News for Hornets Nest Girl Scout Council District: Union 2
Meeting Rules
These meeting rules will be listed in each and every monthly issue of "Scouting Headlines". If we all strive to follow these simple rules, we can all benefit and grow in our scouting experiences.
1. Meetings start on time.
2. Hand out an agenda/minutes/notes.
3. One person has the floor/speaks at a time.
4. Raise hand for floor recognition for comments or questions.
5. BE POSITIVE!
6. Leave gossip at the door!
Cookie Training
In order to sell cookies, troop cookie mom and leader must be present at the training. Angie B. is our District Cookie Sale Coordinator, Betsy S. will be coordinating the Cookie Booths this year, Cheri B. will be the Cookie Cupboard Coordinator.
Team Members
November Roundtable at Council on November 29, 2001. Members should have received an invitation by mail. Registration due by 11/16/01 All team members need to be present for the meeting.
District Website
http://www.stormpages.com/gshncunion2
Girl Programs
Healthy Choices is a program event for Cadettes and Seniors that will be held on January 26 at Presbyterian Hospital from 10:00 - 2:00. Cost is $5.00. See the next QuePasa. To register, complete an event registration form and mail to Council.
Dollar Diva program still has openings for the program scheduled for Feb. 2, from 10:00 to 2:00 at the Zion Renaissance Complex off Sugar Creek Road. Cost is $20.00 which includes buffet lunch.
Girl 2 Girl event schedule for January 19th still has openings.
Orienteering Program Kit is available for check out from Council. The kit was developed by Jenny H. as her Gold Award Project. The kit is appropriate for Juniors, Cadettes, and Seniors. To reserve the kit, contact Rose at Council.
Wider Op applications are due to Council by November 15. See the back of the Wider Op booklet for the application.
Operation Christmas Child
Tracey M. is the contact for Operation Christmas Child within District Union 2. Your shoe boxes can be turned into her this evening.
Open Membership Meeting
During the recent Open Membership meeting held at Council, many aspects of the Council's performance were discussed including the recently completed assessment. This assessment is necessary for our council to receive a charter from our national organization, GSUSA. During the summer, two task groups met regularly and examined detailed information and documentation pertaining to how the council conducts business.
On a rating scale of 1 through 5, with 5 being the highest, the council earned an overall rating of 4.5 from GSUSA.
Lori H. is our new Executive Director of GS, Hornets Nest Council. Lori will be a great asset to our council.
Properties owned by Council have been enhanced over the past year. Our council is very fortunate to own six properties, including the Service Center and the Pods.
The 2001 QSP sale was very successful. 245 groups participated in the fall sale this year. This is a 58% increase over last year. 1244 girls participated which was a 48% increase. Troop sale proceeds, awards, bonuses and booklet cash incentives are $20,840. This is a 128% increase over last year.
Union 2 is the first district in Council history to have a traditional Hispanic troop. Thanks to Judith M. for having a desire to see Girls Grow Strong. We must all work together to include every girl everywhere in Girl Scouting. This is the first step to showing how we can all come together to make this happen.
Fund Development - the Family Campaign began in 2000 and is continuing with $16,000 - but this is far below the expected figures. Please encourage the families of your troops to participate in this campaign so that we can continue to grow.
The United Way campaign only achieved 77% of its goal this year. This will also cut down on the amount of funds we receive from United Way. We will have to fund the council from other sources to make up this difference.
Make plans to attend future open meetings. The meeting is very informative and interesting.
America's Fund for Afghan Children
In response to President Bush's call to action, GSUSA encourages each and every Girl Scout to donate a dollar to America's Fund for Afghan Children. We encourage girls to make this contribution individually or as a group through their troop treasuries.
Troop leaders are asked to tally the contribution sent in by their girls and report it on the form provided at our leader meeting to Council.
Remember -- this is not to be a fundraiser for our troops. Each girl is asked to only give $1. It may be taken from your troop treasury.
Program/Training Hotline
704-563-4436 or 800-868-0525 x4436, option 4
Train the Trainer
Train the Trainer will be held February 9-10, 2002.
Home Studies Available
Daisy, Brownie, and Orientation are available for home study. Orientation is available online at www.hngirlscouts.org
Adult Development and Training
Nominations are due for Board Approved Awards on February 1st and for District Awards on March 1st. Use the form provided at the October leader meeting to decide who you will nominate for an award this year.
Register for all training's at least one week in advance.
Training Hotline is part of the program hotline at 704-563-4436.
Safety Wise Update
The update for the new Safety Wise in online at www.hngirlscout.org.
If you have not attended this update training, please register and complete the training online. If you have had the training, but would like a refresher, you may take the course online, but there is no need to register.
Save The Date
Put April 25th on your calendars so you can attend the upcoming Gala. More details at future meetings.
Training made Easy
Training made easy for you! Home study videos are available for Daisy and Brownie age level training. Orientation can now be completed online at www.hngirlscouts.org.
Pre-Register
Please remember to pre-register for training's at council at least one week in advance.
Sign up for adult training by: Council web site, fax, mail or drop off at council.
If you register on line, may be a good idea to call council and verify dates and times of training. There have been a few errors on training schedules, so avoid the unnecessary trip to Charlotte, and confirm.
Troop 95
In honor of Breast Awareness Month, Troop 95 made 300 ribbons. The girls passed them out in their neighborhoods, churches, and at the Bradford OB-GYN. The girls also made signs to be carried in the Susan Komen Breast Cancer Walk on October 6, 2001.
The girls in the troop participated in the Tell-A-Friend program. They asked their grandmothers, aunts, and mothers if they had had their yearly mammograms. If they did not, they encouraged them to do so. Some of the girls had relatives that had suffered from the disease.
Congratulations to these girls! They learned about a potentially life threatening disease and also promoted measures to make other women aware of the disease!
All Nite Skate
All of the leaders, parents, and girls that participated in our Skate Night win the SURVIVAL Award! WOW!! We had the absolute greatest time. As we finished up that morning and prepared for breakfast before we left, we were simply amazed at how well everyone worked together and how great the event went.
Thank so much to all of the leaders and parents who participated and made this such a great night for our girls. As you could see, at 8am when parents were arriving to pick up girls, no one really wanted it to be over. So many smiles after so many, many hours of skating.
Union has great troops -- Thanks to everyone for all that you did! Thanks from the girls especially -- they want to do this again!
Gloria H.
Keep the Candle Going
A handsome middle aged man walked quietly into the cafe and sat down.
Before he ordered, he couldn't help but notice a group of younger men at the table next to him. It was obvious they were making fun of something about him and it wasn't until he remembered that he was wearing a small pink ribbon on the lapel of his suit he became aware of what the joke was about. The man brushed off the remarks as ignorance, but the smirks began to get to him. He looked one of the rude men square in the eye, placed his hand beneath the ribbon and asked, quizzically, "This?"
With that the men all began to laugh out loud. The man he addressed said, as he fought back the laughter, "Hey, sorry man, but we were just commenting on how pretty your little pink ribbon looks against your blue jacket!"
The middle aged man calmly motioned for the joker to come over to his table, and invited him to sit down. As uncomfortable as he was, the guy obliged, not really sure why. In a soft voice, the middle aged man said, "I wear this ribbon to bring awareness about breast cancer. I wear it in my mother's honor."
"Oh, sorry dude. She died of breast cancer?"
"No, she didn't. She's alive and well. Bur her breasts nourished me as an infant, and were a soft resting place for my head when I was scared or lonely as a little boy. I'm grateful for my mother's breasts. And her health."
"Umm," the stranger replied, "Yeah."
"And I wear this ribbon to honor my wife," the middle aged man went on.
"And she's okay too?", the other guy asked.
"Oh, yes. She's fine. Her breasts have been a great source of loving pleasure for both of us, and with them she nurtured and nourished our beautiful daughter 23 years ago. I am grateful for my wife's breasts, and her health."
"Uh huh. I guess you wear it to honor your daughter, also?"
"No. It's too late to honor my daughter by wearing it now. My daughter died of breast cancer a month ago. She thought that she was too young to have breast cancer, so when she accidentally noticed a small lump, she ignored it. She thought that since it wasn't painful, it must not be anything to worry about."
Shaken and ashamed, the now sober stranger said, "Oh, man, I'm so sorry mister."
"So, in my daughters memory, too, I proudly wear this little ribbon, which allows me the opportunity to enlighten others. Now, go home and talk to your wife, and your daughters, your mother and your friends. And here."
The middle aged man reached in his pocket and handed the other man a little pink ribbon.
The guy looked at it, slowly raised his head and asked, "Can ya help me put it on?"
A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle. Please keep this candle going.
