Results tagged “ceo” from GSSA Leader Blog: The Virtual Volunteer

A couple of weeks ago, we were sent a letter by the Southwest Alabama United Way.  The letter informed us that Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama was "defunded" for 2014 and 2015 in Mobile and Clarke counties, but that Washington County funded us again.   This year, Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama received more than $80,000 from the Southwest Alabama United Way for Mobile and Clarke counties.   Not only did the organization "defund" Girl Scouts, they also "defunded" Boy Scouts and a number of other agencies.

We have requested a further explanation, since the executive director has not accepted telephone calls from our constituents asking why this decision was made.   In response to my letter asking for further data, he noted that the board chair and I should attend a meeting on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, with all the other unhappy agency directors.  

The Southwest Alabama United Way has undergone a "planning process" to identify what are the building blocks in Mobile, Clarke and Washington counties.   One can only conclude that Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts are not a "community building block."   The new strategy is to fund "programs" not agencies.   The information that has been given to us is that we didn't provide outcomes metrics and data in our application and that is why we were "defunded."   I can assure you we did.   The second volley was that the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, the program that defines Girl Scouting, isn't  a "program."

As you can imagine, we are disappointed by these responses to a more than 50-year partnership with the Southwest Alabama United Way.   One would like to think that "defunding" Girl Scouts would have merited a telephone conversation by the executive director of the United Way, but sadly, he has never even been to our office in the two years he has been on the job.

We are Girl Scouts, and we will continue to change the world.   We are appreciated and funded by the Baldwin County, River Region, Wiregrass, Pike County and Lake Martin Area United Ways and several United Funds.   We had something similar happen three years ago in Lee County.   Those in the know suggested that the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts be "quiet" about it.   Well, three years later, most people who live in Lee County don't know we aren't funded by the United Way there, and our girl numbers have declined because of a lack of public investment, so being "quiet" didn't really work well for us.

As someone who sees what more than 3,500 adult volunteers and over 9,000 girl members do to become contributing citizens of their communities, I believe that Girl Scouting is a critical "community building block."

If you live and work in Mobile, Clarke, or Lee counties, please remember Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts receive zero funding from those community organizations when it is time to donate to the United Wa,.   Thank you to Baldwin County, River Region, Wiregrass, Lake Martin and Pike County United Way agencies for understanding that building future leaders is a vital "community building block" and an important investment in our future. 

Too many girls and not enough adults -- that is always our problem.   It's tough to find adults who are brave enough to step up and say they will lead girls.  Although parts of being a Girl Scout leader drive you crazy, the effort is certainly worth it.   How many people have the adulation of that many girls?   Each year we have hundreds of girls that we can't place in troops, so they don't have the opportunity to experience becoming a girl of courage, confidence, and character.

In the near future, our membership staff will be asking you two questions, because we are starting to plan for next year, even though we are only six months into the 2012-2013 membership year.   We will ask if you returning as a troop leader next year?   We do that so we know where we will have troops and where we need to focus.   The second question is whether you are willing to have more girls in your troop?   We have girls who want to be in troops, so, if you are able to accommodate more girls, please consider it.  

Please assist us as we try to provide a rich learning opportunity for all the girls in our 30- county area by helping us identify others who might serve as good troop leaders.   The best advertising for adults to step up are troop leaders who extol the virtues of what changing the world is really like through working with girls.   If you have friends who you believe would make good leaders, let your field executive know.

Hopefully, this time of year you are having some fun with your girls because that is what it is all about, shaping future leaders by having fun with them today.

Recently I was at a Girl Scout CEO meeting; I was talking to Anna Marie Chavez, the GSUSA CEO.   Anna Marie is energetic, enthusiastic and filled with new ideas and initiatives, exactly what we want for an organization that is charged with moving at "girl speed."   

We were talking about television.   She has been trying to interest television networks in creating a program about Girl Scouts.   This would dramatically increase our visibility, highlight the many fantastic activities Girl Scouts participate in, and showcase the community service Girl Scouts provide.   I asked if she had seen the new National Geographic program, "Are You Tougher than a Boy Scout".   I had seen the second program, where the Boy Scouts performed as empathetic, responsible young men, who were winning against the adults.   As we discussed it, I told her I would do some quick research about our girls and what they enjoy.

The question of the week has to do with what your daughter likes to watch on television.

The question is: What are your daughter's top 3 television programs?

The second question is: What are YOUR top 3 television programs?

And finally, if Girl Scouts had a television program, what should it be called? 

While I was at the meeting I thought of some program titles that I thought would be appealing.   What are yours?

Pleas send your top 3 television programs to communicatons@girlscoutssa.org.   We will compile the information and let you know the results.   Help us find out what appeals to your daughter, so we can move at "girl speed", too.

We are in the process of working on a number of publications for our donors and constituents.   Our best stories are not my stories, but your stories.   I've asked the staff for stories from each part of the council and have received some good ones.   I suspect we have lots of good stories about girls and their troops doing amazing things, and these are the ones we want to share with people that support us.   They want to feel that their money is making a difference in the lives of the girls, and it's your stories that will show them just that.

We had a fund raising event a couple of weeks ago, and a longtime Girl Scout, Dianne Belk, came with her husband.   Dianne grew up poor on a cotton farm in Mississippi.   She wanted to be a Girl Scout, but her family could not afford it, so her mother said she could earn the money by selling the eggs from one of their hens.   Dianne wanted to be a Girl Scout so badly that  she collected those eggs, carefully washed them and walked them a mile to the store where the grocer purchased them from her.   She learned to have confidence as a Girl Scout.  

Dianne went to college with $5 and her clothes in a brown paper bag.   She went on to be one of the first women industrial engineers in the United States.   Dianne was so successful that she was able to retire early.   She and her husband will leave a large portion of their estate to the Girl Scouts, because being a Girl Scout changed her life, and she changed the world.

One of our favorite recent stories is about a girl who wanted to be a Girl Scout.   Her mother said they could not afford the cost.   She convinced her mother she wanted to be a Girl Scout, so her mother allowed her to use all the money in her piggy bank to join.   During the cookie program she sold more than 180 boxes of cookies.   We don't know, but maybe she will be the next Dianne Belk.   Even if she isn't, because of her experience she will be a girl of confidence, character, and courage who will leave the world a better place.

If you have a great story that you would like for us to share, please share it with us at communications@girlscoutssa.org.

I've been out and about during the cookie program.   If I see girls selling cookies, I make a point and going by to thank the girls.   In every instance, the girls I met were having a great time.   Some were playing with the empty boxes while waiting for customers.   Others were trying to stay warm.   I met one group that had been out in the wind for five hours -- now that takes some fortitude.    I talked to another pair on Saturday, and just while I was there, the wind took its toll, but the girls were smiling and enjoying themselves.   Most of the ones I saw in action were excellent sales people.   They approached customers with a smile, took rejection well, and made me proud that I have the privilege of working with these girls.

As an educator my questions are always the same. What are they learning from this?   Do the girls participate in the goal setting?  Do they make decisions?   Do they learn about money management?   Do they improve their people skills?   Do they learn business ethics?   Those are the objectives of the cookie program.   The ones I saw were doing an excellent job in all those areas.

I realize most of us will be grateful when the program is over, as it creates chaos for a couple of months. I always hear stories about kids who sleep with cookies, and actually, when I travel to my dorm room in Montgomery, I sleep with cookies too.

Thank you for all you do to make the cookie program a success.   Teaching the girls these skills are lessons that will stay with them for a lifetime.

Do you get irritated while waiting in the grocery store line, and the new checker comes in, opens the lane next to you and then takes the person waiting in line behind you?   Have you ever had to fly somewhere and pay a small fortune for an outrageously expensive airline ticket, knowing the person sitting next to you probably paid one-third of what you paid.   Where is the fairness? 

 As U.S. citizens, we have learned to line up at school at an early age. When I get ice cream, I appreciate the fact that the business has a number you can pull, so you get your turn in the order you arrived.   That's fair.  Unfortunately, most Girl Scout councils fund all their operations and expenses from the once-a-year cookie program. For the 2011-2012 membership year, 68 percent of our council's income was from the cookie program, so it is upsetting to hear a parent say "we aren't participating in the cookie program. "   I understand standing at a booth sale is a pain.   I also recognize collecting on bad checks takes time and winds up being very frustrating, but I see girls building confidence, finding their voice, managing people who are rude or don't want to buy cookies, and I'm convinced this is a good endeavor.

Many councils have implemented a program service fee, since your annual membership fee goes directly to GSUSA.  I felt that wasn't good for our council.   We want girls to participate in as many programs as possible!  Going forward, we will have different levels of pricing for council programs and services for those girls who elect to not participate in the cookie program.   It isn't fair to all the girls who participate in the cookie program to pay for those who do not.   We requested participation at a minimal level, at least 24 boxes of cookies.   If you elect not to participate in the cookie program, pricing for council programs, events, and properties will reflect the actual amount it costs to produce the program or operate the property.

This year more than 5,000 girls in our 9,000 are participating in the cookie program.   What some of those girls accomplish is unbelievable.  I spoke with a girl a week ago who was already sold more than 1,000 boxes, and we still have weeks to go.   There's still time to teach your girls how to become cookie entrepreneurs.

Thanks to those who are tired of thinking about cookies for what you do to make the world a better place through creating young entrepreneurs.

Those of us who work with cookies up close and personal are always thinking ahead.   Cookie season is chaotic, so as we keep moving cookies around, our minds turn to spring and then summer.   Those of us who work at the council office love summer because it is our opportunity to get out of the office and enjoy some fun with the girls.   We do a lot of planning for summer camp now, while the cookie program is in progress.   And that planning is a fun thing, working on programs girls love and thinking of new ones that will attract girls. 

 In an effort to save money, we will have only one camp staff this year.   Our camp numbers are decreasing, and it doesn't make financial sense to have two summer camp staffs.   We will have one staff who will do the first three weeks at Camp Scoutshire Woods and then the last two weeks at Kamp Kiwanis.   We will also have the Mariners sailing program at Kamp Kiwanis near the end of the regular sessions.

Each year I have a parent say their daughter would attend camp, but the weeklong session is a lot for the first time out.   We do have a three-day camp session for Brownies and Juniors, which is offered at both resident camps.   It is aimed at the first-time camper and affords them the opportunity to try out camp activities such as cooking over a fire, singing camp songs, swimming, and canoeing.  We do hope you will consider this.   It is a great way to get a girl interested in camp without being gone all weeklong.

We are planning some STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs at camp this year.   If that sounds too much like school, it isn't.  Girls will use the technology of fingerprinting during the CSI Detective program, learn about geography during the Letterboxing and Geocaching treasure hunt sessions, or use simulated space travel to explore the cosmos with our Astronomy program.  So you can learn about science painlessly while having lots of fun in the woods.

There are two canoe trips planned, the first one being on the Okatoma River during the first week of Camp Scoutshire and the second one on the Tallapoosa during the first week on Kamp Kiwanis.   This is an opportunity for older girls to test themselves on faster water than Echo Lake or Lake Martin.   Those sessions require that you be a proficient swimmer and have experience in a canoe or kayak.   These usually fill up quickly.

Another new session is Camp Theatre!  Girls will open up their creativity by learning performance skills such as stage movement, improvisation, voice lessons, clown and mime.  Girls will showcase their talents for their parents at the end of camp.

Those girls who sell more than 600 boxes of cookies receive 175 program credits toward a reduced camp rate.   Applications for camp are due March25.

We also have some other big programs where girls can use their cookie program credits.   One is an overnight trip to Space Camp at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville.    This is the first time we have offered this program in recent history.    The cost is $129 per person, so you can use cookie program credits to attend.   Another program to consider is a trip to see the hit Broadway show Wicked in New Orleans on June 1.

Hopefully, your girls are excited for these opportunities and others the cookie program provides.

Thanks for all your hard work during this time of year.

How do we know what you do as a Girl Scout make a difference?    This is one of many questions the Girl Scout Research Institute (GSRI) has studied recently to document outcomes of participation in Girl Scouts.   This study examined the relationship between Girl Scout experiences and success in school.   Rather than a pre-test, post-test research design, it involved surveys of active Girl Scouts administered near the end of the academic year.

So what did the GSRI researchers discover in this research project?

• Girl Scout participation has a positive impact on girls' leadership
  
  
• Most Girl Scouts in this study are academically successful - they finish their homework, get good grades and understand their class work
  
  
• Girl Scouting influences academic success as much as, and sometimes more than, non-Girl Scout factors known to impact academics
  
  
• Girls who gain experience solving problems and seeking challenges in Girl Scouting are more successful in school than girls who gain less experience in these areas
  
  
• Some Girl Scout experiences are more beneficial than others in promoting the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE) outcomes that influence academic success
  
  
• Lower socio-economic status (SES) girls report greater benefits from Girl Scouting than do higher-SES girls

So, please remember, what you do with girls does make a difference.   For more information on this report or to read the full report, visit the Girl Scout Research Institute website, www.girlscouts.org/research/.

Each year we conduct an annual meeting, which provides an opportunity for us to share information about state of the council, examine the council's financial situation, and conduct business.   We move this meeting around the council and attendance varies from year to year.

We try hard to make it interesting, but what we have discovered is that many of you prefer sessions about how to make the Journeys come to life for your girls or best practices for your troops, rather than the excitement of the business meeting.   We are obligated to conduct this business, but we have looked at your evaluations and listened to what other councils do.   This year we are going to try something new and have a program event as a part of the annual meeting.   We are planning events both for volunteers and girls.  

With Easter landing on the weekend we normally have the annual meeting, this year's annual meeting will be April 6, the weekend after our usual time. We have a very popular event the same weekend as the annual meeting, the sleepover at the Montgomery Biscuits baseball game.   This event includes a great parade, sometimes presentation of girl awards, and some fun during the game.   The culmination is a sleepover in the outfield with a movie on the Jumbotron.   Rather than create our own competition, which we sometimes do with programs, we are working to couple this popular event with the annual meeting.

We are having the annual meeting at Kamp Kiwanis starting fairly early in the day.   For those who want to make a weekend of it, we will have the camp available for overnights at the property on Friday night.   We are planning on a fun-filled day on Saturday, with the business meeting as a part of the itinerary.   Then, for those who are interested in more fun, there is the Montgomery Biscuits game Saturday evening.   You can elect simply to attend the game or spend the night on the outfield as part of the Biscuits events.

We hope this provides a great opportunity for a weekend of Girl Scout fun and activities for the entire family!   If you are interested in serving as a council delegate to the business meeting, please contact the council membership staff member for your area.

It's January, and the cookie the craziness has begun. The offices smell somewhat different than usual -- it must be Mango Crème's.   And they certainly look different, with furniture moved aside so we can shift cases from one space to another.  

I've already heard two stories of people being flagged down by others unknown to purchase cookies, one at a Waffle House.   There must be something about Waffle House as I hear a similar story to that every year.   We, of course, love to hear the fun stories about cookies, and there are usually plenty of them.   If you have a great story, please let our new director of public relations and marketing, Meghan Cochrane, know.   She can be reached at mcochrane@girlscoutssa.org or call either office and dial extension 2907.   If you need more media releases in your area, please let us know.   We put out the media kits before the holidays.   Thanks to those troop leaders, girls, and press reps that made that happen.   It is a lot of work, but it's fun.

The council's initial order was about the same as it was last year, which was disappointing because I think most volunteers found they did not get caught with cookies.   We've also heard others say they need to come to the cupboard and refill already because their initial order is sold.   We LOVE that!   You go girls!   Like you, we don't want to get caught with cookies either.   This is why we ask you to do planned orders.   We order cookies for the cupboard based on your planned orders.   We keep some additional in the cupboard, but you know what it is like to be "caught" with cookies at the end.   We also don't want to have that happen, so inventory management during the sale, albeit a pain, really does assist us in not getting "caught" with cookies.   You might think, well it's not my problem if the council gets stuck with the cookies.   That is true, but the girls pay for it, whether it is your troop or the council, so planning is a beautiful thing.   I certainly understand, though, that sometimes you can't plan.

If you need additional pick-up hours for large orders, we are always happy to accommodate you.   Last year we had the cupboards open for long spans of time.   In fact, I received complaints when folks arrived to find out college guys snoozing while waiting to fill orders.   This is what college guys do when not occupied.  We are cutting back on the number of hours, again, to save the girls money.   However, if you need additional hours or exceptions for pick-ups, please contact the cookie hotline at 800-239-6636, option 5, and we will work it out.   This should be done in advance.  We do want to sell cookies, we want to be of service to you during the cookie sale, but we also need to be fiscally conscious because all the money is the girls' money.

We do love to hear the stories about the sale.   Let us know what is going on!  Thanks for all you do to make this a successful program.

I'm sitting in the Volunteer Center writing this while surrounded by cases of cookies.   The smell is almost overwhelming -- fresh cookies, just off the truck from the baker.   The world's largest girl-led entrepreneurial program is about to commence!

I want to run through a few reminders of issues we encounter during the cookie program.

1.    Girls must be registered as a Girl Scout for the current membership year, which started October 1, 2012, to sell cookies.   That means she and/or her parent needed to fill out the paperwork, sign the form and provide the requisite $12 annual membership fee.

2.    Girls and their parents must complete and familiarize themselves with the permission forms to sell, which also highlight the safety rules for selling.   Assuring safety is always a concern in working with girls, especially in parking lots with cash in hand during a tough economy.

3.    The best cookie program experience for the girls is one that involves using the program materials that the cookie baker has developed.   These can be accessed by going to www.abcsmartcookie.com and signing up for COCO Cookie Command.   The fun activities (materials) emphasize the five goals of the cookie program.

4.    If you are having issues or troubles with facets of the sale it is better to let us know sooner rather than later.   We will have a cookie hot line going during the sale.  The telephone number for the cookie hot line is our council phone number, 800-239-6636, option 5.

5.    ABC Bakers, our cookie baker, also has a hotline available if you are having issues using SNAP or COCO, they can be reached by 800-221-1002.

6.    We are pleased that the new cookie this year is receiving some excellent attention. I saw it this morning on ABC's Good Morning America program.   It is a mango crème cookie with Nutrifusion.   Nutrifusion means the baker actually used the mangoes and coconut in the filling more directly than in a typical sandwich cookie.   As we know, smelling is a very large part of flavor, so give it a whiff.   It is like an inexpensive trip to a tropical island without leaving the state.

7.    Every year this is when we have anonymous calls and accusations about the "conspiracy" between Girl Scouts and Planned Parenthood.   Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama does not have a relationship with Planned Parenthood. We do not provide them any funds and believe these issues are best discussed within a family and church setting.   GSSA's board-approved statement on this topic can be found on this link, What GSSA Stands For.   This mythology always reaches a peak during the cookie program.

8.    Vegan is a new label on the Cookie Order Card this year.  The Thin Mints are labeled Vegan.  Lemonaids, Thanks-a-Lots and Peanut Butter Patties are Vegan, but are not labeled as such. ABC Bakers have NOT changed the anything in the cookie recipes, and these cookies always have been Vegan.

9.    This is supposed to be fun.   I've been around some tremendous leaders who have made this an incredible learning experience for the girls, and I have seen girls grow and come out of their silence during this program.   I recognize this is a tough sell to you, since you have picked up your cookies, have the always errant parent who never pays, gives you a bad check, or does something else absolutely infuriating.   We hear horror stories daily about frustrating behaviors on the part of others during this experience.   And trust me, we have to deal with most of those. 

My least favorite cookie-related issue occurred during the first two years I was here.  We had two instances of parents throwing cookie boxes at one another in front of the girls because there was a fight over who got which door at the Wal-mart cookie booth sale.   As you see, now if you are doing a booth sale, one troop takes both doors.   Please let us know if you experience troop leaders not illustrating the Girl Scout Law and Promise.   Children see us as role models.

And most important, thank you for all you do during this incredible learning experience.  Last year we sold more than $3 million in Girl Scout cookies.    The girls, with your assistance, made enough money to install zip lines, a new bath house, and a new sail loft at our properties.   That is because you shared your time, patience, diligence, and responsibility with them so they could learn to be the best entrepreneurial program for girls in the world!

Can you smell it?    Does it remind you of summer breezes and warm summer weather?   It should! It is the scent of mango crème cookies, which remind you of an afternoon at the beach and smell like a refreshing swim in a beautiful pool with the hot sun bearing down.   There's always something new in the air this time of year -- must be the precursor of the world's largest girl entrepreneur program - the Girl Scout Cookie Program!

As I am out in the community, I'm asked, "where are the cookies?"   The answer to that this week is they are about to arrive!   The conversation after that is always interesting.    Most people note the cookie they prefer, from there they go on to explain why they like Girl Scout cookies.   Part of this conversation always goes back to how they cannot resist the girl selling the cookies.

This year GSUSA is going to do some national media advertising during the cookie sale, and they have declared February 8, 2013, is National Girl Scout Cookie Day!   We are working on our area media for that day.   Here is what GSUSA has outlined as talking points for the cookie program.

When a Girl Scout sells you cookies, she's doing more than just handing you a box.   She's creating a plan, interacting with customers, and working as part of a team.   She's building a lifetime of skills and confidence.

Selling cookies teaches goal-setting, decision-making, money-management, people skills, and business ethics - aspects essential to leadership, to success, and to life.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program empowers a girl with the strength, abilities, and drive to become an accomplished woman who benefits herself, her family, and the world.   From heads of the household to heads of state, troop leaders to world leaders, Girl Scouts touches every aspect of society.

So, when you are tired to hearing about cookies, thinking about cookies, or moving cookies, remember: this is what a girl can do to change the world.

Thanks for all you do to assist her in accomplishing those goals.

I was talking to a GSUSA consultant a couple of weeks ago, and she asked what our per-girl average is for the cookie program.   When I told her, she was stunned.   She had been a Girl Scout board chair and has worked for the Girl Scouts for many years, so she knows what a girl can do.   She was stunned at how high our per-girl average is.   I explained that not only was Alabama known for some great football teams, but also our girl entrepreneurs are simply amazing, and you are, too.

As we teeter on the fiscal cliff, I expect more folks will be declining our offers of the best-tasting cookies in America.    People tend to be more cautious with their money because of the harsh and uncertain economic times, but that does not deter the girls of southern Alabama.   Our cookies remain $3.50 while other councils have moved to $4 and some even to $5.  Of course, this is less than the largest latte at Starbucks, but people do think about these purchases.  I have heard about girls who sell cookies in atypical and unusual places, whether that is at a shopping mall, community festivals, return visits through the neighborhood.   Persistence is a good thing at this time of year.

I always enjoy hearing stories about girls' adventures during the cookie program.   They range in both good and bad, mostly good though.   In some areas, we have heard that people come up to girls at booth sales to say Girl Scouts support Planned Parenthood.   We do not support Planned Parenthood, we don't give them any money, and we don't have discussions with them.   Our values at GSSA are that those types of conversations are best left for families and within a church context.   Our telephones always light up this time of year about the conspiracy with Planned Parenthood, which is an urban myth because we don't have a relationship.

Just to give you an idea how great you are.  Last year we gave our U.S. service men and women an estimated $6,000 in cookies.   Recently, in the fall product sale, we sent 63 cases, 756 cans of Honey Roasted Nuts valued at $3,780 to the troops, as well.

We know that girls learn the following from the cookie program: goal setting, decision making, business ethics, customer relations, and money management.  So in addition to gaining funds for troop goals, they are gaining skills that will serve them throughout their lives. 

What about way too much to eat, relatives under foot, wrapping paper, kids with lots of time on their hands?  It is always interesting when we look forward to the holidays, but we are also happy when we can return to our routine.

In this time between various holiday activities, we want to take stock of 2012.   I believe it is good to be grateful for every day and each year.   GSSA has had an excellent 2012!   The cookie program was strong last year, with 500 more girls involved in the program.   The per girl cookie sale average increased, which translates additional funds to fix deferred maintenance, make new purchases, and build new things.   We addressed a number of leaking roofs, those of us in the Mobile Service Center are especially grateful for a new roof on both buildings, so it no longer leaks in.   We bought more stand-up paddle boards for both Kamp Kiwanis and Scoutshire Woods, so girls can hone their skills on those.   We built zip lines for the girls at Scoutshire Woods and Kamp Kiwanis, complete with helmets, harnesses, and trolleys for the girls to ride on.   There was a new dock at the island in the lake at Scoutshire Woods, and we built another new dock for the mariners at Kamp Kiwanis.   The horse ring at Scoutshire Woods has a new deluxe restroom, which is a prototype of more restrooms to come at this property.   It is constructed of concrete block, so in case there is a storm, girls would have a more substantial building to go to.   This is a partial list of the opportunities we were able to offer the girls because of a strong cookie program.

The girl programs for the 100^th anniversary were outstanding.   In the early spring we were able to offer Girls Rock Mobile for 600 girls.   What a weekend that was, with an overnight at the Mobile Convention Center.   It included a boat ride so girls understand the port and issues confronting the port with litter.   There were exhibitors, and a great scavenger hunt through the city streets. 

GSSA also took two buses to Rock the Mall, the 100^th anniversary rock concert on the Washington Monument mall, over 250,000 girls and adults attended that day.   Many other girls used their hard- earned cookie rewards to visit Savannah or take other trips they had been saving for.

The Heritage Committee put together an excellent exhibit highlighting the 100 years of Girl Scouts.   The History Museum of Mobile hosted a wonderful reception for the exhibit opening, so many got to celebrate 100 years of girls learning to become leaders.   This exhibit continues to tour the council and has been enjoyed by many.

We started having Girl Scout Alumnae events at different camps in the council and are working to reconnect with those who have gone before us, celebrating their involvement with girls creating leaders.   We continue to schedule those events throughout the council.

All of this happened while every week many of you meet with your girls, sing songs, build skills, and teach girls how to become leaders in their community through Discover, Connect, and Take Action.   We appreciate all you do to make the world a better place.   We are grateful for an excellent 2012 and have high hopes for an even better 2013!