December 2016Leader Meeting Agenda

Co- Service Unit Managers: Susannah Doherty and Laura Ranji

Our goal as co-SUMs is to make being a Girl Scout leader as easy and fun as possible. We are open to any and all suggestions. You can reach us or email us directly at or .

Thank You!!

To Christa Garubo and all who helped make the Gingerbread House Party a success!

To all who came out to decorate the Gazebo Tree with wishes that included these adorable gems:

  • “I wish for a pet mouse”
  • “I wish for no more hunger”
  • “I wish for my new tooth”

New Leader Corner

We have 7 new troops this year! Welcome new leaders! Please make sure you attend New Leader Training with Emily Aprea. Upcoming orientation datesare:1/5, 2/8, 4/5, 5/1, 6/7, and 8/23. To register, please use the link:

Next meeting: 1/9

Remaining meeting dates: 2/13, 3/13, 4/3, 5/22, 6/5

Please email with any agenda items. Remember that any parent in your troop can attend leader meetings!

General

Be sure to “like” us on Facebook and bookmark our website Email us at .

Cookie Sale 2017

Girl Scout cookie season has begun! This year celebrates 100 years of selling cookies. There are 8 varieties being sold (paper form and online). The core flavors are $4/box (Thin Mints, Tagalongs, Do-Si-Dos, Samoas, Trefoils & Savannah Smiles). Two addition flavors will be sold for $5/box - Toffee-Tastic (gluten-free) and the 100th anniversary S'mores cookie. Council has indicated that the cupboards will not stock Toffee-tastic and the S'mores cookies, so if you want them for booth sales, you must order them through the initial order period for your troop.

Important dates:

Initial Order period: January 14 - February 5th

Cookie Delivery: March 6 - 18 (specific date will be announced once confirmed)

Booth Sales: March 18 – April 27

Troop cookie managers have been asked to pick up order materials for their troop. For the troops who have not provided a cookie manager, there is still time to join in. Please contact Heather Bohl - .

Upcoming Events

  • First Aid: First Aid training will be held on 12/15 at 6:00 pm. The cost is $25. Classes will be held at the Chatham Presbyterian Church in the Theos Room (lower level). Tracy Crigler is the instructor.RSVP to .
  • Chatham Bowling Party: Open to all Chatham Girl Scouts!
  • Sunday, January 29 at East Hanover Lanes
  • 1:00 to 3:00pm
  • $15/bowler includes bowling, shoes, pizza, beverages and a fun patch!
  • See attached flyer for more info
  • 2nd Grade Library Sleepover: Hosted by Troop 5601. Details posted on Register with Carrie Nugent at 9 Tallmadge Ave.
  • Session 1 is on Friday, Jan 20th
  • Session 2 is on Friday, Jan 27th
  • The Younger Girl Encampment (grades 2 and 3): Jockey Hollow June 2-3. Thanks to Colleen Markley’s troop for organizing!

Council News

1) Big News from GSNNJ! In January they will be rolling out new SIMPLIFIED PAPERWORK requirements. Here’s a sneak peak:

TGAA (“trip app”) will NOT be necessary if the planned activity is within NJ and not considered high risk If Plan 2 insurance is needed then a TGAA is needed.

Troops can use an “Annual Permission Form/Child Release Permit/Self Driving Certification/Needs Assesment Form”. This one form will eliminate the need for activity-based permission skips for each event and cover most all of the annual paperwork requirements for troops. Yahoo!

2) Bronze Award Workshops – Just for adults! Register at

Jan 31 – Riverdale Service Center 7-9 pm

Feb 2 Randolph Service Center 7-9 pm

Feb 6 Paramus Service Center 7-9 pm

3) Silver Award Workshops for parents/advisors

Jan 9 Paramus Service Center 7-9 pm

Jan 12 Randolph Service Center 10 am -noon

Jan 31 Riverdale Service Center 10 am -noon

Silver Award Update: updated forms are now on GSNNJ.org. Please be sure that girls read through the form and guidelines before beginning their projects.

4) Gold Award Workshops for girls, parents and advisors. Attending one of these workshops is mandatory in order to pursue the Gold Award.

Jan 5 Paramus Service Center 7-9 pm

Jan 22 Randolph Service Center 3-5 pm

March 1 Paramus Service Center 7-9 pm

Also, consider attending the Gold Award Take Action Project Roundtable. For girls who need help deciding on a suitable Gold Award Project or who need a little guidance or brainstorming.

Jan 22 Randolph Service Center 6-8 pm

Jan 26 Paramus Service Center 7-9 pm

Jan 29 Riverdale Service Center 6-8 pm

5) ToGetHerThere Girl Career Conference –Fri-Sat Feb 24-25, Parsippany. Girl Scouts in 8th – 12 grade. GSNNJ is proud to offer their annual Career Conference to help girls prepare for college and careers. Hear from keynote speakers. Attend a panel discussion with accomplished business women. Network with women from a variety of professions. Come for the overnight or just Saturday.

6) Attention Seniors and Ambassadors interested in Political Leadership – Each NJ council will be sending ten Seniors and Ambassadors to the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University on April 1, 2017 for a day-long presentation by the Center for American Women and Politics. The focus will be on the development of executive leadership skills, leading and managing campaigns, as well as exploring the fundamentals of running for office and/or seeking appointed leadership positions. Contact Pat Christie, for more info.

Check out for a bunch of fun upcoming LINK events including Snow Jam, Winter Woods Wonderland, Colorful Creations, A Work of Art, Cake Pops, Cake Decorating, Learn to Sew and Brownie Bots.

Leader Share
Chatham Girl Scouts is on the web at and on Facebook (search Chatham Girl Scouts). If you have any great information that you think should be added to the website, please send it to Joanne at .

AttentionJuniors Leaders! Last year Kathy Abbott leada group of Juniors in earning the Gardener badge at LAF. One of the steps is to visit a garden such as a trip to the Chatham Community Garden on Woodland Road or one of the arboretums. Another step is to plant seeds, so each girl might want to grow seeds in side in March and transfer the seedlings outside in late April at LAF. At LAF we worked on the brick planters in front of the school by the front and gym doors and also up by the sign. First weeding and clearing leaves and then planting. Each troop brought a flat of annuals. We chose pansies, since they are hardy in April when it is still cold sometimes. Also, the custodians provided bags and took away the weeds and leaves. Contact Kathy for more info.

Community News

  • Senior Girl Scouts (a number of Gold Award recipients) looking for Senior Internship Programs -Chatham High School has a Senior Internship Program that offers seniors in good academic standings an opportunity to conclude their educational experience by participating in a five-week long work internship. The Senior Internship Program (SIP) provides students the chance to apply their high school knowledge and skills in an area of personal interests and to use community resources to further their education. This is an UNPAID internship. Over a period of 5 weeks from May 15 - June 16th, interns need to work approximately 25 hours a week for 125 hours of total work experience. Interns are excused from classes so they can work flexible days and hours. A majority of students find their internships independently. All students looking for these positions already have above average skill sets in their area of interest. They are eager to learn and would surely be an asset to your company or organization. If you could potentially be a mentor or know of an organization willing hire one of our Senior Girl Scouts as in intern please contact CealPurschke at .
  • Free Zumba classes! All Chatham Girl Scouts ages 10 and up are welcome with a paying adult at the Saturday 8:30 am Zumba class at Studio Allegro (in Staples Plaza in Madison). Adult drop-in fee is $15 or buy a 10-class card for $100.
  • The Moms Helping Moms Foundation (momshelpingmomsfoundation.org) is eager to work with Girl Scouts on service projects. Contact Girl Scout mom for more information.
  • The Madison Y is offering Girl Scout Badge workshops. Call for more details.

Girl Scout Promise and Law

The Girl Scout Promise

On my honor, I will try:
To serve God and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

The Girl Scout Law

I will do my best to be
honest and fair,
friendly and helpful,
considerate and caring,
courageous and strong, and
responsible for what I say and do,
and to
respect myself and others,
respect authority,
use resources wisely,
make the world a better place, and
be a sister to every Girl Scout.

The Girl Scout law and promise can be found at: