sell. Council does NOT want people selling magazines door-to-door, like we do with cookies, but instead, encourages scouting families to use this program to renew magazine subscriptions they were going to get anyway. The money is used for upkeep and additions to our camping properties.

Guidelines published by GSUSA concerning safety and program standards. Should be your constant companion, and first point of reference when planning any and all Girl Scout activities!

A ceremony, most often associated with the end of a camping event, where they girls design the ceremony, say a poem or something that ties in with the weekend, and often each scout shares what she has gained. Always conducted with quiet dignity; almost always a moving ceremony.

The "team" is made up of those troop leaders and adults who have raised their hand (or otherwise been begged) to serve in a leadership role in the Service Unit. We always have room for more…please volunteer! The Team normally includes the SU manager, registrar, treasurer, secretary, newsletter editor, orientation specialist, troop level consultants, encampment coordinator, school organizers, and fund raising chairs. (Note: some of our leaders hold 2 or more of these jobs, so there really are plenty to go around!)

Service Project

An integral part of the Girl Scout Program, service to the community can take many forms: local to global, simple to complex. Choose projects that suit your troop's interests and abilities. Service opportunities are published at the service unit meetings and troops are encouraged to develop their own service projects. We normally also have one to two Service Unit Service Projects each year.

Run in the September/October timeframe. Stands for "Share Her Actual Real Expenses". Every troop needs to at least make a pitch to parents about this; no one is required to donate, but we like to think of $25 per family as a "respectable" donation. This money pays for you, the leader, to get all the stuff you get at your trainings and other information. The cost per girl of scouting in the D.C. are is about $98 (remember, we operate 5 resident camp properties, etc.), and you pay much more per year to put your daughter in dance, gymnastics, or some sports classes.

The highest award a Cadette scout can earn. She must earn three Interest Project (IP) patches related to the project she’ll do for the Silver Award, earn the Dreams to Reality Patch OR complete any five career activities, in any IP. She must also earn the Cadette Girl Scout Leadership Award or the Leadership IP, earn the Cadette Girl Scout Challenge, and then design and carry out a Girl Scout Silver Award Project (requiring a minimum of 30 hours.)

The Silver Trefoil is unique to GSCNC and is the highest recognition presented to a Senior Girl Scout in our Council. It is awarded to girls that complete 100 hours of service: 25 hours of service in the international community, 25 hours in government service, and 50 hours of service to GSCNC, the Association and Service Unit.

A Girl Scout tradition, some say it stands for "Share With A Pal". They are small items you trade with or give to other scouts. Sometimes they are theme-based, sometimes it’s just whatever you have on hand. They almost always have a safety pin or jewelry pin so they can be attached to a hat or shirt. The idea is that they should be VERY inexpensive, and made by the girls where possible. (Often made from felt, fun foam, stickers, pompoms, etc.) For more information, visit http://www.girlscouts.org/girls/Go/Travel/Swaps/swaps.htm

A date close to February 22^nd, the official Thinking Day around the world. Each troop chooses a country that has Girl Scouts and/or Girl Guides and we all meet as a Service Unit, giving girls a chance to show off what they’ve learned. Typically, a troop prepares a table or poster display and offers either food or swaps that represent that country. Brownie Leaders can easily tie this into several Try-it activities! Troops also normally make a flag of their selected country on a poster, try to learn a song or dance, and often come up with make shift costumes to represent their country.

Uniforms

A Girl Scout is considered to be in uniform if she is wearing her Girl Scout pin (over her heart). Complete uniforms may be purchased at the discretion of the parents. Uniforms can be purchased at Total Crafts (limited supply), through the JCPenney's catalog, or through the Girl Scout Council Shop, (online or by phone - http://www.gscnc.org for details.) You can also use the catalog. Please see the Uniform Regulations booklet for information about placement of recognitions on the uniform. GSUSA (http://www.girlscouts.org/girls/GS/Uniforms/index.htm.) has an excellent webpage about uniforms.

WAGGGS

The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. GSUSA is a member of WAGGGS, which is why we wear the WAGGGS pin as part of our uniform. Traditionally, a Scout receives her WAGGGS pin after she attends Thinking Day , which is a function that celebrates the international world of Girl Scouting.

Troop Committee:

•Family Appeal Chairman - Calls parents to tell them the leader needs money to send in.

•Cookie Chairman - Parent with a garage and a pick up truck or van.

•Emergency Contact - Parent who is always home except when you need them.

•Telephone Chairman - Calls to tell parents what was in the note sent home.

•Transportation Chairman - Parent with station wagon or van.

Types of Troop Government:

•Brownie Ring - Circle of chairs that girls run around.

•Town Meeting - Chairs all face the same way but girls don't.

•Patrol System - Small groups of chairs - girls all in the bathroom.

Girl Scout Glossary:

•Badge - A small, round patch on a girl's sash that she can't remember what she did to get.

•Bridging - A ceremony in which girl is given her honorable discharge from the troop.

•Brownie - Short girl in brown dress which is either 2 sizes too big or 1 size too small.

•Buddy System - Pairing of girls which guarantees they will never be in the same place at the same time.

•Cadette - Tall girl who would rather be caught dead than seen in uniform.

•Candelighting - Ceremony in which a Girl Scout demonstrates that she cannot light a match.

•Color Guard - Group of Girl Scouts tripping over each other while banging flag poles into door jambs.

•Court of Awards - Ceremony parents attend to make sure their daughter got more badges than the neighbor's daughter.

•Court of Honor - Mythical part of the patrol system.

•Daisy - Very short girl with blue smock covering all food, paint, and grubby hand stains on regular clothes.

•Fly-Up - Brownie ceremony similar to Bridging ceremony, but girls are booted out of the nest as well.

•Friendship Circle - Girls standing in circle trying to out-squeeze each other's hands.

•Girl Scout Sign - Girl holding up 3 fingers so she has something to look at while saying her promise.

•Girl Scout Week - A week on the calendar, sometime in March, that overstressed leaders can't seem to think of anything special to do to celebrate it.

•Investiture - Ceremony in which girl forgets her promise after practicing it at least 25 times that afternoon.

•Junior - Medium size girl dressed in green with sash falling off shoulder.

•Juliette Low's Birthday - Usually called Halloween because that's more "fun".

•Kaper - Fancy name to trick the girls into cleaning the latrine.

•Kaper Chart - Poster board announcing, for all to see, who gets to clean the latrine.

•Motto - Be Prepared, but any experienced leader actually knows it's Be Flexible.

•Neighborhood/Service Unit - A geographical subdivision of a council with a fancy name to confuse new leaders as to where they belong.

•Patrol - Group of 6 - 8 girls who used to be best friends.

•Quiet Sign - Handsignal invented by leader with laryngitis.

•Ranger - Man in charge of scout camp -- can see gum wrapper under a tent 50 yards away.

•Scout's Own - A ceremony where no-one contributes anything and everyone wonders what is coming next.

•Service Team - Group of adults that muddles along trying to convince everyone else they are great administrators.

•Sit-Upon - A mat or pad, usually somewhere else when you really need it.

•Thinking Day - Special Guiding and Scouting day when leaders worldwide wonder why they are spending more than an hour a week on somebody else’s girls.

•Troop - Large group of girls dedicated to making leader insane.

•Try-It - Triangular piece of colored cloth on a girl's sash/vest that shows she's been showing up to meetings.

•WAGGGS - What leaders do with their index fingers to girls that are misbehaving.

1. To Develop to Her Full Individual Potential.

Translation: You are a very small cog in a very big machine.

2. To Relate to Others With Increasing Understanding, Skill, and Respect.

Translation: You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours.

3. To Develop Values to Guide Her Actions and to Provide the Foundation for Sound Decision-making.

Translation: Never Miss a Meeting or a Deadline

4. To Contribute to the Improvement of Society Through the Use of Her Abilities and Leadership Skills, Working in Cooperation With Others.

Translation: Sell Cookies and collect for Family Appeal.

Source and thanks to: Mountain View Girl Scout Neighborhood in Vancouver, Washington. You can find this and more information like it at: http://www.oocities.org/Heartland/Plains/3209/terms.html

Congratulations and thanks to any leader or troop who decides to sponsor a Service Unit event! Without sponsors, the service unit would not have local opportunities to interact with other Scouts. While some events will require more planning than others, we have developed the following guidelines to help plan a safe and successful event. There is also a booklet called the Event Director’s Manual that can be borrowed from the Service Unit library if you would like more details about planning an event. As part of the planning, we ask that you keep a notebook of your plans to assist those who may plan a similar event in the future.

Service Unit 52-8 has the following resources available for leaders to borrow. See the Service Unit Librarian for checkout.

Safety-Wise

Green Pages

Mosaic

Uniforms, Insignia and Recognitions

Short ‘n’ Snappy

Bright Ideas

Kaleidoscope

Wider Ops - 1992, 1993, 1996

Grapevine (Collection)

Capital Notes (Collection)

Here Come the Brownies:

Corrie’s Secret Pal

Make Up Your Mind, Marsha!

Daisy Level Training Module

Brownie/Junior Handbook - 1977

Brownie/Junior Leader Guide - 1977

Junior Leader Guide - 1986

Cadette/Senior Interest Projects - 1987

Cadette/Senior Handbook - 1987

The Story Of Juliette Low

Games for Girl Scouts

Ceremonies in Girl Scouting

Cooperation and Sharing

Leader’s Resource Manual

Lending Library volume II

Right to Read

Girls are Great

Into the World of Today and Tomorrow

Reaching Out (Youth Suicide)

Decision for Your Life (Youth Pregnancy)

Valuing Differences (Pluralism)

Tune Into Well-Being, Say No to Drugs

Staying Safe (Child Abuse)

Caring and Coping (Family Crisis)

Earth Matters

Focus on Ability

Be Your Best

We Can Do It

Canoe - 1979

Non-Partisan Voter Awareness - 1980

The Arts - 1980

Conserve Energy - 1984

Consumer Education

Women Through Time - 1984, 1996

Hearing Awareness

Keeping the Pace - 1980’s?, 1997

Ethnic Heritage - 1984

70th Anniversary

80th Anniversary

85th Anniversary

Be A Reader - 92/93, 94/95, 96/97

Sports Program - 1982

Your Own Sports Program

Brownie Friendmaker

Be Your Best

Roots and Shoots

Common Threads

Nation’s Capital Sampler

Religious Program (pamphlet w/ contact info)

Stories for the Campfire

Art for Daisy and Younger Brownie Scouts

National Geographic Program Aid

3-2-1 Contact Science Kit

Brainstorm: Truth About the Brain on Drugs (video)

Service Unit Encampments

Ecology

Camping

Song Leading and Games

Health and Safety

Native Americans

Ceremonies and Crafts

New Leaders