Martinez, Pleasant Hill and Concord, California Girl Scouts of San Francisco Bay Area NUGGETS: An Association Publication FEBRUARY 2000

 Just a note about the importance of service in the Girl Scout program. Currently, we encourage Girl Scout troops to participate in some kind of service project.  Why?  Service is a way that girls can contribute to their community.  It also is a positive public relations tool. If people in the community see Girl Scouts actively involved in service, they are more likely to support our program with donations or purchases of products.

Service has taken a bigger role in education as well.  Many high schools now require students to have a certain number of community service hours in  order to participate.  Some colleges are also requiring service.  If girls  learn to serve the community at a young age, service can become a part of their lives.  Ask adult volunteers why they serve.  More than likely, many of  them will say they were involved in service as youths.  Our girls serving the  community can be positive role models for their peers.

The problems of the community cannot be overcome if its citizens are not involved in the solution.  Our goal is to encourage girls to see the benefits of service and the benefits of being involved citizens.   If enough  "ants" join together they can overcome a mountain.

Thank you, Peggy Wallace, Association Chair

HELP FOR THE HOMELESS In December, 1999, Brownie Girl Scout Troop 2592 participated in a wonderful service project. Each girl brought a shoe box to a meeting and decorated it.  The girls brainstormed items that homeless might need, such as combs, brushes, toothpaste and tooth brushes, soap, wash cloths, warm socks, hats, mittens, hard candy (Jelly Bellys) and rain ponchos.  They then brought these items to fill the shoe boxes for homeless people.  The boxes were donated to Shelter Inc.  Rob Draim, the Community Outreach Coordinator, came to a meeting to accept the boxes from the girls and talk with them about homelessness, which includes children, in Contra Costa County. He also answered their many questions.The girls learned a lot about homelessness and received a letter from Mr. Draim telling them that the boxes went to children like themselves.

SERVICE PROJECTS IDEAS Making Things Making decorations for a party at a nursing home Making baby boxes for new mothers  Assembling care packages for victims of a disaster  Assembling a mailing for a non-profit agency  Making posters for a special event  Making a toy box for the hospital waiting room

SERVICE PROJECT IDEAS Helping the Earth   Planting trees in your neighborhood for Arbor Day   Collecting seeds for a seed bank   Educating others about different ways to conserve energy and water   Taking part in a stream survey   Participating in an Audubon Christmas Bird Count   Stenciling stream protection symbols on street drains   Helping at an environmental fair for the community   Making bird houses or bat houses for a camp or park Helping Others   Providing child care at a women's conference   Reading to kids at your local library   Volunteering at a community health fair   Helping with registration at a breast cancer walk-a-thon   Showing seniors how to use a computer for e-mail   Shopping for someone who is ill   Serving at a soup kitchen   Helping at the Special Olympics Fixing Things   Cleaning up a vacant lot and planting flowers   Doing repairs on an elderly person's home   Painting or stenciling garbage cans for a local park   Helping to fix toys for a holiday give-away   Sanding and repainting park tables and benches   Painting and furnishing a room at a women's shelter Helping Girl Scouts   Representing your council by doing a flag ceremony at a community event   Volunteering at a Girl Scout event   Planning an event for younger girls   Cleaning up a campsite   Planting flowers at the council office   Putting on a special demonstration at an association meeting   Being on a Girl Scout board committee or task group as a girl member

SUCCESSFUL SERVICE PROJECTS reprinted by permission of Girl Scouts of the United States of America,from the GSUSA Just for Girls web site at http://www.girlscouts.org/girls/ How do you know when you have a good service project? It is safe It helps others or the environment It accomplishes something that is needed It involves the people who you are helping as partners in the service It is something that can be sustained by the community or those organized to do service It follows the guidelines in GSUSA's Safety-Wise. Things to avoid: Some options are limited by GSUSA policies As a Girl Scout, you cannot raise funds for another organization. You cannot endorse commercial projects or services unless you have received permission from GSUSA, and it is in keeping with Girl Scouts principles and activities. You cannot work on or support a political campaign. Hints for Organizing a Service Project Once you have decided on your service project, here are some helpful hints: Make some decisions. What kind of information do you need? How much will it cost? Where will the money come from? Can you get material and support from the community? What kind of special permission do you need? Have you read Safety-Wise and your council guidelines? What are the guidelines of the organization you are helping? Plan your calendar. Is there a set date for the event? Who do you need to meet with and when? If you are setting dates, who do you need to consult with? What kind of planning time and preparation time is needed? What kinds of plans do you need to make? Do you need committees to work out the details? Do you need to arrange for special tools or materials? Do you need transportation? Are parents going to help? What about food for the workers? What about first aid? Do you need signs, flyers, or posters? Will you wear uniforms or something to identify yourselves as Girl Scouts? Do you have a bad weather plan? Just Do It! Do you have a designated person to go to in case of problems? Have fun! Keep a record of those who help. Evaluate what was done. What did you like about the project? What would you do differently? Did you accomplish your goals? Is there a reason you wouldn't do it again? Is it a project that will sustain itself? Share your successes. Thank those who helped you. Celebrate your success. Let our Girl Scout council know what you did and how it went.

Cookie Sale Tips

I have been asked many times how I sell 1,000 boxes of cookies to earn the Cookie Hall of Fame. Mom says we sell them "one box at a time". My mom and I have listed some tips here.

1. Preparation: Earn the cookie badge/Try-It/IPP before the sale starts and use that to develop your marketing plan, create booth signs, and set written goals. Set an individual goal higher than last year and set a troop goal. Identify it in your signs. "If you believe it, it will be so!"
2. Customer Service: Always smile and be polite even if they say no. Know all about your cookies. Practice sales techniques. Focus on your customer, not eating cookies, playing, making signs or counting boxes left during booth sales. Always stand when selling at booth sales, just like sales helpers in the stores. Mom says our troop is the best at this.
3. Customer Sales: Save all your old slips and circle names of everyone who bought more than one box. Sell by phone from that list to save time or when it rains. Make copies of your cookie sheet to give to relatives for work. Always have a blank cookie sheet with you in case someone wants to ask a friend if they want any cookies. When you deliver, ask if they need more cookies before you run out. And mom says, "Sell cookies to anyone you buy goods or services from regularly!" You are their customer, so they can be yours.
4. Customer Problems: Take away objections. After the first weekend we say "Do you want to buy more cookies?" "You can freeze extra cookies." "This is our last weekend till next year" "Do you have enough cookies for everyone?" "Have you tried the new cookies yet?"
5. Inventory: This is from dad. Always have more cookies on the first day than you think you will need. If you urge the girls to continue to take orders after the first order you will need more than you expect. When girls start delivering cookies other people who did not order want to buy some right at that moment! If you run out at booth sales you have lost sales. From Mom - for two years our followup orders have doubled our first order. Leaders, work carefully with the cookie cupboard. We even carry cookies in the car.
6. Share your prizes with your family members who help in the delivery. They are part of your team and do all the heavy lifting. You want their help next year.

From the Editor

Coincidentally, most of the recent submissions were related to troop service projects. This seemed like a wonderful opportunity to spotlight Girl Scout service.

In addition, Julia Simpson sent a wonderful article about cookie sales. It is so timely, now that we are into the cookie sales season, I wanted to make sure everyone had an opportunity to learn from her experience.

Finally, look for the last Nuggets issue of the year some time in May, which will have a focus on Girl Scouts and the out-of- doors. Let me encourage ALL of you to send in your best experiences in the out-of-doors with Girl Scouts to share with the entire association. Email  your articles to  nuggets@phgsa.org before April 1 for publication in our outdoors issue.

Your Nuggets Editor
Sheila Pallotta
 

Last updated on  March 2, 2000