Girl Scout Apparel and Camp Merchandise Available at Day and Resident Camp

 

Check Out GSSI Day Camp Trading Post and Resident Camp Canteen merchandise!   These are just a few of the great items that will be available.

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois' National Delegates Selected by Board of Directors

GSSI’s Board of Directors selected National Delegates that will represent Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois at the 2014 National Convention in Salt Lake City on Oct. 16-19, 2014.  Delegates are elected by each council and have voting privileges at all business meetings and must be Girl Scout members over 14 years old.  Delegate’s role at convention includes electing the officers, members-at-large, and National Board Development Committee members that will launch our organization into a new century, providing input on the major policy issues facing Girl Scouts today, voting on proposals, including amendments to the Girl Scout Constitution, and approving the stewardship report from the present board summarizing its work.

GSSI’s National Convention Delegates are:

Ruthie Alexander - Mt. Vernon, IL  

Deena Ballard - Effingham, IL  

Sophia Ballard - Effingham, IL  (girl member)

Erika Hankins - Nashville, IL

Jessica Quicksall - Effingham, IL  (girl member)

Caroline Stewart - Belleville, IL  (girl member)

Christine Stewart - Belleville, IL

Dixie Travelstead - DuQuoin, IL

            

GSSI’s National Convention Alternates are: Marci Malnar, Tasha McQuay, Maggie Seller and David Waun

For more information about GSUSA's National Convention, to register, book a hotel, learn about the Girl scout Leadership Institute or see Salt Lake City attractions, visit:  girlscouts.org/convention or www.gsofsi.org.

Register Online through EBiz through June 30 for Early Bird Incentives

INCENTIVES. INCENTIVES. INCENTIVES!  

We are extending Early Bird re-registration incentives!  Choose the incentive that works best for your girl, troop and leaders and then be sure to re-register within the dates listed below!  

Register online on or before June 30, 2014 and become eligible to receive the following incentives: 

TROOP

FREE Early Bird Patch if you meet all of the following criteria:  

Turn in your Membership Registrations to your Service Unit Registrar on or before June 30, 2014 at 5 p.m.

Re-register on-line at least 50% of current girls (if you lose a girl, you can recruit/add a new girl and receive the same benefits if done during this period only)

Register on-line at least 5 girls and 2 adults

Have no product program sale debt (troop, leader or parent).  NOTE: Troops still qualify if debt is paid before Early Bird deadline.  

NOTE:  If requesting Financial Assistance, a paper registration must be submitted for processing.

TROOP

Earn entry into a drawing for one of 2 (two) Complementary GSSI Vouchers (can be used for GSSI programs, store, training, camp and any GSSI option) valued at $50 each.  

LEADERS

Primary (01) Troop Leader receives FREE registration ($15 value) (You must re-register a minimum of 85% of your troop and 2 adults) 

NOTE:  To receive this incentive, you must submit an Ebiz receipt confirming you met the above criteria with your registration for a 

free troop leader.

SERVICE UNITS

GSSI Voucher (good for any GSSI program or for GSSI shop) if you meet the following criteria:

Service Units with 45-49% re-registered girls will receive $50 GSSI all council voucher!!!

Service Units with 50-69% re-registered girls will receive $100 GSSI all council voucher!!!

Service Unitswith 70-89% re-registered girls will receive $150 GSSI all council voucher!!!

Service Units with 90% and above re-registered girls will receive $200 GSSI all council voucher!!! AND choice of 1 of 3 Cookie Costumes (Trefoil, Samoa and Thin Mint) for Cookie Rally or other GSSI events!!!!

For more information or assistance, please contact our 

Help Desk at 618.307.3680 or e-mail helpdesk@gsofsi.org.

Fleta Junge of Red Bud Named May Pearl of the Month

Fleta Junge of Red Bud has been named the May 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 the approximately 14,000 Girl Scouts in southern Illinois benefit 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.

Fleta has been a Troop Leader for over 15 years and Product Program Chair for 5 years.  She is a key volunteer in the North Randolph County Service Unit, which has been operating as two areas due to travel distances.  She helps bring the volunteers across the Service Unit together and to make sure that information is passed on to all volunteers even if they are unable to attend meetings.  Fleta is always available to help other leaders and share information and ideas.

Get $10 Off Thin Mint Sprint Race Entry Fees

Readers!  Get $10 off Thin Mint Sprint entry fees by using the code FRIENDS to register!  

Register Online Now! 

Thin Mint Sprint is June 7 at GSSI's Camp Chan Ya Ta in Worden, IL.  

Special offer does not include Obstacle Fun Run.  

T-shirts not guaranteed after the May 14 registration date. 

Donna and Ralph Korte Honored for Committed Service and Leadership of Girl Scout Golf Classic

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) raised over $33,000 during its 25^th Annual Girl Scout Golf Classic, held May 12 at Gateway National Golf Links in Madison, IL.  During the Golf Classic dinner, Donna and Ralph Korte were recognized for their 25 years of committed service and leadership of the Girl Scout Golf Classic and their continued support of Girl Scouts and its mission of building girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.

“Donna and Ralph have been with us and the Girl Scout Golf Classic since we began 25 years ago,” said Appoo. “Thanks to their continued support, we have raised more than $780,000 over the years to provide a premier leadership for our girls and because of Donna and Ralph, our girls have opportunities to Discover, Connect and Take Action to make the world a better place for all of us,” Appoo added.

Girl Scout Golf Classic Raises $33,000 for GSSI

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) raised over $33,000 during its 25th Annual Girl Scout Golf Classic, held May 12 at Gateway National Golf Links in Madison, IL. During the past 25 years, the Girl Scout golf tournament has raised more than $780,000 to support girl program development, girl financial assistance and to maintain and improve Girl Scout camps.

“We are thrilled that our golf tournament was so successful this year and the money raised will help Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois continue to provide a premier Girl Scout Leadership Experience for our 14,000 girl members,” said Villie M. Appoo, GSSI Chief Executive Officer. “Raising $33,000 during this year’s golf tournament would not have been possible without the leadership and support of our corporate sponsors, our players, our golf committee members and our other supporters,” Appoo added. “I would like to specially thank our Corporate Sponsors for all of their hard work and dedication to make our golf tournament so successful -- Ralph and Donna Korte and The Korte Company; Larry and Cheri Lucco and Lucco Financial Partners; Scott and Brenda Plocher and Plocher Construction; Darren Wright and Kevin Doak and TheBANK of Edwardsville, and Wells Fargo Insurance and Siemer Milling. 

2013 Girl Scout Golf Tournament Sponsors were:

Platinum Sponsor:

Wells Fargo Insurance

Gold Sponsors:

The Korte Company

Lucco Financial Partners

Plocher Construction

TheBANK of Edwardsville

Silver Sponsor: 

Siemer Milling

During the Golf Classic dinner, Donna and Ralph Korte were also recognized for their 25 years of committed service and leadership of the Girl Scout Golf Classic and their continued support of Girl Scouts and its mission of building girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.

“Donna and Ralph have been with us and the Girl Scout Golf Classic since we began 25 years ago,” said Appoo. “Thanks to their continued support, we have raised more than $780,000 over the years to provide a premier leadership for our girls and because of Donna and Ralph, our girls have opportunities to Discover, Connect and Take Action to make the world a better place for all of us,” Appoo added.

Leading Ladies Event Raises Nearly $10,000 for Girl Scouting in Southern Illinois

Thanks to Teresa Katubig of Extra Help Inc. , Kay Dosier of 1187 Creative, Terri Beaubien of The Bank of Marion, Mindy Combs of First Southern Bank, Jennifer Miller-Louw of Sandberg Phoenix & von Gontard P.C. and Ginger Murray of Wells Fargo for hosting the inaugural Leading Ladies event in Marion to raise awareness and funds for GSSI. The women in attendance pledged nearly $10,000 to help support the Girl Scout Leadership experience for girls in southern Illinois.

Hannah Pavlisin Nominated for Girl Scouts' National Young Woman of Distinction Honor

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Hannah Pavlisin from Lebanon has been nominated for Girl Scouts of the USA’s 2014 National Young Woman of Distinction (NYWOD) honor.

Each Girl Scout council can submit up to three applicants for the NYWOD honor.  This prestigious honor is conferred by Girl Scouts of the USA on Girl Scout Gold Award recipients whose final projects demonstrated extraordinary leadership, had a measurable and sustainable impact and addressed a local challenge that related to a national and/or global issue.  Only ten girls throughout the country receive this special honor each year.

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Hannah wanted to help reduce the fear and isolation that many patients at St. Louis Children’s Hospital patients face by providing a fun event to take them away from their troubles for the night.   Her event, named Dare to Dream, offered hands-on activities, fun demonstrations and special guests.

“I’ve always loved interacting with kids and in college I will be studying Nursing,” said Hannah. “It seemed like a perfect fit for me and the hard part was narrowing down all of my ideas!”

First, Hannah transformed a playroom and cafeteria at Children’s Hospital into outer space and created a giant cardboard “above the clouds” castle for children to enjoy.  Next, she set up stations for activities that included making play jet-packs to go along with the space theme, painting art canvasses, decorating cupcakes and creating photo frames.  She also arranged for local firemen, police officers, a pilot, a pastry chef, professional artists and Olympians to talk with children about their jobs, give demonstrations and take photos (to place in the kids’ new photo frames).  At the end of the night, all of the children got teddy bears to take back to their rooms.

Along with fulfilling her desire to cheer up hospitalized children, Hannah was also able to hone her leadership skills by earning her Girl Scout Gold Award.  “I learned so much about myself and working with others,” she said.  “While leadership has always came naturally to me, recruiting and directing those older than me was a new challenge.”

If selected as a National Young Woman of Distinction, Hannah will receive a $5,000 academic scholarship made possible by the Kappa Delta Foundation and will be nationally recognized at the 2014 National Council Session/53^rd National Convention of Girl Scouts of the USA.

Hannah is the daughter of James and Pennie Pavlisin.  She is a GSSI Trifecta Award winner for earning her Girl Scout Bronze Award, Girl Scout Silver Award and Girl Scout Gold Award.   She is currently a senior at O’Fallon Township High School and plans to attend Bradley University to study Nursing in the fall.  

Kindra Smith Nominated for Girl Scouts' National Young Woman of Distinction Honor

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Kindra Smith from Percy has been nominated for Girl Scouts of the USA’s 2014 National Young Woman of Distinction (NYWOD) honor.

Each Girl Scout council can submit up to three applicants for the NYWOD honor.  This prestigious honor is conferred by Girl Scouts of the USA on Girl Scout Gold Award recipients whose final projects demonstrated extraordinary leadership, had a measurable and sustainable impact and addressed a local challenge that related to a national and/or global issue.  Only ten girls throughout the country receive this special honor each year.

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Kindra constructed a pathway in the Percy City Park so that residents would have a safe, pleasant place to exercise.  “I realized that the only sidewalks in town ware along the highway,” she said.  “Creating the pathway around the park allowed people more options and a safe and enjoyable environment to walk, run or ride bikes.”       

Kindra completed her Girl Scout Gold Award project while she was attending Trico High School, where she was a 2013 graduate. She first designed a plan for the walkway, which is a quarter-mile long and four feet wide and made of concrete.  She then presented her idea to the city board and gathered the support of local businesses, many of which donated supplies to her project.  To fund the pathway, she organized a community fund-raiser.  When it came time for the pathway to be built, she oversaw its construction and pitched in pouring concrete.

“Organization was a major life skill I that I learned while working on my Girl Scout Gold Award,” she said.  “I learned to organize fundraiser events, work days and concrete pours.”

Kinda also gained a sense of achievement and self-confidence from her project.  “My project was a huge task to take on, so knowing I can accomplish something that big is amazing,” she said.

If selected as a National Young Woman of Distinction, Kindra will receive a $5,000 academic scholarship made possible by the Kappa Delta Foundation and will be nationally recognized at the 2014 National Council Session/53^rd National Convention of Girl Scouts of the USA.

Kindra is the daughter of Rhonda and Aaron Smith.  She is currently a freshman at John A. Logan College where she is enrolled in the Dental Hygiene program.   Kindra is a Lifetime Member of Girl Scouts and  continues to volunteer as a troop leader.

Dalaney Plott Nominated for Girl Scouts' National Young Woman of Distinction Honor

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Dalaney Plott from Anna has been nominated for Girl Scouts of the USA’s 2014 National Young Woman of Distinction (NYWOD) honor.

              

Each Girl Scout council can submit up to three applicants for the NYWOD honor.  This prestigious honor is conferred by Girl Scouts of the USA on Girl Scout Gold Award recipients whose final projects demonstrated extraordinary leadership, had a measurable and sustainable impact and addressed a local challenge that related to a national and/or global issue.  Only ten girls throughout the country receive this special honor each year.

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Dalaney wanted to honor the men and women who make up the U.S. military.  She dedicated one part of her project to sharing veterans’ stories and another part to collecting needed supplies for active duty soldiers stationed overseas. “My goal was to make our troops feel special while educating the public about those who serve,” she said.  To accomplish her goals, Dalaney dedicated 210 hours to her project – far more than 80 hours of service that is suggested to complete a Girl Scout Gold Award project.

To give the public a glimpse into military life, she interviewed 17 veterans and wrote an article for each one, which she arranged to be published in the Gazette-Democrat newspaper.   The series was a huge success in the community and also deeply impacted Dalaney personally.   

“I learned a lot about history through the eyes of men and women who lived it,” she said.  “Every veteran I interviewed changed my views on the world.  I am grateful that I had the opportunity to meet such amazing people.”

Dalaney also organized a drive to collect supplies for care packages to be sent to U.S. troops in Afghanistan.  First, she rallied the Anna-Jonesboro Community High School Beta Club to help collect supplies from the community.  Next, the Anna Veterans Home helped connect her to a unit serving in Afghanistan.  Veterans Home employee John Reeves, who Dalaney had interviewed for her Soldier’s Spotlight newspaper feature, generously donated the funds for shipping. 

“Men and women have been in Afghanistan and away from their homes – some of them for months,” she said. “Being away from homes, and in some cases, in constant battle, can lower morale.  I wanted to remind them that their country supports them.”

While working to make sure U.S. Service Members got the respect they deserved, Dalaney also developed a greater sense of self-confidence and belief in her ability to make a difference in the world.  

“Through my Girl Scout Gold Award project, I learned how to feel empowered and how to inspire that feeling in others,” she said.  “When I started this project I was 15 and did not have a strong sense of self. I am no longer afraid to talk to new people.  I know that I can be a leader in my community because I already have been.  This project has given me the confidence to go out into the world and be the best than I can be.”

If selected as a National Young Woman of Distinction, Dalaney will receive a $5,000 academic scholarship made possible by the Kappa Delta Foundation and will be nationally recognized at the 2014 National Council Session/53^rd National Convention of Girl Scouts of the USA.

Dalaney is the daughter of Juanita Plott and Billie Plott.  She is currently a senior at Anna-Jonesboro Community High School and plans to attend Southeast Missouri State University to major in History this fall.