Sunny Palms Community
November 2015 Update
Hello Sunny Palms Troop Leaders
Here is a brief summary of events in our community. Please contact me with any ideas, comments or questions. In this update, you'll find:
-Liz
- Meeting Schedule--next meeting is November 2nd
- November 2nd Agenda
- Early Bird Patches
- Upcoming Events in our Area
- Are You a Super Troop?
- Chairs Wanted
- Volunteer Essentials for Finance
- Van Food Drive
- Pictures
- Guidelines for Troop Travel
- Cookie Season is Coming!
- Contacts and Resources
- Contributing to Future Updates
- Past Updates
-Liz
Sunny Palms Community Leader Meeting Schedule and Key Dates
Mark your calendars! Our leader meetings are held on the first Monday of each month at St. John's Episcopal Church Parish Hall at 902 S Orleans, Tampa, FL 33606 from 7-8pm.
December 7th
January 4th
February 1st
March 7th
April 4th
May 2nd
June 6th
Key Dates (see Upcoming Events section for more details):
Encampment is February 5-7, 2016
Daisy Day Is Saturday, February 13, 2016. All Cadettes and older troops encouraged to participate. More details to come regarding planning meetings.
Early Bird Patch Distribution
From Layne Gregory, Community Membership Manager:
I hope everyone had a good weekend. We know that during the Early Bird patch distribution process, some troops inevitably either missed or were accidentally shorted a couple of patches. We are trying to make on LAST and FINAL order of patches by the end of this month. Can you all please shoot a quick email out to your leaders to see if any of them are short and have them email me if they are: lgregory@gswcf.org
I hope everyone had a good weekend. We know that during the Early Bird patch distribution process, some troops inevitably either missed or were accidentally shorted a couple of patches. We are trying to make on LAST and FINAL order of patches by the end of this month. Can you all please shoot a quick email out to your leaders to see if any of them are short and have them email me if they are: lgregory@gswcf.org
Super Troop!
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a Super Troop! New this year, troops can earn recognition as a GSWCF Super Troop. What's a Super Troop? Super Troops are troops that have met the requirements that help support girls in having the best program year possible. Troops that earn the Super Troop award will receive a certificate that enables them to purchase a Super Troop patch for each girl in their troop. Full details here.
Help Needed! Please consider chairing or volunteering for one of these excellent events
Encampment: all of Sunny Palms Brownies on up, camping on Feb 5-7. Lots of Leaders to help with activities and areas, but we need an overall Chair of this event to coordinate.
Kim Bell (Mitchell 2202 3rd grade) has volunteered to do the scheduling, Melisa Toothman (Mitchell 1052 4th grade) has volunteered to be one of the Activity Chairs, and Anitress Thornton (Middle School 738 6th grade) has volunteered to help on the committee.
Sweetheart Ball We need a Dance Co- Chair to work with Denise Cassedy and committee for our annual event.
Thank you to our leaders that volunteered to chair some great activities:
Leader/Daughter Campout - Chairs: Mary Alice Floyd (Gorrie 2205 4th grade) and Lauren Levy (Gorrie 1297 5th grade) and Campfire Chairs: Heidi Hernandez & Caryn Ratchford (Academy 2200 4th grade).
Mother & Daughter Tea (new event) - Chairs: Heidi Hernandez & Caryn Ratchford (Academy 2200 4th grade).
Thank you for considering! Please reply to this email or contact Liz: landmand3@aol.com
Kim Bell (Mitchell 2202 3rd grade) has volunteered to do the scheduling, Melisa Toothman (Mitchell 1052 4th grade) has volunteered to be one of the Activity Chairs, and Anitress Thornton (Middle School 738 6th grade) has volunteered to help on the committee.
Sweetheart Ball We need a Dance Co- Chair to work with Denise Cassedy and committee for our annual event.
Thank you to our leaders that volunteered to chair some great activities:
Leader/Daughter Campout - Chairs: Mary Alice Floyd (Gorrie 2205 4th grade) and Lauren Levy (Gorrie 1297 5th grade) and Campfire Chairs: Heidi Hernandez & Caryn Ratchford (Academy 2200 4th grade).
Mother & Daughter Tea (new event) - Chairs: Heidi Hernandez & Caryn Ratchford (Academy 2200 4th grade).
Thank you for considering! Please reply to this email or contact Liz: landmand3@aol.com
Use the Volunteer Toolkit for Troop Finances
This is a reminder to use Finance Tab in the Volunteer Toolkit. The Toolkit's Finance Tab should be updated regularly so that girls and parents are able to view your Troop Finances for periodic updates. Remember that funds are for the benefit of the girls, not to be used for personal purchases. More info in Chapter 5 of Managing Group Finances here.
Troop Leaders must deposit all funds into the troop bank account and keep all receipts for purchases. Also, when writing checks, the GSWCF policy requires two signatures.
Troop Leaders must deposit all funds into the troop bank account and keep all receipts for purchases. Also, when writing checks, the GSWCF policy requires two signatures.
Starting November 2nd--Van Food Drive
Fill the Van Food Drive! We're kicking off our annual Fill the Van Food Drive on Nov. 2. All girls who make a donation of non-perishable food items between Nov. 2-20 will receive a GSWCF food drive patch; one patch per girl!
Donations can be dropped off at either Girl Scout Store.
Donations can be dropped off at either Girl Scout Store.
Pictures from our Troops!
If you have pictures you'd like to share from your Troop, please send to: sdheine@me.com, with a brief description and we'll feature in a future update.
Congratulations to Troop 738
Troop #738 chose the Southeastern Guide Dogs as the benefactor of the Bronze Award project. The girls made nearly 60 dog collars for the puppies which wear colored collars so the littermates can be identified. For the sustainability part of the project, the girls made a instructional pdf for the website so that others wishing to make collars would have the proper instructions as the SEGD collars are slightly different from other online instructions. Congratulations girls!
Troop 2213 Channelside Academy of Math & Science
From Lorie Kittendorf: Leigh Spann from News Channel 8 came to our meeting on 10/29 to teach the girls about clouds, as part of the Wonders of Water journey. We did a cloud craft project in a previous meeting so the girls were able to show them to Ms. Spann. She also told the girls all about studying meteorology and careers in broadcast. They loved it!
Guidelines for Troop Travel
A Girl Scout trip is a leadership opportunity for girls to Discover, Connect and Take Action. Through trips, girls gain practical life skills, feel connected to their communities - locally and globally - while also identifying needs of the community that they can advocate for. Please check out the resources available by clicking here.
Cookie Season is Coming! Mark your Calendars
- Jan. 4 - 24 - Girls take cookie pre-orders
- Feb. 1 - Mar. 13 - Girls sell cookies online (Digital Order Card)
- Feb. 12-14 - Cookie delivery to troop cookie chairs
- Feb. 19 - Mar. 13 - Direct sales (cookie booths)
- Nov. 14-16 - Nuts/candy are delivered to troops (troop pickup)
Contacts and Resources
From GSWCF: Here are contacts of people in the GSWCF office who can help you with Troop questions.
Robin Roup – External Recruitment Manager-- 813.262.1692 / RRoup@gswcf.org
Tiffany Wingard – Internal Recruitment Specialist-- 813.262.1809 / TWingard@gswcf.org
Layne Gregory – Community Membership Manager-- 813.262.1599 / lgregory@gswcf.org
Troop Support -
K-5th Contacts are Erin Hollen Ehollen@gswcf.org and Lisa Ranon LRanon@gswcf.org
6-12th/STEM Contacts are Alison Wenickie awernickie@gswcf.org and Alice Benefiel abenefiel@gswcf.org
Customer Connections – customerconnections@gswcf.org
Camp Reservations - camp info / 813-262-1770 / campreservations@gswcf.org
Volunteer Toolkit - VTK Tutorials
Sunny Palms Check Reimbursement - here
Robin Roup – External Recruitment Manager-- 813.262.1692 / RRoup@gswcf.org
Tiffany Wingard – Internal Recruitment Specialist-- 813.262.1809 / TWingard@gswcf.org
Layne Gregory – Community Membership Manager-- 813.262.1599 / lgregory@gswcf.org
Troop Support -
K-5th Contacts are Erin Hollen Ehollen@gswcf.org and Lisa Ranon LRanon@gswcf.org
6-12th/STEM Contacts are Alison Wenickie awernickie@gswcf.org and Alice Benefiel abenefiel@gswcf.org
Customer Connections – customerconnections@gswcf.org
Camp Reservations - camp info / 813-262-1770 / campreservations@gswcf.org
Volunteer Toolkit - VTK Tutorials
Sunny Palms Check Reimbursement - here
Future Updates
If you have anything to contribute to future updates, please contact Liz at: landmand3@aol.com