Submitted by Sheryl Blish Arvada Denver Metro Come celebrate summer Girl Scout style! Arvada Troops 3301 & 3302 began their summer celebration with a two-week trip to California. Check back often to read about their adventures in Cali! Today’s photo is the girls hitting the surf on Coronado Island near San Diego. The sun, the beach, and the Ocean were perfect! We can’t wait to share our stories from California and we want to hear all about yours too! “Love” from Troop 3301 & 3302 in California! This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #Arvada #Denvermetro

Submitted by Laurie Nieb Denver Denver Metro Troop 63388 planned their bridging celebration with the help of GS books and GS website. The Daisies planned the menu, made invitations and practiced the ceremony four times! We learned new songs to welcome our Brownies. We cheered as our Daisies walked over the bridge to their moms, who placed the new Brownies sash over their shoulder. Our Friendship/Closing Circle was our best with all our Moms and Dads joining us! This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #Daisy #Brownie #Brownies #bridging #Daisies #bridgingceremony

Submitted by Alison Freeman Cortez Southwestern Colorado Nine-year-old Alison Freeman is a Junior Girl Scout in the Cortez Girl Scout Troop #2619. In April 2015, she completed a community service project as part of attaining her Bronze Award. The Bronze Award is the highest possible award that can be achieved for a Junior Girl Scout. In her own words, the following outlines her experiences during this project: “I chose to help the Rose Hill Hospitality House in Grand Junction for my bronze award project because my mom, my dad, my brother and I stayed there in our time of need. They helped us a lot when my grandpa Gary Crouse was in the hospital. I presented my plan to my Girl Scout sisters and they all liked the idea, so my next step was to call the hospitality house and see what was needed. They said that they were in greatest need of toothbrushes and toothpaste. The next time I met with my troop I asked each one of them to ask their dentists if they could donate toothbrushes and toothpaste. I was looking for 10-20 from each of them. I had a dentist appointment the following week and got 10 toothbrushes and 10 toothpastes and 10 flossers from my dentist, Dr. Carlson, who does all sorts of pediatric dentistry and orthodontics. Members of the First United Methodist Church, where we hold our Girl Scout meetings, left donations in our Girl Scout room, after I wrote a letter to them. We also received donations from members of the community, in response to requests posted on social media. I asked my orthodontist, Dr. Shafer he is one of the best orthodontist in Murrieta and my Alpharetta GA dentist, and he thought I wanted a check but then I told him that we needed toothbrushes and toothpaste and he gave me a whole box of each. One other girl went to her dentist, Dr. Vreeken, and asked. She got 20 of each! Another girl went to the store and bought some toothbrushes and toothpaste, and another bought mouthwashes and flossers. It was hard to keep calling over and over as well as also reminding everyone to do it. It stressed me out a lot. I had a great feeling about this project, and it turned out to be a great success. My team came through at the last minute, with 100% participation, and Rose Hill Hospitality House benefitted. We went to Grand Junction to the hospitality house on Sunday April 29th and they gave us a tour. We presented well over 200 toothbrushes and toothpaste for their facility. It felt great to help! How I lived out the Girl Scout law is I helped people at all times. I am honest, fair and friendly and helpful, caring, courageous and strong. I respect myself and use my resources wisely. I can make the world a better place and be a sister to every Girl Scout.” This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #Cortez

Submitted by Dee Sabol Colorado Springs Pikes Peak I’ve been thinking about my wonderful experiences with Girl Scouts growing up and found this piece from a “Then and Now” promotion that ran a few years ago. We are lucky to have such a strong, vibrant and historic organization serving Colorado. “I joined Brownies in 1973 in north central Minnesota – in a little town of about 1,100 people and I stayed in Girl Scouts until I started Junior High and we moved away. “Scouting was a family thing for us. My mother had been a Girl Scout. She got us excited about Girl Scouting and led our troop off and on over the years. This was a rural area and there were other opportunities for kids, such as 4-H, but they seemed so mundane to me. I loved adventure! I wanted to become an explorer or a voyager in the great northern wilderness and Girl Scouts fostered that dream. “For me, the most memorable Girl Scouting experiences involve pine trees and the sound of water lapping gently against canoes in the dark – Girl Scout Camp in the north woods. I can remember every scent and sound: cooking fires, dish soap, bug spray, damp moss, wet sand, the call of loons, rain on canvas, comfortable voices laughing and singing. Did I mention bug spray? Camp was mystical and we campers were charmed. All of the activities and all of the people were magic. “We traveled a great deal when I was growing up, but Girl Scout Camp was different. It filled me with a sense of independence and made me feel strong and capable. Camp was where I discovered I could rely on myself because there was this wonderful force behind me, supporting and encouraging me. Girl Scouting taught me to set and reach goals, to challenge myself. Girl Scouting also taught me to invest in things I care about and care about things that I invest myself in. “I still love adventure. I still enjoy challenging myself and am enchanted by discovery. I still feel an aching fondness for those deep, silent twilights in a strange and exhilarating place, surrounded by other little people happily daring and dreaming of great things. “I sponsored a Girl Scout for the Gold Award a couple of years ago. It was an exciting way to reawaken that sense of invisible connectivity that Girl Scouts promotes. There is always so much more that can be done! I donate as I am able and I coordinate cookie sales for Troops at our local library facilities. Supporting Girl Scouts is a sure way to keep the magic alive in your heart and to give every girl the opportunity to discover it for herself.” This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #ColoradoSprings #GirlScoutalumnae #GirlScouts #PikesPeak

Silver Award Recipients May 2015 Troop42393 -Colorado Springs Kimberly  Jones Troop52276 -Thornton Josephine  Page TROOP62851 -Parker Chloee  Atchison-Reynolds Meaghan  Morris TROOP50659 -Breckenridge Geneva  Ascher Kalina  Macias Troop52135 -Denver Faith  Carbajal Troop52135 -Henderson Samantha  Smith Troop13634 -Meeker Cori  Mohr Mariah  Hood Tacy  Crawford #SilverAward #TakeAction

Bronze Award Recipients May 2015 Troop30961 -Pueblo Abbigail  Gutierrez Beth  Bridgewater Brenna  Penrod Briana  Ashcraft Hailey  Bowman Jordan  Boughton Julia  Vieth Taylor  Gonzales Tesla  Ashcraft Troop43107 -Monument Annika  Polvi Hannah  Brothers Jessa  Hamel Megan  King Sabra  Catalano Troop43841 -Colorado Springs Zoe  Unsell Troop43944 -Colorado Springs Sophia   Barlitt Sarah   Barnett Rachel   Chung Jenna   Jones Madeline   Kalbfleisch Suhani   Sharma Jadyn   Torres Savannah   Vohsman Troop62752 -Centennial Lily  Shanor TROOP70274 -Longmont Alanah  Cordova Aliyah  Cordova Bailey  Trippe Briana  Gibson-Clayburn Chloe  Kurtz Katelyn  Jasmin Kavya  Kataria Tesha  Cordova Troop62732 -Centennial Sky  Barta Emma  Knutson Troop64207 -Parker Addison  Lyster Ainsley  Click Isabel  Rogers Trinity  Kearns TROOP60474 -Littleton Carly  Bole Jessica  Sandy Kate  Magen Madison  Packard Olivia  Anderson Payton  Lott Rachael  Lott Sophia  Piccone Taylor  Lohman Troop51731 -Pine Amelia  Tatro Elise  Clark Ella  Fritz Troop51731 -Bailey Eleanor  Woodward Gwendolyn  Carolus Isabel  Cloutier Victoria  Thorp TROOP70274 -Mead Ariel  Harper Petra  Jensen TROOP52023 -Broomfield Amelie  Bisping Charlotte  Bauer Corryn  Rose Fiona  Mackendrick Hailey  Higney Jenna  Von Ruden Katie  Bivrell Troop71047 -Louisville Annelise  Ten Wolde Elizabeth  Mitchell Emma  Sundberg Emma  Tice-Kepner Lucy  Geiszler Magdalene  Hefflon Taylor  Matteson Savannah  Jordaan Troop73960 -Louisville Alicia  Chapman Amy  Tillinghast Anna  Ho Julianna  Knoll Olivia  Sitton Brenna  Gloster Elisabeth  Herrera Minju  Kim Xingjian  Zhang Elizabeth  Loisel Troop40456 -Colorado Springs Karlee  Rainey Katherine  Brungardt Kaylin  McClellan Madison  Tompkins Miranda  Burke Nia  Hughes Meghan  Mooney Troop43107 -Colorado Springs Claire  Leupold Noelle  Behr Sarah  Greening Zoey  Adams Troop62732 -Englewood Lily  Legleiter TROOP62720 -Centennial Alexandra  Sprague Cassidy  Bilger Faith  Dailey Giselle  Gueddiche Greta  Kerkhoff Lilly  Stinton Malaika  Hale Marisa  Colbert Maya  Grover TROOP62720 -Littleton Alicia  Keiffer Ashlee  Urroz Kaitlynn  Henderson Lauren  Kennedy TROOP62721 -Highlands Ranch Aubrie  Lose TROOP62722 -Highlands Ranch Jessica  Herstein TROOP62723 -Highlands Ranch Kadence  Provan TROOP62724 -Highlands Ranch Katherine  McGrath TROOP62725 -Highlands Ranch Rachel  Summerlin TROOP62726 -Highlands Ranch Sophia  Holland TROOP62727 -Highlands Ranch Victoria  Sanchez TROOP62728 -Centennial Ashlyn  Dooley TROOP62729 -Centennial Cora  Nesbett TROOP62730 -Centennial Emily  Madsen TROOP62731 -Greenwood Village Emma  Calderaro TROOP62733 -Centennial Kimmy  Huckabee TROOP62734 -Centennial Kyra  Hultgren TROOP62735 -Centennial Liberty  Bell TROOP62736 -Centennial Morgan  McKenna TROOP62737 -Colorado Springs Bethany  Gordon TROOP62738 -Colorado Springs Lucy  Smith TROOP62739 -Colorado Springs McKenna  Hulland TROOP62740 -Elizabeth Carly  Krug TROOP62741 -Parker Eleanor  Nelson TROOP62742 -Parker Elisabeth  Murphy TROOP62743 -Castle Rock Emma  Turner TROOP62744 -Elizabeth Gracie  Bohler TROOP62745 -Castle Rock Isabelle  Finley TROOP62746 -Parker Rosealyn  Avenger TROOP62747 -Parker Samantha  Campbell TROOP62748 -Castle Rock Sydney  Hessler TROOP62749 -Franktown Trinity  Brown TROOP62750 -Morrison Allison  Atcheson TROOP62751 -Fort Collins Hannah  Carlin Troop60789 -Aurora Amelia  Malchow Dagan  Martin Kai  Jackson Makenna  Batcho Micaela  Morrill Sofia  Aarestad Troop60789 -Denver Jessica  Marks Julianna  Martin Troop74292 -Boulder Abigail  Sprod Alana  Pohlman Claire  Tanner Isa  Schnitzspahn Katharina  Sawatzky Leah  Sanson Troop74292 -Lafayette Grace Mei  Matassa Troop52522 -Golden Chloe  Holmes Eleanor  Helker Maddison  Smith Troop52522 -Wheat Ridge Kate  Helmke Troop52522 -Arvada Lillian  Hicks Nadine  Kwiecinski Troop52522 -Lakewood Madeleine  Netherton Troop44097 -Colorado Springs Jordyn  Astor Kaitlyn  Berry Sarah  Berry Sarah  Pray Troop62067 -Parker Abriana  Ferguson Claire  Chesher Emily  Reddy Maya  Lundgren Megan  Thomas Riley  Primeau Sophia  Cain #BronzeAward #TakeAction

Each cookie season, we at Little Brownie Bakers strive to offer girls fun, unique cookie rewards that inspire them to reach high goals. Girls love the specially designed plush animals we create for them each year. As we prepare for the 100th anniversary of Girl Scout Cookies in 2016-17, we want to hear from girls! We have created a simple survey and ask that you take the survey here. Thanks for helping us engage girls in our exciting centennial plans. #cookies #LittleBrownieBakers

Congratulations to former Girl Scouts of Colorado Board President Connie Campbell and her husband Bruce! They will be honored with the Breath of Life Award at the 10th Annual Breath of Life Gala benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation- Colorado Chapter. It is Saturday, November 14, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. at the Denver Marriott City Center. In addition to her role as GSCO Board President, Connie also mentored Girl Scout Gold Awardee Isabella Colosimo. She earned the highest award in Girl Scouts in the spring of 2015 for a project to help children suffering from CF. Because they spend time in treatment, isolated from others, Isabella saw an opportunity to make a difference for these children and take their minds off their disease with fun activities and handmade items. Her “Creative Kits” were delivered to the Children’s Hospital and she also presented her ideas to representatives of the Cystic Fibrosis Board of Directors. Thank you Connie and Bruce for all you have done for Girl Scouts of Colorado and the community. Congratulations again on this prestigious honor!

GSCO Recruitment Specialist and motivational speaker Molly Cain recently had the chance to speak to our Outreach group at the Betty Marler Center. The Betty Marler Center is operated by Rite of Passage, which is a residential treatment program for young women. Our Outreach Associates visit one specific pod there for Girl Scout programming, because they earned it. With this program we have a pretty constant group of girls every week unless they are released. They range from ages 15-20. This group of girls spends all of their time together, so the bonds they have with one another are very genuine. The Girls Looking Forward program gives them opportunity to work together, collaborate on projects, set goals and have fun. Molly said this about the experience: “I walked in with high hopes that I would be able to inspire their lives a little, bringing encouragement to the table to hopefully motivate a change within themselves. I think I may have been successful, but as much as I’d like to think I had a small part in their lives. They truly were the ones who helped inspire me. “This was my first speaking engagement that I almost cried on the spot and I’ve been speaking for well over a year. At Right of Passage there were so many emotions throughout the whole room, I had goosebumps. The audience was amazing, engaged and completely quiet. They asked many questions throughout my presentation, very conversational, which I love; and we all had the chance to learn a little more about one another. “By the time that we were done, there were hugs given, relationships made and a new light shown in those four walls. This not only influenced my journey; it influenced theirs too. The Girl Scouts provide so many opportunities for girls, it’s unreal. I could literally talk for hours about this organization, is my passion!” If your troop or group is looking for a motivational speaker to visit one of your meetings, please contact us. #Denvermetro

Hello! My name is Cassidy, and I’m 17 years old and go to ThunderRidge High School in Highlands Ranch. I’m currently working on my Gold Award project called “Imagination Station.” For my project, I’m creating a fruitful, up-to-date library for the kids living at Joshua Station, a faith-based community in downtown Denver that assists families as they make the transition from homelessness to a healthy, stable living environment. Currently, there are 30 families living at Joshua Station, and among these families are 67 kids! I am collecting a range of new children’s books, from classics to newly published, to build a library and inspire a love of reading within the kids there. Along with the library, I will be designing a reading nook near the front entrance of Joshua Station so kids can read, do homework, or spend time with family and friends in a comfortable setting. Additionally, I will be starting a kids’ book club that will meet monthly at Joshua Station, so we will be reading all of the wonderful books that people donate. Beginning on June 1, the Aspen Grove Tattered Cover will serve as a donation drop site for very gently used or new books that people can give to any staff member to collect. The store will then donate one new book for every ten new or used that my supporters donate. This will go until July 31. I have also composed an online wish list of items that I would like to add to the reading nook. You can access the wish list by going to: http://www.myregistry.com/organization/Cassidy-Klein-Highlands-Ranch-CO/868582 Please consider donating gently used children’s or teen’s books, or purchasing new books, and bringing them to the Aspen Grove Tattered Cover. Give them to any staff member, and they will add them to the collection for my project. Thank you so much! This will make an incredible difference in the kids’ lives at Joshua Station. I made a flyer with a list of potential books to give you an idea of what I’m looking for, but please feel free to donate your favorite children’s books or classics. imagination flyer front imagination flyer back The address to the Aspen Grove Tattered Cover is: Aspen Grove, 7301 S Santa Fe Dr, Littleton, CO 80120 My project progress so far: On May 15 and 16, the Idyllwilde community neighborhood in Parker ran a Scholastic book fair and raised over $450 in new books for Joshua Station! Kristi Stuart, who works for Scholastic, and the community liaison, June Zelkin, were so wonderful and generous to help put this together and support my project. I’ll soon be going to the Scholastic warehouse to pick out $450 worth of new books! Yay! On May 9, four of my lovely friends and I volunteered at the Barking Dog Dualthon at Cherry Creek State Park. It was a fundraiser, and we earned $187.50 for my project by volunteering! It was a cold and rainy morning, but we had fun! Thank you so much for your support! I’m super excited about my project! #Denvermetro #GoldAward #HighlandsRanch #JoshuaStation

Submitted by Angela Chesher Parker Denver Metro We are troop 2067. For our bronze award, we helped out at Rosie’s Ranch. Rosie’s Ranch assists children with hearing loss and oral language challenges to listen and speak through engaging in activities with horses. We helped the ranch by buying shelves. Mrs. Mary’s garage was a maze full of all her things. We decided to buy her shelves and bins from our cookie money. We organized her garage, put the shelves up, and organized a garage sale group and auction group with the items she didn’t want. She can now find everything she needs for the horse camps. The participants of her camps and her, will benefit from this. We also washed the barn and picked up the manure. There were many factors that went into choosing Rosie’s Ranch. First, we decided that we wanted to do something with animals. Next, we decided we wanted to do something with horses. After that, two of the moms knew about this horse ranch and they also knew the owner, Mrs.Mary. Then, we called Mrs.Mary to set up some dates. Last, we showed up to help change some lives. One thing we learned was that we need to try to be friends with special needs kids. We learned that they are just like us and they want everything that we want, like friends. Rosie’s Ranch was overall a great experience for all of us. We took back a lot and had fun doing it. We all hope this inspires others to help make their community a better place. This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too. #Denvermetro #Parker #RosiesRanch

Mel Johnston is a past Board President for Girl Scouts Mile Hi Council, JGL Society Member, GSCO Alum and ’12 Woman of Distinction.  She recently shared her Girl Scouting experiences with us: Girl Scouting for me began in a World War II barracks constructed by the German POWs held in a camp outside our small Kansas town.  As Brownies we did all the usual things, made sit-upons out of red check oil cloth and yarn, went on hikes through the farm fields and creeks around town.  When I moved to another small Kansas town, my best friend’s mom was the troop leader and guided us to our first class rank.  There was no Girl Scout camp in our area so maybe that is why I never developed the camping ‘gene’ that most scouts have. Most of my Girl Scout experience came as an adult starting with troop leader for Brownies, then some brief stints as a helper for Junior badge work and Cadette projects – hardly ever camping, though.  My older daughter made up for me in the camp department, going to Flying G’s horse program every summer and eventually completing Top Hand Roundup – riding from Evergreen over the continental divide to Breckenridge.  It took a week and you could tell they had been in the saddle that long when we picked them up. In Mile Hi Council at that time the volunteer management structure was quite different than it is today.  Following troop leadership I became a neighborhood services director managing troops in our ‘neighborhood’.  Then came District Services Director and from there a board position as vice-president of membership services – overseeing all the district service directors. When Liz Hayden, our executive director at the time, asked me to be board president I was overwhelmed.  It was such an honor and the beginning of such an important part of my life. I’ve often said that Girl Scouts gave me an MBA and I truly mean it.  The training we received at the board level, the opportunities to interact with our counterparts across the country were priceless. We were able to take advantage of some of the highest level instruction with mentors from leading businesses and universities. Being involved in two major capital campaigns brought more experience in how a community works together.  A special experience was being present at the White House when the Gold Award was inaugurated during the Carter administration.  The people I’ve been privileged to meet and work with would not have come about if not for the Girl Scout connection. All of these skills were quite valuable when I did begin a career ‘outside the home.’  I have been a private piano teacher and performer for 4 decades but I didn’t consider that a ‘real job.’ I worked as an admissions officer for the college from which I graduated, establishing our presence here in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region.  Working with kids ready to take off on their first big life adventure, and with their parents, was both challenging and immensely rewarding. For many years after that I had fun playing in the clothing business, both wholesale and retail. It’s my grandmother’s fault that I’m such a clothes nut. Girl Scouting continues to be a very important part of who I am and what keeps me going.  I love the involvement with the Alums, the Women of Distinction and our group of former presidents.  It indeed helps me “Be Prepared” as my first class badge says.