Girl Scout membership in Estes Park has more than doubled with the establishment of Daisy/Brownie Troop #77784.  Highlights of this fall season so far have included a Fall Frolic adventure excursion to Meadow Mountain Ranch hear Allenspark.  Nature activities, lunch cookout and practice with flag ceremonies highlighted the day.  One of the most fun activities was making rose hip tea with the seasonal rose hips waiting for the kids in the main camp area.  Also, in the fall when all the seeds have dropped, it’s great fun to make dried flower arrangements.  Remember making “Campfire Stew,” where everyone brings a can of veggies and it’s combined with broth and meat and spices in one big pot over the fire?  New for some of the kids, but still very quick and hot and tasty. The Junior/Cadette Troop #70455 participated in the GSCO Craft Fair and Sale in Denver.  Their selections featured small loaves of homemade pumpkin bread, made from a Girl Scout family’s local fresh eggs and hand-roasted pumpkin as well as crafted fabric pumpkins, which make excellent decorations or centerpieces for the Holiday seasons.  Great fun to try new things, and a good profit for the troop were the results. Fall Product Sale was old-hat to the older girls, but some of the younger girls got their first exposure into the working of the digital store fronts and creation of avatars.  This is good practice for the upcoming Cookie Sale, already on the immediate horizon.  Cookie credits were earned as well as a substantial profits for the troops and individual girls.  It was reported that about 95% of sales were done on line. Fun and learning go hand in hand with 2 other close-to-home field trips.  Small Acre Farm in Ft. Collins is owned by two Meadow Mountain Ranch staff alums and the girls were treated to petting the baby goats who grow up to be the goats who give milk to make homemade soap and other products.  Great photo ops there!  A trip to the fall field Corn Maze was just fun and a totally new experience for some.  The girls were inspired to hand-roast pumpkins to use in their pumpkin bread which they sold at the Craft Fair.

In 2012, Girl Scouts of the USA celebrated its Centennial and the creation of a Colorado Girl Scout license plate was accomplished by a task force of volunteers, who shepherded the process through the Colorado State Legislature. The Kelly-Green and white license plate with the Girl Scout logo and the slogan “Girl Scouts Since 1912” is available to nearly every vehicle type and available to any individual for purchase.  This enhances the visibility and viability of our Girl Scout family in Colorado.  If a Brownie’s dad owns a business, Girl Scout license plates on all of his company vehicles will showcase commitment and bring awareness to the health of our Girl Scout movement.  Details are available at any County Clerk’s office.

Over spring break, Troop 71 from Aurora, finally got to travel to New York City together! Our planning for travel started nearly two and a half years ago. We started the steps of travel by exploring the City of Denver with the Cadette Urban Orienteering Badge unique to GSCO (highly recommend). Then we tried originally go to Savannah, GA in 2020 as a practice trip for international travel, but we’re obviously interrupted by Covid. We put our plans on hold and refocused on maintaining our connection. Once the option to safely travel opened again, we looked at our options. We decided to change locations and started planning what our adventure would look like in NYC. The girls met to discuss their priorities and budget. We worked on safety while traveling, packing tips, and preparing for the endurance of traveling. A couple of highlights of our trip (besides all the amazing locations of NYC that come to mind) were getting to go to Girl Scout of USA Headquarters and sharing some time with sister troop 5250 from Staten Island. While living through a pandemic is not the greatest, it also became a lesson in resilience and perseverance. Those skills helped us know that we can still accomplish anything even if there are roadblocks. It also helped with the couple of hiccups during our travel time, as we knew that we could be flexible. We learned we might not be able to control everything, but we could control our reactions. We could acknowledge that some things just happen and we can find the bright side. We know, no matter what, we can figure it out! Now on to the next adventure!!!

What IS the Blue Book? By Rae Ann Dougherty Gold Award Girl Scout, Lifelong Volunteer, Immediate Past Chair of Girl Scouts of Colorado (GSCO) Board of Directors and National Delegate You may have heard references to the Blue Book of Basic Documents – so what is it? It is the collection of governance and policy documents for our national organization. The way Girl Scouting started in the USA is unique in that it started as a national organization and then, a few years later, chartered Girl Scout councils. In short, Girl Scouts is a federated system form of governance. The relationship of interdependence between Girl Scout councils and the national organization (Girl Scouts of the USA or GSUSA) may initially be hard to understand, however, it proves to be a powerful methodology that embraces our voices. All parts of the Girl Scout organization in the USA may act independently within the authority defined in the basic documents of Girl Scouts of the USA, known as the “Blue Book of Basic Documents” (commonly referred to as the Blue Book). Collectively, the national organization, Girl Scout councils, and the National Council are responsible for sustaining the existence of GSUSA. In addition, GSUSA maintains a global relationship as one of 152 member organizations of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, commonly referred to as WAGGGS. In short, if you are a Girl Scout in the USA, you are automatically a member of the global Movement and a “Sister” to the 10 MM Girl Guides and Girl Scouts and benefit from all the international organization provides. If you are a delegate (National or council) or a member of the governance team (i.e., member of Board of Directors or an at-large member of a Board Committee), you should be generally familiar with what it is and what is in it. It contains: • The Constitution of GSUSA • GSUSA Bylaws • GSUSA Policies • Credentials • Criteria and Standards for an effective Girl Scout council • Congressional Charter A federation is a network of local affiliates that share a mission, a brand, and a program model but are legally independent of one another and of the national office. Sixteen of the largest 20 nonprofits in the United States, including American Red Cross, United Way of America, and YMCA of the USA operate as federations, as does Girl Scouts. Federations offer significant advantages to their affiliates, which in the USA are our Girl Scout councils. The national organization was first incorporated back in 1915 under the corporate laws of the District of Columbia. The Blue Book has gone through a number of changes throughout Girl Scouting’s history. It originally started as a manual for captains (who are now known as troop leaders). It has always contained the Constitution and Bylaws for the Girl Scout organization, but as our organization grew and changed, more was added. Eventually, the Blue Book morphed into what we know it as today. The Congressional Charter was conferred upon GSUSA in 1950 by a special act of Congress. Only Congress may amend this Congressional Charter of our organization. The GSUSA Constitution defines and interprets the responsibilities and the authority of the National Council and the National Board of Directors. This national Constitution also defines the purpose and responsibility of Girl Scout councils. This document also includes the bylaws of the national organization. Each Council has a specific interdependency, as well as independence, with and from GSUSA because each of the councils in the USA and the national entity are their own separate 501(c)(3) organizations. Each of the Girl Scout councils elect national delegates to represent that local council to the National Council. The National Council then elects the National Board of Directors which establishes and renews the charters of each council. As such each Girl Scout council, including Girl Scouts of Colorado (GSCO), has its own set of bylaws that interdependently yet independently governs the local council. The council’s performance is reviewed annually by the National Board which will periodically renew the Council Charter according to that council’s schedule. More simply stated, Girl Scout councils and GSUSA work together to carry out the Mission of Girl Scouting as set forth in the Preamble to the GSUSA Constitution, but each has specific authority and accountability within the federated structure. It also drives some of the policies you may be familiar with as a volunteer of GSCO, including the policy that prevents girls from the direct solicitation of cash and ensuring any money and other assets raised, earned, or otherwise received is held for the benefit of Girl Scouting and authorized by that Girl Scout council. Want to be a part of the process? Join out Delegate roundtable conversation to learn more on April 14th 2022. o Event Link: https://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/sf-events-repository/2022/-gsco-national-delegate-virtual-roundtable-chat.html Save the date for the next National Council Session in Orlando, Florida in July 2023. It is the 56th in Girl Scouts history! Resources: • Blue Book (English): https://www.girlscouts.org/content/dam/girlscouts-gsusa/forms-and- documents/about-girl-scouts/facts/GSUSA_BlueBook.pdf • Blue Book (Spanish): https://www.girlscouts.org/content/dam/girlscouts-gsusa/forms-and- documents/about-girl-scouts/facts/GSUSA_LibroAzul.pdf • GSUSA’s Stewardship: https://www.girlscouts.org/en/members/for-girl- • Girl Scouts of Colorado’s (GSCO) Bylaws https://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/content/dam/girlscoutsofcolorado/documents/Bylaws_N ovember_2017.pdf)

Troop 70700 is working with a team of Girl Scout Volunteers to plan Core Camp at Meadow Mountain Ranch. This years theme is “The Untold Tales of MMR” and will feature adventures in history, myths and fairy tales. Some of these GS Seniors and Ambassadors have attended Core Camp for six as campers, PAs, and now planners, and want to share their love of MMR with younger troops. Hear from Troop 70700 and why they love Core Camp! To register visit https://mmrcorecamp.weebly.com Have more questions? Troop 70700 can visit your troop meeting via Zoom to tell you all about Core Camp. To schedule a Zoom presentation, contact Jen Rotar at 970.232.8945 or rotarjen@msn.com

Sign up for another Girl Scout year full of new adventures starting on April 1! Renew your membership during April for special pricing. • Mark your calendar for a one-day deal on April 7! As our ‘thank you’ for being a Super Early Bird, you’ll get 50% off all memberships! That means you get another year of adventures for just $12.50. Renew your whole troop on April 7 for half price and start planning the adventures, community service, and experiences ahead. • Renew on any other April day and get a 20% discount ($5 ) off your membership. Renew before June 30, 2022 to receive additional rewards! • Girls earn an Early Bird patch that will be sent directly to them. • Choice of $25 GSCO shop credit or Rededication Kit for Troops renewing two or more leaders and three or more girls* • Service Units, earn $100+ $0.25/girl when you renew 50% or more of your unit membership* Stay tuned for additional surprises and drawings to be announced during Early Bird! *Annual Troop Report and ACH forms must be submitted by June 30, 2022 to qualify for troop and service unit rewards.

On March 8, 2022, Cadettes came to the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in downtown Colorado Springs for a fun, hands-on look at the criminal justice system. Several of the office’s female leaders spoke including the homicide chief, head of the victim advocates, mediation coordinator, and an investigator. Each speaker talked about their job, how it fits into the criminal justice system, and what types of education and experience they needed to succeed in their careers. The investigator let each girl make a fingerprint and then examine it with a magnifying glass. The mediation coordinator presented a problem and the girls got to come up with a solution. Then the girls took a fieldtrip to the El Paso County Combined Courts to meet Judge Frances Johnson and some female public defenders. Afterwards the girls got to learn about trials in small groups with some of the office’s experienced female deputy district attorneys. The girls interviewed witnesses on the stand, introduced evidence, and performed closing arguments in the office’s mock court room. The greatest highlight for our office was the impromptu cookie sale in our office lobby! We all had a great time and look forward to inviting the girls back next year.

Chef Angela of Amore Kitchen is offering a hands-on and interactive cooking class just for GSCO! Amore Kitchen is a partner of Girl Scouts and offers badge cooking classes for all levels, as well as themed classes like Disney, Mother-Daughter Tea, and many more. Have fun learning cooking tips and techniques, where we will make two amazing desserts using Girl Scout COOKIES! Here’s what we’re making: ~ Toffeetastic Cheesecake ~ Mini Lemon Shortbread Puddings When: Saturday, April 9, 9-11am Where: In your own kitchen An ingredient list and supply list will be provided ahead of time, so we can cook together, live. LINK TO REGISTER: https://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/sf-events-repository/2022/-smart-cookie-cooking-class.html Patch can be purchased from the Girl Scout Store: https://www.girlscoutshop.com/GSWCF-Baking-Fun-Patch

The 2022 Colorado Cookie Season presented its fair share of challenges, but this 4th-Generation Girl Scout from Arvada, CO rose above and managed to unite 50 states, 4 generations, and 2 service organizations through the Girl Scout cookie program. Knowing the Colorado council was experiencing shortages and delays at the beginning of the sales season, Brownie and 4th-yr Girl Scout Evie Girard, #68191, and mom, Troop Leader Lisa Girard, started thinking outside the “cookie box” and shifted gears towards an idea to get cookies sold and shipped to all 50 states, and, in turn, earning the “I Sold Cookies to All 50 States” fun patch from Mad About Patches, another Girl Scout, girl-owned business. Evie’s mother, Lisa, began a campaign on Facebook to start promoting Evie’s DOC link through the social media network. Inspired by what she had seen Girl Scouts in other states doing, Lisa posted weekly about Evie’s goal to get all 50 states. Her posts included a self-administered map of the states that had ordered and what states were left, along with photos of Evie doing girl-delivered order drop-offs, the fun patch she was aiming for, and a fun panoramic photo of her garage full of cookies on troop pick-up day. During the final week, Evie was down to 11 states left to complete the 50-state challenge. A long-time friend of Lisa, Mr. Tim Bradberry, had been watching the weekly Facebook posts and reached out with a unique idea. Tim, a lifetime-member Mason of Shriners International and Maskat Shrine in Wichita Falls, TX and Texas Shrine Provost Guard Secretary, offered a generous donation to purchase enough cookies to get Evie to the last 11 states and asked that one box be sent to a Masonic Shrine in each of the last states Evie needed. What Tim didn’t know when he made his generous offer is that Evie’s great-grandmother, the first generation Girl Scout in her family, was a Girl Guide in England, and came to the US in 1947 where she started many Girl Scout troops in Las Vegas, NV. She was also a 54-year lifetime-member of Eastern Star, the Masonic organization for women, and that Eastern Star was the most important guiding force her life. Her father, Evie’s great-great grandfather, was a 56-year Mason as part of a lodge in England. Evie and Lisa signed an attached letter to each box sent to the Shrines that explained the donation, relationship to the Shriners organization, and the five skills the Girl Scout cookie program teaches. So thanks to a generous donation and some clever thinking, one Girl Scout was able to practice marketing and people skills, achieve a big goal, and support two integral organizations to her family and communities.

Girl Scout Troop 2619 from Cortez, Colorado chose the country of Mexico to explore for World Thinking Day along with the 2022 theme of energy conservation. The girls had fun touring our local electrical association and their alternative solar panels. They especially loved exploring the culture of Mexico with native food, dance and Dio de los Muertos costumes.

Break the Bias is the 2022 theme for International Women’s Day. These girls totally made me happy of them as leaders when they debunked the “traditional jobs” exercise that I did with them. They have NO BIAS! I couldn’t believe it and was tickled pink when the results came back. I think their parents have some amazing and smart leaders that they are raising!

The Longmont Community Crochet Guild is working on a service project that involves taking plastic grocery bags and upcycling them into a crochet bedroll for people without homes or living in their cars. To make these bedrolls, it takes between 500 to 700 plastic bags, cut in a particular way, and strung together to make plarn (PLastic-yARN). The guild members then take the plarn and crochet them into a bed-sized rectangular shape. There are many ways that young kids can participate in helping out. The main steps for making plarn are: 1. Collect clean plastic bags 2. Cut the bags into 4 loops 3. Link the loops together to create a continuous strip Younger kids can help with steps 1 and 3, while older kids would be better suited for step 2 (which would involve either scissors or a rotary cutter and cutting mat). If any troops out there are interested, we hope you will contact the guild at longmontcrochet@gmail.com by March 31st. We have an instructional video that we can share, and would like to discuss possible timelines.