Amity Service Unit Celebrates Thinking Day!

Thinking Day is an international Girl Scout and Girl Guide celebration of the birthdays of Lord and Lady Baden-Powell and the start of scouting.  This year the theme is “Connect” – with friends, the community, and your passions.  Troops also donate items for a service project. For background information you can learn more at www.girlscouts.org/en/about-girl-scouts/global/world-thinking-day.html

The Amity Service Unit will celebrate Thinking Day, as we have in the past, as follows:

• Sunday February 21, 2016

• Set up at 1:30, Program runs from 2-4PM, clean up till 4:30PM

• Holy Infant Church School Gymnasium, 456 Orange Center Rd, Orange, CT 06477

• Troops may just set up a table to display information about a country or they may also present a short program (5-10 minutes).

• Cost is $2.00 per girl in your troop so patches may be purchased for all.  Parents and tagalongs are free.

• Contact person:  Nina Ruckes,  nruckes@optimum.net

If you intend to participate, please email Nina with the following information by February 13:

• Leader name, address and e-mail

• Number of girls in the troop (so we can buy patches for everyone), expected number who will participate on Sunday

• Top 3 choices for the country you wish to represent

• Will you do a presentation?

• Please mail a check for $2/girl in your troop so patches can be purchased (payable to GS of CT) to Nna Ruckes (email her for address)

 

Check List for Thinking Day 

1. Table cloth (a 6’ table and 2 chairs will be provided)

2. Foamboard or Cardboard display with information about your country such as flag, map, helpful phrases, picture of Girl Guides

3. Food or beverage and serving utensils/napkins/paper plates

4. SWAPs (optional)-Something wonderful affectionately pinned!

5. Presentation (optional) -some ideas are a dance, recitation of the Pledge from your country, video (please supply all equipment), recite facts about your country, song, etc.

6. Basket for Silent Auction, worth about $25.00.  Money collected from this will go to the Service Unit to support other programs

7. Donations for Kenyan Health Care Initiatives:  

• Children’s books of all kinds for all ages – must be unmarked and in good condition. Not text books

• Simple puzzles and games for kids of different ages (new or in excellent condition)- Bananagrams word games, memory games, basic games, cards, marbles, flash cards, checkers, chess , etc.

• Sports equipment and supplies – soccer balls, equipment for baseball, volleyball, basketball, badminton.

Once you get your chosen country, you may want to  visit www.patchfun.com to see if they have a patch for your country.  They would be a very cute addition to your Thinking Day patch.

Bring Your Troop, Bring Your Friends and Join us for Amity Girl Scouts' Thinking Day 2015

Thinking Day 2015

2015 Thinking Day Theme: 

“We Can Create Peace through Partnerships”

Hosted by Cadette Troop 60145 and Junior Troop 60858

 

Sunday March 8, 2015

2:30pm – 4:30pm

*Set up at 2:00 pm

Holy Infant Gym * 450 Racebrook Road * Orange

New this year: 
Amity Girl Scouts Chorus
Join our Girl Scout Chorus for a performance of “We Are the World” at the conclusion of the Thinking Day presentations.   The Chorus will be led by Suzanne Vick of RVP Studios. Come join the fun!   Mandatory rehearsals for Chorus:  Sundays, February 22nd and March 1st
at Orange Congregational Church, From 3 – 4:15 p.m. in the Sanctuary, 205 Meetinghouse Lane, Orange.  Please RSVP to Allison at amislow at metlife.com with any Troops or individual Girl Scouts who would like to participate! 

This Year's Service Project:  Amity Girl Scouts Support ReRun Shoes

In keeping with the theme and to do something to help developing countries, we ask all the Girl Scouts in the service unit collect gently used shoes, to bring to Thinking Day. Even if your troop can't come, we hope you can join in on this Service Unit service project. Rerun shoes collects gently used shoes, sneakers, sport sandals, women's flats, and cleats (no flip flops, heels, Crocs, boots) to help the less fortunate in African countries.  Rerun promotes sustainable development-by helping the micro-entrepreneurs in poor African nations and keeping good reusable shoes out of landfills.  In addition, Rerun employs people with disabilities here in the US to prepare the shoes for shipment to Africa.

Thinking Day Celebration Recounted

The Girl Scouts of the Amity Service Unit celebrated World Thinking Day in March with a tri-town event featuring international food, displays and a variety of performances in the gym of Holy Infant Church in Orange.  Over 200 girls, friends and even Girl Scout lifetime members, Marilyn Welch & Elaine Capecelatro both of Orange, participated in the event which reminds Girl Scouts to think about Girl Scouts and Girl Guides all over the world.  

On this annual day of friendship, advocacy and fundraising for girls around the world (traditionally celebrated 2/22), the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts ("WAGGGS") asks Girl Scouts around the world to focus their Thinking Day themes on the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. The Amity Service Unit event, organized by Junior Troop 60145 of Orange and Cadette Troop 61099 of Woodbridge, promoted MDG2 (universal primary education), with the theme "education opens doors for all girls and boys".  

The dozen area troops who attended this memorable event brought used book donations to promote education and literacy in the local community. Over 300 books were collected and recently donated the the Literacy Center of Milford to be used for the "Books for Birthday" program.  

Girl Scouts of Connecticut is the largest organization of women and girls in Connecticut, serving over 43,000 girls. Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.  For more information about joining or volunteering with Girl Scouts in the Amity area, contact GSCTAmitySU@gmail.com or contact Anita Silvestro, Membership & Marketing Director at asilvestro@gsofct.org

Not too late for Thinking Day!

Happy Girl Scout Thinking Day!  February 22!

TODAY we think about Girl Scouts around the world.  
Check out the Girl Scout USA blog for a little video about Thinking Day:
http://blog.girlscouts.org

The Amity Girl Scouts are celebrating Thinking Day next week on Sunday March 2 with their annual Thinking Day event at Holy Infant Gymnasium.  There is still time to participate!  Your troop doesn't even have to prepare a country - they can just come and learn about some countries from other scouts and collect SWAPs.  It's $2 at the door, but we'd love to know if you are coming so please email us ASAP at GSCTAmitySU@gmail.com

"Visit" countries from around the world, collect swaps, watch some dancing and presentations about the countries.  Your parents can also bid on Silent Auction prizes.  Water, juice and coffee will be available for sale.  Don't forget to wear your Girl Scout uniform and definitely bring a friend to introduce them to Girl Scouting!

Time to Plan Thinking Day!

Thinking Day 2014

2014 Thinking Day Theme: “Education opens doors for all Girls and Boys”

Hosted by Junior Troop 60145 and Cadette Troop 61099

Sunday March 2, 2014

2:00pm – 5:00pm

Holy Infant Gym * 450 Racebrook Road * Orange

** Please bring gently used books to donate to local charities **

TROOP CHECKLIST (before Thinking Day)

• Reserve your country
• Send in your Troop registration ($2 per Girl Scout and $2 per adult- overestimate if you need, to ensure they all get patches on Thinking Day)
• Prepare a Themed Basket for the Silent Auction ($25 value maximum)
• Research your chosen country, and make a table display to include at least 3 of the following: flag, map, games, language, Girl Scout/Girl Guide uniforms, customs, geography, food, GS promise)
• Make a pinnable SWAP which is representative of your country (~150)- optional but fun!.
• Prepare a presentation (optional). Past presentations have included dance performances, videos, dance instruction, poems, songs or speeches.
• Bring an appetizer, salad or desert for your country (15 pieces)
• Invite family and friends to come and see your Girl Scouts’ hard work! It will be $2 at the door per person and there will be tables and plenty of seating for everyone. 

TROOP CHECKLIST (on Thinking Day)

• Bring tablecloth & table decorations. Setup your table from 2:00pm – 2:30pm
• Bring your Themed Basked to Silent Auction
• Bring bit-sized appetizer, food or dessert for your country (200 pieces)- optional
• Bring SWAPS and a hat to pin your collected SWAPS on! (SWAPS are optional)
• Enjoy learning about Girl Scouts around the world!
• Learn about the worldwide Thinking Day Theme: “Education Opens doors for all Girls and Boys”
• Try some food, collect some SWAPS, and bid on the silent auction with your leaders, friends or parents!
• Receive your Thinking Day Patch!

RSVP to Natalie Johnson at nvj0517@gmail.com with Country Choice, # of attendees, Food Choice that you will bring to share (App/Salad/Dessert), Basket Theme

BASKET THEME IDEAS

Each troop is asked to bring a themed basked for the Silent Auction with a $25 maximum value. Here are some ideas:

Your Troop’s Country Basket (with books, souvenirs, food), Gardening Basket, Cooking Basket (include recipes from the troop), Nail Salon Basket, Make-up Basket, Hair Style Basket, American Girl Basket (such as AG books or crafts), Littlest Pet Shop, Reading Basket (favorite books), Music Basket, Justice Basket, Craft Basket, Country Basket with Food Items/Recipes from your country, Oscar Night Basket, etc. Be creative & fun!

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!