Submitted by Wendy Anderson Denver Metro Aurora Susan G. Komen Colorado in conjunction with Juniper Trail Girl Scouts Service Unit were thrilled to bring Scouting for the Cure back to Colorado! About 80 girls along with their adult partners gathered at Grandview High School in Aurora October 7, 2016 for this educational breast health event. Volunteers from DU Cheerleading squad lead the girls in cheerleading to encourage girls to get regular physical exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle may prevent certain diseases including cancer. Volunteers from Susan G. Komen taught the attendees about the importance of regular breast exams and early detection of breast cancer at a station where they made bracelets with beads representing different sized lumps. Each attendee was able to keep a bracelet as her own reminder of the importance of regular breast exams. Participants were also able to make a bracelet to donate to Susan G. Komen that will be used to educate other women about breast health! A big thank you to HealthONE doctors and nurses for coming out to share even more breast health info! Girls were able to assemble packets of information to share with other women in their lives, participants practiced finding lumps on models, and learned about the importance of mammograms. They saw mammogram images and were able to talk with a radiologist about what she looks for when reading a mammogram. Meeting women doctors, nurses, and pharmacists from our area will hopefully encourage more girls to choose STEM careers that will lead to ending breast cancer forever! The evening wrapped up with a special presentation by Charlotte Talbert, Juliette Low actress. She taught everyone about Juliette Low’s life. October is a special time for Girl Scouts as we celebrate Juliette Low’s birthday. It is also breast cancer awareness month. Did you know Juliette Low died from breast cancer? Through modern medical advances and arming our girls and women with knowledge about breast cancer, we can increase breast cancer survival rates and save lives. Juliette Low would definitely want that for her Girl Scouts. Thank you to all who participated this year. We hope to bring Scouting for the Cure to other areas in the future. If you would like to get involved, please contact girlscoutwendy@gmail.com This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #ScoutingforaCure #STEM #Aurora #breastcancer #Denvermetro #SusanGKomenColorado

Submitted by Colleen Trapp Metro Denver Aurora My daughter Elizabeth is in Troop 64257 in Aurora. Elizabeth has a twin brother, Joel, who has special needs. There’s a girl in her troop, Emily, who truly epitomizes what it means to be a Girl Scout. Emily always treats Joel with such dignity and respect. When you read the Girl Scout Law, you know that she TRULY takes it to heart and is leading by example. Today, after I picked up Joel from school, we were waiting for his sister to come out and he lit up when he saw Emily. Emily checked to make sure it was safe to cross the street, walked over to the car, and gave Joel a big hug, MADE HIS DAY! With so many kids being bullied, Emily is a strong leader and really shows how to treat others! This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #Aurora #GirlScoutLaw #MetroDenver

Submitted by Ariella Wells Fort Collins Northern and Northeastern CO As part of their big event for selling cookies and troop bonding, the girls voted and decided that we would go to the Denver Zoo for a Girl Scout program and overnight! The programs were all filled earlier in the spring so they just got to attend in September. They spent the night with Girl Scouts from other troops learning about habitat of various animals! We also got to see a fun show put on by staff with animals the next morning. This was a fun experience and a memory I am sure the girls will always cherish. This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #DenverZoo #FortCollins

Submitted by Jessica Rumsey Metro Denver Highlands Ranch Our Silver Award was one that could hardly be tracked. We didn’t help one particular person, but strangers we will probably never meet. It sprouted to something bigger than our imaginations could take us, and now that we have come to the end of our journey together it’s a bittersweet moment because while stress is gone, so is a weird form of bonding that connected the three of us together, Rachael, Jennifer, and Jessica. We worked on the project together, and stayed on the same page even as our ideas were altered, and original plans took large twists and turns. We knew from the start we wanted to work with the elderly, so we toured local senior living homes that posed as a potential base for the something bigger that was going to be created. This landed us with Someren Glen, a local home in Centennial, Colorado. We explored many different options, and finally landed with working with seniors to provide tray favors for a non-profit organization called TLC Meals on Wheels. Along with this, out of gratitude and to lend a helping hand we replanted the garden that once thrived in their courtyard. Now of course, this took funding. We contemplated many different options, and landed on a bake sale. So after baking for half a day we set up a booth and Jennifer sold our goods at an elementary school play. At our first venture to work with the seniors at Someren Glen we asked residents to come help plant the garden, but unfortunately did not gather a large crowd. Our next organized event was to work with the seniors while making the tray favors, so we set up outside the dining hall, and got to work. While some people came here and there, our participants were far from what we wanted. We ended up making the 60 boxes filled with confetti, mints, and origami stars, sitting in the center of the home, working alongside no other than the girls in our troop and the volunteer coordinator. After this we veered off from our original plan, and went to something bigger than ourselves. Dropping off the 60 boxes to the Meals on Wheels organization, reality hit us. Talking to the director and staff we learned that each tray favor should be made in quantities of 400, and they are needed for almost every holiday throughout the year. Now with three of us this number seemed far from reach, yet somehow we managed to make it through. As for making them for every holiday, we teamed up with Old Navy, Lone Tree and other Girl Scout troops to keep the kindness moving forward, and sustain our project. This project may have been stressful and time consuming, but we know that we made a huge difference in many people’s lives, and that makes everything worth it. If you are working on a Highest Award, our advice to you is to keep going, and be persistent. Ideas may differ and you may not always agree on how to achieve your goal. The workload is high and at times so is the stress level. It feels as if the finish line is miles away and yet, we managed to get there. In the end the rewards are great, the knowledge and experience we’ve gained unmeasurable. So our advice…never stop trying, the journey is worth it. This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too.

We are thrilled to offer an exciting Gold Award Retreat in Steamboat Springs on October 22 and 23, 2016. This retreat is an opportunity for girls to receive Gold Award Training, connect with other girls, brainstorm their ideas, and leave with at least three concrete next steps for moving forward with their Gold. Come on out for an amazing weekend in the mountains and leave with a clear picture of your Gold Award journey! Even if you have already attended Gold Award training, this is an opportunity to meet members of the Gold Award Committee, connect with other girls, and build your confidence to go for the Gold! The retreat will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 22 and will end at 11 a.m. on Sunday, October 23. Attendees are welcome to bring their own lunch and dinner, however GSCO will provide all meals for $10 per person. All girls must be accompanied by a parent or troop leader in order to attend. Registration closes Friday, October 14. Don’t miss out on this once a year opportunity! Register now: https://gscolorado.formstack.com/forms/gold_award_retreat_mc_10_22_2016 #GoldAward #GoldAwardTraining #mountaincommunities #SteamboatSprings

Walk where dinosaurs walked, learn about fossils, and more! Join GSCO for Dinosaur Ridge’s annual Girl Scout Day on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Experienced geoscientists will explain fossil footprints, show dinosaur bones, and make Mesozoic Colorado come to life.  The Women in Mining, National Park Service, Legendary Ladies, and Mr. Bones will host booths with more fun activities. All Girl Scouts, friends, and family are invited. Cost is $6/Girl Scout, $5/adult. Register at http://bit.ly/2cVAuXx through GSCO until Thursday, Oct. 6. Walk-up registrations will be accepted at the event. Girl Scout Day is also National Fossil Day through the National Park Service! There will be a National Fossil Day event patch available for all scouts that would like to purchase one. Cost: $3/patch. For more information, please contact Lori Thompson at lori.thompson@gscolorado.org. #DinosaurRidge #GirlScoutDay #MetroDenver #Morrison

What did you do for your Gold Award project? Middle school can be a tough time for many students. While adults usually give great advice to students, students tend to listen to advice given from their peers more. To help students hear and understand tips about surviving middle school, I interviewed ten high school students about what they wish they were told in middle school, what their biggest problems were, how they handled them, and more. I then edited the interviews into a 10 minute video with the best and most relevant advice about academic, social, and self-esteem topics. (link for the video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWGEZ8edqu4) How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience? I measured the impact by the reactions of acquaintances on Facebook, in person, and on the video link. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and I’m excited to see how many people I can help with my project. How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement? I emailed my video to multiple middle schools, asking that they use it as they see fit and pass it on. Because it is a public video, anyone can view it and share it to other people, and it will grow beyond my involvement. What is your project’s global and/or national connection? The students I interviewed addressed a variety of different problems that apply to many middle school students. From bullying to peer pressure, academic stress to finding yourself, the topics are applicable nationwide. What did you learn about yourself? I learned that a large project can be simplified if it’s cut into smaller pieces. I also learned that, though I am usually a quiet person, I can be a great and effective leader, as I’m good at listening and understanding others. I learned the value of asking for help, and I learned that its okay to admit you’re having difficulty with something, especially to someone who can help you improve. How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future? My Gold Award has put me on the path to success. It has taught me how to lead effectively and manage my time. I’ve enjoyed the experiences I’ve had during this project, and I look forward to completing other projects in the future. Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience? The Gold Award was the most important part of my Girl Scout experience because it taught me how much of a leader I can be. It taught me about the balance between teamwork and individual work. It taught me about perseverance and patience, and I am very proud of the work I’ve completed. I hope it helps others as much as it helped me. **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 #ColoradoSprings #GoldAward #PikesPeak

Saturday, Sept. 17th, Girl Scouts of Colorado honored the 2016 Pikes Peak Women of Distinction during the Thin Mint Brunch at Norris-Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs. A group of nearly 150 gathered at the event, which raised $30,000 for local Girl Scout programs. This year’s Women of Distinction are: Aimee Cox, Community Development Manager, City of Colorado Springs Janice “JJ” Frazier, Chair, Board of Directors, Urbanites Leading the Pikes Peak Region (ULPPR) Jenifer Furda, Publisher, Colorado Springs Business Journal Hannah Parsons, Chief Community Development Officer, Colorado Springs Regional Business Alliance Susan Presti, Manager, Community Relations and Information Management, Colorado Springs Utilities Robin Roberts, President, Pikes Peak National Bank June Waller, Community Volunteer (Recipient of the Sandy Taylor Distinguished Community Service Award) These seven extraordinary women were selected by a committee of their peers led by Selection Chair Carla Hartsell, 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. Girl Scout Gold Award recipient Sarah Greichen inspired the crowd with her keynote speech about her journey to earn the highest honor in Girl Scouts and eventually be named a Young Woman of Distinction by Girl Scouts of the USA. Inspired by her twin brother who has an autism spectrum disorder, Sarah started a non-profit organization, Score A Friend, to promote and support youth to lead school-based unified clubs for students of all abilities. Today, there are Score A Friend clubs in schools and universities across the country. Girl Scouts of Colorado engages Women of Distinction in ongoing Girl Scout activities and programs designed to build the next generation of leaders. Since 1994, more than 125 women have been named as Pikes Peak Women of Distinction. Sponsors of this year’s event include Delta Dental, El Pomar Foundation, Ent Federal Credit Union, Newmont Mining, Girl Scouts of Colorado Highest Awards Alumnae, the Hartsell Living Trust, Nor’wood Development Group, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, and one anonymous sponsor. For more information on the Girl Scouts of Colorado Pikes Peak Women of Distinction program, visit our website. #ColoradoSprings #funddevelopment #PikesPeak #WomenofDistinction

Submitted by Angela S. Colorado Springs Pikes Peak Going for the highest award in Girl Scouting is a huge undertaking, and that can be made even harder if you are a Juliette, with no troop to go through the experience with. However, if you step away from the hugeness that the Gold Award project seems to be, it can be an amazing experience. For me, Girl Scouts has lead me to a path where I am almost always working on some kind of service project; big or small, for the environment or for people. Scouting has made it a natural part of my life, and I believe that this is true for a lot of people. Now that I have been working on the project for several months, I see that it is a way to make something I already care about bigger and better, and to push something that was just one person into a movement. My Gold Award Project is to educate people about bees and the danger the species is in right now. I am creating a program with the Catamount Institute that can hopefully be used for years to come and touch hundreds of children. The big kickoff of this is coming up really soon, on October 1, 2016, and the best part of this is that children are going to do a lot in terms of getting the whole thing set up. I believe that no one person can make big change alone, but if you get the community involved in something, then anything is possible. With issues, such as bees, that aren’t as cute as puppies,  it takes a little bit more work to get kids to care about them. This is why it’s so important that kids contribute to the environment of the bees themselves. Anyone who wants to help get this program up and running is more than welcome to come to the Catamount Institute on October 1, 2016 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. #GoldAward #ColoradoSprings #CatamountInstitute #bees #PikesPeak

Region 6 – Metro Denver Denver, CO 15 Years as a Girl Scout volunteer 1 Year as a Gold Award Mentor First Class Recipient Why did you become a Gold Award Mentor? I would like to continue to work with older Girl Scouts. I feel like I can help Girl Scouts individually and as an organization by serving on the committee. What words of advice do you have for girls about the Gold Award? The girls should pick a topic that they are passionate about. Once they have been approved, they should try to work on their project at least one hour a week – trying to keep at it will help them manage their time. They can do anything if they set their mind to it! About Debbie: I was a Girl Scout from Brownie through Senior in high school in Grand Island, Nebraska. I loved earning badges, going to camp, and being a camp volunteer. I traveled to South Dakota with 70 Girl Scouts on a bus tour in the 70’s. I loved Girl Scouts so much that when I had daughters I wanted them to have the same kinds of experiences I had camping, going on trips, learning new things, so I became a leader and yes I took them to South Dakota. I have been a leader for every level and have taken girls on trips to Mesa Verde, San Francisco, and Hawaii. The girls in my original troops have all graduated and after a 3-year break, I have another Senior troop in SW Denver. Girl Scouts has been a big part of who I am as a person. One of the most rewarding things I have seen as a leader was watching girls in my troop who were so shy as first graders be able to plan and lead a unit camp as a Cadette. I am an attorney at the State Capitol where I draft legislation and help sponsor Girl Scout Day at the Capitol (a day long workshop for older girls to learn about law-making and running for office). #Denvermetro #GoldAward #MeetourMentors

The Girl Scout Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards are the highest achievements in Girl Scouting. Girl Scouts of Colorado offers two amazing trainings to help girls, parents, and troop leaders through the highest awards. Highest Awards & Take Action is for parents and leaders who are interested in learning the basics of the Bronze, Silver, and Gold and how to get their girls on a path to a successful project. Gold Award Training is required for any girl who is interested in pursuing her Gold Award. Parents and troop leaders are all encouraged to attend Gold Award Training as well. We are thrilled to be offering both of these trainings in Grand Junction in October. These are fantastic opportunities to learn the ins and outs of the highest awards and get your girls ready to learn new leadership skills! Register now for Gold Award Training on October 12, 2016: https://gscolorado.formstack.com/forms/goldawardtrainingws101216 Register now for Highest Awards & Take Action on October 21, 2016: https://gscolorado.formstack.com/forms/highest_awards_take_action_training_ws_10_21_2016 Questions? Email highestawards@gscolorado.org #HighestAwards #HighestAwardstraining #GrandJunction #training #WesternColorado

Girl Scouts of the USA has awarded the prestigious Medal of Honor to Katelyn Ibarra, a 16-year-old Girl Scout from Steamboat Springs, for saving numerous lives after a city bus crashed. 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. 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.” Girl Scouts of the USA awards the Medal of Honor for “saving life or attempting to save life without risk to the candidate’s own life.” In March, Katie Hurley of Northglenn, Colo. was awarded the Medal of Honor for saving her mother’s life after her glucose levels dropped to a life-threatening level. #LifesavingAwards #MedalofHonor #mountaincommunities #SteamboatSprings