Troop #235 Earns Holiday Lights Limo Ride With GSofSI CEO Loretta Graham

Girl Scout Troop #235 from the Southwestern Schools area (Brighton/Shipman/Medora/Piasa) raised more than $6,500 during the Nut, Candy & Magazine Program and earned with a limo ride with GSofSI CEO Loretta Graham through the holiday lights at Tilles Park in St. Louis!

2016 Nut, Candy & Magazine Program Top Sellers

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois’ 2016 Nut, Candy & Magazine (NCM) Program was a great success as approximately 3,892 girls participated, raising more than $602,910. 

Also, through generous support of this year's “Project Thank you” campaign, GSSI is able to send 2,019 cans of honey roasted peanuts to U.S. service members.  

“We had a great program this year,” said Kelly Jansen, Director of Product Programs. “The success of GSSI's NCM program is due largely to the dedication of our girls, their parents, our fantastic volunteers and of course everyone who supported the girls by purchasing an item.” 

Girl Scout Product Programs provide opportunities for girls to develop leadership and valuable skills such as goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics. Troops use product programs to raise funds for activities, community service, trips and more.  Proceeds also help GSSI provide girl programs, camp maintenance, adult volunteer training and financial assistance. 

2016 Nut, Candy & Magazine Program 

Top Sellers By Service Unit

Alton/Godfrey/Wood River/Roxana: Elisabeth Preston - Troop #792, Wood River Belleville/Swansea: Edyn Richie - Troop #571, Belleville Bethalto: Katelynn Norman - Troop #253, Bethalto Bond County: Gabby Hahs - Troop #8806, Sorento Centralia: Morgan Smith - Troop #8352, Centralia Clark/Cumberland Counties: Jersey Lowe - Troop #2262, Marshall Clay County: Chelsea Beck - Troop #8783, Clay City ClinClair: Rylie Bridges - Troop #536, Trenton Clinton County: Kaleigh Voegeli - Troop #8834, Carlyle Collinsville: Elizabeth Burr - Troop #180, Collinsville Crawford/Jasper Counties: Kayellen Stewart - Troop #2216, West York East Marion County: Aubrey Ritter - Troop #8852, Salem East St Louis/Cahokia/Centreville: Maranda Sheard - Troop #148, Cahokia East Williamson County: Sophie Walker - Troop #8084, Johnston City Eastern Coles County: Ariana Sluder - Troop #2643, Ashmore Edgar County: Kelsey Johnson - Troop #2080, Paris Edwardsville/Glen Carbon: Jayden Henschen - Troop #954, Hamel Effingham County: Rory Tewell - Troop #2032,  Effingham Fairview Heights/Caseyville: Ahmani Tillman - Troop #43, Fairview Heights Fayette County: Evie Moreland - Troop #8392, Ramsey Granite City/Madison/Venice: Bradyn Kremers - Troop #381, Granite City Highland: Allison Workman - Troop #936, Highland Jackson County: Emily Williams - Troop #8164, Makanda Jefferson County: Sydney Fenton - Troop #8653, Mt. Vernon Jersey/Calhoun Counties: Samantha Lott - Troop #1149, Grafton Johnson/Pope Counties:  Addyson Underwood - Troop #1333, Goreville Lawrence County: Sophie Snyder - Troop #8716, Lawrenceville Massac County: Brilee Bailey - Troop #8695, Goreville Millstadt/Columbia/Dupo/Smithton: Abby Shoeman - Troop #582, Dupo New Athens/Marissa/St. Libory/Freeburg: Ella Birkner - Troop #557, New Athens North Franklin County: Olivia Tipton - Troop #8925, Sesser North Randolph County: Alaina Smith - Troop #8081, Ruma O'Fallon/Shiloh: Barbara Wilson - Troop #1071, O'Fallon Perry County: Brooklyn Neville - Troop #8139, Pinckeyville Richland County: Lillian Toliver - Troop #8515, Noble Shawnee (Saline/Gallatin/Hardin Counties): Onalaya Hernandez - Troop #8287, Shawneetown South Macoupin County: Emilee Wendling - Troop #1076, Gillespie South Randolph County: Kamryn Patterson - Troop #8313, Steeleville Troy/St. Jacob: Kaylee Kitchen - Troop #717, Troy Union/Pulaski/Alexander Counties: Brianna Flick - Troop #8492, Cobden Wabash/Edwards Countes: Linden Stevens - Troop #8480, Allendale Washington County: Anna Carr #8747 Hoyleton Waterloo: Haley Bode - Troop #90, Waterloo Wayne/Hamilton/White Counties: Dixie Green - Troop #8927, Carmi West Frankfort: Alyssa Cremer - Troop #8006, West Frankfort West Williamson County: Alexis Compton - Troop #8060, Carbondale Western Coles County: Cheyenne Mcfarland - Troop #2550, Mattoon *Please note that while girls are listed with their hometown, Top Seller eligibility is determined by the Service Unit in which their troop meets.  Some girls are part of a troop from a Service Unit that is different than the one they live in, such as through their church or another community group.

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.

Jessica Stanley: Why Girl Scout Product Programs Matter to Me

Jessica Stanley, Product Program Manager

I just turned 30 years old as the Fall Product Program was ending and it made me take a step back and remember all of my experiences in life thus far.   I graduated from Southern Illinois University Carbondale with a Bachelors of Science in Marketing.  I remember being a freshman in college and being so overwhelmed at all of the options for degrees.  You are 18 and you have to make this major life decision that will affect you for the rest of your life, but how are you supposed to choose the right one for you?  I actually attended three different colleges and changed my major four different times before I found my love and passion for marketing and business. 

That’s why I strongly believe the Girl Scout Product Programs are so beneficial for girls.  Through these programs, girls are learning so many skills that they will be able to use for the rest of their lives.  They get to try new things. They learn business and financial skills that, no matter what career field they go into, they are able to adapt to help them succeed.   Even something as simple as learning how to set a goal and then figuring out how to achieve it makes such a big impact.  I remember a few years ago, taking girls to pick out the rewards that they earned during a Product Program.  One of the girls said to me “I wanted an ipod for a long time.  I saw we could earn one selling cookies, so I said to myself, ‘I am going to get that.”   She was kind of a quiet, humble girl, but you could tell by the look on her face that she was incredibly proud for setting and reaching her goal.  

I am so proud of all of our girls.  I think back to the Annual Meeting last March, when we recognized the girls that sold over 1,000 packages of cookies through the Girl Scout Cookie Program.   Everyone in the room stood up, clapped, and celebrated with them. Realizing that their hard work was admired was a special moment that those girls will remember for the rest of their lives and something that I will also never forget.  It meant so much to them and it puts into perspective how much these girls are gaining from being in Girl Scouting. 

The skills and experiences that girls are learning by participating in Girl Scout Product Programs will help provide them with a variety of experiences to help them understand what they want to do in life.  They will have confidence to know that if they set their mind towards achieving a goal, they will succeed. 

Gabrielle, last year's Top Cookie Seller, grins as she receives a standing ovation
from the crowd at GSSI's 2012 Annual Meeting.

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!