This spring 42 Colorado Girl Scouts will receive the Gold Award, the highest achievement in Girl Scouts. These young women are challenged to change the world – or at least their corner of it. Gold Award Girl Scouts are making the world a better place. They’ve completed a large-scale project that solves a community problem not only in the short-term but for years into the future. By doing so, they’ve gained extraordinary skills that mark them as valuable contributors to their communities and world. This year’s Colorado Gold Award projects benefited communities around the world. Topics varied from mental health, improving the environment, increasing literacy rates among children, physical health, home safety, boating safety, bullying, access to technology, and more. The following Colorado Girl Scouts are among the 42 statewide who will receive the prestigious Gold Award for the 2018-19 Girl Scout awards year: Mia Aguon from Parker, Ponderosa High School, was inspired to prevent the use of vaporizers inside of businesses in her community. She created straightforward and informative “No Smoking Including E-Cigarettes” signs to raise awareness for customers and allow business owners to be supported in not allowing indoor vaping. Brittany Argo from Aurora, Cherokee Trail High School, built a prayer garden at St. Michael the Archangel’s and aided in the construction of a prayer garden at a church in the Philippines. Danise Bachman from Northglenn, Colorado Preparatory Academy, discovered through her own experience with grief a lack of resources for children, especially around the holidays. She partnered with Judi’s House to create thoughtful coloring and activity pages for children experiencing grief to reflect on their special person. Evyn Batie from Loveland, Mountain View High School, led a team of students to create the Northern Colorado Student Mental Health Resource Guide, an electronic compilation of some of the best youth mental health resources across the region. Mackenzie Block from Colorado Springs, Liberty High School, partnered with Ronald McDonald Charities to create a treasure closet, so children staying at the house in Colorado Springs can play with and check-out new and engaging toys. She also put together a how-to guide, which she shared with other Ronald McDonald Charities across Colorado and the United States. Inspired by her own struggles with mental illness, Trinity Brubaker from Longmont, Lyons Middle/Senior High School, created a Free Little Library focused on mental health resources. She also developed and taught a comprehensive curriculum to local students to raise awareness about mental health issues. After learning that many people don’t know how often they need to replace their smoke detectors and the dangers of having a defective smoke detector, Cassidy Christian from Highlands Ranch took action. She developed a “Smoke Detector 101” resource in Spanish and English. She also designed and distributed magnets to remind families to change their smoke detectors. Bryce Civiello from Evergreen, Conifer High School, designed a rack card for teens that can help them take the first steps toward getting help from a mental health professional. Emily Clark from Colorado Springs, Rampart High School, used her own artistic ability to create a comprehensive and engaging art curriculum for fourth graders centered around what it means to be a naturalist. She partnered with a local school to teach the lessons herself and adapt the program to be used in many different educational settings. Emma Conroy from Golden, Golden High School, lives with epilepsy and was inspired to help children who may feel intimidated by getting an EEG, so she created an educational video on what to expect when getting an EEG. She also developed an informative card to direct individuals to her video and partnered with local hospitals to share it with patients and families. Kayla Davis from Granby, Middle Park High School, designed, built, and installed an adaptive obstacle course for the National Sports Center for the Disabled for use with their athletes. She also acquired a grant to purchase a box trailer to easily transport the obstacle course so more athletes can use it across Colorado. Daisy Deane from Littleton, Regis Jesuit High School, partnered with Carson Nature Center to build mason bee houses and created an educational program for children to learn about mason bees and how they help the environment. The nature preserve continues to maintain the informational program and the mason bee houses. Mariam Dhunna from Aurora, Grandview High School, created a pen pal program for children ages 11-19 living with epilepsy to show them that they are not alone and encourage them to be social. Mariam also taught a comprehensive social skills curriculum for the children focused on learning how to feel confident in establishing new relationships. Sarah Dormer from Greenwood Village, Cherry Creek High School, upcycled 76 dog waste bag dispensers that her city was going to throw away by turning them into solitary beehives and birdhouses. She then distributed the beehives and birdhouses to community members at the Greenwood Village Earth Day celebration. Brooke Eshbach from Colorado Springs, Liberty High School, invented and built creative models of training aids for service dogs in partnership with the Paw Pals Assistance Dogs organization. Her training aids have been so helpful and successful that she now has a pending patent for the design. Amy Fishman from Boulder, Fairview High School, created and taught a curriculum to encourage teens to take initiative in their connection with nature and environmental stewardship. The program she designed introduces engaging issues and gives students the tools to take action outdoors. Angela Foote from Centennial, Arapahoe High School, developed a relationship between the organizations Family Promise of Denver and Denver Tech for All to ensure low-resource students and families have ongoing access to computers. Madeline Ford from Englewood, Cherry Creek High School, partnered with the Boys & Girls Club to create a five-session literacy program, which promotes a positive reading environment and teaches children new ways to express themselves through books and poetry. Summer Gehman from Littleton, Columbine High School, created a fully functioning library for children with life-threatening diseases who attend camp at Roundup River Ranch every summer. She hosted a book drive and was able to fill the library with 1,307 books and developed a sustainable check-in and check-out program for the library. Littlepage Green from Breckenridge, Summit High School, created a lesson plan and video to educate students about food allergies. In-person lessons also included training on how to properly use an epi-pen. Through her own experiences with central auditory processing disorder, Kristine Guy from Monument, Colorado Springs Early Colleges, realized teachers and educators are the best resource for students to help identify the disorder within themselves. She created a comprehensive training for teachers, and developed a website and pamphlet, available in English and Spanish. Maya Hegde from Englewood, Cherry Creek High School, partnered with the Mangala Seva Orphanage in India and Brydges Centre in Kenya to teach girls how to make reusable sanitary pads using materials they already have. The program she developed also taught the girls how to sell sanitary pads in their own communities to tackle the stigma around the menstrual cycle. Kimberly Jones from Colorado Springs partnered with her local humane society to create a comprehensive and supportive volunteer training program to support their Pets Day for children event. She also shared her curriculum for other humane societies around the country. Emily Kretschmer from Colorado Springs, Air Academy High School, produced a documentary in partnership with the nonprofit Status: Code 4. The purpose of her documentary is to raise awareness of the hardship families of first responders can face and start meaningful conversations amongst families themselves. Emma Lilly from Longmont, Silver Creek High School, designed a website, created a podcast, and wrote a children’s book celebrating the Longmont Sugar Beet Factory and its historical significance. Keaton Maring from Arvada, Ralston Valley High School, built a life jacket loaner station at Standley Lake. Along with the station, she created an educational sign and a sustainable loaning program for the life jackets to provide more people with lifesaving equipment. Grace Matsey from Highlands Ranch, Mountain Vista High School, created a music tutoring program for elementary and middle school musicians, which was run by members of her high school’s Music Honor Society. Mckayla Nelson from Colorado Springs, created a comprehensive guide for parents and families called “Ready for Kindergarten,” which helps prepare students for success in school. The guide is available in English and Spanish and is being used by teachers and administrators across the state. Annarlene Nikolaus from Colorado Springs, Discovery Canyon High School, oversaw the construction of a series of buddy benches for local K-12 public schools. Students also participated in age-appropriate lessons led by Annarlene about buddy benches and what they can do to be better friends. Mykaela Ryan from Broomfield, Broomfield High School, created a video and educational presentation to inform high schoolers about how to interact with someone who stutters. As someone who experiences stuttering herself, she demonstrated bravery and pride by presenting her project directly to students at her own school, and beyond, to raise awareness and stop bullying. Alyson Serio from Colorado Springs, Pine Creek High School, called upon her own interest in graphic arts to inspire a new generation of students in her community to explore STEM through photography. She developed a photography and Photoshop club at her local middle school to get more children engaged in photography. Bailey Stokes from Buena Vista, Buena Vista High School, created outdoor-based lesson plans for the use of fourth grade science teachers across Colorado. Topics covered included investigations, habitat, and adaptations. Abigail Stuart from Aurora, Grandview High School, connected local food pantries with elementary schools to create a program in which she encouraged students to donate their unopened lunch snacks to their local food pantry. Over the course of her project 1,900 items were successfully donated at just one of the schools, and the schools continue to donate. In memory of her friend who was killed by a drunk driver, Samantha Stuart from Aurora, Grandview High School, took action to raise awareness among her peers of the dangers of drunk driving and the need for blood donors. She planned and implemented a blood drive at her school that included educational booths on the dangers of impaired driving. Victoria Tilden of Denver, East High School, noticed through her own gymnastics experience that students were often getting hurt and dropping out of the sport. To address this, she created a workshop and comprehensive training video on how to prevent injuries and how to fall safely in gymnastics. Victoria also partnered with local gyms to share and teach her curriculum to gymnasts and coaches. Emily Turner of Denver, East High School, educated the public about loving a shelter pet who exhibits aggressive behavior and placed the spotlight on her own dog, Hugo. Along with Hugo, she created online training resources to raise awareness of dog aggression and give useful and practical training tips to owners. Katherine Walden from Larkspur, Castle View High School, taught elementary school students about the importance of bees and how to install bee boxes that local bee species and other pollinators can call home. Colorado Gold Award Girl Scouts are also eligible for the Stephanie A. Foote Leadership Prize and the Debbie Haskins Spirit of Girl Scouting Award. Emily Kretschmer from Colorado Springs received the 2019 Stephanie A. Foote Leadership Prize. This award was made possible through a generous gift to the Girl Scouts of Colorado Endowment by Girl Scouts of Colorado President & CEO Stephanie A. Foote. “Emily’s project is an exceptional example of sustainable impact through leadership. I am proud to present this prize to her and recognize Girl Scouts whose Gold Award projects have made a lasting impact,” Foote said. The Stephanie A. Foote Leadership Prize selection committee also determined three Gold Award Girl Scouts were deserving of Honorable Mention. They are Madeline Ford from Englewood, Maya Hegde from Englewood, and Keaton Maring from Arvada. Mykaela Ryan from Broomfield was awarded the 2019 Debbie Haskins Spirit of Girl Scouting Award. This award is given in memory of Girl Scout Gold Award Mentor Debbie Haskins, who had a passion for working with older Girl Scouts. It recognizes one outstanding Gold Award Girl Scout from Colorado who exemplifies the Girl Scout spirit through courage, confidence, and character. Open only to girls in high school, the Girl Scout Gold Award is the most prestigious award in the world for girls—and the most difficult to earn. The Gold Award project involves seven steps: 1. Identify an issue, 2. Investigate it thoroughly, 3. Get help and build a team, 4. Create a plan, 5. Present the plan and gather feedback, 6. Take action, 7. Educate and inspire. Of the skills learned through Girl Scouts’ Highest Awards, leadership, organization, and critical thinking are the fundamentals of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Universities and colleges offer scholarships unique to Gold Award recipients, and girls who enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces may receive advanced rank in recognition of their achievements. “Earning the Girl Scout Gold Award is truly a remarkable achievement, and these young women exemplify leadership in all its forms,” said Stephanie Foote, president and chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of Colorado. “They saw a need and took ownership of helping to develop a solution and took action to make it happen. Their extraordinary dedication, perseverance and leadership are making the world a better place.” Girl Scouts of Colorado will honor these Gold Award Girl Scouts as well as recipients of Girl Scouts’ other two Highest Awards, the Silver (the Highest Award a Girl Scout Cadette can earn) and Bronze (the Highest Award a Girl Scout Junior can earn), at upcoming ceremonies around the state. These events include: April 26 at 6 p.m. at Center for American Values, 101 S. Main St. #100, Pueblo April 28 at 2 p.m. Embassy Suites by Hilton, 4705 Clydesdale Pkwy, Loveland May 3 at 6 p.m. at the Penrose House Garden Pavilion 1661 Mesa Ave., Colorado Springs May 5 at 2 p.m. at the Denver Marriott Tech Center, 4900 S. Syracuse St., Denver May 9 at 6 p.m. at Silverthorne Pavilion, 400 Blue River Pkwy, Silverthorne May 19 at 2 p.m. Colorado Mesa University, 1100 North Ave., Grand Junction #GoldAward #GoldAwardGirlScouts #HighestAwards #TakeAction

Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating extraordinary volunteers throughout the state in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month. Rini Kirkpatrick in the Northern & Northeastern CO region is a shining example of the wonderful role Girl Scout volunteers play in the lives of girls and our community. GSCO asked Rini to answer a few quick questions about her volunteer experience. We hope you find her as inspiring as we did. Why did you become a Girl Scout volunteer? Growing up in Indonesia, I was in Girl Scouts for several years. During that time, I saw my parents being involved by helping out with activities, such as camping trips, hikes, and other activities. I learned a lot as a Girl Scout, and even though I did not continue past middle school, I wanted that experience for our daughter. Tell us about your different volunteer roles as a Girl Scout. I started out at the troop level as a leader for our daughter’s Daisy troop. As we continued our Girl Scouting adventures, I became more involved with the service unit. I served as a service unit cookie manager for several years, and was involved in the parent-daughter volunteer camp for three years. I was also on the committee with the first Youth Engaged in Learning about Leadership (YELL) event in Northern Colorado. Currently, our troop is hosting the Power Up anti-bullying program update pilot, so we can offer it to troops in the region. In addition, I support the SU fall product program manager and the older girl Gift Wrap Committee. What have you learned as a Girl Scout volunteer? Through the years, I learned that being a volunteer was a great way to connect and be involved with our daughter, as well as other girls. Looking back, I feel a sense of wonder of how much the girls in the troop have grown into leaders. The Girl Scout program includes so many options, they meet the varied interests of girls. I hope I was able to make a difference in girls’ lives, so they can reach their full potential, achieve their dreams, and make a difference in the world. What do you hope girls have learned from you? Perseverance. Standing up for yourself and for others. Learning there are different ways you can make a difference, and it does not have to be a big thing to make a difference. Courage. Willing to make new friends, even if you don’t know anyone. Finding your people. Working together. Being open to new experiences. Having open hearts and open minds. How has your experience as a volunteer helped you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? When working to provide girls with the best leadership experience, I have gone out my comfort zone to organize and participate in activities that I had not previously done. I hope by guiding girls to take charge of their own activities, I show that leaders are not necessarily those who are in front, but also those who ensure that people around them have the opportunity to grow into their fullest potential. Want to nominate a volunteer for Girl Scouts of Colorado to spotlight? Please email Public Relations Director AnneMarie Harper at annemarie.harper@gscolorado.org. #VolunteerNews #volunteerspotlight #VolunteerAppreciationMonth #NorthernampNortheasternCO #NationalVolunteerAppreciationMonth #VolunteerAppreciation

Submitted by Brandi Borunda Metro Denver Brighton Ariyanna is a first year Girl Scout and was recently diagnosed with High Spectrum Autism. She has a hard time socializing and being outgoing. So, we placed her in Girl Scouts hoping to help her through this tough time. Cookie sales came….and she THRIVED! Selling 596 packages to friends, family, and others. This event really helped her with her anxiety and struggles of talking to people (safely with us parents) about her own personal cookie goal. It helped peak her interest in money and its importance, reading and so much more. Girl Scouts has helped her come out of herself so much more and we couldn’t be more grateful! Her personality is flourishing and it helps us too as a family! This is truly what Girl Scouts has done for her. She is coming out of her shell and is constantly thinking, looking for ways now to better the world and the people in it. Ariyanna took a huge risk in trying a group event because she is normally very much within her own thoughts a world. This program has helped open the eyes of her own troop both parents and kids to autism and has helped truly open her up to a whole new world! This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments, too. #cookies #GirlScoutCookies #GirlScoutCookieProgram #MetroDenver #2019GirlScoutCookieProgram #Brighton

Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating extraordinary volunteers throughout the state in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month. Jessica of Dolores in the Western Colorado region is a shining example of the wonderful role Girl Scout volunteers play in the lives of girls and our community. GSCO asked Jessica to answer a few quick questions about her volunteer experience. We hope you find her as inspiring as we did. Why did you become a Girl Scout volunteer? I started out being talked into a co-leader position, and “all I needed to do was sign on the bank account.” Our original leader quit right after cookie season started last year, and at first I was terrified. I’ve been the leader since, and it’s been a blessing in disguise. My family has made friends with families that have common goals like we do, and we have planned set aside time (meetings), that we learn and work together. Tell us about your different volunteer roles as a Girl Scout. I’ve been co-leader, leader, and troop cookie manager. I also distribute volunteer recruiting supplies as needed, and serve on the service unit team. All roles take different amounts of time, and some people are ready for cookies to be done right after they start. My family makes it a family time experience while selling cookies, and my girls love doing it. What have you learned as a Girl Scout volunteer? I’ve learned a lot of things as a Girl Scout volunteer. I’ve learned different ways to teach and let girls help. I’ve learned the Girl Scout steps myself, as I was not one when I was younger. The things we learn at meetings help our daily life.  Most importantly, I’ve learned to be flexible, as not all girls learn the same way and at the same rate. What do you hope girls have learned from you? I hope girls have learned how to be a strong leader and valuable individual in our community and communication skills. All of those traits will take them a long way in life. How has your experience as a volunteer helped you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? I’ve personally learned a lot of things, but the best part is I’m passing skills to my daughters as well.  We applied risk- taker when we made our initial cookie order. We also offered to take other troops’ stock because my girls were having fun selling. We transferred 102 packages of S’mores after March 1, so we could enter into the S’mores drawing, all not knowing if we could sell the cookies. I’ve learned a lot of leader skills teaching lessons, and using the VTK. We try to apply go-getter to everything we do, whether it’s selling cookies, or finishing homework. The best part is, everything we learn can be applied to everyday life. Want to nominate a volunteer for Girl Scouts of Colorado to spotlight? Please email Public Relations Director AnneMarie Harper at annemarie.harper@gscolorado.org. #VolunteerNews #volunteerspotlight #VolunteerAppreciationMonth #NationalVolunteerAppreciationMonth #VolunteerAppreciation #WesternColorado #Dolores

What’s next for your girl in Girl Scouts? Will she earn a Highest Award, travel the world, get her adrenaline pumping on outdoor adventures, explore the world of STEM, or all of the above? This year, we’re offering a Super Early Bird incentive for girls and troops that renew for the 2019-20 membership year between April 29 and May 1. Don’t miss your chance to win fantastic prizes, including a Colorado family staycation and Girl Scouts of Colorado event passes! In addition to the Super Early Bird incentives, all girls renewed by June 26 will receive the 2019 Early Bird patch, and troops renewed by June 26 will receive a $25 credit to the Girl Scouts of Colorado Shop. Early Bird Prizes for Girls and Families Girl and Family Drawing – All girls renewed by May 1 will have the chance to win a Colorado family staycation!  Your girl can take charge and plan the family fun this summer. Explore this amazing state, enjoy quality family time, try something new together! The winning family will be notified on May 6. The trip must be completed by Sept. 30, 2019, and the family will be reimbursed for trip expenses up to $500. Early Bird Patches – Girls renewed by June 26 will earn an Early Bird patch, which will be mailed directly to their address in myGS. Early Bird Prizes for Troops Troop Drawings – Every troop that renews two unrelated adults and at least three girls by May 1 will have the chance to win GSCO event passes for their troop. One troop in each region will win event passes to a GSCO event of their choice for up to 20 girl and adult participants. $25 GSCO Shop Credit – Troops that renew at least two unrelated adults, three girls, and complete their Annual Troop Report by June 26 will earn a $25 credit to the Girl Scouts of Colorado Shop. Early Bird Prizes for Service Units Starting this year, service units can earn up to $200 in Early Bird renewal prizes to support their local Girl Scout community! Service units that retain 35 percent of their 2018-19 members by May 30 will earn $100 to put toward service unit activities. Service units that retain 45 percent of their 2018-19 members by June 26 will earn an additional $100 to put toward service unit activities. Service unit Grand Prize:  May 1-3 or August 21-23, 2020 Tomahawk Ranch Property Reservation The Early Bird Grand Prize for the first two service units to achieve 45 percent of their 2018-19 membership is a free property reservation to be used for a service unit camping trip over the two most sought-after weekends at Tomahawk Ranch! The first service unit to reach 45 percent retention will get to choose between May 1-3, 2020, and August 21-23, 2020, for their service unit camping trip at Tomahawk Ranch. The second unit to reach 45 percent retention will get the other available weekend. Service units will be responsible for paying for food service for their group and providing their own programming. Question? Contact your local volunteer support specialist. Don’t know who your volunteer support specialist is? Call 877-404-5708 or email inquiry@gscolorado.org. 2019_GSCO_Early Bird_flier_v3 #VolunteerNews #2019EarlyBird #SuperEarlyBird #renewal #GirlScoutnews #EarlyBirdrenewal #EarlyBird #CouncilNews

Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating extraordinary volunteers throughout the state in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month. Catherine Rice of Colorado Springs in the Pikes Peak region is a shining example of the wonderful role Girl Scout volunteers play in the lives of girls and our community. GSCO asked Catherine to answer a few quick questions about her volunteer experience. We hope you find her as inspiring as we did. Why did you become a Girl Scout volunteer? I have fond memories of my short five years as a Brownie and Girl Scout and had wanted my daughter to have the same fun. I was the classic story of a busy, working  mother who attended an organizational meeting and said, “I cannot be the leader, but I will help.”  Of course, I was the only one who even said that much! Thus I became a leader, so that we could get a Brownie troop started (Daisies had not yet begun).  It was one of my wisest decisions. I happily remained the leader of Hawaii Troop 614 for 15 years, seeing nine girls earn their Gold Awards. When my daughter gave birth to a girl, we saw more green blood! We could not wait for her to become a Daisy, and I am now in year seven as one of the co-leaders with her mother of Colorado Troop 41002 and having fun all over again.  Why?  Because I believe completely in the Girl Scout Program which encourages girls to be their best and become leaders all while having so much fun and making lifelong friendships. I have seen my girls become international travelers, a media success, business owners, doctors, an active community volunteer, a national forest executive, and three of them are Girl Scout leaders, so I know it works!  Watching our younger girls grow so quickly and become G.I.R.L.s is such a thrill because I see the program still working. Tell us about your different volunteer roles as a Girl Scout. During my first 15 years as a Leader, our school had a troop in nearly every grade. For several years, I was the liaison between the school and the Girl Scout Board and I was a member of the Girl Scout Board. Our service unit was very large and very active, so I was involved with the annual parades, calendar production and sales, and several large statewide camps celebrating Girl Scout milestones. I was very honored to receipt the Volunteer Appreciation Pin.  One of my more exciting adventures was as an adult chaperone for Melinda Caroll’s Girl Scout Choir. We traveled around the state and attended the National Convention in 1993.  And I accompanied one of my Gold Girl Scouts, who had created an educational traveling recycling project, to an environmental camp at the Edith Macy Center in New York attended by one girl and adult from each State. It was fun and interesting to see the many different sides of Girl Scouting. My role now is mostly as a leader, who tries to help wherever I can and being a retired grandmother allows me the freedom to attended most activities and trainings. I was able to help with recruitment events during the summer and fall and on the service unit level, I have helped to plan camps and World Thinking Day events. I am also part of the Girl Scout Travel Group.  Being a Girl Scout Volunteer has blessed me with many lifelong adult friendships as well. What have you learned as a Girl Scout volunteer? The girls are my inspiration!!!  Throughout my Girl Scout volunteer days, the girls have always been the more creative and motivational ones.  The leaders may give them ideas, but watching them run with those ideas is phenomenal.  Doing as much as I can to keep girls in the program through high school is my current goal because I have seen the doors that the Girl Scouting experience has opened for my first troop. There are so many opportunities for older girls. I have also learned that camping and selling cookies in warm Hawaii is so much easier than in freezing Colorado! What do you hope girls have learned from you? Hopefully, I have been a good role model for the girls, showing them that anything is possible and that doing crazy things is fun at any age. Living the Girl Scout Way is very important to me and I hope that they feel and act the same. Mostly, I want them to always remember their Girl Scout years with fondness, laughing at funny memories, proud of their hard work, remembering that Girl Scouts leave a place better than they found it, and that we always strive to make the world a better place. How has your experience as a volunteer helped you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? Being a Girl Scout volunteer has kept me going in so many ways. Throughout a very stressful career in the financial world, it reminded me that “I got this” no matter the challenge. I’m not so sure I have been a great innovator, but I have learned from the girls! Girl Scouting has made me courageous and strong and always willing to try new things – that is the fun of it all. I was always a follower in school, but after being a Girl Scout leader I found that I could be the head of a group. I remember being so nervous in front of parent meetings that my voice would shake, but after many years of doing it over and over I am much more comfortable. Thinking back through the years while writing this, I realize how much more I have gained from Girl Scouts than I have given. There were many late nights of planning and writing newsletters (typed in the beginning!), keeping the records organized, buying supplies, days of lugging everything to and from meetings, making sure everyone was safe, but I don’t remember those details. I remember my two sets of Brownies (30 years apart!) looking in the “pond” and seeing themselves, our brown and white situpons, my wonderful assistant leaders and helpful parents (still good friends), our hikes, going to camps, taking 26 Juniors to another island and Easter sunrise on the beach, sitting around our silly inflatable pool at a big statewide camp, 12 costumed Girl Scout parades through Waikiki, and being so proud listening to all of those Gold Award speeches. And my first girls will never let me forget the time I left the meat in my freezer before Easter Brunch at a large family camp! With my current troop, I will remember those darling little Daisies, our first Brownie sleepover, Wild Nights at the Zoo, crawling and sliding through the mud in Cave of the Winds, delivering our HTH cookies to Hope and Home, earning our MEdia Journey at a Hamp Hup overnight, teas, service unit amps, and many badge workshops. I am so thankful that those many years ago I said, “I will help”, and will always encourage others to do the same! Want to nominate a volunteer for Girl Scouts of Colorado to spotlight? Please email Public Relations Director AnneMarie Harper at annemarie.harper@gscolorado.org. #VolunteerNews #volunteerspotlight #VolunteerAppreciationMonth #ColoradoSprings #NationalVolunteerAppreciationMonth #VolunteerAppreciation #PikesPeak

Submitted by Ariella Wells Northern & Northeastern CO Fort Collins Girls in Troop 70720 spent the weekend at Magic Sky Ranch, camping at Old Lodge. We did some hiking on Old Homestead Trail. We enjoyed games, s’mores, scary stories, a talent show, rock climbing, and more. We love this property and have been going there for eight years. This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments, too. #MagicSkyRanch #NorthernampNortheasternCO #GirlScoutCamp #FortCollins #camp

Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating extraordinary volunteers throughout the state in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month. Lorena Gambill-Maddox of Grand Junction in the Western Colorado region is a shining example of the wonderful role Girl Scout volunteers play in the lives of girls and our community. GSCO asked Lorena to answer a few quick questions about her volunteer experience. We hope you find her as inspiring as we did. Why did you become a Girl Scout volunteer? I was asked by my daughter’s troop leader to be her assistant. I love working with children. When I was younger, I was a Girl Scout and my older sister was my troop leader. My mother was also a troop leader. So when Elisha asked me, I was happy to join such a great organization. It has been a great experience for me. Tell us about your different volunteer roles as a Girl Scout. As a Girl Scout volunteer, I have enjoyed giving back to our community. Our troop has done so many different things. We collected food or our local community food bank. We did a clothing drive and took clothes to a neighboring town that was doing a clothing distribution. We have served food at a extended table for those in need.  At Christmas, we went Christmas caroling at the V.A. hospital and local nursing home. For two of our local schools, we entered the craft fairs. Learning to make crafts and jewelry to sell taught us about being a business owner. We donated cookies to our local policemen and teachers. It feel so great to give like a G.I.R.L.! What have you learned as a Girl Scout volunteer? I have learned so much as a volunteer. I have a wonderful team of leadership on the western slope to guide me, especially Ashley Douglas, as well as a very knowledgeable service unit leader Rebecca Flesh and our troop leader Elisha Scarbrough is such a inspiring person. Our girls in our troop are fearless. They wanted to earn every badge they could as Juniors, so I made it my goal to learn everything I needed too in order to help them reach their goal– from Simple Cooking to Robotics. What do you hope girls have learned from you? I hope that I have taught our girls that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. That it is better to be kind to anyone you meet, because you don’t know why they are acting in the way that they are. Everyone deserves love and kindness. Not to let what others think cloud their beliefs, but to listen without judgement. Then, decide for themselves how they feel. That they are the ones who make themselves happy and successful. I also hope they know how proud of each and every one of them I am. How has your experience as a volunteer helped you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? Girls Scouts has helped me become a go-getter because of our girls in our troop wanting to achieve all the badges. I became driven to help them achieve their goal. I am an innovator because I looked for ways to help our community and find ways to give back. Risk-taker because we tried things without knowing how it would turn out, but being determined to be successful in everything we tried. Last, a leader because I had to have confidence in things I wasn’t sure about, knowing whether or not we would succeed,  I was there beside them no matter what. Showing each one of them how to be brave. Girl Scouts is a great opportunity for any girl no matter what her age is. It is such a honor to be apart of such a wonderful organization. Want to nominate a volunteer for Girl Scouts of Colorado to spotlight? Please email Public Relations Director AnneMarie Harper at annemarie.harper@gscolorado.org. #VolunteerNews #volunteerspotlight #VolunteerAppreciationMonth #GrandJunction #NationalVolunteerAppreciationMonth #WesternColorado

Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating extraordinary volunteers throughout the state in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month. Elisha Scarbrough of Rifle in the Western Colorado region is a shining example of the wonderful role Girl Scout volunteers play in the lives of girls and our community. GSCO asked Elisha to answer a few quick questions about her volunteer experience. We hope you find her as inspiring as we did. Why did you become a Girl Scout volunteer? I enjoyed Girl Scouts when I was younger and enrolled my daughters when they were in kindergarten; then the troop needed a leader, so I signed up. It’s a great thing for my daughters to be part of and I didn’t want them to miss out if there wasn’t a leader. Tell us about your different volunteer roles as a Girl Scout. I have been both co-leader and main leader for my girls’ troop. I have also been the cookie and chocolate and nut lead. What have you learned as a Girl Scout volunteer? How to be more patient! I also have learned how to lead and enjoy time with my girls at the same time. Most importantly how to multi-task! I work full time and am taking night classes to complete my Bachelor’s degree. What do you hope girls have learned from you? How important it is to set goals and met them and to be involved in the community. Also, the skills that they have gained through each of the badges that we have earned through the years. How has your experience as a volunteer helped you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? It has reminded me what is important; these girls are in a generation that is so involved with electronics that Girl Scouts helps teach them skills that they will be able to use forever. I also have had to learn new skills to help the girls earn badges; like how to make a robot and that is pretty cool that even as a leader I am learning with the girls in the troop. Want to nominate a volunteer for Girl Scouts of Colorado to spotlight? Please email Public Relations Director AnneMarie Harper at annemarie.harper@gscolorado.org. #VolunteerNews #volunteerspotlight #VolunteerAppreciationMonth #Rifle #NationalVolunteerAppreciationMonth #WesternColorado

Submitted by Meleah Williams Pikes Peak Colorado Springs Our troop worked hard this cookie season to collect Girl Scout Cookies to donate to our Hometown Hero, Project Angel Heart, a local organization that provides meals to people undergoing serious medical treatments. The girls were able to donate more than 50 packages of cookies to the organization, and also used a portion of their cookie proceeds to purchase cereal as part of a cereal drive. Between the girls’ cookie proceeds and generous donations from our troop families, we were able to donate more than 60 boxes of cereal. Our troop also decorated bags for meal deliveries. The girls had a great time partnering with this wonderful organization! This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments, too. #ColoradoSprings #cookies #GirlScoutCookies #GirlScoutCookieProgram #HometownHeroes #PikesPeak #2019GirlScoutCookieProgram #ProjectAngelHeart

Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating extraordinary volunteers throughout the state in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month. Michelle Pierce of Lakewood in the Metro Denver region is a shining example of the wonderful role Girl Scout volunteers play in the lives of girls and our community. GSCO asked Michelle to answer a few quick questions about her volunteer experience. We hope you find her as inspiring as we did. Why did you become a Girl Scout volunteer? When my oldest daughter was going to kindergarten, I knew I wanted her to have the Girl Scout experience I had as a child. My mom was the leader and I just knew I wanted to be one as well.  (That was 10 years ago now!) Tell us about your different volunteer roles as a Girl Scout. Well, I think I have had most every position you can have. I am a troop leader for two troops (both daughters), TCM for both troops, FPM for both troops, service unit manager for Rosewood, SUCM and SUFPM. Several years ago, I was the  school coordinator for Dennison Elementary. What have you learned as a Girl Scout volunteer? The girls teach me new things all of the time. Teamwork with other leaders. Having support and friendships that are lasting because we have a same interest. Organization skills have improved. So much more. What do you hope girls have learned from you? They are important. Leading and growing into strong young women. Know that they can accomplish anything they set their mind to. How has your experience as a volunteer helped you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? Be able to set goals and and take risks in life both professionally and personally. Also, to lead others to to get a common goal accomplished. Want to nominate a volunteer for Girl Scouts of Colorado to spotlight? Please email Public Relations Director AnneMarie Harper at annemarie.harper@gscolorado.org. #VolunteerNews #volunteerspotlight #VolunteerAppreciationMonth #Lakewood #NationalVolunteerAppreciationMonth #MetroDenver

The main issue I wanted to address was coping with grief around holidays. Many kids/young adults struggle with grief during the holiday season and my idea was to use art theory as a way to help people cope. Together with a team of artists, we created over sixteen coloring pages that are focused around a variety of holidays. Based on feedback given during my initial presentation, each page is geared towards either kids or teen/young adults. I partnered with an organization called Judi’s House which is in Denver. They help grieving families by providing free group therapy. After hand drawing each page, we scanned them into a PDF document and gave it to Judi’s House on a flash drive for them to use with the kids and teens who they provide services for. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? I measured the impact of my project via feedback from surveys that were sent to Judi’s House clients as well as anonymous comments from the target audience. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? Judi’s House has signed a letter of commitment saying that they will continue to use the pages. This means that they will print however many pages as long as they like. Judi’s House requested that we also make some general seasonal pages that they can use in the waiting rooms all year round. This was feedback and a request from Judi’s House that we implemented. I have also given the project to social workers at Colorado Preparatory Academy and Pikes Peak High School to use for the kids they work with. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? In order to establish a national/global link, I delegated the pages to be translated into Spanish to a team member who is proficient in the language. I then gave the pages that were translated to the organizations previously mentioned. Judi’s House also has a national curriculum and Colorado Preparatory Academy and Pikes Peak High School work with kids from all over nation. (Please note that all students enrolled in these two schools have a residence in Colorado, but many are from different states/countries and there are some students who temporarily live out of state as well.) What did you learn about yourself? The main thing I learned about myself is that if I put enough effort in something, I can make a difference. Before, this issue of grief around the holidays seemed to be one I couldn’t help. Now, I know that that is something I can do about this issue and others like it. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? The Gold Award has not only given me the confidence and leadership skills I will need for the future, but it also will help me be considered for scholarships, colleges, and any jobs I will apply for. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? After being a Girl Scout for 13 years, I feel as though this is the perfect way to end my time at Girl Scouts. It has brought me closer with my fellow sister Girl Scouts and this project allows me to use many of the skills that Girl Scouts had taught me over the years. How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? Earning my Gold Award has helped me become a go-getter and a leader. There were many instances of me having to go out of my comfort zone to go get what I wanted for this project and I leading a team has been an amazing experience that has helped grow my leadership skills. **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 #grief #ColoradoPreparatoryAcademy #JudisHouse #MetroDenver #TakeAction #Northglenn