“THE BRIDGE”

THE WALNUT CREEK SERVICE UNIT

NEWSLETTER

MARCH 2005

FROM YOUR SUD

Cookies are over! Congratulations for surviving yet another year!

You all are such an awesome bunch! I love to brag about you all the time! Cookies really bring out the best in all of you, as opposed to the opposite. I love to see you all team-working the booths within your own troops and within the other troops in the Service Unit – Troop helping troop – together we are successful – that’s the key! We all want our girls to succeed – whether they are in our own troops or not – you don’t know how rare that is! Give yourselves a pat on the back and a hug – you deserve it for being such wonderful role models in unity and teamwork for our girls! I am so proud to be associated with all of you.

Pen

Calendar

March 3 – Service Unit meeting at Grace Church of the Nazarene, 6:15pm

March 5- Junior Day (see details below)

March 6 – Girl Scout Sunday

March 7 – Silver and Gold Award workshops

March 12 – Girl Scout birthday

March 14-18 – Spring Break

March 19 – Brownie Day at Walnut Creek Park (see details below)

April 1 – Cookie Credits mailed out

April 2 – Chili Cook-Off, St. Francis

April 3 – Daylight Saving Time begins (Spring back)

April 7^th – Service Unit meeting at Grace Church of the Nazarene, 6:15pm

April 9 – Cookie Celebration

April 22^nd – Girl Scout Leader’s Day – recognize your leader for all her hard work!

April 22^nd – Earth Day

April 23^rd – Spring Camp Out at Krause Springs

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Thinking Day

We had a turn out of 185 people total – girls, adults and siblings, plus an additional 31 from Possiblities. The comments from evaluations were very positive this year, with only a couple of new suggestions. The most important one was to move Thinking Day celebration to the Saturday after cookie sales are over with next year. The other suggestion was to have the event last until 12:30 instead of 1pm. So, next year will be in the middle! Last year we ended at noon and this year, an extra hour was too long, so next year, we will go for 12:30pm! Thanks for the feedback! It was lots of fun and the food was absolutely wonderful and delicious! Yummy!

The girls collected quite a bit of change for the Juliette Low World Friendship Fund and I need to figure out how to count all of it!

I want to say a special thanks to the following people for making this event so much fun this year:

Heather Cook for organizing the opening and closing flag ceremonies

Melida Barrera for organizing the Parade of Nations

Daphne Jones for watching the registration table

Nancy Guthrie for making the wonderful Passports for Thinking Day

Raechel Stanford and Jennifer Gore for manning the WAGGGS table, handling the Thinking Day patches and everything else!

And… Becky Chen, Paula Garner and her husband Chuck and my husband Kelly, for helping to set up the night before, to make it easier for all of us!

Thanks Team!!!!!!

You are very much appreciated!

Pen

CONGRATULATIONS TO TROOP 1027 FOR THE GIRLS EARNING THEIR SILVER AWARDS! WAY TO GO GIRLS AND PARENTS! SPECIAL THANKS TO TAMIE HUNT FOR BEING SUCH A SUPPORTIVE LEADER!

Silver and Gold Award Workshops

Leaders,
The following FREE workshops have been set up at the new Girl Scout facility at 12012 Park 35 Circle (off I35 between Braker & Yager)

Register for all these events using the reg form in Possibilities or download one from the LSC website here:

http://www.girlscouts-lonestar.org/pdfs/council/Event_Forms_Possibilities_Spring_05.pdf

Silver Workshop
This is for all girls (and their parents or advisors) interested in earning their Silver Award. 
Feb 12th 2-4pm or March 7th 6:30-8:30pm

Please download the Silver Handbook and bring it to this meeting:
http://www.girlscouts-lonestar.org/girls/patches.html#silver

Gold Workshop
This is for all girls (and their parents or advisors) interested in earning their Gold Award. 
March 7th 6:30-8:30pm
Please download the Gold Handbook and bring it to the meeting.


Silver Award Consultant Training (SAC)
This is for the person in each Service Unit that will be coordinating the Silver Awards in the SU.
Feb 12th 10am-12 or March 3rd 6:30-8:30pm

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Walnut Creek Service Unit’s

JUNIOR DAY

At The University of Texas Campus

In conjunction with “Explore UT”

SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2005

FIRST STOP:  Texas Union Information Center                                (11:00 a.m.)

*Get your Passport—Visitors are encouraged to pick up a free Explore UT passport to document their day of high adventure.  Passports are available at Information Centers and many program venues.  Collective distinctive stamps as you attend events across the “40 Acres.”  By the end of the day, you’ll have a colorful record of your journey.

            *Sign up for the Tower Tour—The Texas Union will offer special half-hour tours of the UT tower on a first-come, first-serve basis.  Sign up for the free tours at the Texas Union Information Center (south entrance).  Tours begin at 11:00 a.m. and conclude with the last tour at 4:30 p.m.  Each tour is limited to 20 participants due to fire and safety guidelines. 

NEXT STOP:  Texas Union Building                                                           (12:00 p.m.)

*Bring a Sack Lunch—The building has a large cement area out front and a grass area off to the side.  The Texas Union Building also has a food court if anyone needs to purchase a lunch.  (Wendy’s & Taco Bell)

LAST STOP:  Texas Union Building                                                           (1:00 p.m.)

            *Junior Day Activities—Pose for pictures, play a game or sing a song, and then conclude with a Friendship Circle to dismiss Juniors & Bridging Brownies to go enjoy the event.

SOME THINGS TO REMEMBER:

· Each girl must have her own Safety Wise Adult at all times!

· “Explore UT” has tons & tons of activities for kids to do.  The event is not limited to girls or Girl Scouts, so please do bring your family & friends.  HOWEVER, we ask that only the Girl Scouts participate in the Junior Day activities & picnic. http://www.utexas.edu/events/exploreut

· Some of the activities require registration.  You can map out your day, sign up for events, create a schedule and much, much more at: http://web.austin.utexas.edu/ormue/events/exploreut/public/2005/index.cfm?year=2005

At Explore UT, visitors are encouraged to unravel scientific mysteries, unleash creative energies and uncover the realms of discovery that are a part of everyday life at The University of Texas at Austin. Explore UT is organized into six realms of discovery. Adventurers of all ages can choose from more than 300 programs. On the Explore UT map and in program listings, each realm can be identified by the color noted.

Arts Adventures	Create a vision of the world through art, architecture and communication.
Cultural Crossroads	Engage in the endless opportunities of the liberal arts, business and education.
Engineering Expeditions	Embark on a journey to shape the world through engineering.
Public Service Passageway	Chart a course of discovery into how society is enriched through the law, social work and public service.
Science Safari	Search through the intricacies of science and engage in the fun of pharmacy and other scientific adventures.
Longhorn Trail	Travel the campus and discover what makes Longhorn life unique.

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Ladies,

I forgot to mention something about Junior Day/Explore UT.

Not only are there Special Attractions for your girls at this event, but there's something in it for the Leaders, too!

These classes will count toward Leadership Development hours (green leafs).

Make sure you pre-register if you want to get in.  There's no guarantee that spots will be open for walk-ins.

Carrie

Visit this website:

http://web.austin.utexas.edu/ormue/events/exploreut/public/2005/showevents.cfm

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Summer Camps Financial Aid deadlines

If your daughter or a girl in your troop wants to attend the Zilker Day Camp program or Camp Texlake this summer, the deadline for Financial Aid is March 10^th, with initial placement on April 10^th. Please ask your parents if they need some assistance in getting this paperwork taken care of. Here is the Council website that you can go to, to get more information. You may have to print this out for those that don’t have computer access or who aren’t comfortable with using a computer.

http://www.girlscouts-lonestar.org/programs/2005_summer_camps.htm

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Tackling Stacks – new business!!

Congratulations to our own Elizabeth Wrightsman and Heather Givens for starting their professional organizing firm. They now have their website up and running. I wanted to share it with you in case you knew of anyone that may be able to use their services. Wouldn’t this be a cool gift for a needy friend who is overwhelmed with all that paperwork? Leader’s Day is just around the corner and what about birthdays, Mother’s Day…… I can’t think of a better gift! 

Check out their website and imagine the possibilities! www.tacklingstacks.com

These are two very well organized individuals!

Pen

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HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS - FREE SUMMER CAMP OPPORTUNITY (due date by April 1, 2005, 5pm)

We are pleased to announce The McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin summer camps for high school students.  We hope that you will help us to publicize these opportunities to high school students who may be interested in business at UT Austin. 

The Accounting Career Awareness Program (ACAP), sponsored by Ernst & Young, LLP, is a FREE (travel included if needed by students) week long on campus institute for socially or economically disadvantaged, or who will be the first members of their families to attend college. All student applicants are welcome. The week centers around business, with a focus on accounting.

Sunday, July 10 through Friday, July 15th. 

The McCombs Future Executive Academy, sponsored by Ford Motor Company, Caterpillar and ConocoPhillips, is a FREE (travel included if needed by students) week long on campus institute for socially or economically disadvantaged, or who will be the first members of their families to attend college. All student applicants are welcome. The week centers around all aspects of business, ending with a marketing plan competition.  Sunday, June 12 through Saturday, June 18. 

Students will need: A GPA of at least 3.2. A resume, two letters of recommendation, transcripts, and the application available for download on the following website:

http://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/udean/resources/programs/

The McCombs School of Business is a number six nationally ranked business program with nine majors.  We encourage students to apply who are exploring their career options, with the hope that they will choose to enter the business work force. This is an excellent opportunity for students to spend a week immersed in residence halls and campus life, to interact with faculty and staff members, and to learn about the many areas of business available.

Please feel free to forward this message, or to email me with questions.  We look forward to receiving many applications again this year! 

CeCe Ridder {ridderc}
Director of Student Affairs The University of Texas, McCombs School of Business
1University Station
#B6100
Austin, TX 78712 CeCe.Ridder@mccombs.utexas.edu

tel:
fax: 512-471-0682
512-471-2388

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SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OUR PARENTS FOR HELPING THEIR GIRLS’ GOALS TO BE REALIZED!!!

COOKIES ARE ALL ABOUT GOAL SETTING AND GOAL ACHIEVING!!

WAY TO GO WALNUT CREEK!

Troop 1452/1274 – Savannah bound Spring 2006, Our Cabana bound in 2008

Troop 22 – Savannah bound May 2005 to bridge

Troop 259 – Washington DC bound

Troop 369 – Savannah bound June 2006

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WALNUT CREEK SERVICE UNIT

Troop 1996 invites you to join in a day of

fun and activities enabling all girls to earn

the following try-its:

OUTDOOR ADVENTURER

TRAVEL RIGHT

EARTH IS OUR HOME

Please dress for the weather. All girls attending should wear girl scout uniform, vest, sash or tee shirt, and closed toe shoes. Girls should bring sack lunch and drinks (water bottle, etc.).

PLEASE RSVP BY MARCH 12, SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH SUPPLIES FOR ALL THE GIRLS THAT WILL BE COMING!

For more information contact 238-6925, 947-9930 or

bitterj92_7@hotmail.com

In case of inclement weather please call contact numbers above.