Dear GSWNY Members,
Although schools are closed today for Election Day, our offices and customer care lines are open.
Civic engagement is central to Girl Scouting and we encourage parents and caregivers to take your girls with you to vote and talk about the voting process with her.
Please see the important announcements below and for questions, please contact Customer Care customercare@gswny.org or call 1-888-837-6410. In an emergency, please call 1-800-882-9268.
Girl Scout Values: Girls’ Voices for Equality
Thursday, November 5, 2020 | 7 to 8 p.m.
You are invited to our Girl Scout Values: Girls’ Voices for Equality program. We are welcoming Girl Scouts from all levels to join us as we listen and learn from one another on how girls can encourage change in our communities and stand for equity and equality.
Girls’ voices are central to Girl Scouting. Girl Scouts from our Girl Advisory Board will be joined by our CEO Alison Wilcox and staff members from GSWNY council, and all girls K-12 can join in the discussion. Please make sure to tune in and join us.
This event will give girls the opportunity to share their voices and share what equality means to them. We will also discuss activities from our GSWNY anti-racism patch. The audience is invited to share their own experiences and questions in the comments. Please keep all comments Girl Scouts appropriate as we expect girls as young as Daisies participating and viewing.
Can’t make this event? The Live will be recorded for replay on Facebook and YouTube.
Are you ready for Girl Scouts upcoming system downtime? Let’s make sure!
Earlier this month we shared information about Girl Scouts upcoming system refresh and plans to debut an enhanced member account management system later this fall. It’s true! Girl Scouts is on track to pull back the curtain and Go-Live with myAccount in early December—just a short time away—and we want to make sure that our volunteer and member communities our ready!
The Member Go-Live Timeline here details the schedule from now through Go-Live. While much of the downtime period is set to occur the week of Thanksgiving, a time when troops and volunteers often take a break to be with family and friends, we know that Girl Scouts and volunteers are always on the go and want to make sure that you are aware of the downtime, it’s potential to impact your Girl Scout plans, and steps you can take before November 18th to prevent any surprises.
Please take a moment to review the important information included in this email regarding the system downtime period that will take place in November. As always, we are here to support you!
Starting November 18 at 11:59 PM EST, Girl Scouts will begin system-wide updates that will temporarily restrict the ability to complete many volunteer and member related tasks and pause access to:
• Volunteer Toolkit (VTK)
• gsLearn (volunteer online training platform)
• myGS
• Looker (service unit admin team reporting resource)
• Background check completion and submission for processing
• New membership registration/s and membership renewals
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to customercare@gswny.org or call 1-888-837-6410.
Thank you for your patience while we work to enhance your Girl Scout member experience.
Retail Item of the Week: Girl Guides by Level
Do you have a NEW or recently bridged troop? Girl Guides are available for ALL Troop LEVELS. Girls and volunteers will love the fun, eye-opening activities and the all-in-one badge book and handbook format.
Beautifully designed, these binders are divided into three sections: handbook, badge and my Girl Scouts. The Girls Guide to Girl Scouting complements the Girl Scout Journeys by helping girls build skills to become successful and gain the confidence to do amazing things! Imported. These guide books include the earning requirements for numerous badges.
Current reduced price: $12.95! Pick one up TODAY via curbside pickup at your local WNY GIRL SCOUT STORE!
GSWNY Properties Available for Use
Our properties are currently available for use. However, in the interest of safety, we’ve modified our offerings. View our page here for an overview of our current procedures.
Register for the free virtual campfire using the provided link. The campfire will take place over Zoom on Tue., Nov. 10, 2020, from 7-8pm EST. You must be pre-registered for this event by that day to receive the Zoom info to attend. (Zoom info will not be provided through Facebook.)
PLUS… Celebrate International Camp T-Shirt Day! Wear your favorite GSWNY camp t-shirt that day and send pics to GSWNY by private message or emailing communications@gswny.org (please include your name, troop number, and city).
Honor Pin: GSWNY Adult Recognition Award Monthly Highlight
Last month we learned how the Appreciation Pin which celebrates a volunteer who has given outstanding service to their own Service Unit. This month we will focus on the Honor Pin. The Honor Pin recognizes volunteer service which has a measurable impact on two or more service units or geographic areas. In the month of November as we celebrate Thanksgiving, please think about who you can give thanks to in your Service Unit!
Face to Face with GSWNY: New Leader Welcome Meeting
The Volunteer Experience Team is hosting a New Leader Welcome Meeting via Zoom “Face to Face with GSWNY!” for new leaders on Thursday, November 12, 2020. The purpose of the virtual meeting will be for them to meet GSWNY staff face to face, learn about our council’s various departments and what they do through a series of short presentations, and network with other volunteers. Service Unit Team members are also invited; come meet and greet your new volunteers.
Meeting Agenda
6:00 – 6:10 Welcoming remarks
6:10 – 7:00 Support Department presentations
7:00 – 7:30 Q & A Please sign up to attend using the Zoom registration link.
Registration will be open through the start of the meeting! Please come join us for the evening – an opportunity for YOU to have some Face to Face Time with GSWNY and new co leaders in your Service Unit!
If you have any questions contact our Customer Care Team at 888-837-6410 or customercare@gswny.org.
Healthy People, Healthy Planet - Seniors | Tuesday, November 10 | 6-8 p.m
Learn what eco-advocates do. Sarah Baillie works at the Center for Biological Diversity, a national environmental nonprofit. She’ll explain how the Center uses creative media, science, and law to protect wild species and places. Girls will explore environmental issues they feel strongly about, play Carbon Budget Monopoly to demonstrate consumption patterns in the United States versus other countries, and learn how human health and wildlife conservation are interconnected. This program focuses on the empowerment of women and girls to advocate for a healthier planet.
Includes: Healthy People, Healthy Planet Fun Patch and Eco Advocate Girl Scout Badge (Mailed after program).
REGISTER FOR HEALTH PEOPLE, HEALTHY PLANET
Girl Scouting at Home
Looking for ways to stay involved with Girl Scouts? Check out our Girl Scouting at Home page today! New resources are added regularly.
Looking for more options? Head to girlscouts.org for even more at-home opportunities for your Girl Scout by grade level, and check out some of the online opportunities below:
Girl Scouts Doing Good Things
Brownie Troop 31158 visited Tifft Nature Preserve to earn the Wonders of Water Journey. While exploring the nature preserve they learned about the Great Lakes Watershed, conducted science experiments, made fish prints, collected litter, and made posters to help make the world a better place.
We are #GirlScoutStrong! Looking forward to talking to you next Tuesday! In the meantime, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Customer Care customercare@gswny.org or call 1-888-837-6410. In an emergency, please call 1-800-882-9268.
Categories: Member Essentials
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