Happy Holidays from GSSI!

Happy Holidays from GSSI!  Thank you to all of our Girl Scouts, volunteers, families, friends, donors and supporters for helping us build girls of courage, confidence and character during 2014.  We wish you all happy holidays full of warmth and cheer and are looking forward to all of the adventures that 2015 will bring.   See 2014 Holiday Card Contest Finalists...

 

As the year comes to an end, please consider GSSI in your year end giving plans.  GSSI depends on contributions from generous donors to help us continue to provide financial assistance, quality programming and exciting outdoor experiences to girls in southern Illinois.  All gifts are 100% tax deductible.  Learn more or Donate Now!

Haunted Camp and Zombie Run Bring Spooky Good Fun to Camp Torqua

1,340 Girl Scouts and adults participated in the Haunted Camp or Zombie Run programs on Oct. 19 and 20 at Camp Torqua outside of Edwardsville, IL. Activities were provided by Girl Scout Cadette-Ambassador troops and their advisors, and included a craft, songs/story telling, spooky spa, games, snack, haunted house and trails stations at the Haunted Camp. New this year was a Zombie Run for Juniors – Ambassadors on Sunday, Oct. 20 which included a race of survival through Camp Torqua along with a Quarantine Party where girls and adults enjoyed music with a DJ, a Haunted Diner, zombie makeovers, photo ops. and scary ghost stories. Wayne and Christine Nelson were invaluable in making our debut Zombie Run a success by developing the course for the Zombie Run which included challenges and obstacles on the trails along with those dreaded Zombies!

Both of these days were huge hits with the girls and adults thanks to the over 200 volunteers that participated! Without their help these events wouldn’t have been possible. All of our volunteers did an excellent job and are to be commended.

This event raised over $1,000 to support the Outstanding Graduating Senior Scholarship Fund for GSSI. This success wouldn’t have been possible without the support and donations of the following businesses: Schnucks Markets, Inc., St. Louis donated 2,000 Halloween cookies; McDonald’s in Edwardsville donated drink mix and 1,000 cups; RP Lumber of Edwardsville donated the black plastic and duct tape for the Haunted House; Connie Schott donated straw for decorations and Angie Zahn provided straw for the obstacle course for the Zombie Run.

 

See Haunted Camp Photos

See Zombie Run Photos

 

 

 

Cati Cronin: Born to Be a Girl Scout!

Cati Cronin, Girl Scout Ambassador

My name is Cati Cronin, and I am with Ambassador Troop 541 from O'Fallon.  I was born to be a Girl Scout!  My grandma, my mom, my sister, and even my dad, have always been part of the Girl Scout family. 

Girl Scouts gives me a great feeling that I am part of something bigger than just an average organization.  It gives me a chance to express myself through programs and activities.  As I entered into middle school and high school, my friends started saying how being a Girl Scout isn’t cool, but it is my passion!  I strive to be a part of every opportunity that comes my way.  Without Girl Scouts, I’m not sure I would be the person I am today.  My thirteen years have helped shape my character and have provided me with a set of morals and principles.  Girl Scouting has given me the ability to become a leader, learn from positive role models, and become a truly caring part of society. 

Girl Scouts is an amazing organization that allows girls to discover who they are, create long lasting friendships, explore new things, and to become strong and independent people.  I tell everyone about the great experiences I have had.  Such as the time I got to talk to astronaut Sandy Magnus while she was in space, or all the times that I helped with programs and all the younger girls gave me hugs because they appreciated the hard work we put into the events.  I would tell them about our council’s Century Celebration, and how cool it was to be the only girl that was part of the committee that planned it.  .  I also cherish the trip I took to Savannah with my mom and my sister, my co-leaders, and two of my best friends!  It was awesome to see where it all began, and to walk in Juliette’s footsteps.  Girl Scouts is a chance to feel like you fit in and be yourself

Throughout my thirteen years as a Girl Scout, I have encountered many truly inspirational people, and all of these amazing once in a life time opportunities are thanks to them.  I know so many wonderful volunteers who donate their time and resources to make sure girls have a great time during programs and events.  Most of the volunteers I know have families, full time jobs, and also volunteer in their communities.  Volunteers are the heart of Girl Scouts! They have helped guide me into the person I am, and always wanted to be.  I admire all of them, and I am truly thankful for having them in my life. 

I thank them for giving me the courage, confidence and character to find success in Girl Scouting, in school, and in every aspect of my life.  I am forever appreciative of all that my Girl Scouting experience has given and taught me, and I look forward to having a troop of my own!

During her thirteen years in Girl Scouting, Cati has served GSSI in many capacities, including as a GSSI Apprentice and a Girl Scout ex-officio Girl Board Member.  She was named a 2013 Outstanding Graduating Girl Scout .  She plans to study Elementary Education in college, to pursue a career as a teacher.

Displaying vintage uniforms with Troop #541 during
GSSI's celebration of the 100th Annversary of Girl Scouts.

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.

Nicole Plegge: How Your Gifts Help Our Girls

Nicole Plegge, Fund Development Manager

I am the proud mom of a Daisy. For the past two years, I – or my husband who’s grown accustomed to being surrounded by XX chromosomes – have joined our six-year-old, Mia, on Girl Scout adventures to skating rinks, swimming pools and Camp Torqua, and swelled with pride over her troop’s community service efforts.

Getting my daughter into a troop was easy – we live in suburbia where there’s a variety of community resources and volunteers. But for hundreds of girls in southern Illinois, Girl Scouting would be out of their reach if it wasn’t for the generosity of incredible donors who made a financial gift to GSSI this year.

With your support, GSSI provides leadership and educational programming to 1,200 girls in inner-city schools and public housing complexes at no cost to their families. In addition, we deliver girl-specific programming at the Madison County Detention Center to help empower 70 female juvenile offenders to make positive lifestyle changes. Overall, more than $150,000 in financial assistance is provided by GSSI throughout our region to ensure every girl has the opportunity to become a Girl Scout.

Your generous donations also help maintain our six camps across the region, increase our STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) efforts, and keep our programming costs low, which is especially important for a family like mine whose curious six-year-old wants to try anything and everything.

Girl Scouts has provided Mia more than access to fun activities and educational programs. The organization has welcomed her into a family of fellow Girl Scouts, amazing troop leaders and caring volunteers who go above and beyond to help one another. Yet, until I started working as a development manager at GSSI last month, I never realized how the big that family is – it’s truly a community of 14,000 families, 5,000 volunteers, and countless caring individuals, companies and organizations dedicated to helping our daughters achieve the incredible.

On behalf of GSSI, the 14,000 girls we serve, and my own little Girl Scout, I thank you for your support of our girls this past year and hope you’ll join us for incredible things to come in 2013!

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!