The SPCA Serving Erie County  offers a variety of virtual programming for Girl Scouts.  Watch for live virtual badge workshops for individual Girl Scouts listed on our GSWNY Events calendar such as:

• Junior Animal Habitats Badge Workshop on October 27, 2020
• Cadette Animal Helpers Badge Workshops on October 24 and November 21, 2020
• Senior Voice for the Animals Badge Workshop on November 21, 2020.

In-person and/or virtual tours and patch programs (fee based & on demand) for Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors also available.  Your troop can complete simple activities in your virtual troop meetings or individual scouts and then invite the SPCA Serving Erie County to your troop meeting for a virtual field trip and animal meet and greet.  Suggestions for which activities work best virtually are made for each age group below.

• Daisy Patch Program Activities 1-3 and 6 are easiest to do virtually.    
• Brownie Patch Program  Activities 1, 3, and 6 are easiest to do virtually. 
• Junior Patch Program Activities 1, 3 and 6 are easiest to do virtually.

Please see www.yourspca.org, email KatherineG@yourspca.org or call (716) 875-7360×234 for more information or to set up a program.

Cost:  $50 per troop for a 30-minute virtual tour and animal encounter.  Patches cost $2 per participant and will be mailed to the troop leader following completion of the evaluation form.  Programs are available Monday-Saturday afternoons and evenings.

Begin setting up your virtual or in-person field trips at:  https://forms.gle/vC6SSzsLRixJoNuV8 

The SPCA Serving Erie County is not affiliated financially in any way with any other animal agency, including the Niagara County SPCA, the ASPCA, or any other humane society or animal welfare group. Our protocols, policies, and procedures are unique to this organization, a completely independent humane society that does not receive any city, county, state, or federal tax dollars. The important programs and services of the SPCA Serving Erie County are possible only due to the caring people and organizations that support us.

Whatever the upcoming year has in store—she’ll get the tools she needs to learn new skills and grow now and in the future as Girl Scouts evolves to meet her needs. From home and online (and for as long as it’s needed), we’re here to help your girl reach her potential.

By renewing her membership and giving your girl another year in Girl Scouts, she will boost her confidence, improve her outdoor skills, and prepare her to be a champion for the environment—yes, even through virtual events!

Our membership year ends Wednesday, September 30, which means our On-Time Renewal campaign is ending in just two weeks. That means only 14 days left to qualify for our amazing incentives, include gift cards, troop incentives, and SAGE Tuition Rewards Points.

RENEW TODAY

Every Wednesday (only THREE left!), we’re giving away two $50 gift cards for either Target or Amazon – one for renewed girls and one for renewed co-leaders. On top of that, you have another chance to win one of two $300 gift cards – one for renewed girls and one for renewed co-leaders. All you have to do is renew today!

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 | 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

ATTENTION: The Jamestown location for the Drive-Thru Fall Fest has been cancelled due to low registrations. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Girls and their families who are interested in registering for or renewing their Girl Scout membership are invited to this FREE unique fall festival experience. As families drive thru, they will visit different tables for fun activities and treats and there will be an opportunity for girls and adults to join Girl Scouts! In these uncertain times, Girl Scouts is here to provide consistency and stability for your girl. Girl Scouts isn’t cancelled and we continue to  adapt to meet the needs of girls today.

This is also an opportunity for current Girl Scouts who need to renew for the upcoming membership year (starting October 1!), as well as for new families who want to find out more about Girl Scouts (who can win prizes when registering!). This event is not recommended for current, registered Girl Scouts please. If looking for more programming for a registered Girl Scout, head to gswny.org.

Please note: We are still accepting registrations for new girls who want to join Girl Scouts for the first time and Girl Scouts who will be renewing their membership at the event! Due to the overwhelming response, we have filled all available event registration slots for families and girls currently renewed for the 2020-2021 year.

REGISTER TODAY

Our Drive-Thru Fall Fest is designed to deliver the fun of fall and Girl Scouts in a safe manner, keeping in mind all COVID-19 precautions and guidelines.

Events will be held at the same date and time at two (2) locations in Western New York, including Buffalo and Rochester. Anyone who registers and attends the event will receive a special thank you from the Girl Scouts of Western New York!

• Buffalo Location: Calspan Business Park, 4433 Genesee Street, Buffalo, NY 14225
• Rochester Location: Al Sigl Center, 1000 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14620

Stay tuned for more information, including activities and more! Email join.us@gswny.org with any questions.

We are happy to offer the Girl Scout Shop to you during the Fall Festival! Here are two ways to shop:

• You can place a pre-order with the shop location before the event by emailing it by Monday, September 21, 2020 to the location you plan to participate at. This includes if you would like to order your girl’s uniform! The shop staff will contact you to take your payment and it will be ready for pick up during the drive thru experience. Email orders to: Shop.Rochester@gswny.org or Shop.Buffalo@gswny.org. If you wish to see the merchandise available to you please visit us online: https://www.girlscoutshop.com
• We will have available on site a few select Girl Scout shop merchandise items for you to purchase during your drive thru experience.

VIEW THE DRIVE-THRU FALL FEST EVENT RULES & EXPECTATIONS: http://bit.ly/fallfestexpectations20

Dear Girl Scout families,

We are reaching out with an urgent message for all Girl Scout adult members who are sponsoring a student who is entering 12th grade in the fall of 2020 with SAGE Tuition Reward Points. 

We recently understood that moving our deadline to earn SAGE Tuition Reward Points to 9/30/20 will not work for students entering the 12th grade this fall 2020. Points must be assigned to SAGE accounts in August of the year a student enters 12th grade. Unfortunately, Girl Scouts does not have control over these dates. This does not affect girls in 1st – 11th grade.

Girl Scouts needs time to submit the list of eligible adult Girl Scout members* that have renewed for the 2020-2021 Girl Scout membership year and give SAGE the opportunity to upload those points. That being said, if you want to earn and use your SAGE Tuition Reward Points, for students entering the 12th grade this fall 2020, you must take action now.

For students entering 12^th grade in the fall of 2020 ONLY:

– Create your SAGE account by 8/26/2020

–Renew your Girl Scout Membership for the 2020-2021 year by 8/26/2020

Unfortunately, if your Girl Scout membership renewal and SAGE account activation are not complete by 8/26/20, you will be unable to award a 12^th grade students points for this year.  As we do not control this system, there can be NO exceptions to this deadline.

Here are some helpful links:

• Membership Renewal: https://bit.ly/gswnyrenew2020
• SAGE Tuition Rewards website: https://www.tuitionrewards.com/
• SAGE FAQ’s: https://www.tuitionrewards.com/index.cfm?p=faq
• SAGE contact: support@sagescholars.com

*Eligible adult GS members: GSWNY Adult members that are Co-leaders and/or Service Unit Managers & staff. 

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.  If you have any questions, please reach out to our Customer Care team at 1-888-837-6410 or CustomerCare@gswny.org. 

Girls and their families who are interested in registering for or renewing their Girl Scout membership are invited to this FREE unique fall festival experience. This event is designed to deliver the fun of fall and Girl Scouts in a safe manner, keeping in mind all COVID-19 precautions and guidelines.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 | 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Below is a list of the current rules and expectations for the event. As more details are finalized, new elements to keep everyone safe may be added.

Fall Fest Drive-Thru Event Rules and Expectations

• All GSWNY staff will be wearing masks for the entire event.
• Hand sanitizer will be available onsite at each station. 
• Families in vehicles should wear masks if possible for two-way precaution while interacting with GSWNY staff.
• All families must remain in their vehicles at all time. 
• Smoking in your car while driving thru the event is prohibited.
• Families are asked to attend the event at their designated time slot to ensure safety precautions and congestion is minimized. 
• No restrooms will be available on site at Fall Fest.
• Any handouts or giveaways from GSWNY staff will be prepared with COVID sanitation precautions. 

Did you know that the Girl Scout membership year runs October 1 through September 30? That means current memberships will be expiring soon. We make it so easy to renew your Girl Scout membership using our online system, and we’ve got some great giveaways. 

We’ll be giving away one $50 Amazon or Target gift card every Wednesday in August and September – one for girls and one for leaders, so the sooner you renew, the better chance you have to win! 

RENEW TODAY

Plus, we have two MEGA gift card drawings of all the girls and co-leaders renewed by August 31 and September 30. On each date, we’re pulling for TWO $300 gift cards, one for girls and one for co-leaders. That means our co-leaders and girls each have two chances to win a MEGA GIFT CARD!

On top of these amazing drawings, this year you can earn our SAGE Tuition Rewards points as long as you renew by September 30. Ordinarily, these points are reserved for Spring Renewal, so don’t miss your extended chance to get them today! Girls earn 2,500 points and co-leaders earn 3,500 points, and each Tuition Rewards Point equals $1.00 in tuition discounts.

Other On-Time Renewal Incentives include:

• Troops: All Troops who renew 100% of girls and 2 co-leaders by September 30 will be entered into a drawing to receive 5 extra cents per box sold during the 2021 cookie sale, up to a maximum of $150. 10 winning troops will be selected so get in it to win it!
• Service Units: All SU’s who achieve their girl Renewal goal will be treated to a GSWNYsponsored Pizza or Ice Cream Party at a SU leader meeting
• Adults: 10% off adult apparel with renewal receipt (single use only) – 12/31/20 expiration

Lifetime Members, don’t forget to renew your positions to qualify, especially co-leaders!

RENEW TODAY

Microsoft has increased capacities for all of the below workshops to accommodate demand and they wanted to be sure they were shared with our Girl Scouts!

FYI to troop leaders and teachers: as the school year begins, any of these workshops can be scheduled as private field trips as well!

Wonder Woman 1984: Chaos Maze Coding:

Thursday, August 13^th

• 12-1pm EST – register at aka.ms/youthaugust13a
• 2-3pm EST – register at aka.ms/youthaugust13b
• 4-5pm EST – register at aka.ms/youthaugust13c

Friday August 14^th

• 9-10am EST – register at aka.ms/youthaugust14a
• 10:30-11:30am EST – register at aka.ms/youthaugust14b
• 1-2pm EST – register at aka.ms/youthaugust14c

Smithsonian National Museum Tours:

Air and Space:

• Tuesday, August 18^th – 1-2:30pm – register at aka.ms/youthaugust18b

Ocean Hall:

• Tuesday, August 18^th – 10-11:30am – register at aka.ms/youthaugust18a
• Wednesday, August 19^th – 2-3:30pm – register at aka.ms/youthaugust19b

Zoo:

• Monday, August 17^th – 3-4:30pm – register at aka.ms/youthaugust17b
• Wednesday, August 19^th – 11-12:30pm – register at aka.ms/youthaugust19a

Egypt Mummy:

• Friday, August 21^st – 10-2pm EST – register at aka.ms/youthaugust21a

Bing Virtual Travel:

Journey to Africa:

• Thursday, August 20^th – 2-3:30pm EST – register at aka.ms/youthaugust20c
• Tuesday, August 25^th – 12-1:30pm – register at aka.ms/youthaugust25b
• Thursday, August 27^th – 11-12:30pm – register at aka.ms/youthaugust27a

Journey to Australia:

• Monday, August 17^th – 1-2:30pm EST – register at aka.ms/youthaugust17c
• Monday, August 24^th – 10-11:30am – register at aka.ms/youthaugust24a
• Thursday, August 27^th – 3-4:30pm – register at aka.ms/youthaugust27b

European Backpacking:

• Tuesday, August 25^th – 10-11:30am – register at aka.ms/youthaugust25a
• Wednesday, August 26^th – 1-2:30pm – register at aka.ms/youthaugust26b

Cuisine from Around the World:

• Monday, August 24^th – 1-2:30pm – register at aka.ms/youthaugust24b
• Wednesday, August 26^th – 11-12:30pm – register at aka.ms/youthaugust26a

Other:

Minecraft Build Challenge:

• Thursday, August 20^th – Pirate Ship Themed – 12-1pm EST – register at aka.ms/youthaugust20b
• Friday, August 21^st – Race Track Themed – 2-3pm EST – register at aka.ms/youthaugust21b

Photography:

• Thursday, August 20^th – 10-12pm EST – register at aka.ms/youthaugust20a

If you’re interested in getting involved with Girl Scouts of Western New York, or just learning more about Girl Scouting, we have several upcoming virtual events for you to attend!

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Make New Friends: Kindergarten Readiness Series

This August, we’re hosting a free, girl-centered kindergarten readiness series! Make New Friends is a fun, four-part online series designed to boost your girl’s social skills and self-confidence while she learns to focus and thrive in a classroom or virtual setting. We have two series, currently running on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1 p.m.

Upcoming Dates: August 18, 20, 25 & 27

Info & Registration: bit.ly/gswnyKready2020

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Tell Me S’More About Girl Scouts: Adult Information Sessions

Our Tell Me S’more are virtual information sessions for adults related to Girl Scouting and Volunteering. Topics covered include the benefits of Girl Scouts for your family, how Girl Scouting fits into a virtual world, how you can be a community leader, and much more. Meetings are held Monday Nights at 8 p.m. and Wednesdays at 1 p.m.

Upcoming Dates: August 17, 24, 26 & 31

Info & Registration: bit.ly/tellmesmore2020

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Girl Scout Virtual Troops

What’s the benefit of a virtual troop? Make new friends from all over Western New York! Troops are a group of girls who have fun together, learn important life skills like money management and team work, and keep the creativity flowing! We currently have troops available for girls in Kindergarten through 2nd grade.

Upcoming Dates: September 14 & 16

Info & Registration: bit.ly/gswnyvirtualtroops20

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Drive-Thru Fall Fest: Saturday, September 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Three Locations

All girls and their families are invited to this unique fall festival experience. Families will drive thru a number of tables for fun fall activities and treats! This event is designed to deliver the fun of fall and Girl Scouts in a safe manner, keeping in mind all COVID-19 precautions and guidelines. Events will be held at the same date and time at three (3) locations in Western New York, including Buffalo, Jamestown, and Rochester.

Learn More: bit.ly/gswnyfallfest20

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Learn more about joining or volunteering with Girl Scouts at gswny.org today!

Questions? Call us at 1-888-837-6410 or email Join.Us@gswny.org today.