Our state has many beautiful locations for girls and adults to get outdoors and explore.  Did you know that the Bureau of Land Management covers 245 million acres in 12 states?  Girl Scouts can now get outdoors and explore these amazing locations, and become a Junior Ranger! What is a Junior Ranger?  Junior Rangers, offered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), wants to introduce young adventurers to everything that the BLM offers on their lands that are used for recreation, learning and stewardship. By becoming a Junior Ranger, girls are able to use on-site programs and online activity books to learn more about the BLM and their mission: to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Junior Rangers can earn recognition pins and patches. This free program has curriculum created to help your girls learn more about opportunities that exist on our public lands.  Girls can become Junior Rangers at any time, and can complete any, or all, of the BLM Junior Ranger program. To learn more about the BLM Junior Ranger program, check out our Outdoor Anytime Activities on the GSCO Event Calendar, or head straight to the BLM’s website. To order materials from the Junior Ranger program, email the BLM or call (303) 236-1975. #BureauofLandManagement #JuniorRanger

What did you do for your Gold Award project? For my Gold Award Project, I worked to make 208 dresses for young girls in Juarez out of pillowcases. This targeted the issue of lack of new clothes for girls in Juarez, which is a symptom of poverty. However, It also addressed self-esteem as well. Not having something to call your own can create lack of confidence for girls  in Juarez. In order to help with this, I added a bear with each dress that had a patch on it’s stomach that matched the dress. This way, they would have something of their own that also provided a sense of comfort. I managed several different teams and was involved in the making of these dresses. I hosted four sewing classes for younger Girl Scouts in which I taught them how to sew, two classes with the grandparent section at my church, and helped with my fashion design class as they completed the dresses for their final projects. In addition, I also taught a sewing class to the women in Juarez. How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? I measured the impact that my project made on my target audience through the reactions after receiving the dresses. All the girls were so excited to have a dress that they could have of their own. When one little girl saw me during church service, she came running up and hugged me. She was wearing one of the dresses I had made. I also measured the impact through my sewing class in Juarez. All of the women were so excited to learn. They began to brainstorm other ways to use the pillowcases for clothing. It was really cool to see how my project inspired them. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? My project is sustainable through three different ways. In Juarez, I taught a sewing class for a group of women. They all were very excited to learn how to make the dresses and were continuously thinking of other items they could make out of the pillow cases. I left a set of instructions, in Spanish, along with sewing kits in Juarez for them to use when needed. While there, we left many dresses at the orphanage and church for girls of new families. Finally, I left a set of instructions with the grandparent section at my church who will continue to sew and take dresses to Juarez, based on the need. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? The impact of my project can be spread nationally and globally through many different forms. In Juarez, people can see the impact that the dresses have made and also read the instructions I have left there. Along with that, information about my project and instructions can be found on my website which allows anyone to access it, whenever and wherever. An unexpected national link came after I presented my project to the grandparent section at my church. One lady was so inspired by what I was doing to help the young girls in Juarez, she contacted a relative in Portland, to tell her about my project. Her relative wanted to help too, so I sent her 15 “dress kits”, with pre-cut fabric, ribbon and instructions, for her to make for my project. What did you learn about yourself? I learned that not only am I capable of doing big things for the world, but I am able to take on things that may seem terrifying. As a leader, I gained a newfound sense of confidence and I learned how to give good presentations and stand up to talk in front of others without being afraid. What helped me overall with this skill, was learning how to write clear and concise instructions that I could talk about when teaching my sewing classes. Another thing I developed was improved communication skills, including conversing  over the phone and through emails. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? After completing this project, I had a newfound confidence which helped me to get a job and fill out applications without the previous fear that I had of rejection. Along with that, I was able to take this confidence into my school work with DECA presentations. I will grow as a leader in communication because I have grown more comfortable with talking to other adults and using the phone as a form of communication. Finally, this project has given me passion to be a leader in the sewing industry. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? My Gold Award was an important part of my Girl Scout experience because the skills I learned throughout the years really helped me to complete this project. After discovering so many things about myself through Girl Scouts over the years including my passion to serve others and the leaderships skills I acquired, I became more confident in what I could do for this award. Along with that, it made me think back over the things I had done in my Girl Scout experience like PA training and journeys that have influenced my life for the better. Without the Gold Award, I don’t think I would be where I am today and Girl Scouts has been a crucial part of my life that I’m thankful that I have gotten to and get to experience. **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 #Denvermetro #GoldAward #HighlandsRanch #MountainVistaHighSchool

The new indoor riding arena at Tomahawk Ranch is complete! The work, which started in the fall of 2016, was finished in February 2017 and is the result of an exciting partnership with Girl Scouts of Colorado and High Country Riders 4H group in Bailey. GSCO will celebrate the opening of the arena at the upcoming Centennial Campfire celebration on March 19, 2017. GSCO will use this new arena for indoor needs and storage. 4H will use it for single-day events. Any programming involving 4H will be run by 4H and will not conflict with GSCO events or programming. Trail rides with off-site vendors will remain a part of GSCO camp programming. Tomahawk Ranch animals will remain in their current home in the Tomahawk barn. This multi-purpose facility was paid for thanks to a partnership between Girl Scouts of Colorado and High Country Riders 4H group in Bailey. The indoor riding arena may be rented for single day equestrian events at Tomahawk Ranch by contacting property.reservations@gscolorado.org. Bookings for GSCO properties may be made through our online reservation system up to one year in advance at this link: http://girlscoutsofcolorado.checkfront.com/reserve/. #TomahawkRanch #ridingArena #4H #Bailey #HighCountryRiders4Hgroup

Katelyn Ibarra, a 16-year-old Girl Scout from Steamboat Springs who helped save lives after a city bus crashed, has been named a 2017 Citizen Honors Award winner by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Katelyn, along with five other heroes, will be recognized at a ceremony at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Va., on National Medal of Honor Day, Saturday, March 25, 2017. On March 29, 2016, Katelyn and her family were on their way to eat dinner when they came upon a city bus that had crashed on U.S. Highway 40 near CR 44. The roads were very slick and icy from a snowstorm earlier in the day. As soon as Katelyn saw the crash, she knew she had to help. After climbing up a slippery, muddy slope to reach the front of the bus, Katelyn climbed through the broken windshield and into the bus. Without hesitation, she helped the bus driver and numerous passengers, many of whom were in shock, bleeding, or had other serious injuries. “The Citizen Honors Awards recognize and celebrate the exceptional deeds that America’s citizen heroes perform every day in communities across our nation,” said Thomas G. Kelley, Medal of Honor Recipient and president of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. “Our 2017 winners embody the spirit of the Medal of Honor and represent the highest levels of service and heroism. They’ve earned this award through their courage, selfless service or commitment to our nation’s military service members and families.” In September of 2016, Girl Scouts of the USA awarded Katelyn the prestigious Medal of Honor for “saving life or attempting to save life without risk to the candidate’s own life.” Tracy Shelton, an Ibarra family friend, was among those on bus. “She (Katelyn) needed no direction or instruction. She immediately went over to one of the most severely hurt. The blood didn’t faze her. She showed no shock. She was just this ‘strength’ among us,” wrote Shelton in a letter to Girl Scouts of the USA. “She responded in a way that was clearly above her age. She showed such a high level of maturity. I know adults that would not have climbed into that bus, with people screaming and all the blood.” For more information about the Citizen Honors Award or the Medal of Honor and its recipients, visit the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation website at http://themedalofhonor.com. #CongressionalMedalofHonorSociety #CitizenHonorsAwards #MedalofHonor #SteamboatSprings #mountaincommunities

Submitted by Shaylah & Tallie N. Mountain Communities Dillion On Feb. 28, 2017, we saw a man asking for help to drive his family across the country. Little did he know, Shaylah and Tallie have been on the lookout to give away Girl Scout Cookies that Grandpa Arnie donated with instructions to give away to people in need. So, we stopped and let him pick out some cookies. As we were driving away, Tallie said she wanted to help him some more by giving her tooth fairy money to him! So, we drove home and brought it back to him. I am so proud of them! This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #2017CookieSale #Dillon #GirlScoutCookies #mountaincommunities

Looking to stretch your Girl Scout Cookies goal? Slacker and Steve of 105.9FM in Denver have agreed to buy 100 packages of Hometown Heroes/ Gift of Caring cookies from the Girl Scout with the best sales pitch! Listen to their show on Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at 3 p.m.  and have your best sales pitch ready. #slackerandsteve #Denver #GirlScoutCookies #2017CookieSale #Denvermetro

Girl Scouts LOVE fun patches! Whether they are for cookies, camp, or even a cool event, patches can serve as a great reminder to all the fun times you have had as a Girl Scout. Designing your own patch? Here are some things to keep in mind. Plan ahead. Designing your own patch can take weeks or even months. Consider how long it will take to create and manufacture your patch. Use a reputable vendor. If your patch includes any reference to Girl Scouts, it must be approved by Girl Scouts of Colorado and Girl Scouts of the USA. References to Girl Scouts include (but are not limited to) images of the trefoil or servicemark; the letters GSCO and GSUSA; and the words Girl Scouts, Girl Scouts of Colorado, Daisy, Brownie, Junior, etc. To get your patch approved by Girl Scouts of Colorado, use this simple form: https://gscolorado.formstack.com/forms/patch_approval Need help designing your patch? Contact the Girl Scouts of Colorado Shop at retail@gscolorado.org. #funpatch

** UPDATE: We now have troops to do the Flag Ceremony in the Metro Denver, Pikes Peak, and Northern & Northeastern Colorado regions. Thank you to everyone who offered to help! Submitted by GSCO Highest Awards Manager Aimee Bianca, aimee.bianca@gscolorado.org Highest Awards Celebrations are right around the corner! We cannot wait to honor all the girls who have earned their Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award in the next year. We need troops to volunteer to lead the Girl Scout Promise and Law and Pledge of Allegiance, and do the opening and closing flag ceremony at each event. It would be best to have at least four girls volunteer for this exciting opportunity, but we can work with a larger group easily. Three girls are needed to be the flag bearers and carry the flags and one girl is needed to be the “caller”. Additional girls will act as the color guard. Girl Scouts of Colorado will provide scripts and flags at each celebration. We ask that you arrive at least a half an hour before the event begins to practice and set up. It would be best to have a troop volunteer who is not being recognized for an award this year but is excited about participating in the future. Please email aimee.bianca@gscolorado.org as soon as possible and no later than Monday, April 3rd if you girls are interested in this opportunity. Celebration dates are: Pueblo & SE Colorado Friday, April 21 – 6:00pm Center for American Values 101 S Main Street, #100 Pueblo, CO 81003 Northern & NE Colorado Sunday, April 23 – 2:00pm Embassy Suites by Hilton Loveland 4705 Clydesdale Pkwy Loveland, CO 80538 Western Slope & SE Colorado Sunday, April 30 – 2:00pm Colorado Mesa University Grand Junction, CO 81501 Pikes Peak Friday, May 5 – 6:00pm Penrose House at El Pomar 1661 Mesa Ave Colorado Springs, CO 80906 Denver Metro Sunday, May 7 – 2:00pm Denver Marriott Tech Center 4900 S Syracuse St Denver, CO 80237 #2017HighestAwardscelebrations #Statewide

Submitted by Ellie Barry Metro Denver Parker These two girls aren’t in the same Daisy troop but came together to sell cookies at their moms’ office in January. By working together, they practiced being honest and fair and being a sister to every Girl Scout! This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #Parker #PowerofCookie #GirlScoutCookies #2017CookieSale #MetroDenver

Thank you for all your hard work and dedication that has helped make the 2017 Girl Scout Cookie Sale Program a success for girls statewide. Our final shipment of cookies from Little Brownie Bakers has arrived and been delivered to cupboards. As March 12 approaches, the GSCO Product Sales Team will be consolidating cupboards and inventory to ensure GSCO manages to zero again this year. Once cupboards and warehouses distribute remaining inventory, some varieties will become unavailable and are not able to be restocked. As inventory is depleted in your local cupboards, please utilize troop-to-troop transfers to obtain cookies for booth sales and to fill any remaining orders. #2017CookieSale #cookiesvolunteers #GirlScoutCookies

Submitted by Mallory Wolff Northern & Northeastern CO Fort Collins Kappa Delta Sorority at Colorado State University will be hosting an Adventure Campus Tour on Saturday, March 4, 2017 from noon – 3 p.m. This event would seek to offer two badges for the Girl Scouts under the “Adventure” badge category. This includes the Letterboxer badge for Brownies and Geocacher badge for Juniors. During this event, Girl Scouts would be able to tour facilities such as the student center and library on the CSU campus. As the Girl Scouts follow the tour with the Kappa Deltas, they will complete the workshop that includes the steps necessary to earn the Adventure badges. The Girl Scouts would meet at the Kappa Delta chapter facility for drop off/pick-up for the campus tour. The tour will then conclude with snacks and games on The Oval at CSU! For this event, I would suggest bringing a water bottle, comfy clothing and shoes, and snacks if your child has a severe food allergy. All Kappa Delta members are required to attend the event, so there will be a little over 100 Kappa Deltas in attendance. These members have hosted workshops with Girl Scouts in the past. Some are even alumnae! All materials will be provided to earn the badge, but troop leaders and parents are more than welcome to join us for the tour! Kappa Delta Sorority looks forward to hosting events that further values of self-esteem, confidence, and courage shared between our organization and Girl Scouts of the USA. We hope you are able to join us! This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #ColoradoStateUniversity #KappaDelta #NorthernampNortheasternCO #Brownies #Juniors #FortCollins

Congratulations to the winners of GSCO’s 2017 #BlingYourBooth contest! Troop 41660 from Fort Carson won first prize and will receive $200 in Cookie Credits. The troop plans to use their winnings to buy new uniforms for their upcoming bridging ceremony. Skyler K.  from Pueblo came in second place and will use the $100 in Cookie Credits to go to Girl Scout Camp. Two troops came in third. Troop 73000 from Miliken and Troop 60114 from Thornton will each receive $50 in Cookie Credits. #2017CookieSale #cookiecontests #GirlScoutCookies