Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Sheila Jolly Scrivner of Bluford is GSSI's July Pearl of the Month

 
GSSI is pleased to announce Sheila Jolly Scrivner of Bluford as the July Pearl of the Month. The Pearl of the Month Award recognizes a Girl Scout volunteer who has delivered service beyond expectations and helped to ensure that approximately 14,000 Girl Scouts in southern Illinois benefi t from a premier Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Nominees must meet several criteria, including completion of all required training for his or her volunteer position as well as providing outstanding service to his or her Service Unit or the Council.
 
Sheila serves as Service Unit Manager as well as leading a troop. She is a great cheerleader for Girl Scouts in the community and attends all local events. She also attends council functions and meetings to make sure all leaders are informed. Following the 2014 GSSI Annual Meeting, Sheila challenged her Service Unit to earn the President’s Award and through her guidance they earned it in 2015. This year, she also organized a World Thinking Day event for the Service Unit with troops representing different countries through snacks and crafts. The event was completely free and a great learning experience for the girls. Sheila’s troop does a community service project every month. She always leads by example!


Thursday, July 23, 2015

GSSI Council Shop Update: August 2015

New Items

Check out our new merchandise! GSSI has a multitude of new merchandise for girls and adult volunteers. Stop by a retail shop soon or browse our virtual catalog.
 
GSSI Council Shop Hours
GSSI Council Shops are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
Both Shops will be Closed August 5 & 6 for inventory
 
Fall Extra Shop Hours
Starting Tuesday, September 15 and going through Tuesday, December 15, the shops will be open until 7 p.m. on Tuesday evenings.
 
Saturday Hours:
The shop will be open from 9 a.m. to noon on the following Saturdays:
September 12, 2015
October 3, 2015
November 7, 2015
December 5, 2015
 
Mobile Shops
Several areas are running Mobile Shops at their events. You can too!!! If interested in a running a Mobile Shop at your local service unit or regional event, please contact Beth Ross, Business Services Manager at 618.692.0692, ext. 1129 e-mail: bross@gsofsi.org or one of the Council Shop contacts below.

GSSI Council Shop Contact Information:
Corporate Service Center: Stacey Port: 618-692-0692, ext. 1101 e-mail: sport@gsofsi.org
Regional Service Center: Brittany Galloway: 618.242.5079, ext. 2103 e-mail: bgalloway@gsofsi.org
 

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Gift of Caring Collaborator Soldiers' Angels Shows U.S. Troops with Girl Scout Cookies

U.S. service members enjoying donated Girl Scout Cookies. 
Photo courtesy of Soldier's Angels 



Nonprofit Soldiers' Angels provides comfort and care packages to U.S. service members - including donated Girl Scout Cookies.  GSSI was able to collaborate with the agency to distribute about 500 cases of Girl Scout Cookies that were donated through the Gift of Caring campaign during this year's Girl Scout Cookie Program.  See Soldiers' Angels "Girl Scout Cookies" photo album

GSSI was also able to donate 620 cases of Girl Scout Cookies to Collinsville nonprofit Mission of Moms through this year's Gift of Caring campaign during the Girl Scout Cookie Program.  Read more...

Monday, July 20, 2015

Laura Keiser Honored for 11 Years of Day Camp Service





Laura Keiser from Edwardsville was recognized by Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois for 11 years of outstanding service to girls at various Girl Scout day camps.    For the past 4 years she was the Assistant Day Camp Director and then the Day Camp Director for Collinsville Day camp which was held at Camp Torqua in Edwardsville.  In addition, Laura has volunteered at several other day camps throughout the years.  “We are so pleased to recognize Laura for her dedication and volunteer leadership skills to ensure so many girls had the opportunity to have a camp and outdoor experience,” said Villie M. Appoo, GSSI Chief Executive Officer.  “It’s volunteers like Laura who help Girl Scouts provide and affordable and accessible outdoor experience where girls can experience the wonders of nature, explore the natural environment and develop outdoor and leadership skills,” Appoo added.

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Sarah's Girl Scout Gold Award Blog: Getting Down to Business


 
 
Hello everyone!  My Girl Scout Gold Award project was at a bit of a standstill last week.  This week, however, my mentor Karlene and I got down to business.  This week, we went shopping!
Earlier this week, we hit 5 Below and two Walmarts in order to collect some supplies we would need to make this library a success.  Our list included: beanbag chairs, rugs, steno pads, mood lighting, and little trinkets to fill my homemade sensory bags with.  Bargain hunting soon became the main mission of our endeavor since I was only given $200 in grant money.  We found two lava lamps for $5 each and several steno pads for $0.88 each.  Amazingly enough, we only went about $45 over budget.  We were able to check everything off the list! Well, almost everything.  The only things I needed were library cards and pockets and a check-out stamp.  I ended up buying those online. 
 
Later in the week, I asked some girls in the troop to come over and help me get some heavy work done on the project.  I set up three stations: a filling station, a sewing station, and a pocket gluing station.  The girls came over and immediately got to work.  I was busy sewing sensory bags.  A couple girls filled the bags with various items and the rest of us sewed them shut.  The girls who arrived a little later assumed the role of gluing library pockets in the books and slipping a card into each one.  We all worked for 5 hours straight.  The lemonade and the conversation flowed like water through a dam.  Time flew by and so did the work.  We finished 149 bags and managed to attach pockets to about 300 books. Only 221 books to go! 
 
Next week, I plan to finally meet with my handyman and get those darn bookshelves built.  The quicker those are knocked out, the quicker we can paint them and set them aside for later.  I promise to be prompt on my next update.  Until next time!
 
Week Six Photos
 




 

Monday, July 13, 2015

ACE Adventure Resort's Shanna Crompton Discusses Success in the Outdoor Adventure Industry


Herrin native Shanna Crompton leads by example for anyone looking to build a rewarding career while thinking "outside the office." She is an Operations Manager, Equipment Manager, Trainer and Trip Guide at ACE Adventure Resort, a popular Girl Scouts travel destination in West Virginia that provides  hundereds of guests with the opportunity to whitewater raft, zipline, stand up paddleboard, kayak and more.  
 
See what Shanna has to say about thriving in this male-dominated industry during a recent Q&A Session in Misadventures Magazine:

 
Her Duties:
 
Operations Manager:
"I am responsible for over 150 employees spanning several departments.  In brief, I deal with scheduling, discipline, safey and personnel issues.  I coordinate daily staff assignments, communicate with other departments to keep logistics running effectively and respond to any emergency (evac) sitautions.:
 
Equipment and Wetsuit Manager (Buyer/Planner):
"I keep inventory and track depreciation of all our outdoor gear."
 
Trainer:
"I train all the new guides coming in each spring with the technical skills and safety standards needed to be successful guides while demonstrating ACE's expectations for customer service."
 
Trip Leader:
"This is where I get to get out on the river with our guests.  Being a Trip Leader, I am legally responsible for anywhere from four to 60 guests and guides, keeping up safety standards and order on each trip ... and making sure everyone has a good time."
 
How She Got There:

Shanna has bachelor's degrees in International Trade, Spanish and Business Administration and had a corporate career in Spain.  While she flourished professionally, she found the routine routine of it was the right fit.  When a friend asked Shanna to come along with her to ACE, she agreed and started there as a trip guide.

"Training was tough," Shanna said "There were plenty of days, after big flips and long, scary swims that I wanted to pack up [...] but I am stubborn and I wouldn't let myself quit."

As she continually proved herself, she was offered more and more responsibilities, eventually taking on managerial roles, despite resisting the idea for two years.

"Then it hit me. If I took on a man­age­r­ial role, it meant this raft guide world was becom­ing my “grown-up job”. I real­ized I didn’t have to be a stereo­typ­i­cal city busi­ness­woman to be a pro­fes­sional in my work."


Her lessons as a female in a male-dominated field:

" First, as a female, you don't necessarily have to work harder or sweat more to prove yourself.  Anyone with a strong work ethic can move up.

That being said, I've learned to lead by example.  Actions truly do speak louder than words.  If my peers see me working with proper technique and composing myself in a professional manner while still bringing good tips from my guests, they're more likely to emulate that.  That in turn, makes my job easier as a manager.

I've learned tha tin the rafting industry, stereotypes about women abound, but you don't have to live up to them.  Steering clear of those generalities is a major part about why I believe I moved up so quickly."

Her advice to girls and women entering the outdoor adventure industry:

"Be strong and independent.  There aren't guy chores and women chores.  You can learn and conquer feats just as easily as any man.

Don't be a stereotype.  Don't talk a big game, but when it comes down to it play the 'little 'ol me' card to get out of physically demanding work.  It's infuriating.  Respect yourself and others will respect you too.

Read Shanna's entire interview at Misadventures Magazine ... the Outdoors Magazine By and For Adventerous Women.  Thank you to Misadventures Magazine and contributor Katie Dudley for giving us permission to share. 


There's still time to register for GSSI's upcoming trip to ACE Adventure Resort!


ACE is the place to go for adventure! Join GSSI on an exciting trip to West Virginia. Experience a full day whitewater rafting on the New River Gorge with a grilled riverside lunch then hang back and spend time on the lake with water trampolines and the "Blob". You will also get to choose your own additional activity. Do you want to zipline, rock climb, paddleboard or maybe go horseback riding? The choice is yours. Price includes charter bus transportation, lodging for 3 nights, 9 meals, whitewater rafting, lake activities and choice of second activity. 
 
Date: July 19, 2016 at 6 a.m. to July 22, 2016 at 3 p.m. 
Location:  ACE Adventure Resort - Oak Hill, West Virginia 

Payment Schedule: 
Deposit of $50 is due with online or mailed registration.
Balance due as follows:
$450 (girl) or $485 (adult) due in single payment by October 29, 2015

OR make 3 additional payments as follows:
$150 (girl or adult) due October 29, 2015
$150 (girl or adult) due February 25, 2016
$150 (girl) or $185 (adult) due May 26, 2016

For more information, please contact Program Manager Mary Buchanan at 800.345.6858, ext. 1115 or e-mail mbuchanan@gsofsi.org.

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Sarah's Girl Scout Gold Award Blog: A Busy Week

 
 
Hey everyone!  This week has been a very busy one for sure.  I recruited my family to help me which was a huge relief.  My mom logged the rest of the books into the computer and repaired all of the ones with broken bindings.  My sister was eager to get crafty, so I let her start creating the library’s grand opening party decorations.  I cut fabric and sewed them, creating sensory bags.  I’m so thankful that help arrived because I would probably still be telling you I was documenting books if it hadn’t.
At the beginning of this week, I had planned to dictate a schedule in order to work on the library more.  It just so happened that my work schedule at Dairy Queen allowed me a few free days to get some decent work done on the project. 
 
My best friend came over and we measured out rectangles of old fabric I had in my sewing kit.  There was a lot of variety in the fabric.  I had fabric with everything from polka dots to cats in space on it.  Hopefully, the kids will enjoy them.  After we got everything cut up, I folded the rectangles in half and sewed two of their edges together.  The plan is to take the unfinished baggies to the church where our troop meets and have some of the girls help me fill them and sew them shut.  As I was busily parked at my sewing machine, my mom was hot gluing, super gluing, and taping damaged books back together.  Once she was done, the books looked as good as new (well, almostJ).  I tested them by shaking them by their bindings.  Luckily, all of them passed the test.  While that was going on, my older sister was busy being creative with a grand opening poster.  She made it read: Welcome to the Exceptional Learners’ Library Grand Opening!  It looked really cool because she replaced some of the letters with school supplies.  Personally, I thought she should have waited on the poster, but at least it will be one less thing to do later on.  Any help is better than no help. 
Later in the week, Karlene asked me to pick up some more donated supplies.  Yay!  I received two wooden crates for the rolling library cart, five checker games, and a yard or two of burlap fabric left over from Girl Scout Day Camp.  No more book work! It’s time to get crafty! 
 
Some photos from my week:
 



     

GSSI Council Shop Update: July 2015

New Items
Check out our new merchandise! GSSI has a multitude of new merchandise for girls and adult volunteers. Stop by a retail shop soon or browse our virtual catalog.
GSSI Council Shop Hours
GSSI Council Shops are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday during the summer. Check back later for extended and Saturday hours for the fall.
GSSI Service Centers and Council Shops are closed July 2 in observance of Independence Day
Both GSSI Council Shops will be closed August 5 & 6 for inventory
Day Camp Trading Posts
Stop by the trading post on your assigned day at day camp to see our fun summer items.
Mobile Shops
Several areas are running Mobile Shops at their events. You can too! If interested in a hosting a Mobile Shop at your local service unit or regional event, please contact Beth Ross, Business Services Manager at 618.692.0692, ext. 1129 or e-mail bross@gsofsi.org

GSSI Council Shop Contact Information:
 
Corporate Service Center, Glen Carbon:
Stacey Port: 618.692.0692, ext. 1101 or e-mail: sport@gsofsi.org
Regional Service Center, Mt. Vernon
Brittany Galloway: 618.242.5079, ext. 2103 or e-mail: bgalloway@gsofsi.org