Girl Scout Merchandise (GSM) continues to honor its commitment to U.S.-made products and to strive to keep its carbon footprint as small as possible. Girl Scout vests, sashes, tunics, and insignia are all currently produced in this country, and we are reaching out to more vendors that have capabilities to produce stateside.  In addition, beginning in July, Daisy, Brownie, Junior, and Cadette badge production will take place in the United States. The fabric, thread, iron-on backing, and packaging are all produced in America.  The USA made product will be available to start shipping in July 2017. Beginning July 1, the badges will sell for $3. Girl Scouts of Colorado will no longer accept returns of the overseas-produced badges as of June 1. Producing stateside supports U.S manufacturing, the U.S. economy, and creates jobs for American workers.  Reshoring our products also reduces the lead time from production to customer and simplifies our supply chain management process.  Both aid us in providing better service to our customers.  Additionally, choosing to bring manufacturing here, where regulations on industrial waste and emissions are consistent and companies are incented to become more environmentally sustainable, benefits the world by limiting waste output.  U.S. reshoring also brings production assemblies closer to end users.  As a result, vehicles consume less fossil fuel to transport goods to customers, reducing emissions. More questions? Check out our FAQs:  https://girlscoutsofcolorado.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/2800624-girl-scouts-s-made-in-the-usa-commitment #GirlScoutMerchandise #GirlScoutshop #GirlScoutsofColoradoshop #GirlScoutsoftheUSA

Submitted by Emily Prehm Northern & Northeastern CO Loveland Brownie Troop 71020 from Loveland used a portion of their cookie proceeds to purchase supplies for first-aid kits. The girls worked together to assemble 20 kits, which will be donated to Kits for Kids and sent to children around the world. Each kit contains a message of encouragement from the troop. The troop decided to do this project after learning about the importance of taking care of themselves and others during the Brownie Quest Journey. This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #Loveland #NorthernampNortheasternCO #KitsforKids #Brownies #GirlScoutBrownies #GirlScoutCookies #2017CookieSale #BrownieQuestJourney

Submitted by Jessica Gentilini Mountain Communities Eagle Girl Scout Cadettes Hailey Gentilini and Olivia Ferzacca from Service Unit 5 (Mountain Communities) recently completed their Program Aide (PA) hours by teaching brand-new Brownie Troop 56349 the Girl Scout Promise and Law and how they relate to us as Girl Scouts. They read the Brownie story and each girl got to take a turn identifying who the Brownie in the reflection was. After the story, the girls learned the Brownie Smile song, made a SWAP, and passed the silent hand-squeeze wish around the circle before twisting around and departing from their first meeting. As Olivia and Hailey reflected on how they thought they did, which was awesome by the way, they both thought working with the Brownies was the most fun ever and can’t wait to plan and run an event for more girls! This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #Eagle #ProgramAide #PATraining #GirlScoutCadettes #mountaincommunities

Congratulations to Girl Scout Troop 4020 in Northern and Northeastern Colorado! These Girl Scout Juniors were recently featured on 9NEWS/KUSA-TV in Denver. They built a Buddy Bench in memory of Odin Mitchem, one of their classmates at Flagstaff Academy in Longmont. According to 9NEWS, “Odin passed away at the beginning of this school year, but his classmates wanted to make sure his goal was not forgotten.” Watch the story using this link: http://www.9news.com/news/education/buddy-bench-helps-kids-find-playmates/435768495 Interested in sharing your Highest Awards story with the media? Please email Public Relations Director AnneMarie Harper at annemarie.harper@gscolorado.org. Your project does NOT have to be completed in order to contact AnneMarie. She will work with you determine the best way to share your story. #FlagstaffAcademy #HighestAwards #NorthernampNortheasternCO #BuddyBench #Longmont #9NEWS #BronzeAward

This year’s honorees were selected by a committee of their peers led by Selection Chair Susan Alvillar, Manager, Community Relations, Terra Energy Partners, Woman of Distinction ‘15, and chosen based on their contributions to the community, both professionally and personally. They are shining examples of corporate, civic, and philanthropic leadership and serve as role models for our female leaders of tomorrow. Carma Brown, Personal Lines Manager at Home Loan Insurance Sue Conry, Director at Hilltop Home Care Stacey Mascarenas, Community Development Director for Family Health West Since 2012, including this year’s honorees, Girl Scouts of Colorado has recognized 15 women on the Western Slope as Women of Distinction. The Women of Distinction program brings together a group of women dedicated to raising funds to support Girl Scout leadership programs. Girl Scouts of Colorado will publicly honor these inductees on Nov. 2, 2017 at the annual Women of Distinction Breakfast. This year’s event will be held at the Two Rivers Convention Center. The 2017 Event Chair is Paula Reece, Marketing Director, Crossroads Fitness, Woman of Distinction ’16. Event Sponsors include: Gold Presenting Sponsor, US Bank, and Silver Presenting Sponsor, Chevron. For information regarding tickets and sponsorships, visit www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/wodgj or contact Cindi Graves at 970-628-8003 or cindi.graves@gscolorado.org. #funddevelopment #GrandJunction #WesternColorado #WomenofDistinction

Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating extraordinary volunteers throughout the state. Amanda Pope in the Johnstown/Milliken area has been a Service Unit Manager for about two years now and has excelled at providing her service unit with updates and being fully informed. She reaches out when needed to provide her volunteers with correct information and does a great job in her role as SUM. She is also a team player and always tries to help out with recruitment. Amanda was nominated as a shining example of the wonderful role Girl Scout volunteers play in the lives of girls and our community. She recently shared the following letter about why she is a GSCO volunteer. How long have you been a Girl Scout? I have been a Girl Scout for two years. Why did you become a Girl Scout volunteer? I wanted to be more involved in the Girl Scout activities my daughter was participating in. Tell us about your different volunteer roles as a Girl Scout. My primary role is as the Service Unit Manager for the Johnstown/Milliken area.  I also help out as a parent volunteer with my daughters troop when needed. What have you learned as a Girl Scout volunteer? What do you hope girls have learned from you? As a Girl Scout volunteer, I’ve learned to step up and speak up for myself and my daughter and our opinions count just as much as anybody else’s.  As a volunteer, we are here to help the girls become the best they can be as they grow and mature.  I hope the girls have learned to respect and treat each other as equals and always keep in mind that not one of is better or more important than the next girl. What is your favorite Girl Scout memory? So far, my favorite memory with Girl Scouts has been going to Sky High Ranch for Cookie Camp last summer with my daughter and her troop.  The girls had a great time and we got in lots of walking. The counselors/volunteers working at the camp were all Girl Scouts themselves which was great for the girls to see that you can be a Girl Scout at any age. There were a variety of activities for all ages.  It’s been a very long time since I have been camping in the mountains and the first time for my daughter.  I was a great experience. What words of advice do you have for other volunteers? Listen to the girls and remember this is for them.  As a parent and volunteer, we need all need to learn to put our individual agendas aside and focus on what is best for 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. #Johnstown #Milliken #NorthernampNortheasternCO #volunteerspotlight

From Little Brownie Bakers What an exciting cookie season! From the new Girl Scout S’mores™ to the high-flying owl mascot, this season has been an adventure. Congratulations on everything you have achieved so far. Girls will be especially excited if they have earned Twyla, the fluffy owl plush. Remind girls they can go to the My Cookie Friend website and enter the secret code from Twyla’s hangtag. The code allows them to unlock special features in the game “Color Me Twyla.” Send this ready-to-go email to volunteers to remind them of the fun in store for girls. We’re planning the next adventure! My Cookie Friend is open year-round to pump up girl excitement about participating in the Girl Scout Cookie Program® and achieving their goals. Girls love getting a sneak peek into next year’s cookie fun and look forward to earning the next mascot. For next cookie season, the site will be transformed into a “turtle-y awesome” adventure for girls. They’ll even meet a real Girl Scout who is passionate about conserving marine life. At Little Brownie, we’re always looking for ways to make girl rewards even more rewarding. #2017CookieSale #GirlScoutCookies #LittleBrownieBakers #Twyla

Submitted by Laura Hobden Pueblo & Southeastern CO Lamar Around Lamar, square dancing is a big thing. The square dance year is culminated in a three-night review where the dancers show off what they have learned. Each year the scouting groups take turns performing the Flag Ceremony for each night. It is great to see the girls who dance join their Girl Scout sisters in the presentation of the flag. The girls did an amazing job this year and represented Girl Scouts well! This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #flagceremony #Lamar #PuebloampSoutheasternCO #squaredance

Submitted by Lisa Svede Metro Denver Centennial Cadette Troops 60762 and 60744 from the Green Meadows Service Unit gathered together with members of Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit to make shoes from denim for Sole Hope and children in Africa. A big thank you to the volunteers of Love Does It, who helped the Girl Scouts to collect over 200 pairs of jeans to be made into shoes. The jeans are repurposed to make shoes for children in Africa. The shoes will protect the children from jiggers, a parasite that burrows into the webbing of their feet when they walk without shoes in unsanitary conditions. This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #CadetteGirlScouts #Centennial #SoleHope #MetroDenver #shoes

Submitted by Marti Shuster Metro Denver Thornton First year Daisy Troop 66802 from Thornton had a very successful cookie sale. Seven little girls earned over $1,900 for their troop! A visit to Thornton Fire Station #5 was scheduled so they could deliver their Hometown Hero Girl Scout Cookies. The girls got to see what the fire station is like and also earn their Safety Award. They even got to hear the fire engine sirens because the station got a call just as we were arriving. This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #ThorntonFireDepartment #GirlScoutCookies #2017CookieSale #HometownHeroes #Thornton #MetroDenver

Submitted by Colleen Trapp Metro Denver Aurora My daughter Elizabeth is a Cadette now, she’s been in Girl Scouts since she was in kindergarten. Elizabeth sold 750 packages of cookies this season! When Elizabeth realized she was getting the Build-a-Bear experience prize, she said she was going to give it to her brother! Elizabeth is a twin and her twin brother has special needs. Elizabeth said that her brother got left behind a lot during cookie season, so she wanted to share with him! Grandma didn’t think when the card came in she’d want to give it up, but it couldn’t have made Mommy any prouder. The card came in, she handed it over, and then when it came time to take brother, Elizabeth suggested his favorite items and then helped him put his new stuffed animal together! This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #Cadette #CadetteGirlScout #GirlScoutCookies #2017CookieSale #BuildaBear

Submitted by JoLene Kucera Metro Denver Conifer Troop 1368 delivered their 424 packages of Hometown Hero Girl Scout Cookies to the Elk Creek Fire Department on April 14, 2017. That’s 124 packages over their goal! The original delivery had to be rescheduled because the firefighters have been busy putting out fires already this spring. The girls vote to have them as our Hometown Hero every year because they continue to keep our mountain community safe from fires. This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #Conifer #GirlScoutCookies #2017CookieSale #HometownHeroes #MetroDenver #ElkCreekFireDepartment