Program in a Box makes planning easy!!

Don't have time to plan activities? Don't worry! Council has some great turnkey solutions called "Program in a Box". Your troop can "rent" a box for $15 and it contains all the supplies and instructions for running the activity.  Box descriptions and Reservation form can be found at this link:  http://www.gsofct.org/pdf/membership/formLibrary/Program_Box_Reservation_Form_7-18-13.pdf

Election Day Cookie Booth Sales

Election "Day" Cookie booth sales - yes it is a misnomer, because Election Day Cookie Booth Sales can be held any day between November 2-10.  Here is the lowdown:

• If your troop wants to sell cookies, they must participate in QSP as a troop.  That means they need to sell something or fill out an address booklet.  Simple.
• You MUST contact Sue Leigh ASAP to schedule the booth (date and location).  She has a limited number of locations available but if you have any connections at a big local market, then please let her know.  Sue will provide specifics about obtaining your cookie inventory for the sale.
• Make sure all your girls are registered before they sell, they wear their vest/sash and you have proper adult supervision (registered volunteers please!).

What's QSP???

QSP = Quick Simple Profitable 

QSP is the fall fundraiser for Girl Scouts.  
It's a great opportunity for the girls to raise money for their troop and Council (and thereby reduce the amount of dues to collect).  QSP has candy & nut products and magazine sales.  Girls learn goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics.

Our QSP Manager is Janice Wivagg and she did a brief training at our 9/23 Service Unit Meeting.  Below is an overview:

• A Girl must be registered to receive her QSP packet.

• QSP sales begin October 1 and ends November 1

• QSP sales must be entered into nut-E (accessed via www.gsofct.org) and paperwork submitted by Nov. 8.  Don't wait until the last minute because the system will get slow.  

• Payments to Council should be done online through the Webster Bank online payment link on gsofct.org   Don't wait until November 8 because it takes a few days to get the payment confirmation, which needs to be submitted with paperwork to Janice by November 8.

• Product pickup date will be December 9 (in time for holiday & teacher gifts).

Several ways to earn money and badges for the troop:

• Fill out an address booklet with 8 distinct addresses.  Troop will receive $2.00 for each completed address booklet.  
• Sell magazines subscriptions - orders can be taken by catalog or you can supply a link to your friends/relatives. Digital magazine subscriptions are also available. Troops earn 15% of total sales.
• Sell nut & candy products - orders can be taken by catalog or you can supply a link to your friends/relatives.  All nut/candy products are delivered to the troop - there are no shipping options.  Troops earn 15% of total sales.
• Girls and families can send out online links through the Magazine/Net Online portal.  Girls must sign internet safety pledge.  Girls earn a badge for sending out at least 12 emails through this online system.
• Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors can elect an additional 2% proceeds in place of recognitions.  They will still receive all patches. 

Using Nut-E - there is a refresher webiner on 10/30 at 7 pm.  

**Troop QSP Managers should set up their troops on Nut-E by October 1 (or before you distribute QSP packets to your troop).

Important note:  your troop has to participate in QSP (in any way) in order to be able to host an Election Day booth sale in November.

A note from Janice:

There are many troops for which I still have not received QSP manager info.  If you are one of these troops, please complete the attached form and email back to me, or just provide me with the information on the form. I wouldn't want your product manager to be unable to access the Nut-e system so the sooner I get the information, the better.
Also, there are many of you for which I do not have registration information, which means that our registrar has not received your troop registrations. Please remember that the QSP troop fundraiser begins Oct. 1 and ends Nov. 1. It is a short sale and you don't want to miss out on this start-up fundraising opportunity for your troop.
 Thank you for your cooperation.Any questions, please contact Janice.  If you don't have her email, email GSCTAmitySU@gmail.com and your email will be forwarded to Janice!

Recruiting Basics

For a successful recruiting season, there are a few basics that our troops need to accomplish:

• Town-Wide Recruiting Events:  The Amity Service Unit begins each Girl Scout year with recruiting events in each town that we serve. If you are coordinating the Recruiting event, you just need to supply the event details to our Membership & Marketing Manager (MMM) at the North Haven Service Center and she will coordinate the preparation of flyers to be distributed at your local schools.  Don't forget to leave flyers at private schools and in the library (for home-schoolers).
• Your Girl Scouts are your best recruiters:  It's just natural -- your youngest Scouts are great recruiters.  They talk about their troop, they show off their new Daisy tunic and before you know it, someone new wants to join the troop.  Offer your troops a "bring a friend" meeting or activity so that their friends can see what's going on (their mom should attend also, for liability reasons).  If the friend joins, make sure to mark her 'recruiter' on the Registration form and follow up with our MMM to get a special 'bring a friend' patch for your star recruiter.
• Update Town Records & Public Listings:  When new families move to town, they check the Town directories, PATCH listings and local newspapers for information on youth programs.  Make sure to keep an eye on public listings for accurate Girl Scout contact information.  
• Be an ambassador:  Welcome every prospect.  Even if you are too stressed from a huge troop, maybe the new recruit has a mom who wants to help.  Or, you can help the recruit find another community troop that might be able to take her.  Never turn away a girl from the opportunity to join Girl Scouts!
• Host a Table at a town event:  Plenty of opportunities to recruit by hosting a table at a local event.  Summer Concert Series, Back to School events (Ice Cream Social), and other events usually have tables available for free for Scouts.  Don't be afraid to ask.  Bring some beads or other crafts to attract your own Scouts and prospective Scouts to the table.  Bring your troop photo album too.  Have Registration materials and pens on hand!

IDEAS for Recruiting Events:  Open House, Camping Demo Party, Carnival Games, Ice Cream Social, Thinking Day Celebrations, Juliette Gordon Low birthday party.

If you have any questions, PLEASE talk to other leaders, your town Recruiter or the Service Unit Manager.  There is always a friendly face around to help you!

Welcome to Amity Girl Scouts!

Welcome to Amity Girl Scouts official blog!  We have started this blog because leaders have a lot of ideas to share.  We already share lots of lots of time with our troops and Service Unit and this time can be multiplied if we are always looking and searching for project and badge ideas.  This blog is meant to help our sister Girl Scout leaders and Girl Scouts to plan meetings and activities with more ease.  Why re-create the wheel?  We will also use this blog to post Service Unit minutes and important information to keep our leaders informed.  Please email us if you have ideas to add.  Comments are welcome on any  blogpost but they will be approved by the blog moderator before being posted.