GSSI’s Spotlight Award honors GSSI Volunteers who are recognized by their peers for outstanding effort. Without the commitment of passionate volunteers, Girl Scouts would not be the amazing organization it is today!
Multiple volunteers can be honored through the Spotlight Award each month and there is no form required. To make a nomination, you can just e-mail or tell your local Membership Development Manager or Service Unit Manager. Please include the volunteer’s name, Service Unit number and one or two sentences that express why you would like that volunteer to be recognized. Help us put the Spotlight on our awesome volunteers!
See GSSI's recent Spotlight Award recipients and praise from their peers below.
March Spotlight Awardees:
Diane Baker, Service Unit 66 - Shawnee: “Diane has stepped up to help the service unit plan and run events. She also helped with the Nut/Candy and Cookie Programs. She is a valuable asset to our service unit. She went above and beyond the duties of a leader, and has really helped our Gift of Caring campaign by going out daily to promote this program.”
Tara Brooks, Service Unit 106 - Bethalto: “Tara’s hard work and dedication during our 2016 Cookie Program has not gone unnoticed. She has done a fantastic job of supporting her team when needed. Her willingness to become the Cookie Manager is an example of a remarkable volunteer.”
Jamie Burrow, Service Unit 12 - Clay County: “Jamie’s troop sold over 3,000 boxes of cookies. Her troop started with 8 girls and she increased her troop this year to 36 girls. She has lots of parent help and support. The girls are very excited to attend meetings and girls are continuing to join every month.”
Heather McFarland, Service Unit 521 - Western Coles County: “Heather is the Service Unit Manager for SU 521. She recently held a STEM robotics service unit event, where she invited the neighboring service units to come as well. She taught all the girls how to make bristle bots and had many other great activities. She has even had a request to come do the exact same program for another service unit. She has also planned an event for the entire council called GirlCon, which will be held in April. This is a similar event to ComiCon. Girls will have the opportunity to talk to authors, learn more STEM activities, learn how to create art - and she has done all of this keeping the cost affordable to all girls.”
Dawn Quicksall, Service Unit 511 - Effingham: “Dawn goes above and beyond the call of duty as a Girl Scout volunteer. We are so excited that she will once again be the director for two day camps this summer. Her day camps are always so exciting and the girls look forward to them. She has also taken it on herself to organize a camp clean up day at Camp Wassatoga where the entire camp will be cleaned - the docks, the trails, the archery range. We are going to plant flowers and of course, clean the kitchen, bathrooms and all the other things inside the mess hall. GSSI is so fortunate to have her as a volunteer.”
Jonni Turner, Service Unit 533 -Clark/Cumberland Counties: “Jonni is the Product Program manager for the service unit. This is her first year in this position and she is doing an awesome job. She is doing a great job communicating with all the leaders and juggling cookies in the cookie cupboard. Great job, Jonni! Way to keep the cookies running smoothly in Clark and Cumberland counties!”
February Spotlight Awardees:
Jane Cornelius, Service Unit 7 Bond County: “Jane previously served as a Service Unit Manager, Registrar, Cookie Manager, Treasurer and Troop Leader in Bond County. After
being gone a few years from Girl Scouts, she returned last year as a Daisy Troop leader. This year she has a combined
troop of Daisies and Brownies making more Girl Scout opportunities available for girls in the Greenville area.”
Hayley Davis, SU 60 - South Randolph County: “Haley began as an area Daisy leader for Kindergarten age girls and has continued as a Brownie leader. She welcomes girls into her troop and is an excellent role model for the girls. She also has coordinated two area events and is always cheerful and pleasant.
Kelli Ellis, Service Unit: 72 Union/Pulaski/Alexander Counties (UPAC): “Kelli serves as an area Co-Product Program Manager for both Fall Product and Cookies and also is a Troop Leader. Kelli graciously shares and offers her knowledge and advice to leaders for both managing their troops or product sales. She is always cheerful and thoughtful.”
Joan Foltz, Service Unit 30, Jefferson County: “Joan is one of those vital, behind the scenes gals, that doesn’t look for nor expect glory or recognition. She is always in the background making sure what needs to get done, gets done. She is a constant, she is consistent and she is the one that you can count on. She is an overflowing fountain of ideas: asking girl scouts to make an ornament for the Little House Tree, being the impromptu activity director for a newly registering group of Daisy girl scouts, having endless crafting ideas for the troops. She is a dependable extra set of hands: from ramrodding the kitchen detail at leader meetings, to cleaning the Little House or hosting two countries at the county world thinking day event and to volunteering to help any troop with a craft, task or activity. She is GIRL SCOUT personified: honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, responsible for what she says and does, she respects herself and others, respects authority, uses resources wisely, makes the world a better place and IS DEFINITELY a sister to every Girl Scout.”
Kim Galt, Service Unit 42 - East Williamson County: “Kim has been the Service Unit Cookie Manager for several years and she always does an amazing job. She is very organized and is a huge help to all of the volunteers in her service unit during cookie season. Kim is one of the most patient and polite individuals I have had the pleasure of working with. East Williamson is very lucky to have such a caring volunteer!”
Emily Heinzman, Service Unit 9 - Centralia: “Emily has been volunteering as the Service Unit Cookie Manager for several years. She is very organized and always
has great advice for both new and returning volunteers. She is very much appreciated in Centralia and is a big part of
what helps make them successful.”
Amy Hesch, Service Unit 57 - North Randolph County: “Amy continued to lead a Brownie Troop after the co-leader passed away last year and continued to lead the troop this fall. Amy has been an inspiration to the girls and the parents.”
Nancy Matis, Service Unit 101 - Alton/Godfrey/Wood River/Roxana: “Nancy serves in an invaluable role for many troops throughout the Cookie Program because she has allowed her home to be the Cookie Cupboard for many years. Her dedication to seeing a project through is second to none. Nancy has a winning attitude and the service that she provides to Girl Scouts is outstanding.”
Jennifer Melton, Service Unit 101 Alton/Godfrey/Wood River/Roxana: Jennifer is the Co-Service Unit Manager of SU 101. Jennifer is also a Troop Leader and does an excellent job in giving our girls an awesome Girl Scout experience. Her dependability and diligence when involved Service Unit projects and events has made her an outstanding volunteer.”
Christina Pennington, Service Unit 24 - Fayette County: “Christina is an adult lifetime member that grew up in Girl Scouts in Fayette County. She now helps her mother co-lead
a Daisy Troop in Vandalia even though neither have a girl family member in the troop.”
Ashley Thompson, Service Unit 45, Massac County: “Ashley handles herself professionally and speaks passionately of Girl Scouts. She wants only the best for girls in Massac County. She has served as the area Fall Product Manager and now co-leads an older girl troop.”
Elisha Zlotnicki, Service Unit 27 - Jackson County: “Elisha wears many hats for the Jackson County Service Unit; she is the Service Unit Manager, Fall Product Sales Manager, Cookie
Sales Manager, and Registrar. During this cookie season she has been very helpful to all of the volunteers in the service
unit. For many of them this was their fi rst time selling cookies and she always makes time to ensure they are trained
and ready for this busy time with their troops.”
