One of the most important ceremonies for a Girl Scout is Bridging, where a girl moves from one level to another. It’s a moment of reflection of what the girl has accomplished, as well as her anticipation to embrace new adventures and responsibilities. While adults are involved, everything is planned in partnership with the girls.
To Bridge from one level to the next, there are two steps that each girl must complete. From Brownies to Ambassadors, the girls must first Pass It On and then Look Ahead. By Passing It On, they are working with younger girls and showing them the value of moving on and joining Girl Scouts. With Look Ahead, they are learning about the new adventures that lie ahead of them.
Girls at all levels from across Girl Scouts of Western New York held Bridging Ceremonies and their creativity was amazing! Each event, while decorated in rainbow colors, showed a flair unique to the troop or service unit involved. Below are a few pictures, but the rest can be found in an album on our Facebook page.
This morning, Troop 63113 was invited to the Rochester Museum & Science Center for first access to this weekend’s special program about one of Rochester’s greatest advocates for women. Surprisingly, we aren’t talking about Susan B. Anthony.
Martha Matilda Harper embodied what it means to be a G.I.R.L, or Go-Getter, Risk-Taker, Innovator, and Leader. Born in Canada, she was sent at age 7 to be a domestic servant for relatives. After 22 years, she moved to Rochester where she worked as a servant for a minister and a physician, with the latter forever altering the course of her life. Just three years after entering the United States, her empire began to grow.
Through working for the physician and a gift of one of his tonics, she began experimenting with new products that would benefit hair, opposed to those currently on the market she felt were damaging. To sell her own tonic, she used a picture of her floor-length hair to show the true benefit of using her product. One product grew into a salon which eventually blossomed into the first franchise. In fact, the second location she opened after Rochester was in Buffalo.
At its highest, the Harper Method had more than 500 salons and featured clientele like Woodrow Wilson, Jacqueline Kennedy, and even Susan B. Anthony.
Now she’s honored for her contributions to business today and her work as a successful businesswoman and female empowerment advocate in a time when it was most definitely a man’s world.
Locally, Jane R. Pitt has written several books about the life of Martha. On her site, she wondered if Juliette Gordon Low ever visited a Harper Method salon as well as her excitement over her fellow woman’s success. While we don’t know those answers, we can see the impact she has on the current generation.
At the RMSC, Troop 63113 was able to learn more about Martha’s legacy and even read Jane R. Pitt’s works about her. For more coverage, check out the news story here.
Are you considering sending your girl to camp but need more information? Is your girl signed up and feeling nervous about her week away? We understand the questions you have which is why we offer open houses at all our camps to make sure you both are comfortable.
At our open house events, you’ll get a tour of camp and a firsthand look at our excellent facilities. You can meet the staff and see how everything operates. Depending on the camp, Tuck Shops are open so you can purchase new merchandise for summer.
If at the end of the experience you’re ready to sign up your girl, you’ll have the option to register her right onsite.
Our open houses are held on three different nights so if you’re interested, you can check out multiple camps.
Here is the schedule for our final open houses for the summer:
Camp Piperwood – Tuesday, June 26, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. (just a week away!)
We’re one week away from the official start of summer and just weeks away from the start of camp! It’s going to be such a great time this summer and we can hardly wait. If you haven’t registered your girl for camp yet, now is the time!
While some of our sessions and programs have filled, we still have openings just waiting to be filled by your girl. As of June 13, we have the following sessions available:
A Girl Scout’s summer is filled with opportunities to have the time of her life at camp. We offer so many great programs for girls entering kindergarten through 12th grade in the fall and want to make sure we have something for everyone. For some girls and troops, this looks a little different than traditional resident or day camp.
SpecialtyProgramsProvided (S.P.P.) Camping is a great way for troops to get the best of camping together and experience specialized programs, like ropes courses, archery, and boating. The troop leader is responsible for most camp-related considerations with GSWNY providing the specialty programs and times.
In order to host troop camp like this, leaders must have either their Level I (for lodge camping) or Level II (for cabin and tent camping) camp training. Additionally, an adult with current first aid and CPR certifications must attend.
Specifically, our camp provides the boating and archery programming while leaders provide everything else, including meals. Our lakeside facility includes a like, central dining hall, infirmary, shower house, lodges, cabins, platform tent units, and an archery area. Your troop can choose from options at either Camp Seven Hills or Camp Piperwood.
For troops in the Buffalo area, Camp Seven Hills has two sessions available for S.P.P. Camping. Girls in grades K-12 are welcome to camp with their troops Friday, July 20, through Sunday, July 22, and Wednesday August 1, through Friday, August 3. The cost per girl is $35.
For those in the Rochester area, Camp Piperwood can welcome your girls in k-12 from July 27 to 29. The cost is $45 and the girls will get to experience archery and the ropes course!
Welcome to Week 2 of the #gsoutdoors challenge encouraging girls to celebrate Great Outdoors Month by, you guessed it, going outside! Each week a winner will be selected to win a great prize from The North Face.
The second week of the challenge runs from June 9 to 15 and focuses on the theme of ‘Rock the Lifestyle.’ Girl Scouts of the USA wants to see you embracing activities outside and sharing with them online. Below are your three options:
Throw a picnic – whether it’s a packed lunch or a full on backyard barbecue, show off how you enjoy a summer meal outside
Plan a field day – get outside by playing outside with all of your friends!
Sleep under the stars – take camping to your backyard by setting up a tent and stargazing as you drift off to sleep
What are you waiting for? Go outside, take your picture, and use the hashtag #gsoutdoors for your chance to win!
[Below is a guest post written by Gold Award Girl Scout Chris Belin]
My name is Chris Belin. I am a 38 year-old self-employed Health and Business Coach living in East Amherst, NY. Just over 20 years ago, I earned my Girl Scout Gold Award, and to this day, it is still one of my proudest moments!
That’s me on the left!
I became a Girl Scout when I was 6 years old. I still remember our meetings in a church basement! Learning the Girl Scout Promise, selling cookies, and singing songs. Within a few years, I went to Girl Scout Camp and volunteered in the community at soup kitchens and homeless shelters. But, as I got older, it became more difficult to juggle my school work, sports, social life and Girl Scout activities. I wanted to quit. But, my Mom, not a Girl Scout herself, refused to let me. She knew the impact it had on me and the community. She said “this is your commitment and you are going to finish it!”
Me with my mother at the Gold Award Ceremony
While in high school, I earned my Silver Award, and without much time in between, I began working on my Gold Award. My first two ideas were rejected by Council. I was so upset and shocked actually! But looking back, I see why. It would have been too easy! I really needed to push myself and do more for others. I began a project of Female Empowerment with young girls in my community. It lasted three months and was an amazing experience for them and me. I learned just how powerful one person can be, no matter their age! Nothing else could have better prepared me for college, and later….working full time, motherhood, and entrepreneurship!
Me and other members of my troop at the Gold Awards
I am now a wife and mom of two kids, an 8-year-old daughter and a 5-year-old son. Raising kids is a lot of work and it certainly “takes a village”. For that reason, and many others, we are and will always be a Scouting family. Girl Scouts is a great resource in teaching so many important life skills to my daughter, such as leadership, contribution, healthy relationships, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, etc. I am not aware of any other organization that does all that!
When I was a Girl Scout, I didn’t fully understand why we sold cookies. Through my daughter’s experience, I learned that the Girl Scout Cookie Sale is the largest entrepreneurial program for girls in the world! As an entrepreneur myself, I love that! It has taught my daughter how to be confident, how to talk to people, how to shake hands, how to manage money and deadlines, etc. She was her troop’s top seller this year!
I am thrilled to be part of my daughter’s own Scout experience. She is learning, growing, and having fun! If you have a daughter, I urge you to check out a local meeting, and find a troop that is right for her. You will be so glad you did!
