Trail Mix Ceremony

This is a GREAT way to bring the gals together and start off the year. I got it from another leader... who got it from a leader, etc.

I think it's cute!

Grow A Girl Scout Troop (Trail Mix Ceremony)

Girl Scouts come in all colors, from all races around the world. Every Girl Scout is a sister no matter where she is from, no matter the language she speaks, no matter the color of her skin.
God loves variety, and Girl Scouts are the colors of the rainbow.
(M & M CANDIES)

We have a promise and a law. On our honor, we try to do our best to be fair and square. (CHEX

CEREAL)

Some of us are tall, and some of us are small. When we get together, size doesn't matter at all.

(PRETZEL THINS AND MINI MARSHMALLOWS)

Sometimes we are nutty. We love to joke and play. We'd love to put a Girl Scout smile into

everyone's day. (NUTS) *ask about allergies first
Sometimes we are quiet and thoughtful. We have special gifts of love and caring to give in
service to those who need our help. (GOLDFISH CRACKERS)

When we get together, we seem to make circles. We may sit in circles, play circle games, make a

Friendship Circle. You could say that we are well-rounded. (CHEERIOS)

When we are busy planning a project, or doing a craft, we pop around until we're done.

(POPCORN)

Girl Scouts respect all living things. The earth is our home and we want to keep it safe for

everyone. (ANIMAL CRACKERS)

Girl Scouts are "chips off the old block". Girl Scouting began in 1912. Since then we all have been

part of an old tradition, and are proud to be part of the future. (BANANA CHIPS or CHOCOLATE
CHIPS)

We get a kick out of wearing our uniforms, learning new things, helping others, and being

together with our friends. (KIX CEREAL)

Young Girl Scouts may be hard to resist because they are fresh, sweet and new. But the older

scout maybe more fun, because she has more experience. (RAISINS)

Welcome to Troop ______ I hope we will have a wonderful year!
.......See?
I told you it was cute!
That also became their snack for the night.

Our First Meeting!

If you have been reading, this isn't  going to seem a giant surprise to you. I have already basically shared everything we are going to do!

Early Bird Craft: They voted on a few community service projects...they are decorating /making napkin rings for meals on wheels recipiants during the holidays. We will add colorful paper napkins to them.

Circle time

·      Make new friends Song – talk about our new friends to the troop and old friends...we lost a few gals and added a few. 

·     Girl Scout Law and Promise

·  New things: Kaper Chart. Folders. Attendance. Our Journey Book, New Award Collection, field trips, cookie sale in the spring instead of the fall!

·      Pass out patches earned over the summer (Dance, Bug and Artist/Painter)

·    Talk about Good Turn Mice. We are NOT starting with the first journey book, we want to get the idea in their heads now -- kind of like the Brownie Elf story.

Good Turn Mouse

This saucy creature is a mouse

Most mothers won't let one in the house

See, this one it has quite a tail,

Each Girl Scout made one without fail.

Take it with you and help all week,

and to do good turns you must seek

for every good turn that you do

tie a knot in the yarn...make quite a few.

Remember why each knot you tied

and how much to help you really tried

and then next time, please take your turn

to tell us all, so we can learn...

just what you did to help at home

a ready helper you have grown!

Craft time

·      Craft helper pass out craft bags-- they make mice with tails.

Snack Time: we make the Trail Mix and enjoy it. The story is next week!

Circle time

·      What is next? Starting our Journey books at the next meeting!

·      Friendship Squeeze

Clean Up helpers help pack up car!

The girls go home with some trail mix and their mice.

How did your first meeting of the year go?

Getting Ready For The Meetings

We start back up with our "normal" meetings in just a few weeks -- so NOW is the time to plan a few things out.

1) Our First Meeting will be simple -- it's called "The Trail Mix" meeting.
We already had families sign up for a different item on the list and we will use this to get "back in the swing" of things.

2) Now -- how to recognize those who earned patches over the summer! We had a dance clinic to earn the dancer patch, we had independant studies on Painting/Artist and Bugs.
I have all their patches and "certificates" to put them on. I need a stapler and then I am ready to go!
I just think it seems more "Special" when you present it in a big way -- it's time to create memories!

3) We will make Good Turn Mice -- so I have to get the craft kits ready. It's paper and yarn basically.

How are you getting ready for the fall meetings?
 

I Am In a USGA PSA Video!

There are SO MANY girls out there that want to be in Girl Scouts...but there is a problem:
There are not enough leaders to make that happen!

We KNOW it is a volunteer gig, but many people don't know that almost all of the plannng for meetings is done for you with the leader guides. Yes, some of us raid Pinterest and make things a little more complicated, but people don't really have to do all of that!

You can delegate crafts/snacks/etc to parents or simply connect with other leaders on ways to simplify - like joint trainings occasionally, etc.

Well, I was asked if I would be willing to be interviewed. This was ON CAMERA for the GSUSA. (Girl Scouts of the USA).

It's a video that will see a lot of play over social media and, hopefully, bring in more volunteers.

Watch it -- and share your thoughts:

 

It's a Parade!

All our Area troops got together to march in the Corn Fest parade. Some passed out candy, some things for the council, like fliers - pencils - stickers.

Since we talked so much about HEALTHY options last year, we choose not to bring candy to pass out to the kids on the sidelines. That would kind of go against everything we had taught over the previous year, LOL!

THEN, we went back to the staging area for Root Beer Floats!

Enjoy the pictures:

 

Looking for a Meeting Place...

The church we have been meeting at is still under construction!
We are now looking for a new place to meet -- until they are ready to have us in again.

My list of churches, city rooms and libraries is ready to go --
now to make the calls.
{sigh}

I really - I mean REALLY like where we meet!
It is only a few houses away from mine and we can actually walk there.
I hope we are back "home" soon! 

Working on the Bug Patch ...

A few of the girls made it to Olbrich to learn more about butterflies...

They learned about cocoons, how they have to pump the fluid into their wings when they first hatch, that you can't touch them and so much more!