a note from Kate Crowley, Chair Elect

Here’s a note from Kate Crowley, Chair Elect:

Dear Girls CAN! member:

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself.  Presently I serve as Board Secretary for the Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania, a position I have held since the council was created in May 2007.  Prior to that, I served on the board of one of the legacy councils.  I am truly honored to now be nominated to be the next GSHPA board chair.  There is no doubt that we still have challenges ahead but with your help and ongoing passion for our organization and indeed, for all the girls we serve, we can meet those challenges head on.

The membership will consider the entire slate of nominations at the upcoming GSHPA Annual Meeting on Saturday, May 2, 2009.  The event will be held at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds from 10:30 am until 3:00 pm.  In addition to our business meeting, we are planning a reunion picnic lunch, a special adult volunteer recognition program, a bridging ceremony for graduating senior Girl Scouts, and of course lots of fun with friends and other loyal Girl Scout supporters like yourself.    

So, won’t you consider joining us on May 2nd.  Everyone on the board would be delighted to have you attend.  A link to the registration form can be found at http://www.gshpa.org/home/delegate_info.html.

If you are unable to attend, we will certainly miss you but we promise to keep you apprised of all the exciting things going on with Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania!

Sincerely,
Kate Crowley
Chair-Elect

Girl Scouts in Leadership

From:           Kathy Cloninger, National CEO

Subject:        White House Council on Women and Girls

Date:           March 12, 2009

 

Yesterday, President Obama signed an Executive Order to create the White House Council on Women and Girls to establish a coordinated federal response to issues that particularly impact the lives of women and girls. The Council will ensure that federal programs and policies address the distinctive concerns of women and girls, and reach out to nonprofit organizations and other agencies and officials that can assist with the Council’s development..

At the signing, President Obama said: “So now it’s up to us … to ensure that our daughters and granddaughters have no limits on their dreams, no obstacles to their achievements — and that they have opportunities their mothers and grandmothers and great grandmothers never dreamed of.  That’s the purpose of this Council.”  

Girl Scouts is very excited about the Council and was pleased to be present at the President’s announcement yesterday; in fact, we are a founding mother. While the proposal to the White House for a council on women came from a group of 40 women’s organizations, Girl Scouts of the USA proposed a commission on girls. The Council is a combination of both ideas. It is our expectation to work closely with key players in the Council and the White House. In that spirit, tomorrow we are having a conference call with Valerie Jarrett, Chair of the Council, and the Council’s Executive Director. 

I have attached the Executive Order the President signed as well as the remarks he made, which are pasted below. If you have any thoughts about this Council, please contact Laurie A. Westley, Senior Vice President, Public Policy, Advocacy and the Research Institute at LWestley@girlscouts.org.

 

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release                                                          March 11, 2009

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT

AT SIGNING OF EXECUTIVE ORDER

CREATING THE WHITE HOUSE COUNCIL ON WOMEN AND GIRLS

East Room

1:31 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you so much.  Well, today, as we continue our celebration of International Women’s History Month, I’m proud to sign this executive order establishing the women’s — the White House Council on Women and Girls.  It’s a Council with a mission that dates back to our founding:  to fulfill the promise of our democracy for all our people. 

I sign this order not just as a President, but as a son, a grandson, a husband, and a father, because growing up, I saw my mother put herself through school and follow her passion for helping others.  But I also saw how she struggled to raise me and my sister on her own, worrying about how she’d pay the bills and educate herself and provide for us.

I saw my grandmother work her way up to become one of the first women bank vice presidents in the state of Hawaii, but I also saw how she hit a glass ceiling — how men no more qualified than she was kept moving up the corporate ladder ahead of her.

I’ve seen Michelle, the rock of the Obama family — (laughter) — juggling work and parenting with more skill and grace than anybody that I know.  But I also saw how it tore at her at times, how sometimes when she was with the girls she was worrying about work, and when she was at work she was worrying about the girls.  It’s a feeling that I share every day.

In so many ways, the stories of the women in my life reflect the broader story of women in this country — a story of both unyielding progress and also untapped potential.

Today, women make up a growing share of our workforce and the majority of students in our colleges and our law schools.  Women are breaking barriers in every field, from science and business to athletics and the Armed Forces.  Women are serving at the highest levels of my administration.  And we have Madam Speaker presiding over our House of Representatives.  (Applause.)  I had the privilege of participating in a historic campaign with a historic candidate, who we now have the privilege of calling Madam Secretary. 

But at the same time, when women still earn just 78 cents for every dollar men make; when one in four women still experiences domestic violence in their lifetimes; when women are more than half of our population, but just 17 percent of our Congress; when women are 49 percent of the workforce, but only 3 percent of our Fortune 500 CEOs — when these inequalities stubbornly persist in this country, in this century, then I think we need to ask ourselves some hard questions.  I think we need to take a hard look at where we’re falling short, and who we’re leaving out, and what that means for the prosperity and the vitality of our nation.

And I want to be very clear:  These issues are not just women’s issues.  When women make less than men for the same work, it hurts families who find themselves with less income, and have to work harder just to get by.  When a job doesn’t offer family leave, that also hurts men who want to help care for a new baby or an ailing parent.  When there’s no affordable child care, that hurts children who wind up in second-rate care, or spending afternoons alone in front of the television set.

And when any of our citizens cannot fulfill their potential because of factors that have nothing to do with their talent, their character, their work ethic, that says something about the state of our democracy.  It says something about whether we’re honoring those words put on paper more than two centuries ago — whether we’re doing our part, like generations before us, to breathe new life into them in our time. 

That, above all, is the true purpose of our government.  Not to guarantee our success, but to ensure that in America, all things are still possible for all people.  Not to solve all our problems, but to ensure that we all have the chance to pursue our own version of happiness.  To give our daughters the chance to achieve as greatly as the women who join us today.  That’s the impact our government can have.

It’s the impact of a Health and Human Services Department that funds research by women like Dr. Nina Fedoroff, a biotechnology and life science pioneer — (applause) — who won the National Medal of Science in 2006.  It’s the impact of a Defense Department that works to recruit and promote women — women, so that women like Sergeant Major Michele Jones, who was the Army’s highest ranking enlisted woman before she retired, can strengthen our military with their leadership.  (Applause.) 

It’s the impact of a Department of Education that enforces Title IX, so athletes like — (applause) — so athletes like Olympic gold medalist Dominique Dawes and Lisa Leslie — (applause) — have a level playing field to compete and to win.  It’s the impact of a White House and a Congress that fight for legislation like the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act, so that all women can get paid what they deserve.  (Applause.)  I’m very proud this was the very first bill that I signed into law. 

And that’s why I’m establishing this Council — not just to continue efforts like these, but to enhance them.  The Council will be composed of the heads of every Cabinet and Cabinet-level agency, and will meet on a regular basis.  We have many of those Cabinet members here.  Some of the men showed up — we put them in the second row.  (Laughter.)  But they’re going to be fighting — (applause) — they’re going to be part of this Council, and it’s going to meet on a regular basis. 

Its purpose is very simple:  to ensure that each of the agencies in which they’re charged takes into account the needs of women and girls in the policies they draft, the programs they create, the legislation they support.  It’s not enough to only have individual women’s offices at individual agencies, or only have one office in the White House.  Rather, as former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright once said, in our government, “¼responsibility for the advancement of women is not the job of any one agency, it’s the job of all of them.”  (Applause.)  And she should know — she helped lead an interagency women’s initiative during the Clinton administration. 

At the same time, given the critical importance of its work, this Council must have strong leadership from the White House, and direct accountability to me.  And that’s why I’m appointing Valerie Jarrett, one of my closest advisors and most senior members of my administration, to lead it.  Tina Tchen, another senior member of my White House staff, will serve as the Council’s Executive Director.

In the end, while many of the challenges women and girls face are new, the work of this Council is not — it’s been with us for generations.  Frances Perkins, who was President Franklin Roosevelt’s Secretary of Labor, and the first woman to serve in the Cabinet — a great hero of the New Deal — described it well when she said, “¼I had a kind of duty to other women to walk in and sit down on the chair that was offered, and so establish the rights of others long hence and far distant in geography to sit in the high seats.”  To sit in the high seats.

That is why I’m standing here today, because of what my mother and grandmother did for me, because of their hard work and sacrifice and unflagging love.  That’s what Michelle is doing right now, thinking every day about making sure that Malia and Sasha have the same opportunities as anybody’s sons do.  That’s why so many of us are here today, because of the women who came before us, who were determined to see us sit in the high seats:  women who reached for the ballot, and raised families, and traveled long, lonely roads to be the first in the boardroom or in the courtroom or on the battlefield and in the factory floor; women who cracked and shattered those glass ceilings, so that my daughters — and all of our sons and daughters — could dream a little bigger and reach a little higher.

So now it’s up to us to carry that work forward, to ensure that our daughters and granddaughters have no limits on their dreams, no obstacles to their achievements — and that they have opportunities their mothers and grandmothers and great grandmothers never dreamed of.  That’s the purpose of this Council.  Those are the priorities of my presidency.   And I look forward to working with all of you to fulfill them in the months and years to come.

All right, so I’m going to go sign this thing.  Thank you very much..

eowomenandgirls

survey

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we will be moving to a regionalized structure

[this post sent in by Stephanie]

November 7, 2008

Dear Volunteers,

Today, Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania  announced to staff that we will be reducing the staff team by about 30 staff members.    We are saddened by the change but it is necessary to control costs and manage the budget.  We are committed to not spending more money than we bring in; a balanced budget is necessary for our Girl Scout Council.

In order to enhance service to our volunteers, girls and the communities we serve, we will be moving to a regionalized structure.  This structure was determined by our membership numbers, girls 5-17 years of age population, and opportunity for increased local funding opportunities.

The regions are defined as follows:

*         West Region:  5 Counties – Clinton, Centre, Mifflin, Huntingdon, Juniata; 1 office located in Centre County (19,000 total available girls)

*         Central Region:  8 Counties – Lycoming, Sullivan, Columbia, Montour, Schuylkill, Northumberland, Union, Snyder; 1 office located in Lycoming County (39,000 total available girls)

*         North Region:  8 Counties – Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike, Lackawanna, Wyoming, Luzerne, Carbon, Monroe; 2 offices – 1 in Lackawanna, 1 in Luzerne (73,000 total available girls)

*         South Central Region: 6 Counties – Lebanon, Dauphin, Perry, Cumberland, Fulton, Franklin; 1 office in Dauphin County (68,000 total available girls)

*         South Region: 3 Counties – Adams, York, Lancaster; 3 offices – 1 in each county (82,000 available girls.)

Any volunteer or family may utilize any Service Center that is convenient to them.

As we move forward, we anticipate many changes.   We will be reaching out to you and our volunteer teams and committees to solicit your feedback and assistance in developing a structure that will meet your needs.  We look forward to your ideas about moving the council forward.

From now through January 5, the management teams will be working to staff our new regional structure.   Once the new structure is in place, there will be additional change as we adjust our way of work.  With such a large reduction of staff,  some of the core functions will be reduced or eliminated and we will look to our volunteers teams to assist us in many of the decisions.

While we have not finalized all the details of what is to come, we continue to be committed to you, the girls and members of GSHPA.  More information will follow as it is available.

Thank you for ALL you do for Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania and our girls.

The Girl Scout Gold Award

Published: Sunday, September 28, 2008 12:00 PM EDT

[The following comes from The Sunday Voice, Lifestyle section for Sunday, September 28.  Remember to let us know happenings around your region withing GSHPA! ]

Nicole Pierson of Pittston recently received the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest achievement in Girl Scouting.

By earning the Girl Scout Gold Award, a senior Girl Scout has demonstrated her special commitment to excellence in herself, her community and her future.

Recipients must complete several activities covering career exploration, leadership skills, community service and specialized interest projects.

This step is followed by a comprehensive project selected and designed by the recipient based on her skills and interests.

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Pierson created a babysitting program and nursery for her church.

Pierson earned the Girl Scout Gold Award under the leadership of Fran Moriarty.

As a Girl Scout, Pierson volunteered her time at several community service projects and helped lead other Girl Scout troops.

Pierson, daughter of Joseph and Diane Pierson, is a senior at Pittston Area High School where she is a member of the National Honor Society.

The high school senior also participates in the drama, international cultural experience, journalism, book and technology clubs.

Pierson also volunteers her time as a candy striper at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

She will attend Bloomsburg University next year.

***

Trio of Mountain Top Girl Scouts receive prestigious Gold Award

Published: Monday, September 22, 2008 4:09 AM EDT, Pat Rushton writes Mountain Top Peeks every Monday.

Projects that benefited the community and organizations that help victims of violence have earned three young women from Mountain Top the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award.

 

Recipients of the award were Sara Shaffer, Anna Jo Scutt and Samantha Ruppert, all members of Girl Scout Troop 3362.Janet MacKay, executive director of the Victims Resource Center, told me the art supplies are greatly appreciated by the agency and will be used in support groups it facilitates for young women who have been the victim of sexual and physical violence.

Shaffer said she has always had an interest in art and the idea of collecting items to be donated to the two victim service organizations was suggested by her adviser.

Scutt’s and Ruppert’s gold award project focused on the American flag.

They presented informational sessions at the M.S. Kirby Library on the proper way to display the flag, care of the flag and occasions when it should be displayed.

They distributed boxes for collection of old, worn flags and, in cooperation with the Mountain Top American Legion, conducted a flag-burning ceremony last year on Veterans Day.

She credited Robert Derwin and other members of the American Legion post for helping them with the project.

Scutt explained the girls got the idea when they saw the flag flying at McDonald’s on Route 309 just after the December 2006 tornado.

“It was all torn and tattered, but it was still flying. We knew it shouldn’t be displayed in that condition,” she related.

Shirley Valentine-Attoh, interim executive officer of Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania, noted the young women are among only three percent of Girl Scouts across the country who have earned the Gold Award.

 

***

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award that a Girl Scout may earn.

For many, the leadership skills, organizational skills, and sense of community and commitment that come from “going for the Gold” set the foundation for a lifetime of active citizenship.

 

Throughout Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania, girls are taking action to solve problems and improve their communities.

 

Here are just a few examples of local Girl Scouts making the world a better place:

 

Brook Aby of Newville hosted an Easter Family Fun Day, a family event for those in need in her community. It included an egg hunt, crafts, an Easter meal and a take home box of food items, along with Easter goodies for children.

 

Abigayle Acker of Harrisburg, along with 3 other Girl Scout members, designed a project entitled Women helping Women (Laundry Room Transformation). She transformed a laundry room in the Shalom House from a poorly lit, unorganized, inefficient space to an institutionalized area where residents could wash and fold their clothing. Cabinets were added for the storage of cleaning products and hooks were hung for clothing.

 

Katelyn Aldinger of York organized and publicized a community blood drive. She educated younger Girl Scouts about the importance of giving blood.

 

Samantha Allegretto of White Haven held a community day at her local Relay for Life fundraiser. It included games, music, and a picnic to raise awareness for and celebrate cancer survivors.

 

Devin Andren of Harrisburg presented “For the Love of Theater,” workshops that developed an interest in theater arts in children at a younger age. During a four week period, children learned about acting, dancing, costumes and makeup, and how to audition for a show. The workshops’ culmination included excerpts from Disney’s High School Musical performed by the participants.

 

Elizabeth Andrews of Bear Creek collected books, shelving, pillows, and stools to set up a reading area at the Salvation Army Kirby House. She also organized all the books and reading times for child patrons.

 

Sarah Barnes of Biglerville interviewed and photographed local war veterans. She framed their information and placed them on mobile walls that may be displayed in military organizations throughout the community.

 

Katie Baum of Mifflinburg renovated the West End Fair Rabbit Barn. New cages, support beams and a waste removal system were put in place to ensure rabbit safety.

 

Terra Becker of York educated the public about service dogs. Her goal was to help the community understand the need for and benefits of service dogs.

 

Rebecca Beers of Gardners instructed volunteers on how to sew draw-string bags that were filled with personal care items for women staying in a community shelter.

 

Elyse Bell of Harrisburg hosted an Easter Bible school which provided the opportunity for children learn about the Easter Bunny and other Easter traditions.

 

Danielle Bennett of Laceyville presented Teen Girl 101, a day long seminar for girls in 5th and 6th grades with hands-on activities about beauty, hygiene, nutrition, babysitting, martial arts, and aerobics.

 

Alicia Berkoski of York, through games and exercise videos, taught children ages three to twelve key concepts about physical fitness and healthy eating. The children also learned how to prepare healthy snacks.

 

Hannah Biskup of Wapwallopen held a book drive and story hour for patients at a community children’s hospital. She also developed several story hour presentations and a step-by-step manual for Girl Scout troops interested in planning and implementing future programs at the hospital.

 

Allyson Blizman of Wilkes-Barre organized a vacation Bible school for the children of her church and surrounding parishes.

 

Amanda Blum of Jim Thorpe directed a vacation Bible school to educate children about the fundamentals of their religion.

 

Emily Bowman of Harrisburg constructed and planted a biblical herb garden at Tree of Life Lutheran Church. The area had to be cleared, tilled, and filled with composted soil. Pathways were outlined and bricks were laid. The herbs grown from the garden will be used in cooking, as crafts for children, and as decorations for the church.

 

Rachel Bradley of Harrisburg arranged for professional artists to instruct elementary school students in acrylic painting, collage, drawing techniques, and journal writing.

 

Nicole Brandt of Dallastown created books in English and Spanish for children staying in a community hospital. The books provided information on some of the tests and experiences the children would encounter during their stay.

 

Liz Brown of Milton held a book drive for two parochial schools in her area that were in need of new reading material. She also set up a reading program for kindergarten aged students.

 

Mira Brunner of Mapleton Depot created a play area to provide a private and safe place for clients of Children’s Services of Huntingdon County to have visitations. The area features a fence, tree house, swing set, and toys.

 

Caitlin Case of Harrisburg organized a Pilot Olympics fly-in in an effort to increase awareness of Angel Flight and to recruit more volunteer pilots, specifically in rural Pennsylvania. Angel Flight pilots donate their time and aircraft by transporting patients and donated organs to distant medical facilities.

 

Stephanie Conrad of York created pamphlets for the York County Heritage Trust that the trust can offer to tourists.

 

Stephanie Cornwell of Lancaster directed members of her school’s outdoor club and special education classes in renovating their outdoor classroom. Volunteers cleared rocks and debris, spread mulch, and completed other garden work. A nature walk was created and more seating was added.

 

Kathryn Crater of Julian set up safety stations at Bellefonte’s street fair. The stations included the Bellefonte EMS, the K-9 unit, first aid kits, and information on what children should do in an emergency.

 

Cora Crosson of Duncannon organized requests for and collection of donations for victims of domestic violence at local women’s shelters. Health care bags were filled for adults, children, and infants. Donations included food, clothing, and toys, and the effort benefited many victims in a large area.

 

Heather Davis of Harrisburg, along with 3 other Girl Scout members, designed a project entitled Women Helping Women (Laundry Room Transformation). She transformed a laundry room in the Shalom House from a poorly lit, unorganized, inefficient space to an institutionalized area where residents could wash and fold their clothing. Cabinets were added for the storage of cleaning products and hooks were hung for clothing.

 

Melissa Dickinson of Dalton honored Robert H. McKune, Scranton’s former mayor, with a ceremony at his gravesite and the placement of an official gravestone. A book was also written about his life and donated to the Lackawanna Historical Society and the local library.

 

Rebeka Donovan of Dickinson City collected new and used radios, headphones, and batteries and donated them to St. Anthony’s Haven Center to be distributed to the homeless.

 

Rachel Douglass of York painted a themed mural and hung decorations on the walls of the Lehman center to provide a calming atmosphere for children to unwind before going to bed.

 

Kayla Drum of Bloomsburg, with 3 other Girl Scouts, established a butterfly memorial garden at the E.O.S. Therapeutic Riding Center to honor dedicated E.O.S. and 4-H members. Situated next to a riding trail for all to see, the garden includes bluebird houses, flowers, and a bench.

 

Sara Elias of Harrisburg organized a day of outdoor adventure for young ladies, including hands-on lessons and activities featuring hunting, gun safety, fishing, and archery.

 

Krista Farner of Harrisburg organized and directed the children’s choir in her church when no adult director could be hired. While the choir was previously losing interest and numbers were falling, it now enjoys a healthy roster of eager volunteers who practice weekly.

 

Renae Fisher of Scranton converted a spare room in the basement of her church into a kid-friendly nursery by remodeling it and collecting new toys and furniture for the room’s new use. An annual Easter egg hunt was instituted at the nursery’s grand opening.

 

Susan Fisher of Lititz created a book with nouns, verbs, and other words and corresponding images – all backed with Velcro – allowing nonverbal students to express themselves.

 

Rachel Fleming of Dillsburg, in the absence of other leadership, spearheaded the development of a nature trail for a new park that would be open to youth sports and include a Scout Cabin.

 

Caitlin Gialouris of Stroudsburg help resuscitate Camp Pocono by painting and planting flowers as well as adding books, puzzles, and games to the camp’s inventory. An open house was held to showcase the camp’s beauty and attract local groups and organizations who might use the camp.

 

Laura Goodlander of Etters helped the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals with a Youth Volunteer Group. The group allowed children to help homeless animals and organize Easter egg hunts, plant flowers, and help at SPCA events.

 

Erin Gross of Wrightsville created a prayer garden outside her church. Erin designed the garden and presented plans to the congregation, inviting them to donate plants in memory of loved ones. The congregation was glad to have the garden, located in an area that had been unsightly, and plans to do more landscaping.

 

Melissa Gundersen of Gouldsboro created three sets of CD audio libraries for children as part of the Let Me Tell You a Story program. Each library had 33 storied read by different narrators, recorded, and edited. The libraries were then donated to hospitals and the Ronald McDonald House where children are waiting for surgery or treatment or are waiting for siblings to have treatment.

 

Katie Harper of Dauphin, with 2 other Girl Scouts, plotted and mapped a cemetery and created maps to replace the outdated ones. The information was then entered into a computer system so that the records could be kept up-to-date.

 

Allyson Hemma of Danville improved her high school’s sports complex by painting and upgrading sports fields and dugouts. The work was coordinated with the school system and benefited the school and the greater community.

 

Mary Beth Henry of Preserve developed a resource library at the Pocono Lake United Methodist Church. The room was refurbished, books were donated, shelves were added, and a mural depicting diversity and cooperation was painted. The books were inventoried, and a lending system was created.

 

Nikki Herb of Halifax organized a toy drive for the local Head Start program. The toys were presented to Head Start at a Family Fun Day event where children could come and play games.

 

Amy Hess of Lancaster provided group violin lessons to third grade students. The lessons included information on various composers, the opportunity to learn new music, and time to play music games.

 

Rachelle Hinerman of Morgantown built the Jackie M. Fink Memorial Gazebo and added a walkway and flowers. The gazebo provides a scenic location and in the area and memorializes a former Girl Scout leader.

 

Emily Hoffman of Laceyville organized a basketball program for elementary girls. The girls attended a varsity basketball game, learned basic skills, played games, and enjoyed snacks. They also participated in a month-long clinic to showcase their skills.

 

Carolyn Holl of Newville, with 2 other Girl Scouts, organized an Easter Family Fun Day for families in need in her community. The day included an egg hunt, crafts, and Easter meal, a box of food for each family to take home, and an Easter treat for the children.

 

Laura Hopkins of Red Lion helped educate those in her community on the importance of water safety by posting displays at community events and creating a kit for Safe Kids. The project also helped Special Olympians become comfortable in the water.

 

Amanda Jamieson of Hanover Township cleaned and repainted three rooms at the Episcopal Sunday School. She cleaned the carpets and organized the supply closets and classrooms and painted a mural depicting the 23^rd Psalm.

 

Kristin Jessop of Dauphin led a camp for 150 campers and 100 helpers in a biblical herb garden at the Tree of Life Lutheran Church. The garden, built by another Girl Scout, served as a classroom where Kristin conducted crafts, offered tours, and taught about the plants in the garden.

 

Lyndsay Jones of Harrisburg designed and executed a six-station health fair for elementary children at a local school and church. Each station taught about a different aspect of a healthy lifestyle and included journaling about healthy eating and exercise habits, trying healthy snack foods, adjusting portion sizes, game stations, exercise stations, and computer lab stations.

 

Laura Kale of Myerstown replaced broken, damaged, and worn flags and markers at the gravesites veterans in a local cemetery. Younger girls helped by completing a scavenger hunt and learning more about the cemetery.

 

Darleen Kitrick of Mountain Top organized the “Help the Beat Go On” program, which publicized the use of Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) by organizing events and asking for support to purchase an AED for a facility in her community.

 

Alexandra Klotz of Jim Thorpe led a “clothing closet” clothes drive at a local church. A dinner event was held for church members, and the price of admission was a donation of clothing for the clothing closet.

 

Megan Kopec of Wilkes-Barre raised money for Camp Louise by preparing and selling a camp activity booklet with camp songs, camp recipes, camp activities, and games.

 

Elizabeth Kraft of Seven Valleys built a garden at the Agricultural and Industrial Museum in York where vegetables, ornamentals, and herbs were planted and displayed to show visitors where their food comes from.

 

Victoria Kramer of Mountain Top organized the Flowers for Felines and Plants for Puppies program, a beautification project for the county SPCA building. The courtyard and gazebo area was fenced to provide a safe and secure area where pets can roam and potential owners can spend time with their future pets.

 

Heather Kuntz of Dauphin led a group of volunteers as they made cards and calendars and hand-delivered them to the residents of Loyalton Assisted Living.

 

Margaret LaBuz of Drums planted 100 Norway spruce seedlings in a two-acre field at the Holy Dormition Monastery where they will someday grow to provide a windbreak, a wildlife habitat, and erosion control.

 

Melissa Lamson of White Haven coordinated a family picnic with games and activities, music, and food to bring cancer awareness to those in her community. Local churches participated by publicizing their Relay for Life benefit.

 

Janelle Lawson of Hanover Township helped prepare a neighborhood playground for revitalization and new equipment by painting a mural of the four seasons for visitors to enjoy.

 

Justine Page Leaman of Peach Bottom instituted a recognition wall in her school’s training room to encourage other students to join and become Student Athletic Trainers. Interested students were trained using a manual that Justine wrote.

 

Hallie Lyons of Harrisburg constructed straw bale benches at a church garden in downtown Harrisburg. Decorated with peace symbols from a variety of cultures, the area serves as a common gathering place.

 

Kaitlyn Makara of Lehman prepared a booklet about appropriate behavior around guide dogs and gave demonstrations at local libraries and malls about the dangers of distracting a working guide dog.

Alessa Makuch of Danville cleaned up a cemetery from the 1800s and made a record of all who were buried there. She created a map of the cemetery and published a cemetery information book, both of which were given to the local historical and genealogical society, library, church, and Iron Heritage committee.

 

Samantha Marquart of Dallas organized and led the Extreme Encounter Vacation Bible School where children from churches in the Back Mountain community learned about the Bible and space flight.

 

Erica Matrese of Harrisburg, along with 3 other Girl Scout members, renovated the vestibule, stairway, upstairs common area, and hallway at the Women Helping Women building by cleaning, repainting, and decorating them. The group replaced a dilapidated railing and repaired the vanity in the upstairs common area so that it was once again functional.

 

Melissa McHenry of Bloomsburg, with 3 other Girl Scouts, established a butterfly memorial garden at the E.O.S. Therapeutic Riding Center to honor dedicated E.O.S. and 4-H members. Situated next to a riding trail for all to see, the garden includes bluebird houses, flowers, and a bench.

 

Christina Mellow of Archbald created an herb garden for the residents of the Lackawanna County Health Care Center. The center began a permanent gardening club and hosted a party and garden show to showcase Christina’s efforts. Christina also wrote and published a book about the center’s residents, providing a means for them to pass along their life stories.

 

Morgan Miller of Gettysburg organized the Blankets for Babies program which taught volunteers how to crochet blankets and hats for babies. The blankets and hats were then give to babies in low-income neighborhoods.

 

Heather Mines of Dallas led a Halloween-themed activity night in support of the community library and collected supplies for the children’s activities at the library.

 

Sarah Mink of Stroudsburg, with 2 of her fellow Girl Scouts, made their church’s youth meeting room more welcoming to teens by painting, decorating, and adding new furniture. The group created a marketing campaign to attract more teens, lesson plans, paintings, hands-on exhibits, and a prayer wall.

 

Tessa Minnich of Harrisburg and a fellow Girl Scout, organized a free community fair with food, games, a smoke house, fire trucks, and ambulance, local emergency personnel, a petting zoo, health vendors, first aid, entertainment, and prayer teams.

 

Angela Misuraca of Mt. Pocono invited underprivileged girls to a Prom Expo where they received makeup lessons, makeup samples, dance lessons, and a prom dress. Dresses were also given to a special education class for use at their prom.

 

Amanda Moser of Kulpmont collected personal hygiene and laundry products and prepared care packages for teens in crisis.

 

Adrienne Moyer of Watsontown educated the public with presentations about choosing a new dog, dog care, and prevention of bites. She also provided a brochure to raise awareness about puppy mills.

 

Sara Myers of Aspers led the Letters to Home program, which sent homemade cards and stationery to military personnel serving abroad. The soldiers could use the stationery to keep in touch with loved ones at home.

 

Jackie Naydock of Schuylkill Haven began and led the Kidz Korner activities at two Relay for Life locations. The activities revolve around cancer control and answer many questions that children have about cancer.

 

Krista Nicoletto of Bloomsburg, with 3 other Girl Scouts, established a butterfly memorial garden at the E.O.S. Therapeutic Riding Center to honor dedicated E.O.S. and 4-H members. Situated next to a riding trail for all to see, the garden includes bluebird houses, flowers, and a bench.

 

Ashton Novinger of Millersburg supported the Ambulance Association by organizing a cheerleading day camp where girls brought blankets or a new stuffed animal to comfort children during emergency situations.

 

Mary Paschke of York constructed a puppet theater and a puppet craft for the campers at the Association of Retarded Citizens of York County’s (ARC) day camp.

 

Kathleen Patchoksi of Scranton taught groups of youth to latch hook and took their finished pieces to the UCP where residents painted the frames.

 

Stacy Prelewicz of Wapwallopen and two other Girl Scouts constructed a beach volleyball court at a local park where teens had previously had little to do in the community. The girls also organized a community ceremony for the opening of the court to the public.

 

Meredith Price of Dauphin, with 2 other Girl Scouts, plotted and mapped a cemetery and created maps to replace the outdated ones. The information was then entered into a computer system so that the records could be kept up-to-date.

Amanda Raup of Harrisburg headed efforts to add a pavilion and sidewalk to a church in order to provide an outside space for picnics, group meetings, and other church events.

 

Hilary Reever of York prepared a website and a series of brochures to better prepare those students anticipating student exchange trips to Germany and France. The website allowed students to read about their country of interest and ask questions of former students and chaperones.

 

Hannah Remaley of Bloomsburg, with 3 other Girl Scouts, established a butterfly memorial garden at the E.O.S. Therapeutic Riding Center to honor dedicated E.O.S. and 4-H members. Situated next to a riding trail for all to see, the garden includes bluebird houses, flowers, and a bench.

 

Kelly Rose of Wilkes-Barre organized charity baby showers at local churches where items donated items would be given to local women-support centers Volunteers of America and the Pro-Life Center. A local credit union participated by holding a month-long diaper derby, allowing employees to dress down for a work day in exchange for a package of wipes or diapers.

 

Elizabeth Rosser of Mountain Top and two other Girl Scouts constructed a beach volleyball court at a local park where teens had previously had little to do in the community. The girls also organized a community ceremony for the opening of the court to the public.

 

Amanda Royer of Elizabethtown established a new student program at the area high school. A welcome bag was created with materials from local businesses, an informational packet was prepared, and the National Honor Service became the official new student tour guides at the school.

 

Rachel Ruane of Moscow led a program to purchase toys and adapt them so that children with special needs could better play with them.

 

Kate Sawka and three fellow Girl Scouts built a woodshed for a Girl Scout facility and addressed fire safety by posting rules about the use of wood and fires. The group also created a safety manual and safety videos that troops could use.

 

Kaitin Sawyer of Dauphin organized a spa day for abused women at the YWCA where they could relax and be pampered. The day included cosmetologists, massage therapists, a motivational speaker, a variety of foods and desserts, and games and crafts for their children.

 

Jennifer Schaum of Columbia organized a food drive during the spring season when many food banks have empty shelves. The project included motivational events such as wacky hairstyle day, bring a teddy bear to class day, and more at area schools. Jennifer also organized a fast to increase hunger awareness and led efforts to sort and weed out expired foods, non-labeled foods, and improperly sealed items.

 

Niki Scrudato of Cresco and two fellow Girl Scouts created a courtyard at Shepherds on Monroe County complete with benches, horseshoe pits, and flowers in order to provide an inviting space for assisted living residents to relax and enjoy nature.

 

Danielle Shughart of Carroll Valley led knitting classes for her community and school where participants learned to make squares and scarves. The squares were made into quilts and were donated to a local hospital while the scarves were given to an Indian Reservation.

 

Susanna Shuman of Lancaster created a movie in English and Spanish to educate potential patients about all of the services available to them as they face pregnancy. Options presented included exercise classes, counseling, and medical facilities to help women through every step of their pregnancy.

 

Casey Siegel of Mountain Top and two other Girl Scouts constructed a beach volleyball court at a local park where teens had previously had little to do in the community. The girls also organized a community ceremony for the opening of the court to the public.

 

Abigail Skelton of Harrisburg designed a Bible school program – including crafts, music, gym, and classroom activities – for the religion education department of her church that could be used for many years and would meet the needs of the local Catholic community.

 

Beth Ann Sledziewski of Mountain Top and three fellow Girl Scouts built a woodshed for a Girl Scout facility and addressed fire safety by posting rules about the use of wood and fires. The group also created a safety manual and safety videos that troops could use.

 

Amelia Smith of Dauphin and two other Girl Scouts transferred cemetery records from paper to computer files and trained cemetery board members on how to use and update the system to keep the records current.

 

Amanda Steinke of Lancaster refurbished a library that had been greatly affected by hurricane Katrina. By conducting a very successful book drive with several participating schools, the drive was able to collect over 5500 books which were then sorted, organized, and shipped to New Orleans.

 

Laura Sterner of Hanover organized music lessons for preschool students where teachers addressed their fine and gross motors skills, memorization, participation, rhythm, and listening skills. Students also created their own instruments with which they played along to songs.

 

Stephanie Sterner of Harrisburg and three fellow Girl Scouts transformed the worn, sterile living room area at Women Helping Women into a warm and inviting space by cleaning and painting the room and replacing all of the furniture, lighting, window treatments, and accessories.

 

Megan Swartwood of Mountain Top and three fellow Girl Scouts built a woodshed for a Girl Scout facility and addressed fire safety by posting rules about the use of wood and fires. The group also created a safety manual and safety videos that troops could use.

 

Jessica Szoke of White Haven and two other Girl Scout members raised money to buy new equipment and restore Pine Street Park so that area children could have a safe place to play. The girls raised money by working at a street festival and soliciting donors.

 

Nikita Szoke of White Haven and two other Girl Scout members raised money to buy new equipment and restore Pine Street Park so that area children could have a safe place to play. The girls raised money by working at a street festival and soliciting donors.

 

Caitlin Thompson of Hanover Township helped cross-country runners by organizing two tours for parents and holding a sneakers/spikes campaign where running shoes were collected, cleaned, and redistributed to runners in need. Caitlin also gave her time to be the team’s manager and keep statistics for runners during practices and meets.

 

Jacqueline Togno of Stroudsburg, with 2 of her fellow Girl Scouts, made their church’s youth meeting room more welcoming to teens by painting, decorating, and adding new furniture. The group created a marketing campaign to attract more teens, lesson plans, paintings, hands-on exhibits, and a prayer wall.

 

Michele Togno of Stroudsburg, with 2 of her fellow Girl Scouts, made their church’s youth meeting room more welcoming to teens by painting, decorating, and adding new furniture. The group created a marketing campaign to attract more teens, lesson plans, paintings, hands-on exhibits, and a prayer wall.

 

Jordan Trout of Harrisburg performed two puppet shows and puppet workshops for underprivileged children. Children constructed two of their own puppets and played with them using the puppet stage.

 

Caitlin Truschel of Mountain Top organized two events that collected blood and books. Book collection boxes were placed in various locations, and students were recruited to read to young children throughout the region.

 

Amanda Wagner of Millmont led a fall fun day at the West End Library to introduce youth to the new library and encourage reading. Children participated in crafts, read to a therapy dog, and received a book to take home.

 

Megan Wenk of Lakewood organized a recruitment plan to attract new members to the local fire company. A book about the history of the fire company was created, and a teddy bear collection was organized to replenish the supply of bears for children in emergency situations.

 

Heather Wenk of Lakewood, with the help of the local EMA, created an identification badge system for the Northern Wayne Fire Company, ambulance association, and ladies auxiliary.

 

Hannah Wentworth of Quarryville made presentations to several elementary schools emphasizing the importance of consuming dairy products and leading a healthy lifestyle. Children were challenged to keep track of all of the dairy food they ate, and they learned and sang a song written by Hannah. She also worked with the school district food service director to get two milk vending machines installed at the high school.

 

Madeline Wescott of Cresco and two fellow Girl Scouts created a courtyard at Shepherds on Monroe County complete with benches, horseshoe pits, and flowers in order to provide an inviting space for assisted living residents to relax and enjoy nature.

 

Erin Wolfe of New Ringgold led Camp Aquarius, a camp showing girls how fun Girl Scouting can be and what different things Girl Scouts can participate in.

 

Sara Wulfers of Etters created a safe and relaxing place for the older adults in the Harrisburg community by furnishing a room at the YMCA with furniture and other items donated by churches, friends, and local businesses.

 

Kate Yannuzzi of Hazleton led a hands-on archery clinic teaching homeschooled children, who do not always have the opportunity to participate in sports, the history and safe use of the bow and arrow.

 

Nicole Yeagley of Harrisburg and a fellow Girl Scout, organized a free community fair with food, games, a smoke house, fire trucks, and ambulance, local emergency personnel, a petting zoo, health vendors, first aid, entertainment, and prayer teams.

 

Lauren Yerkes of Scotrun and two other Girl Scouts created a courtyard at Shepherds on Monroe County complete with benches, horseshoe pits, and flowers in order to provide an inviting space for assisted living residents to relax and enjoy nature.

 

Melissa Zarker of Harrisburg created a handicap accessible walkway of honor for all veterans past, present and future.

 

Ella Zellefrow or Narvon remodeled an old Sunday School room at her church by painting it, putting in a new floor, hanging curtains, and updating the lighting.

 

Caitlin Zirkle of Boiling Springs painted a mural in her church’s preschool classroom based on the stories of the Bible. She also led children in grades 1 through 6 in a project to make a decorative quilt by drawing animals from the Bible on quilt squares and sewing them together. The quilt hangs in the education wing of the church.

 

 

 

 

 

 

GSHPA Council News

You are invited to a

Girl Scouts in the Heart of

Pennsylvania Open House

 

The Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania Service Center in the Scranton area has moved and you are invited to our open house.  Please come see the new facility, greet our staff, and learn about some of the great opportunities in your area through Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania. 

 

WHEN:          Thursday, February 26

TIME:             5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.

WHERE:        Scranton Area Service Center

                       1444 East Lackawanna Avenue, Suite 222

                       Olyphant, PA 18447

 

No RSVP is necessary and everyone is invited.  Door prizes will be given out! We look forward to seeing you there!

 

 

Jonathan Crouch

Executive Administrative Assistant

Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania

350 Hale Avenue

Harrisburg, PA 17105

(717) 233-1656 Phone

(717) 234-5097 Fax

 ——————————————

[the following post comes from our good friend Jonathan]

The Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania Hazleton office has a new address. 

The office didn’t move, but the township has renumbered the buildings. 

Our property director has contacted the Post Office and they already recognize the new address. 

All mail addressed to the old address will automatically be corrected and delivered to us for one year.

The new address is as follows.

Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania

426 Airport Road

12 Beltway Commons

Hazle Township, PA 18202

The information on our web site under the “contact us” section has already been updated with this information.

Jonathan

Jonathan Crouch

Executive Administrative Assistant

Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania

350 Hale Avenue

Harrisburg, PA 17105

(717) 233-1656 Phone

(717) 234-5097 Fax

***

Volunteer Voice – Make Your Voices Heard!

GSHPA is looking for ideas from volunteers on ways to make Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania even better! 

 As always, Thanks again for all you do!

Please email your suggestions to ideas@gshpa.org.

Volunteer Ideas! Click here for GSHPA idea page!

 

***

The following good news comes from E. Lee Beard:

Girls CAN! group members, Marion Alexander, of Hummelstown, PA, (GSHPA board member) and Joy Dougherty, of New Cumberland, PA, (former Board Chair for Hemlock), shall co-chair a newly created Fund Development Committee.

Shirley Valentine-Attoh, Interim CEO, GSHPA, will take the staff support lead for this group.

 They have graciously agreed! 

Their first task is to put together the members of this new committee.  Anyone interested (and available), please let us know.  Marion and Joy will determine the best way to select committee members and the appropriate size of their committee.

It is most necessary that the Girls CAN! group step forward to help make this new venture successful.  We, the advisory group, know the council’s geography best for membership and fund resources.

This committee is expected to be very pro-active, and hands on.  In short, this group will work with management and staff to develop and help GSHPA implement the fund raising work we all need to be doing.  Our GSHPA board chair, Lee Beard, will ask staff to ensure that the Girls CAN! group be kept fully informed and made aware of where we can help with this important work.

 I am sure that most of us will want to volunteer for this, but please remember that submitting a name for the committee is not a guarantee that the candidate will be asked to serve on the committee – again, the size and scope of the group will be up to Marion and Joy.

Please reply to: geredas@aol.com , (Rod Gereda) if you want to take part in this important task.  I will forward your contact information to Marion, Joy, and Shirley for consideration.

 

Girl Scout news

 Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania

State College Service Center relocation

 Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania have moved from

164 Rolling Ridge Drive in State College. 

Our new location is 1040-1 Benner Pike in State College.

 You can reach State College staff by calling the local number listed. 

Staff will not have interoffice connections or voice mail until February 10th.

Volunteers can look forward visiting the new improved accommodations:

·         More spacious offices to confer with staff

·         A conference room to hold meetings and trainings

·         Better organized storage causing less clutter

·         Better visibility from the street to find the office

Our new address:

Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania                                                                                                                              

1040-1 Benner Pike                                                                                                                                                        

State College, PA 16801

Our local telephone remains:
814-231-4077

Our fax number:
814-231-4083

After February 10th  you will be able to reach State College through our GSHPA toll free number 1-800-692-7816.

---

Partner Think Tanks Help Develop Feedback

Earlier this year, GSHPA invited a sampling of volunteers, board members, facilitators, service team members, leaders, lifetime members, and older girls to gather feedback about the new direction of GSHPA.  We thank everyone who was able to attend these regional meetings and for all of your input on the council.

Building off a survey completed by fall 2008 Delegates, the sampling of our partners highlighted five areas concerning the council’s goals.  Those areas are: Image and Communication, Leadership, Membership, Program, and Resource Management.  Work groups are now being formed to develop plans on how to move forward with each of these areas.  Your help is needed! If you would like to be a part of one of those work groups, please contact the Regional Director in your area.

 

The Partner Think Tanks were a first step in shaping how GSHPA operates and with everyone working together, we can make Girl Scouts the premier organization for girls in central and northeastern Pennsylvania and help girls become the leaders of tomorrow.

 

How Do You Want to Receive News from GSHPA?

One of the issues discussed in the Think Tanks was about this newsletter and how you receive it.  Do you prefer email?  Or maybe you like to get a hard copy of this newsletter right in your mailbox?  We want to communicate in the easiest and most convenient way for you.  Service unit managers will be conducting a survey within their service units about newsletter delivery.  If you would like to get the newsletter in the mail, please provide them with your most updated mailing address.  If you would like to receive the information in email form, provide your service unit manager with your most up-to-date email address.  Lifetime members, facilitators and other volunteers not directly associated with a service unit who would like to receive a paper copy of the newsletter, please send your mailing address to communications@gshpa.org or mail us a card to Communications, GSHPA, PO Box 2837, Harrisburg, PA 17104.  We want to start the new distribution process for the March edition of the newsletter, so please get  your responses in by February 16^th.

 

State College Area Service Center Moving

The State College Area Service Center is moving to a new, convenient location.  A new lease was just signed and staff and volunteers are helping to move.

 

The address for the new location is 1040-1 Benner Pike, State College, 16801.  Telephone numbers for the office will remain the same and you can always reach a staff member by calling 800-692-2816.

 

This office will have space available for meetings, as well as a council convenience shop.  A grand opening is scheduled for February 24.  More details will follow on this exciting event.

 

The council convenience shop will remain closed until the February 24^th grand opening. Volunteers serviced by the State College Area Service Center can order online or by phoning our Scranton or Harrisburg stores to place orders.  The orders placed and shipped during the closure will have free shipping to the individual placing the order.

 

Hazleton Area Service Center Address Change

The Hazleton Area Service Center isn’t moving, but there is a new address.  The township where the service center is located changed the address for the building.  The new address for the Hazleton Area Service Center is:

426 Beltway Road

12 Beltway Commons

Hazle Township, PA 18202

 

Scranton Area Service Center Open House

Mark your calendars for your chance to see the new Scranton Area Service Center.  There will be an open house on Thursday, February 26^th from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.  More information about the open house will be available soon.

 

Product Sales

Cookie Sale is Here!

It is that time of year again! Initial order taking has begun! Girl Scouts will be out-and-about taking cookie orders until February 2^nd! Remember, girls continue selling through-out February and March! For some great cookie selling ideas, click here: http://www.littlebrownie.com/common/selling_tips.html?class=girls and for the Steps to success, click here: http://www.littlebrownie.com/common/steps_to_success.html?class=girls

 

As girls geared-up for cookie to begin, several Service Units held Kick-off Rallies! 68 service units signed-up for this first Council-wide event. Girls enjoyed taste-testing cookies and participating in activities. “This event was amazing for the girls to experience and enjoy,” said Carol Ross, Product Sale Manager. “The product sales staff would like to thank all of the Service Unit Cookie Managers, the Troop leaders and Cookie Managers, as well as the GSHPA staff for really coming together and making these rallies a success!” Check out photos from several of the rallies on our home page: http://www.gshpa.org.

 

Service Unit Cookie Coordinators and Troop Cookie Managers are busy obtaining locations to hold cookie booth sales. This is a great opportunity for girls to discover, connect and take action as a cookie entrepreneur. New this year, GSUSA is requiring all councils to approve booth locations, and we have automated the process for you! To get instructions on how to do this, click here: http://www.gshpa.org/programs/cookies_09/cookie_events.html

 

Do you ever feel like you can’t seem to learn enough about the Cookie Sale? Want to learn from the comfort of your own home? Have you tried a Webinar? The product sales team is offering numerous Webinars for you throughout the cookie sale. So, get a hot cup of tea, sit back and relax at the next Webinar, to see the schedule, click here: http://www.gshpa.org/programs/cookies_09/volunteers/volunteers_web_schedule.html

 

Update from our GSHPA’s financial connection Ann Catalano: 

In response to your feedback, GSHPA is simplifying the Product Sales banking procedures and training for the 2009 cookie sale.  Finance will be providing on-demand training via the Web site, instead of the webinars previously announced.  Just click on the link at the bottom right hand side of the home page and take the training when you have the time. For more information or if you have questions, please contact Ann Catalano at 1.800.692.7816 ext. 1010 or email her at acatalano@gshpa.org.

 

Independently Registered Girls/Juliettes

Attention all parents of girls interested in participating in the cookie sale! Independently Registered Girls/Juliettes can sign-up to participate in the cookie sale. Parents/Guardians need to complete the permission form, which can be found here: http://www.gshpa.org/programs/cookies_09/forms/parent_permission.pdf

 

Please send the form to the region located closest to you and a packet of information will be sent once your girl is registered.

 

Regional Contacts:

Northeast Region (Carbon, Monroe, Luzerne, Wyoming, Lackawanna, Pike, Wayne, Susquehanna)

Shelli Roosa, sroosa@gshpa.org, 242 Airport Rd, Beltway Commons, Hazleton, PA 18202

 

North Region (Schuykill, Northumberland, Snyder, Union, Montour, Columbia, Sullivan, Lycoming)

Interim Carey Miller, cmiller@gshpa.org, Parkview Center, Suite 1, 999 North Loyalsock Avenue, Montoursville, PA 17754

 

West Region (Juniata, Mifflin, Huntingdon, Centre, Clinton )

Interim Amanda Amspacher, aamspacher@gshpa.org, 1040-1 Benner Pike, State College, PA 16801

 

Southeast Region (Franklin, Fulton, Cumberland, Perry, Dauphin, Lebanon)

Carey Miller, cmiller@gspha.org, 350 Hale Ave, Harrisburg, PA 17104

 

South Region (York, Adams, Lancaster)

Amanda Amspacher, aamspacher@gshpa.org, 1600 Mt. Zion Rd, York, PA 17402

 

Web site updates:

You need the tools to help you through cookie and we are providing! Check our site www.gshpa.org regularly for new information.

 

Cookie Locator!

The cookie locator is new this year! Now, consumers can find cookie booths located close to their home or work to buy cookies. The locator is populated through GSHPA and eBudde, so make sure you get your cookie booth entered into eBudde as soon as possible. Look for the cookie locator icon on our front page. www.gshpa.org.

 

Cookie Supplies and Costumes!

You can now reserve the Octagon Project Cookie Jar (GOC) display, Cookie Table Top display, Green Table cloth and Cookie Costumes online! Click here to submit your request today! http://fs3.formsite.com/productsales/form696877655/index.html

 

Cookie Cupboard information will be available on the Web site at the end of January…stay tuned!

 

Cookie Tip of the Week – Check it out for some new ideas! www.gshpa.org

 

What is your Cookie Personality? Are you a Thin Mint, Samoa or Trefoil? Find out here. www.gshpa.org

 

Cookie Sale Slideshow

Have some great pictures to share from your service unit cookie rally, or from the start of the cookie sale?  Send them to us at communications@gshpa.org and we’ll put your pictures right on the home page http://www.gshpa.org.

 

Volunteer Development

Volunteer Recognitions 

The Volunteer Recognition Committee would like to extend a thank you to all those volunteers who nominated their fellow volunteers for GSUSA and Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania Board Approved Awards.  The committee hopes volunteers will join them at the Annual Meeting on May 2, 2009 at Bloomsburg Fairgrounds to honor volunteers who will receive these awards.

 

The committee would also like to remind volunteers that nominations for Service Unit Level recognitions, Outstanding Leader and Outstanding Volunteer, are due to Service Unit Managers on or before March 15, 2009.  Information and nomination forms for volunteer recognitions is posted at http://www.gshpa.org/volunteers/vol_recognitions.html

 

Facilitators Needed

Are you someone who would like to share your time, talents and knowledge with girls and adults in Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania?  Then we need you!  We are looking for a few good Program Facilitators to facilitate program for girls and Adult Learning Facilitators to help adults learn about various aspects of Girl Scouting.  Interested persons may contact their associate, membership services for more information. 

 

 Are You Up-to-date with Your Training Certifications?

 Outdoor Recertification:  All volunteers who had current outdoor training certification with a legacy council going into the merger (May 1, 2007) were to update their outdoor certification to GSHPA standards by December 31, 2008.  If you have not done so, there is still time.  You may participate in the course through our Web site, through a self-study, or as a service unit group.  For more details on self-study or service unit group participation, contact your associate, membership services.  For online participation, register at www.gshpa.org

 

Leadership Essentials:  A friendly reminder: new volunteers need to complete Leadership Essentials training within 3 months from the date of their first troop/group meeting.  All experienced volunteers should also complete this new nationally standardized course in order to update their Girl Scout program knowledge.  Experienced volunteers have until the end of this membership year (October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2009) in which to complete the course.  Leadership Essentials training is offered in a classroom format or online at www.gshpa.org

 

Looking for more training/learning experiences?  The spring edition of the Program and Learning Opportunities Guide (PAL) is online now. http://www.gshpa.org/programs/pgm_opportunities.html.  Register for needed/desired courses online, via fax or mail.  Have questions about adult training/learning in your area?  Contact your associate, membership services.

 

Program

There are lots of fantastic events coming up for February and March.  Deadlines are fast approaching and now is the time to sign up.  QUICK!! Before it is too late! 

 

Here is a taste of what  we have to offer (for a more complete list and descriptions check your P.A.L.):

 

February :

Council Campfires –available at various locations

Catapult Cookies- available at various locations

Skiing and Tubing at Tussey

March:

Wild 4 Water at Split Rock Resort & Indoor Water Park

Adventure Club

Venture Club

Scouting for the Cure

Lincoln Caverns- Junior Combo & Overnight: Geocaching & Rocks Rock

 

Some changes were made to the programs after the PALs were printed.  Follow this link to a listing of those corrections. http://www.gshpa.org/volunteers/2009_spring_pal_corrections.pdf

 

Program Opportunities

Coming soon… 2009 Summer Camp!

Imagine if you could spend your summer days at one (or more!) of GSHPA’s summer camps… sounds like a pretty cool summer, right?  You can experience all kinds of great outdoor activities: archery, art and crafts, horseback riding, hiking, silly songs and great games, boating, swimming, fun in the sun, dance parties, guitar lessons, and so much more!  You’ll make friends and memories that will last a lifetime.

 

Look for our 2009 Summer Camp Guide in your mailboxes soon – they will be mailed in late January.  Hope to see you at camp this summer!

 

CAMP SPOTLIGHT

Camp Louise

Camp Louise is located near Berwick in Columbia County.  The 340 acre site boasts a 25 acre lake, hiking trails, and walking paths.  The woods offer a great natural diversity with many species of wildlife.  Facilities range from modern buildings with running water to tent and cabin units.  Each unit has a covered shelter, outdoor cooking facilities, a fire circle, and restroom facilities.  Test your skills on the archery range, enjoy the scenery while boating on the lake, splash about in the pool, or simply soak up the great outdoors – all while at Camp Louise.

 

Camp Gi Sco Ha

Camp Gi Sco Ha is located east of Hanover in York County and is adjacent to Codorus State Park.  The camp consists of 18 acres of beautiful woodlands and the lake at Codorus is only a short distance away.  Two modern lodges and a rustic cabin unit make up the facilities on property.  Enjoy one of our many sailing programs this summer at Camp Gi Sco Ha.

 

Summer Camp Job Opportunities

IMAGINE IF… YOU COULD WORK AT CAMP THIS SUMMER!

Imagine if you could get paid for having fun, and sharing your enthusiasm, creativity, and ideas with girls of all ages and staff from around the world.  Well…  Now is your chance!  We are currently seeking enthusiastic, self-motivated individuals who would love to work with children in the outdoors. 

 

Available positions can be found by visiting our Web site.  For more information please contact Liz Brobst at lbrobst@gshpa.org

 

Membership and Recruitment

Recruitment Tips

It’s Winter!!!! It is important to hold winter recruitments in each area of the council to provide an opportunity for each girl who is not in Girl Scouting to join.  Many recruitments are already established and set up as events in your area schools.  Volunteers are needed to join staff members and service unit teams to ensure a positive recruiting event.  If your troop would like to help either with an established recruitment or would like to set up an event on your own, please contact your associate, membership services in your local area. 

 

Remember, there are many positive outcomes to helping with the recruitments:  Your girls can earn community service hours to apply towards their awards and recognitions, more troops can be established to provide other resources for new girls, you can help to recruit new leaders to be on the service unit teams.  Please contact your associate, membership services to schedule help with your local recruitment now.  And – we thank you in advance for your support.

 

Patch Design Winner

Thank you to everyone who entered the design a patch contest for the new Leading the Way Troop Award. The launch of the Girl Scout Leadership experience is a great time to showcase how your troop leads with this award.  Girls will be able to excel in troop management, volunteer development, and troop/group leadership activities. 

 

The online voting was tallied and the winner of the contest is Blair Orndorf from Chambersburg. Blair is a second year Junior at Calvary United Methodist Church. Blair has been in Girl Scouting for six years.

 

She recently earned her God and Family Award and is currently working on her Bronze Award.  Blair’s project involves getting donations for birthday bags to be used at her local Women in Need shelter for the children who celebrate birthdays while living there. 

 

Her favorite part of Girl Scouting is going camping for a weekend with her troop.  She enjoys visiting sites far away from her home and in the forests.  She likes seeing the beauty the place has to offer and wishes she could stay forever.  While at camp, she enjoys exploring the out-of-doors and discovering very cool things see hardly ever sees.  Good job Blair and congratulations!  Click on the following link to see Blair’s patch design: http://www.gshpa.org/programs/patches/patch_vote_leading_way.html

 

Save the Date!  Spring Delegate Meetings Coming Soon!

Here are the dates and locations for the 2009 Spring Delegate Meetings.  Meeting packets will be sent to all delegates in early March.

 

Monday, March 23, 2009 (6:00 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.)

Calvary United Methodist Church, 150 Norlo Drive, Fayetteville, PA 17222

 

Tuesday, March 24, 2009 (6:00 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.)

Hazleton Area Service Center, 426 Airport Road, Hazle Township, PA 18202

 

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 (6:00 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.)

Scranton Area Service Center, Suite 222, 1444 East Lackawanna Ave, Olyphant, PA 18447

 

Thursday, March 26, 2009 (6:00 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.)

Schlow Centre Region Library, 211 South Allen Street, State College, PA 16801

 

Saturday, March 28, 2009 (9:30 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.)

Harrisburg Area Service Center, 350 Hale Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17104

 

Monday, March 30, 2009 (6:00 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.)

Riverwoods Retirement Center, 3201 River Road, Lewisburg, PA 17837

 

Tuesday, March 31, 2009 (6:00 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.)

Lancaster – TBD

 

Wednesday, April 1, 2009 (6:00 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.)

York Area Service Center, 1600 Mount Zion Road, York, PA 17402

 

Thursday, April 2, 2009 (6:00 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.)

Webinar

 

Longtime GSHPA Council Staff Member Passes Away

We are sad to report that longtime council staff member, Joyce Barber, passed away on December 27, 2008.  Joyce was an administrative assistant in the outdoor program department with GSHPA and a registrar with the former Penn’s Woods Council.  Joyce graduated from Lake Lehman High School and attended Misericordia University. She resided in Loyalville, PA. and is survived by her husband, Bill, and children Susan J. and Will N. Barber. The family requests any memorial contributions be sent to the Salvation Army 17 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Wilkes-Barre PA. 18701 or the American Cancer Society, 71 N. Franklin St. Wilkes-Barre, PA.  18701.

 

Council Stores/Shops

This year, join us in sending valentines to our military troops overseas!  Bring Valentine’s Day cards to your local GSHPA store/shop by February 28^th and we will mail them to the troops.  While you’re at the store or shop, browse Valentine’s Day gift items or patches that are perfect for your special event!  You can also check out the selection available at the online shop by visiting www.gshpa.org.  Be sure to add Valentine’s Day items to your online purchase, they will be 10% off in February!  Free shipping is available for orders over $75.00 when purchased at our online shop.

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 It is with great joy that I introduce the newest member of our Girls CAN! group!

 

 

Please welcome our youngest Girl Scout;

 

AnnaMarie Violet

6lbs 13 oz

19″ long

Born: Saturday, September 13, 2008 at 10:57 am

 

[This bit of joyous news comes to us from Amy Martin-Rineer, DRUMORE PA]

Girl Scout news!**********************************************************************************************************************

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 Katelyn Confer, daughter of Michael and Patricia Confer, Shavertown, was recognized by state Rep. Phyllis Mundy, D-Kingston, with a citation in recognition of her Girl Scout Gold Award achievement, the highest honor a Girl Scout can receive.

Confer is a member of Troop 2654 and previously received the Girl Scout Silver Award, the second highest award in the organization. She is a junior at Dallas High School and is active in various school activities such as SADD, student government, field hockey and Teacher for Tomorrow.

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Less Control, More Change

Only about 10 percent of American girls are involved with Girl Scouts — a number that’s held steady for decades. But the organization plans to start targeting the other 90 percent with their most aggressive public relations strategy to date. This week CEO Cathy Kloninger hired the organization’s first-ever marketing director to revitalize its brand and has charged its in-house Research Institute with studying how girls feel about the organization’s core mission to train future women leaders.

“What we heard from thousands of girls is that they’re really turned off by the command and control top-down type of leadership they see so much around them,” says research director Judy Schoenberg. “They really aspire to a type of leadership that’s about making a difference in the world and social change.”

Please follow the link-lead to the rest of this article:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89126533

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With 2.6 million members, Girl Scouts of the USA is the nation’s largest organization for girls. The group’s executives were pleased that four-fifths of both sexes said that women and men are equally qualified to lead. This was not the case in the mid-1980s, said chief executive Kathy Cloninger.

What concerned Cloninger and others was not only that girls did not desire to be future leaders but also that many feared they would not be capable enough to assume leadership roles. Twenty-one percent of girls said they had most of the qualities of a leader, such as being outgoing, hardworking and responsible.

They also said they lack the ability to command people and, if they tried to do so, they would be laughed at by their peers or seen as bossy and make people mad.

Please follow the link-lead to the rest of this article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/26/AR2008032603036.html

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Improvements to Retail Experience Continue

Improvements to Retail Experience Continue
February 19, 2010

Improvements to the Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania retail experience continue and we are pleased to share the following updates with you:

New Online Store Coming Soon
Plans to unveil the new “look and feel” of the online store are still on track for late March/early April. We appreciate your patience as we continue to work diligently to pull together a new online experience that will make it easier for you to find the Girl Scout essential materials you want and need 24 hours a day/7 days a week with minimal extra steps.

Free Shipping Continues Through March 21
While the new online store is still in process, free shipping has once again been extended and will be applied to all orders placed through March 21, 2010.

New Store Hours
Beginning on March 1, 2010, the Council store in Harrisburg will have new hours and will be open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 am – 3 pm.

Phone Orders
Not an internet shopper, but still want the convenience of placing your order from your home or office? Also beginning March 1, 2010, our friendly retail staff will be available to assist with your phone orders Monday – Friday from 9 am – 5 pm.

More in the Works
Future shipping charges on online and phone orders are still under consideration as is the feasibility of offering a variety of payment options on online and phone orders (checks, troop accounts, cookie dough, etc). Plans to pilot the traveling trunk are also moving forward and we’ll continue to keep you posted on our progress.

As always, your opinion continues to be important to us and we encourage you to share your feedback at http://www.gshpa.org/feedback.html.

Marion Alexander will be receiving a 2010 Jefferson Award

It is my pleasure to pass along to those of you who haven’t heard, news of a great honor being bestowed on one of our board members. On October 29, Marion Alexander will be receiving a 2010 Jefferson Award at a dinner being held at the Sheraton Harrisburg-Hershey Hotel. WGAL 8, PSECU and several area United Ways join together each year to honor local volunteers with The Jefferson Awards. The Jefferson Awards recognize the highest ideals and achievements in the field of public service in the Susquehanna Valley. Founded in 1973, they were named after Thomas Jefferson because of his insight into the value of public service and his belief in the importance of giving of ones self to help others in need. This special award highlights the countless private individuals who are performing extraordinary public services in their local communities. Some are paid; others are volunteers; most are unrecognized. The Jefferson Award is a 2 1/2 inch proof medallion, gold on silver, featuring a replica of the Seal of the United States on the front and “In Recognition of Outstanding Public Service” on the reverse. The Jefferson Awards are donated as a public service by the Franklin Mint. We all know how hard Marion works on behalf of GSHPA, most notably as co-chair of our Fund Development Committee. Marion has also served on the boards of a number of other community organizations including the United Way of the Capital Region, Whitaker Center, Allied Arts, Susquehanna Art Museum, Goodwill, Family and Children’s Services, YWCA, and Dauphin County Library System. Marion has received a number of recognitions for her work in the community including the Community Supporter of the Arts Award in 2003, Central Pennsylvania Fund Raising Council Outstanding Volunteer Award in 2002, Alexis de Tocqueville Humanitarian Award in 1997, John Baum Humanitarian Award in 1996, and the Community Child Advocate Award in 1995. Please join me in congratulating Marion on this much deserved honor. Kate

Farewell to a Lifelong Girl Scout

Click for» Farewell to a Lifelong Girl Scout:

A look back at the life of Ginny Denn, who was a Girl Scout for more than 70 years!

Ginny, as she was known to friends and family, joined Girl Scouts when she was 10 years old and made a career in Girl Scouting, serving professionally since 1953.
Denn served as an administrative director for Girl Scouts of America her entire working career.

GSHPA Scholarship Committee

[The following is from Anne M. Reitzes, our Chief Operating Officer.  If anyone is interested, please contact Anne directly.]

Hi Rod,

We have a few spots available for CAN volunteers that would like to join the GSHPA Scholarship Committee. 
Those that are interested would be asked to help review the girl applications and select the scholarship recipients. 
The scholarship committee will meet the evening of May 20th in Pine Grove to select the recipients. 
Prior to that meeting the committee members will review the applications on their own so that the face to face committee meeting is focused on selecting the final recipients.

Would you mind forwarding this information to the CAN distribution list? 
Any CAN volunteer that is interested in serving on this committee this year should contact me.

Thank you, Rod!

Anne

Anne M. Reitzes, M.Ed.
Chief Operating Officer
Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania
Harrisburg Service Center | 350 Hale Avenue | Harrisburg, PA 17104
Toll Free: 800.692.7816 x1003 | Fax: 717.234.5097

so much more to girls than irresistible cookies

More Than Just Cookies: Rethinking the Girl Scouts

By Karen Ball / Camp Daisy

Leaning against the fence of a simple horse barn one recent Sunday afternoon, Lynn Gentine wistfully watched her oldest daughter, 13-year-old Mikayla, groom a chestnut mare named Sadie for perhaps the last time. The horse program, an activity of the local Girl Scouts council, is shutting down as the organization suffers declining membership and dwindling resources. The council itself is being merged with another, which doesn’t need Camp Daisy’s horses.

“She’s not at the mall, she’s not on the Internet, she’s not texting her friends,” Gentine says of the time her teenager spends cleaning stables and teaching young Brownies about horses, riding and safety. Camp Daisy is a hilly, wooded haven in eastern Kansas, not far from Topeka, where the Flint Hills meet the westward-sweeping tallgrass. It’s named after Juliette “Daisy” Low, who founded Girl Scouts in 1912.

Nearly 100 years later, Girl Scouts are fighting to stay relevant and hip. Shuttering camps is a difficult and emotional side effect of an ambitious plan to streamline Girl Scouts and roll out a whole new “leadership” program to revive interest in the 2.6 million-girl organization.

With membership falling by 250,000 in just five years, the Scouts have done a lot of soul searching. The group hired a management consultant and marketing team and laid out a “core business strategy” to make its programs “more purposeful,” as one executive put it. Although November is cookie month — your doorbell may be ringing — the Scouts don’t want to be known for cookies and camping anymore. Instead, executives use phrases like “outcomes-based,” “pathways,” “gap teams,” “fading brand image” and “market share” to describe the new approach. (See pictures of pioneering women in space.) (See pictures of pioneering women in sports.)

Part of that approach involves reducing the number of local Girl Scout councils from 312 to 109 through mergers. In some cases, the newly merged councils have more facilities than they need. For example, when Camp Daisy moved under the umbrella of the Kansas City, Mo., council, officers took a cold look at the rustic horse barn. The council already has a state-of-the-art Scout Equestrian center two hours away, which made Daisy’s horse program an easy target. (The Scouts are still trying to figure out just what to do with Daisy’s 23 horses.)

In all, about half of the enlarged Kansas City council’s 1,700 acres of camps are being “rested” for a year while final decisions are made about their fates. That includes Camp Oakledge, a 420-acre lakefront retreat in the Missouri Ozarks with a mile of shoreline. To some, “rested” is just a way of saying that the camps will be sold. “It’s difficult, but it’s necessary to ensure the future of this organization,” says Girl Scout spokeswoman Gina Garvin of the Kansas City area. Camps cost the council $1.7 million last year, so something has to give, she explains.

Due to sagging cookie sales, a drop-off in donations and investment losses, the Kansas City council expects a $1.6 million loss this year. Each council has its own budget, separate from the national organization’s $70 million. Nationally in 2007, Scouts lost $1 million in membership dues and another $1 million in grants and gifts.

Near Racine, Wis., Scouts just sold a camp for $7 million — they’d been trying to unload it for years due to a lack of use. In New York, 65 acres along the Great Peconic Bay was sold in 2006 because girls just weren’t attending camp. In New Jersey, three councils merged into a single group with six camps — two of which weren’t being used much. Those two probably won’t operate next summer, says Mary Connell, CEO of Girl Scouts of Central and Southern New Jersey, which will do a cost-benefit analysis of all the region’s camps.

“We have a saying — we’re operating at the speed of girls,” Connell said. It became clear 10 years ago that girls were no longer into pitching tents. Now they prefer “yurts,” circular huts modeled after the homes of Central Asian nomads — but featuring Western amenities like electricity and handicap accessibility. “These are 21st Century girls,” says Connell. “They, at the very least, want to be near a cell phone tower.”

As part of their soul-searching, the Girl Scouts found that girls were so bombarded with after-school sports, lessons and high-octane homework that neither they nor their parents found Girl Scouts compelling enough to keep on the calendar. “It was a brutal truth we had to confront,” says Cathy Tisdale, the Girl Scouts national vice president for “mission to market.” So they set out to become the “premiere leadership organization for girls.” Troops and badges will still exist — but girls can also choose to take “journeys” instead, opting, for instance, to make a six-week foray into the community for service, rather than meeting once a month in a church basement.

“It’s not putting the uniform on and the cookies in front of the store anymore,” says Susan Swanson, vice president of membership and volunteerism. “The old troop model is not dead, but we’ve got flexible options.” Meeting monthly to hear a troop leader talk may be a yawner, Swanson says, “but if there’s a cool career seminar on Saturday, they’ll say, OK.”

A new set of handbooks guide the “journeys,” offering exercises in critical thinking, ethical decision making, “assessing team dynamics” and “community asset mapping.” Is Juliette Low rolling in her grave as camps close down to make way for jazzier Web content and global networking? Lee Ann Maley, a Girl Scout executive in South Carolina, believes that the founder would approve of the new model of assertive girlhood. “We’re doing more with science, technology, engineering and math,” Maley says. “I think Juliette Low would be standing up and blowing her horn — the girls can do it, too.”

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Following is a note from network member Jessica Hopkins on behalf of Education.com; it regards our mission. Enjoy!
 

Hey Rod,

As active supporters of the Girl Scouts, you already know why it’s such a great organization for women and girls. Education.com, an online resource for parents and educators agrees. I wanted to share some more of the excellent benefits that participating in Girl Scouts offers: Click here for: Why the Girl Scouts Matter

Characterized by generations of women pioneering social causes like non-violence and health & fitness, Education.com knows that the Girl Scouts offer so much more to girls than irresistible cookies.

Feel free to share with your troop (and we would love it if you posted on Girls CAN!), and please let me know what you think. Look forward to hearing back!

Best,
Jessica

Jessica Hopkins
360i on behalf of Education.com

GSHPA kudos!

[We celebrate a job well done by our dear friend Cindy!  Please note below!]

Rod,

Perhaps you want to notify the GIRLS CAN group about the Blue Ribbon Foundation Wellness grant GSHPA received.   It’s listed on the cover page of this newsletter.

 

Cindy Garren

Girl Scouts in the Heart of PA

Director of Community Development – Northeast Region

242 Airport Road

Hazleton, PA  18201

570.501.2604 ext 1403  NEW EXTENSION

570.501.2325  fax

1-800-692-7816

 

“In Girl Scouts, leadership isn’t just about building future leaders–it’s about building girl leaders for today.” 

Kathy Cloninger, CEO, Girl Scouts of the United States

Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2009 4:00 PM
Subject: The Blue Ribbon Foundation of Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania – January 2009 E-newsletter

 

Health and Wellness Grants

Foundation Grants Just Approved

Health and Wellness Mini-Grants: Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania Shape Up Stars – Healthy Living Program Monroe, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and  Wyoming Counties $10,000 The “Shape Up Stars” Healthy Living Program is designed to positively influence lifestyle choices in girls ages 5 to 17. Small group sessions are used to raise girls’ awareness and teach them techniques for substance free living, healthy eating, active living, personal safety and emotional well-being. The Foundation’s grant will be used to deliver the program to 250 female students in five school districts across five counties. Sullivan County Victim Services will partner with all schools in the Sullivan County School District to offer age-appropriate education on topics such as bullying, anger management, domestic violence, Internet safety and sexual assault to 700 students, grades K through 12.