On behalf of the GSWNY Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee, every month we’re highlighting different holidays and events that are celebrated by people around the world. DEI Celebrations in April include the ends of Passover and Deaf History Month; National Autism Month; Easter; Ramadan; Earth Day’ and Arbor Day.

Passover (Began March 27, Ended April 4)

Passover is a Jewish celebration to represent the Israelites being led out of Egypt, also know as the Exodus. The standard length is eight days and it begins with either one or two nights of seder, a specific feast. Individual celebrations may vary, but there are certain things to expect at seder, including prayers and a seder plate. This contains a number of things including unleavened bread (matzoh), bitter herbs (maror), and more.

The matzoah, or unleavened bread, represents the speed in which the Israelites left Egypt. Their bread didn’t have time to rise, so they honor this during Passover celebrations. Learn more about Passover

Deaf History Month (Began March 13, Ends April 15)

This month actually spans two, as it ends April 15. The reason for this comes down the significant days for the Deaf community in history. The first was April 15, 1817, when the first permanent public school for the deaf was established in Hartford, Connecticut. The second recognizes the signing of the Gallaudet University charter on April 8, 1964, by President Abraham Lincoln. This established the only university in the world that exists only for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Finally is March 13, 1988, when the Deaf Now protest took place, which resulted in the first Deaf President of Gallaudet University. Read more from the National Association of the Deaf

Autism Awareness Month

The entire month of April is dedicated to autism awareness. Autism, a brain disorder that can affect a person’s ability to communicate, respond, and form relationships, is considered a growing health crisis by the United Nations. Ten years ago, 1 in 125 children were diagnosed. In 2020, the rate of prevalence increased to 1 in 54.

With a goal of increased awareness, organizations try and educate the public about signs and symptoms of autism, as well as ways to celebrate differences and encourage kindness. April 2 is celebrated as World Autism Day, where people are invited to wear blue.

Easter (April 4)

This celebration features both religious and secular traditions. The roots of the holiday tie back to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Messiah whose life and teaching define Christianity. For Christians, it is a week of remembrance beginning with Palm Sunday the week before and leading to Good Friday (the crucifixion) and then the resurrection on Easter Sunday. Church services throughout the week are common, with Friday being a time of reflection on the cross and Sunday a celebration.

Outside of religion, Easter is a fun spring holiday celebrated by many. While most of the traditions, including coloring eggs, stem from religious symbols, today they standalone. The Easter Bunny delivers baskets of goodies and candy to children. Easter Egg Hunts are common ways communities and churches celebrate.

Ramadan (Begins April 12)

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and viewed as the most sacred. According to the Prophet Mohammed, Ramadan sees the gates of Heaven opened while the devils are chained in a locked Hell. It was during Ramadan that God first revealed the beginning of the Quran to Mohammed during the Night of Power.

Muslims who observe Ramadan will spend every day, from dawn until sunset, fasting as it is a time of spiritual discipline where they can examine their relationship with God and strengthen their faith. But it is not necessarily a somber time, despite the fasting. Instead, this is a time of joy that is meant to celebrated with families and loved ones. Learn more about Ramadan >>>

Earth Day (April 22)

Every year, Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 as a way to show support for our environment. Activities are held that support this initiative and people are reminded to be mindful of how we treat our planet. Plus, we have a GSWNY patch challenge designed to help you celebrate!

Arbor Day (April 30)

Arbor Day is all about caring for our trees! It’s a day of observance where both individuals and organizations plant trees. While many countries celebrate, the date will vary based on planting seasons.

Deaf History Month is a time to commemorate and recognize the accomplishments of people who hard of hearing and deaf. It spans two months, March 13 to April 15, to include three significant days for the Deaf community:

April 15, 1817

The last day of Deaf History Month marks the earliest milestone included for the Deaf community. Dr. Mason Cogswell recognized the need for a school after his daughter, Alice, was deafened by a fever in childhood. At the time, there were no options in the United States available. He asked Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet for assistance, and after touring schools in Europe, he returned and opened what is now the American School for the Deaf, the oldest permanent school in the country for the deaf.

April 8, 1864

A school for deaf and heard of hearing children was a good first step, but soon the need for advanced education became clear. Edward Miner Galluadet, son of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, was one of the citizens fighting for an additional school. This led to the creation of the Columbia Institution for the Instruction of the Dead and Dumb and the Blind in 1857. The school grew rapidly, eventually leading to President Lincoln signing and enabling them to grant college degrees. April 8 became the charter day of what was now called Gallaudet University.

March 13, 1988

Even though Gallaudet University was the first university of its kind, it still had its shortcomings. For its more than 100 year history, the Deaf community felt that the Deaf were underrepresented in the faculty selection. In 1988, the current president resigned, and the students began advocating for a deaf president. After a long search, the board narrowed it down to three candidates, two of which were deaf. On March 6, the hearing candidate was officially selected, causing outrage that led to marches and protests. Eventually, after much back and forth, the original choice resigned, allowing Irving King Jordan to become the first deaf president.

‘Deaf President Now‘ was the cry of the students and community, and while it addressed that particular situation, it now serves as a larger stance of empowerment. The phrase represents the self-determination of deaf and hard of hearing people around the world.

Did you know?

Juliette Gordon Low, founder of Girl Scouts, was almost totally deaf as an adult. In her late teens and early 20s, she developed an infection in one ear that wasn’t treated properly, causing her to be partially deaf. A few years later, on her wedding day, a piece of rice was lodged in her other ear, leading her to lose most of her hearing in it as well.

None of this stopped her determination or drive in life. It was later, after losing most of her hearing, that she went on to found Girl Scouts in the United States and create the legacy of building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.

What can you do?

This month (and beyond!) continue to educate yourself about the Deaf community and all of their achievements. Spread awareness about these and reach out to companies to make sure they are supporting their obligations. Donate what you can to deaf-based charities and seek out deaf businesses that you can support.

This year, one of the ways we celebrated Women’s History Month was by running a contest and asking our members to tell us about the women they view as role models. Our winner is Lexi D., age 9, from Troop 34682. Her submission is shown below, as well as a transcription of what she wrote.

“My Woman Role Model: Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Ruth was the first woman to be in the Supreme Court. She was raised by her mother Stella Ginsberg. She taught Ruth to stand up for her rights. Sadly Stella died from cancer when Ruth was only in college.

Years later Ruth met someone named Marty. They both wanted to be lawyers. Ruth and Marty married a few years later and had a child. Ruth went off to lawyer school and became top of her class.

A few years later Ruth was a lawyer. Many days later it was her first day of being a lawyer. She wore her mother’s outfit. Ruth nailed it fourteen years later. Ruth got a call. She was a judge!

How she influenced me

Ruth influenced me because she amazes me how she follows her dream and went through the obstacles of men telling her she can’t do it and becoming a judge even if she had to take care of her child and do all her work till three in the morning. She is an amazing role model.”

Note: Lexi’s submission was only edited for spelling. Sandra Day O’Connor was the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court, but that doesn’t take away from the amazing life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

We’re pleased to announce an exciting new change happening TODAY!

To provide an improved customer service experience for our members on the GSWNY Facebook page, we’ve made some updates. In addition, to viewing great content on the GSWNY main Facebook page, GSWNY members will now also have a special place to collaborate and receive helpful information through our private GSWNY members-only group! This group will help to foster greater collaboration and information sharing for members.

The main GSWNY Facebook page will serve more as an outward facing welcome mat to invite the public to Girl Scouts. The GSWNY members-only group will serve as a private inward facing space with content catered specifically for GSWNY members to use and also collaborate with other members.

Please note that you will still be a part of the main GSWNY Facebook page; however, anyone who has not joined the GSWNY members-only group will not be able to see the content inside it. This is a special members-only space to work together across the council, so please feel free to post and share YOUR ideas, resources, and questions with each other and council in alignment with the rules.

Five Q&A’s To Know:

Q1: Why is GSWNY making a separate members-only Facebook Group?

A1: We want to provide an improved internal and external customer service experience on Facebook by creating a special group for current members to share and receive helpful information and by forming a more public-facing space to invite those who may want to know more about Girl Scouts using relevant terminology. Currently, the main Facebook page is filled with content that pertains to members with events and terminology that mainly only members would know about. Also, based on Facebook’s changing features, it may or may not allow you to share and collaborate with other members on the main page.

Q2: How do I join the Facebook group and will I still be a part of the main Facebook page?

A2: Members can join the members-only group by clicking here, answering two simple verification questions, and then please review the rules in the about section of the page to begin. Yes, you will still be part of the main GSWNY Facebook page and we encourage you to like and share content. We want your continued help in spreading ways for non-members to interact or join. Members are encouraged to share recruitment content with friends and family who aren’t Girl Scouts yet!

Q3: What special features will the members-only group have?

A3: The private members-only group will allow you to collaborate in new ways with the ability to share and learn about what other members are doing. You can also get important announcements and enjoy special members-only contests with prizes. The page will also allow you to find content using special tags that mark posts by topic to help sort the information even further, such as #NewLeader, #Question, #Cookies, #Renewal, etc.

Q4: What type of information can I expect to see on the GSWNY main page vs. the members-only group?

A4:

Q5: How will the content transition?

A5: For a little while you will see double-posting of some content on the main page and group. This may seem a little redundant, but we want to make a carefully paced transition before we completely separate the posts. After April, you will start to see the member-oriented content almost exclusively in the group. Throughout the year at certain points, you will see reminder posts on the main page that the group exists and notifications in Member Essentials. 

We want to know…

Since this is going to be a new venture for us, we want to know your feedback. If you think there’s a way to improve the group or page, we’d love to hear it. If you have any feedback about the page or group, please email customercare@gswny.org, post in the group, or send us a private message on the page.

Please note that the GSWNY Facebook page and group will continue to be operated and monitored by the GSWNY Marketing & Communications team. For some questions/feedback, you may still be directed to Customer Care to receive an answer or assistance. The Customer Care team is still the primary team to respond to customer needs at: customercare@gswny.org or 1-888-837-6410. Thank you.

Come join our GSWNY Members Group!

Strength, resilience, togetherness, and the support of community—that’s what Girl Scoutsis all about. So in this uncertain world, you can count on one thing for sure: today, tomorrow, together, we are on your team.

When you stick with Girl Scouts, you’re not just giving your girl something to do, you’re giving her someone to be. The bravest, boldest, best version of herself. The version of herself that walks with her head a bit higher and acts with confidence.

And as she grows, we’ll grow with her, guiding her through life’s ups and downs, supporting her strengths, and showing her new and exciting paths to take.

RENEW TODAY

Not only does renewing mean another year of Girl Scouting, you also qualify for these amazing incentives!

Here’s a breakdown of all our incentives for Ultimate Spring Renewal, now through April 30! Check out the grid below for Spring Reneal Incentives through May 31.

• Renew by 4/14 to be entered to win one of those adorable cookie-inspired KSwiss sneakers – 5 girl and 5 co-leader winners to be drawn! 
• Co-leaders and girls who renew by 4/30 will earn a GSWNY lunch sack.   
• Troops who renew 90% of girls + 2 co-leaders by 4/30 will earn a $20 GSWNY credit for shop, program or property.
• Girls, co-leaders and SUMs who renew by 5/31 will earn Sage Tuition Reward points.
• Join us for a new program launching May 6, with a members-only virtual event featuring former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama.

Check them out below!

Here is the full list:

Guest Post by Lena Budd, Volunteer Experience Manager at GSWNY

At GSWNY we know how hard every volunteer works towards furthering our mission of building girls of courage confidence and character who make the word a better place. If Covid-19 has shown us anything, it’s how important Girl Scouts and a sense of normalcy is to our lives. Last March the pandemic hit Western New York. We did not get to do many things that traditionally close the year like our volunteer appreciation events at either the Service Unit or the Council level. In April, May, and June we were all still focused on “survival mode,” staying at home, and adjusting to working and schooling remotely. This year we have adjusted more to our “new normal” and many of us are becoming hopeful that there is some light at the end of this tunnel! Getting through Girl Scouts (and life in general!) in 2020 & 2021 had been no small feat! We all deserve to be recognized and appreciated. In Girl Scout speak: you should get a patch for that!

Every April we celebrate Volunteer Appreciation Month with extra celebrations on April 22 – National Girl Scout Leader Day! Here are some ideas we have for volunteer appreciation & recognition celebrations for April and the rest of the year:

Hold a virtual celebration

Yes, another Zoom call, but… Make it a fun call! It is a celebration after all! Have all the volunteers in your Service Unit get together for a virtual happy hour or craft night. This past year, the Pittsford Service Unit hosted a holiday gnome making craft party for their volunteers. Similarly, the Iroquois Service Unit volunteers made hot cocoa bombs together via Zoom.  You could host a painting night or cook-along, play trivia, bingo, or play other fun virtual games. Plan some fun games or ice breakers at the beginning of the meeting, sprinkle in adult recognition awards throughout the meeting or announce them all at the end of the meeting. Use the chat box and polls to keep participants engaged in the celebration. Sounds like a fun evening to me!

Meet in person

Another fun idea for a volunteer appreciation celebration is holding a socially distanced picnic. First pick a date, then choose a local park or reserve a beautiful GSWNY camp property. To limit interactions, have everyone bring their own food, drink, and picnic blanket or camp chair. Pre-package volunteers’ gifts, awards, pins, or certificates and set them out on a table. Stand in front of the group to award the recognitions and honor the recipients. Wearing masks, a volunteers then grab their goodies from the table. Liven up the picnic by playing socially distanced games like bingo or charades. Familiarize yourself with all GSWNY COVID meeting guidelines before the event. Masks must be worn at all times unless you are eating or drinking, social distancing must be maintained, and meetings or events are not allowed to take place at private residences or backyards.

A little of Column A, a little of Column B

Remember, not everyone is comfortable meeting in person, and that’s okay! If you host an in-person event, consider doing a porch drop off or recording the award ceremony for those who do not attend. Or hold two volunteer appreciation events – one virtually and one in person. This will give people the option to participate at their own comfort level. I always say, it doesn’t hurt to say thank you more than once in more than one way! Try to think outside of the box! You could drop off volunteer awards or pins to everybody, then open them all together at once on a Zoom meeting. Imagine a great unboxing – how fun!

Other fun ideas for 2021!

Use one of our templates to print or send e-cards to fellow volunteers. Girls can also use these templates to send cards to their leaders! You can download and print or electronically fill in these great cards for younger and older girls. Alternatively, you can craft and mail your own thank you card. Spending a little time on a thank you card can have a big impact on someone’s day! Check out Hallmark’s tips for writing thank you cards.

Surprise volunteers with a gift from the Girl Scout shop! Help bring a smile to someone’s face with a Girl Scout token of appreciation! Use discount code VOLUNTEER2021 from April 1-April 30, 2021 for a one-time 10% discount in the online shop. Get creative and makea cute card or gift for volunteers! Check out our GSWNY Pinterest account for a spark of inspiration!

Shout out the volunteers in your life (including yourself!) on social media. Let your online network of friends and family know how thankful you are to the volunteers in your life. Follow GSWNY and GSUSA all month for great posts, videos, and even Facebook profile picture frames. Like and share to keep the celebration going!