Susan Gurwitch: Girl Scout Volunteers Are Wonderful!

Susan Gurwitch, COO

Over the last six weeks, I have had a lot of opportunities to meet our fantastic volunteers.  I attended 3 delegate meetings, 1 Service Unit Meeting, GSSI’s Annual Meeting, 4 Brownie and Daisy troop meetings, cookie delivery and booths, 8 Girl Scout Programs (Service Unit and Council), and All That Glitters.   WOW!  Do our volunteers work hard!!  Every time, I am amazed by all that our volunteers do for the girls, the Service Units, and the Council.  From running complete programs to providing our girls a quality Girl Scout Leadership Experience to running cookie booths, GSSI volunteers have got to be the most wonderful people around.

I want to give a shout out to all of our volunteers who helped our girls earn their Girl Scout Silver and Girl Scout Gold Awards.  This includes the mentors, the committee members, and the community volunteers.  Your support in aiding these 75 girls in earning their awards at All That Glitters is tremendous.  What an impact you make ToGetHerThere!  As the girls stepped into the spotlight to receive their awards, I was as proud as any of the parents present!

So I want to thank each and every one of you for all you do.  It is apparent that this organization would be nothing without you, and I hope I can serve each one of you as well as you serve our girls.  As we look for ways to make volunteering with GSSI easier for you, please share with me any ideas you might have as well.  I look forward to continuing to meet more of you over the next few months. 

Volunteers help GSSI deliver unique programs,
such as Highland's Harry Potter themed Day Camp.

Susan Gurwitch: My First Girl Scout Cookie Program

Susan Gurwitch, COO

So, it’s my first cookie program as GSSI’s COO and as a parent.  I have been out with my girls selling in the rain and cold; have watched them be successful and be turned down (we have 12 girl scouts in our neighborhood) - yet I have never seen them so motivated or excited to be participating in something.  Coming off of the enthusiasm of a successful Fall sale, both girls were set on selling at least 1,000 boxes.  Cooper wants to go to Resident Camp and Josie wants to go to Six Flags.  Selling 1,000 boxes is a huge achievement (and, we’re finding out, hard work!)   We are nowhere near our goals yet, but the girls plan on selling in cookie booths on all five weekends available, so we’ll see where we end up!

From a staff perspective, I know there are still concerns about the Spring versus Fall timeframe.  I know it’s difficult, but as parents and staff we need to do all we can to help our girls be successful.   Changing our strategies and encouraging the girls is most important.  After all, it’s all about them and honing their skills.  I look forward to the booth sales and watching the troops develop their people skills, money management, and hitting their goals.  I also know the Product Program staff is working around the clock to help all of our parents and volunteers - whether it’s helping to secure booth locations, getting cookies to service units, or fielding questions about the cost and cookie choice difference between us and Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri.

Also, I am thrilled with the success of GSSI’s Fall product program.  After a successful nut, candy, magazine program (both personally for my girls as well as for the council) the excitement around our house is contagious.   I continue to look forward to hearing from all of you.  The more I hear, the more I learn!  Please keep letting me know how things are going.

Susan Gurwitch: Thank You, Girl Scouts.

Susan Gurwitch, COO

I can’t believe its December already!  It seems like 2012 has flown by!  I have been with Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois for about seven months now and I’m so thankful for everything it has brought to my life – an ability to spend more time with my husband and girls, both at home and at Girl Scout events, the confidence that Cooper and Josie have gained from Girl Scout programs, new friends and colleagues, and the chance to be a part of something so valuable to my own community.  When I left the corporate world for GSSI, I never imagined how much I would gain – the ability to see so many people doing such wonderful things, working with staff and volunteers whose hearts are so big and knowing what a difference Girl Scouts can make on our world.

I have also learned the value of volunteerism and of volunteers.  I cannot say enough to thank each and every one of you for all you do for girls.  From Day Camp Directors and volunteers to Service Unit Team Members to Troop Leaders to parents who help at programs … you are all amazing.  The time, effort, and love you give to the girls, parents and staff of GSSI is so appreciated.  It is because of each one of you that our girls get such an amazing experience. 

As we look toward 2013 and all the great things to come, I want to say thank you.  Thank you for being so welcoming and for creating something so wonderful here in Southern Illinois.   Something we can all be proud of!   I look forward to meeting more of you over the next year, hearing your stories and working together to make the world’s premier leadership organization for girls even better!

Susan Gurwitch: Two Little Girls, Five Skills

Susan Gurwitch, COO
First of all, thank you to all of you who read last month’s blog and came back to read this one and thanks to those of you who are reading for the first time.  I would love to hear from you!  Suggestions about what blog topics you’d like to see discussed are always appreciated!

This past month, I have been knee deep in GSSI’s Fall Product program, where Girl Scouts sell nuts, candy and magazines to raise funds and learn business skills.  I am lucky to be blessed with a wonderful Product Program Manager, Jessica Stanley, who has been patient with all of my questions and suggestions.  I have learned so much about the program, especially about the 5 Skills that all of the girls who participate will be embracing.   These skills are goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics.  I can see for myself that the girls are really enjoying developing these skills and gaining confidence.

It’s funny, at least once a week I get home with my girls and they seem to disappear.  Once I get everything inside (two book bags, two jackets, one briefcase, and multitudes of paper from the school), the doorbell rings.  When I answer, I find two excited little girls practicing their selling techniques.  Josie, my five year old, tells me what her troop will be doing with the dollars earned (having an ice cream party) and lets me know she needs to sell 25 products to meet her goal.  My older daughter, Cooper, tells me about the way the program will help the community if I am interested in helping her troop give to Project Thank You, which sends Girl Scout honey roasted peanuts to U.S. service members.

I never realized how much the girls learn from the candy and cookie programs.  I have watched Cooper’s confidence grow as she talks to neighbors about the products and both of them seem to understand the value of money better.  I am also very lucky to have two great troop leaders (Laura White and Andrea Driver) who are making sure the troop members and parents understand there’s more to the program than just making some money.  Of course, I am also aware some of our parents are concerned about where the money goes when it comes to council. Just so you all know, less than 11% of the funds that come into GSSI go to administration.   As far as Girl Scout councils go, that’s a very low percentage!  Everything else goes to camp upkeep, programs, financial assistance, volunteer training, etc. 

Well, I have to run, the girls are ready to start knocking on doors…



We've been having a blast with GSSI's Fall Product Program!



Susan Gurwitch: The Start of My Girl Scout Journey

Susan Gurwitch, COO

It's been 3 months now since I started working at GSSI as the Chief Operating Officer.  It’s been such a great learning experience and I am so excited about everything the Council has to offer.  Not being a life-long Girl Scout, I have come to realize I am in the lucky position of being able to learn all about the Girl Scouts from three very different perspectives - as a member of the GSSI staff, as a mom of two brand new Girl Scouts, and through the eyes of my two girls.  (You might as well get to know my children; they will most likely be a part of this monthly blog.  Cooper is a second grader and has joined an established Brownie troop with a great leader, great parents, and great girls.  Josie is 5, just started kindergarten this week, and will be a Daisy in a brand new troop, also with a wonderful leader.)

In August, I attended my first large council-sponsored program, the Real Girls Tri mini-triathlon.  Real Girls Tri gave over 50 Girl Scouts the opportunity to build courage, confidence and character by swimming, biking and running in a timed-race.  Suggested by the event name, the emphasis of the event was getting girls to try new things.  As I helped set up bikes, some still with training wheels (including Josie’s), for the first transition I was impressed with the enthusiasm and excitement from both the girls and the parents.
 

Both of my girls participated and I can’t tell you how proud I was in so many ways - so proud to be a part of GSSI and all the good things that are happening for and with the young girls and adult volunteers in our area; so proud of the members of my team (THANK YOU Program Manager Angie Suhre!) who hosted such an amazing event; and as a mother who watched her two babies cross the finish line, receive their medals and feel so good about themselves.  They finished 42^nd and 52^nd and I am as proud of them for finishing as the mom of the girl who won.  The most touching memory I have is hearing my 5 year old tell me she wanted to quit during the cycling portion but she decided to keep going to “see what it felt like to finish”.  She (and I) was so proud getting her medal earned all on her own.

As we embark on this journey together, looking for ways we can improve our offerings to our girls and volunteers alike, I can assure you I will keep all three perspectives in sight.  I am so honored to be a part of this organization and look forward to working for and with all of you. 

My girls!