Year-round, you support our efforts to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. On December 10, 2019, you can make your gift go even further. Colorado Gives Day is an annual statewide effort to celebrate and increase philanthropy through online giving. To make giving even easier, schedule your donation TODAY by using this link: https://www.coloradogives.org/index.php?section=organizations&action=newDonation&fwID=6854 By supporting Girl Scouts of Colorado on Colorado Gives Day, your donation dollars go further than they would on any other day of the year. That’s because the FirstBank Incentive Fund increases all donations made on December 10! Every nonprofit receiving a donation on Colorado Gives Day receives a portion of the incentive fund, which increases the value of every dollar donated. Schedule your donation today or give on December 10 at https://www.coloradogives.org/index.php?section=organizations&action=newDonation&fwID=6854.  Once you do, share one of these two images on your social media accounts and be sure to tag Girl Scouts of Colorado. #ColoradoGivesDay #ColoradoGivesDay2019 #CouncilNews #funddevelopment

Food Service Request Updates: A change has been made to our Food Service policy (reflected in our Terms and Conditions and Site User Handbook). “Food Service for Tomahawk must be requested through the Food Service Request form no later than 60 days prior to the guest’s arrival date. Any Food Service Forms completed with less than 60 days’ notice will incur a $5 per person late charge. Food Service Forms completed with less than 15 days’ notice will not be accommodated. If the reservation is made less than 60 days from the arrival date the request must be completed within a week from the booking date.” For any questions please reach email jensen.london@gscolorado.org Activity Request Updates: A change has been made to our Activity Request policy (reflected in our Terms and Conditions and Site User Handbook). “Activities vary by location and may not be offered at all properties. Staff-led activities are subject to staff availability. Activities must be requested through the Activity Request Form no later than 60 days prior to the guest’s arrival date.  Any submissions received within 59 days of a guest’s arrival will not be accommodated.  If the reservation is made less than 60 days from the arrival date the request must be completed within a week from the booking date. After the Activity Interest Form is received, activities will be verified with the camp director and guest.  Any changes to staff-led activities must be communicated with the camp staff more than 15 days prior to a guest’s arrival.  Within 15 days of a guest’s reservation, only additions to activities will be permitted.” For any questions please email jensen.london@gscolorado.org

Submitted by Stephanie Cote Metro Denver Northglenn Troop 66796 completed the Junior level of the cybersecurity patch requirements! They learned the vastness of the network of the Internet and the connection needed to send a message from one to another. The process showed the girls that there are many lines and servers needed for connection. They also learned “that messages going to a bad server voice back.” Because the girls wanted to include the whole troop, they discovered the time and effort needed for global connection. The girls took the activity to another level by exploring the movement of the messages and changing the levels of down servers (as seen in the photo). They also thought of the cyberspace from our troop level to the global level. By completing this activity, the girls will earn this special cybersecurity patch. Learn how to earn yours. #STEM #cybersecuritypatch #cybersecurity #MetroDenver #Northglenn

Wednesday, October 30, 2019, Girl Scouts of Colorado honored the 2019 Women of Distinction during the Thin Mint Dinner at the Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center. The 2019 Women of Distinction for the Denver metro-area are: Marti J. Awad, Founding Partner, Cardan Capital Partners The Honorable Dianne L. Briscoe Elycia Cook, President and CEO, FRIENDS FIRST, Inc. Helen Drexler, President and CEO, Delta Dental of Colorado Verónica Figoli, President and CEO, Denver Public Schools Foundation Helen Young Hayes, Founder and CEO, Activate Workforce Solutions Vanecia B. Kerr, Regional Executive Director, College Track Colorado Theresa Szczurek, Chief Information Officer and Executive Director, Colorado Governor’s Office of Information Technology Dr. Sarah Winbourn, Medical Director, Kids First Health Care Robin D. Wittenstein, CEO, Denver Health A group of nearly 450 gathered at the event, which was chaired by Women of Distinction Tasha Jones ’15 and Michelle Lucero ‘13. The honorees were selected by a committee of their peers led by Selection Chair Kim Bimestefer ‘15. They are shining examples of corporate, civic, and philanthropic leadership and serve as role models for our female leaders of tomorrow. New for 2019! Girl Scouts of Colorado recognized the first-ever Corporate Champion – Crocs! This award recognizes hard work in advancing women in their industry, supporting and encouraging women and girls, and working to raise awareness about remarkable women. The evening’s keynote speaker was Gold Award Girl Scout Emily Kretschmer from Colorado Springs and recipient of the Stephanie A. Foote Leadership Prize for Gold Award Excellence. Click here to see pictures from the event! And, be sure to watch Emily’s keynote speech, and listen to the inspiring words from our 2019 Honorees and Corporate Champion, Crocs! Thank you to all of our generous event sponsors, including Silver Presenting Sponsor, Crocs, and Samoa Sponsors: Arrow, BBVA Compass, Cardan Capital Partners, Delta Dental, Hogan Lovells, and Volunteers of America. Since 1997 Girl Scouts of Colorado has recognized 446 Denver-area women with this honor. More than $2 million has been raised by Women of Distinction for Girl Scout programs. For more information on the Girl Scouts Women of Distinction program, visit girlscoutsofcolorado.org/woddenver or contact heidi.books@gscolorado.org or (303) 607-4833. #ThinMintDinner #2019ThinMintDinner #Denver #funddevelopment #2019WomenofDistinction #MetroDenver #WomenofDistinction #WomenofDistinctionDenver #alumnaenews #CouncilNews #2019WomenofDistinctionDenver

Thursday, November 7, 2019, Girl Scouts of Colorado honored the 2019 Women of Distinction during a breakfast held at Two Rivers Convention Center. 2019 Women of Distinction for the Western Slope-area are: Jenn Moore, Executive Director of the EUREKA! McConnell Science Museum Angelina Salazar, CEO, Western Healthcare Alliance Diane Schwenke, President & CEO, Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce A group of nearly 330 gathered at the event, which was chaired by Women of Distinction LeAnn Zetmeir ’18. The honorees were selected by a committee of their peers led by Selection Chair Jeni Brown ‘18. They are shining examples of corporate, civic, and philanthropic leadership and serve as role models for our female leaders of tomorrow. The morning’s keynote speakers were Gold Award Girl Scout Kyra TerLouw and Silver Award Girl Scout Bella Gigoux. Since 2013, Girl Scouts of Colorado has recognized 21 Grand Junction-area women with this honor. More than $42,000 was raised at this year’s breakfast for Girl Scout programs. Thank you to our Gold Presenting Sponsor, U.S. Bank, and Silver Presenting Sponsors Chevron and FCI Constructors. For more information on the Girl Scouts Women of Distinction program, visit our website –http://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/wodgj – or contact Cindi Graves Cindi.graves@gscolorado.org or (970) 628-8003. Click here for photos from the event. #2019WomenofDistinctionBreakfast #GrandJunction #WomenofDistinctionbreakfast #funddevelopment #2019WomenofDistinction #WesternColorado #WomenofDistinction #WomenofDistinctionWesternSlope #2019WomenofDistinctionWesternSlope

Submitted by Tiffany Stone Metro Denver Englewood Join Girl Scouts in Denver for our third annual Girl Scout Craft Fair on Saturday, November 16, 2019 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.  at Bethany Lutheran Church (4500 Hampden Ave.  Denver 80113). These entrepreneurs have been working hard creating, testing out, and finalizing their products! All items will be under $20.  All items are girl created, designed, and made!  Bring your friends and family to this fun event to start your holiday season. *pictures are from last years craft fair. 40963104_craft_fair_flyer This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments, too. #englewood #GirlScoutCraftFair #GSCOevents #MetroDenver

What did you do for your Gold Award project? For my project, I completely remodeled the children’s space inside of the TESSA safehouse, as well as provided inventory boxes for the residents which can be used to store and catalog their personal belongings. I chose this project because, after my initial meeting with A TESSA administrator,  I could see that TESSA, despite all of their amazing work, occasionally struggles to create a welcoming space for families staying in their safe house, and especially with creating a space dedicated solely to kids, but still easily managed by parents and safe-house staff. I could see that children needed a space where they could just be kids, to allow them to build positive relationships among themselves and with other children, and to escape some of the trauma they have undoubtedly experienced. Similarly, I could see a clear need for a dedicated personal space for the safehouse residents to store their belongings. I felt that the inventory box portion of the project would give residents a sense of belonging for the duration of their stay, and help give some sense of order and perhaps even mitigate anxieties they may have after experiencing  an amazingly traumatic situation, I felt my project for the safehouse had the potential to have an immense and far reaching impact on many lives; which Is ultimately why I chose this as my project. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? The most profound example of the impact of my project that I saw was the direct feedback from the families in the safehouse, and the impact redoing the space  had on their lives. One Saturday, when my mom and I were stocking the space with toys, several women came up to us. A couple asked if we flipped houses for a living, one young mother came up to us – nearly in tears – thanking us for what we were doing for the house, and many others remarked how wonderful it was as they walked by. Unparalleled to their reactions, however, were the reactions of the children. We hardly took the first box of toys off of our cart before the kids had opened it and began looking in wonder at all of the new toys. Kids of all ages began playing with one another and were just unimaginably excited. Someone even remarked that it was like Christmas and their birthday all in one. The following week, when I delivered the inventory boxes to TESSA, I did not have the time to personally visit the safehouse and my play space, but the staff members I spoke to were moved almost to the point of tears. They kept reiterating how amazing I was, and how much I had done to change things for the better. One staff member told me that I had “completely changed the atmosphere of the entire house” and the adults and children were coming together to play, make art, and keep the space clean and organized in ways that were unprecedented before. And to me, this positive impact on those inside the Safehouse is the most meaningful thing my Gold award accomplished. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? After my involvement, my project will be sustained in several ways. The play space will be cleaned and maintained by safehouse residents and staff, and the space will be restocked with toys from the donations TESSA regularly receives as needed. As for the inventory box portion, I have created an information letter written in both English and Spanish, as well as an inventory sheet, which can be easily copied after the originals (which I bound together like a legal pad) run out. Similarly, I have received promises from the TESSA safehouse staff to offer the inventory boxes to existing and incoming residents for as long as possible. Due to the clandestine nature of the safehouse program, and privacy of the residents, I could not explain the inventory box program to the women and children inside the safehouse personally, but I received lots of enthusiasm from the staff members, as well as promises to present and maintain the program for years to come. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? Several months prior to me beginning my Gold Award project, I read an article for a homework assignment about the Syrian refugee crisis, and more specifically about the intense psychological trauma – trauma so severe it should be called “Human Devastation Syndrome” rather than PTSD – experienced by the children and their families, who had fled unimaginable situations of violence, war, devastation, and gone toward an equally uncertain and frightening future. The article focused on the severely under addressed need for psychological care and trauma management among these survivors; and particularly the need to reshape trauma as it happened for the countless children arriving to Europe as refugees – turning the terrified children into brave heroes who had saved their families and ensured their safe travels across the Mediterranean sea. When I first toured the safehouse at TESSA as I was searching for a Gold Award project, I realized that these women and children who have fled horrible situation of domestic violence and abuse are in their own way, refugees. These women and children turn to TESSA for an escape and for hope. While TESSA does an amazing job of focusing on the psychological care of women and children in the community, they cannot meet every need that occurs. I wanted to provide for these children a place to just play, and be kids; possibly helping to reframe some of the traumas they had experienced, just as crisis workers in the Mediterranean are attempting to do. What did you learn about yourself? I have learned many things over the course of this project including the importance of patience and time management, adaptive problem solving, and even some cabinetry skills! Firstly, I had several instances of “email tag” where I would send an email, only to have the recipient be out of town, and then have them reply while I was out of town or service. This generalized delay in communications (again, it was summertime and I and others are balancing work and the other events of life) did occasionally present some setbacks. For example, while I began work on my project in April, I could not get my official proposal approved until June due to various conflicts in the month of May. This instance and other things like it helped me develop some patience, and adaptability – as my timeline for this project was radically adjusted more than once. Similarly, when planning my money earning activity, I originally wanted to organize a community yard sale where people could rent spaces to sell their stuff, and I contacted Sunrise Church to see about using their parking lot for this event. I did not immediately hear from their operations manager, and although I eventually got approval, I did not have a single community member ask to reserve a space at the sale and was forced to cancel it last minute. Instead, however, I was able to organize a babysitting night, which turned out to be very successful, and I was able to complete the project without a hitch! I know that many people, myself included, were concerned that  I was attempting to complete my Gold Award on such short notice, but through the process I discovered that I can work well under pressure, as I can better focus my energies and work with direction and purpose, which results in a project that is both thorough and well executed. And while it has been a bit stressful having my absolute deadline for completion of my Gold Award and my departure for college happen in the same weekend, I feel that it has not negatively impacted my project and I have learned from the experience. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? Earning my Gold Award project has made me a more aware and active citizen at both the local and global levels. It has also given me the tools to take agency in my own life and the confidence to act on my ideas, and to do things purely for the benefit of others. It has shown me that I can do whatever I set my mind to, and has opened a new world of opportunities for me as a Gold Award recipient by showing others that I have the dedication to see a project like this through. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? For me, earning my Gold Award is the culmination of my entire Girl Scout experience, and the chance for me to use all that I have learned as a Girl Scout to do something impactful for others. Personally, it has given me a new sense of confidence and has shown me that I can absolutely make an impact on the world at large and on things that I am passionate about. Its one of the most incredible things for me to be able to talk about something of this magnitude and say, “I did that!”. Without my years of Girl Scouts experience, however, I do not think I would have had the wherewithal and the skills required to plan, organize, and execute this project as fully as I did, which makes the  experience all the more valuable. Through the course of my time in Girl Scouts, and through this project; I have learned so many valuable skills, had unforgettable experiences, and made some of my closest friends, all of which I would not trade for the world. How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? Through my Gold Award Project, I used every aspect of the G.I.R.L. platform to accomplish my goals. I was a “go-getter” because I understood from very early on that I had a limited amount of time to complete my project and was able to plan and set a timetable for everything that needed to get done. I was an “innovator” because I was able to improvise and revise my project when things didn’t work out exactly the way I thought they would, and because I was able to find a creative solution to a difficult problem in my community. I was a “risk-taker” because when I decided to take on this project, I did not know if it would ever get off the ground, but I decided that I was going to finish the project regardless of what went wrong along the way. And finally, I was a “leader” because I was able to ask for and organize help to complete my project, and bring people together to work toward a common cause and do something good. **IMPORTANT NOTE: This blog represents only a small fraction of the hard work, dedication, and requirements that go into earning a Girl Scout Gold Award. It is simply a brief summary, which is meant to inspire Girl Scouts to Go Gold in the future. For more information on earning your Gold Award, please email highestawards@gscolorado.org. #GoldAward #HighestAwards #ColoradoSprings #GoldAwardGirlScout #RampartHighSchool #GirlScoutGoldAward #TakeAction #PikesPeak

Girl Scout Cadette, Senior, and Ambassadors: On November 6, 2019, Girl Scouts of Colorado sent out an email encouraging you to apply for a Girl Scout Destination. Well, we had a little technology issue and the dates were wrong from the application submission deadline. Here is the correct information: Girl applications are due with completed references for Round 1 by December 1, 2019. We encourage girls to complete their application by November 15 to allow time for their references to complete their reference form. If you do not get your application completed by December 1, 2019, you can still apply in the Round 2, which applications with completed references are due by February 15, 2020. Also, Girl Scouts in Colorado traveling on GSUSA Destinations are invited to apply for financial assistance to support trips confirmed or completed by December 31, 2020. Application closes on March 6, 2020 and girls will be notified by March 13, 2020. Sorry again for any confusion this may have caused. If you have any other questions, please email GirlExperience@gscolorado.org. #GirlScoutDestinations #travel

What did you do for your Gold Award project? My project addressed the social stigmas and lack of understanding for people’s diverse talents and passions. My goal was to increase attendance at regularly lower attended events and increase the amount of school spirit through the organization of more school events. My target audience was the students at my high school with the intent to inform other high schools of the program’s results and create a guide or template on how to create a program like mine at other schools. As my project progressed, I realized that I needed to focus on why students weren’t attending events, so I partnered with the school administration and PTO to find alternate ways to communicate with students about events going on in my school. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? As you will see below from my presentation, my initial goals were not being met, but after reflection and refocus of the project, I was able to more effectively communicate events through the PTO, administration, and to students. End of semester one reflection: Not seeing the attendance that I wanted to be seeing at that point Was asking RALC group for ideas and they still weren’t working Felt like I was a failure and wasn’t making a difference Needed to get to the root cause of attendance I needed more help, so I partnered with my school’s booster club and found that: Root of low attendance with communication Also, an issue with general school spirit Allowed me to better communicate and connect with my school administration How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? My project will continue to be sustained for years to come. Since I did my project as part of the leadership academy at my school, I was able to work with the junior class and get a junior (now senior) to commit to continuing my project into the next school year. This individual is very passionate about school spirit and is involved in multiple extra-curricular activities, making her a perfect fit for this project. My leadership academy director also has expressed how much she enjoys this program and is committed to keeping it running in the years to come. By sharing my project with other schools, it will also be sustained because similar programs may start to pop up throughout the area and spread. While these programs might not be the exact same as mine they will be addressing the same or similar issues that I focused on. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? I was able to send my project to other schools in the midwest. Our school leadership group had partnered with another school to learn about the Leadership Academy. I was able to send my project to those individuals. What did you learn about yourself? I learned about project organization, time management, flexibility, and being open to change. Even though my initial project objectives weren’t being met, I was able to regroup and refocus my objectives to a more narrow project. I thought I would be able to increase attendance at events, but I discovered that finding better and broader ways of communication could be effective in increasing awareness, which will drive attendance. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? I will be able to take the skills I learned, specifically communication with adults, learning to preserve, being flexible, and open to suggestions from others. These skills will be used in college in my classes, honors activities, and with my soccer team and coaches. I learned that communicating and sharing of ideas with others can help to keep projects moving forward and be successful. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? The Gold Award was an important part of Girl Scouts as it takes all the skills and talents that you learn over the years and puts them together into one large project.  I enjoyed completing the Journeys with my troop members. We were a troop from several different schools and it was always interesting to see how other schools were dealing with issues. Being responsible for a large project: planning, organizing, implementing, and completing it can be very rewarding.  As I mentioned, I learned a lot of new skills and learned about working with other people of all ages. How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? I believe the Gold Award helped me to become even more of a go-getter. I have always worked at being organized and staying on top of homework and projects, while playing soccer at the highest level possible. Being a go-getter has helped me get where I am today, at a Division 1 college, playing soccer, while obtaining a college degree, with a focus in nursing. I am also a part of the honors program at my college. When I see something that I want, I figure out what it will take to get it, and I work hard to achieve my goals. **IMPORTANT NOTE: This blog represents only a small fraction of the hard work, dedication, and requirements that go into earning a Girl Scout Gold Award. It is simply a brief summary, which is meant to inspire Girl Scouts to Go Gold in the future. For more information on earning your Gold Award, please email highestawards@gscolorado.org. #GoldAward #HighestAwards #NorthernampNortheasternCO #Longmont #GoldAwardGirlScout #GirlScoutGoldAward #SilverCreekHighSchool #TakeAction

Submitted by Tiffany Baker Metro Denver Highlands Ranch Cadette Troop 59 is inviting Girl Scouts of all levels to an ugly sweater party on  Saturday, December 14, 2019 at the Highlands Ranch Library. Celebrate the diversity of our holiday season by participating in an ugly sweater contest, trading holiday themed SWAPS, singing songs, and playing fun games with your Girl Scout sisters. Sign up on the GSCO Events Calendar: https://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/events-repository/2019/ugly_sweater_party_m.html This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments, too. #GSCOevents #HighlandsRanch #MetroDenver

Submitted by Jordan Cadena Metro Denver Thornton Join Troop 66742 on December 20, 2019 anytime from 5 – 10 p.m. at Northglenn Christian Church (1800 E. 105th Pl., Northglenn 80233) for an exciting night of fun while your parents enjoy a night out or get some holiday shopping done! Girls can choose to play games, craft, earn a few badges, watch movies, and more! Make a Christmas present for your family, shop our holiday store, or just enjoy a night of FUN! Cost is $12 per girl. Additional dinner option is $5 (includes two pieces of pizza and a drink) Parents: We have gift wrappers who can wrap any of your presents for tips! So, bring your gifts and enjoy some fun with the girls while you wait for your presents to be wrapped or drop them off with your Girl Scout(s) and pick them up when you’re ready! All proceeds will go towards our travel squad’s Costa Rica 2020 tour and/or our Europe 2023 tour. Badge options include: Daisy: Eco Learner, Honest and Fair Petal, and Outdoor Art Maker Brownie: Dancer, Fair Play, Making Friends, and Painter Junior: Girl Scout Way, Scribe, and Social Butterfly Use this link to register/learn more about the event: https://my.cheddarup.com/c/troop-66742-travel-squad 40963104_girls_night_out This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments, too. #GSCOevents #MetroDenver #Northglenn #Thornton

Submitted by Maria Cross Northern & Northeastern CO Longmont Where better to earn your Junior “Think Like An Engineer” Journey than at Tomahawk Ranch! Join Ambassador Troop 78527 for a fun-filled overnight camp. Who: Girl Scout Junior troops or Juliettes with adult Dates: Saturday, January 25 to Sunday, January 26, 2020 When: Arrive at 3 – 4 p.m. Saturday, Depart at 2 p.m. Sunday Where: Tomahawk Ranch Girl Scout Camp near Bailey- enjoy heated cabins with bunk beds and bathrooms Cost: $70 per girl $40 per adult. Girls must attend with adult. Adults above safety-wise ratios pay girl rate. Price does not include Journey award patches. Registration deadline: Tuesday, January 7, 2020 During this fun Journey camp, Juniors will have a blast finding out how engineers use “design” thinking to solve problems. The Ambassadors will guide them in three design thinking activities to explore hands-on what it’s like to think like an engineer. You will also receive the materials needed for your group to work on a design project to help others. Your girls can take their design project with them to share with their community to complete their Take Action Project are complete their Journey! Register/pay online https://junior-think-like-an-engineer-journey-in-a-day.cheddarup.com or mail in registration form below. 40963104_tle_junior_flyer_registration This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments, too. #Journey #ThinkLikeanEngineer #GSCOevents #STEM #NorthernampNortheasternCO #Longmont #GirlScoutJunior #GirlScoutJuniors #Junior #GirlScoutCamp #ThinkLikeanEngineerJourney #TomahawkRanch #Journeys #Juniors #MetroDenver #camp