Submitted by Erin B. Pikes Peak Colorado Springs At the beginning of this pandemic, I delivered cookies to our Hometown Heroes- the people that work at our local Waste Management Recycling Center. They were stunned to find out that our troop chose them as our heroes. They truly are heroes, still working during the pandemic to collect recycling and doing what they can to help make our community and earth a better place for everyone. By recycling, they already do what Girl Scouts are taught to do.  After we delivered the cookies, they called my mom and I for an interview for their internal WM podcast for their employees nationwide. It was amazing to see how appreciative they were for being recognized as unsung heroes. I’ve completed several badges and patches to keep me busy. I look forward to being together again with my troop. Some of us are attending the outdoor theatre hike put on by Theatre Across Borders. They have actors along a trail at the Fountain Nature Creek. Groups of ten or less leave at timed intervals to walk the trail. They encounter the actors and watch the scene at each play stop along the route. We are able to get outdoors, can socially distance, and still be together to do a fun hike with an outdoor play experience. I’m trying to keep active and remember that I’m not the only one stuck at home. The pandemic is bad enough, but then to have the tragic death of George Floyd. I wanted to organize a peaceful protest with my troop and show support for justice in the George Floyd incident, and also show support for our local police officers. I organized a protest outside a local police station on Goddard Street. We showed our support for our police officers and showed our support for Justice for George Floyd. I wanted to show that even as a young tween, I too have strong ideas of how to make a difference and show support- without having to resort to violence. We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here. #ColoradoSprings #2020GirlScoutCookieProgram #cookies #COVID19pandemic #GirlScoutCookies #HometownHeroesGiftofCaring #GirlScoutCookieProgram #HometownHeroes #COVID19 #PikesPeak

The Girl Scouts of Colorado Retail Shop is excited to offer two new features: Select Council’s Own merchandise available online with new items added every day Non-contact pickup at our physical location in Denver You can now place orders by phone, email, or via our new online form.  Statewide shipping is still free and customers may now choose to pick up merchandise at the GSCO Shop in Denver (Monday – Friday). In-stock items are available within 24-hours of payment, but special orders and Girl Scout Leadership Experience backordered merchandise may (still) be delayed due to manufacturing and delivery challenges nationwide.  GSCO Retail Associates will walk you through complete details of an order, just give them a call at (303) 607-4880.  You can also check out our FAQ. Will the GSCO Shop ever open to in-person shopping? We certainly hope so! For now, we are working on virtual opportunities, and looking ahead to the potential of appointment-only shopping when Denver City and County guidelines allow greater in-store capacity. Questions? Email retail@gscolorado.org. #CouncilNews #GSCORetailShop #VolunteerNews

Watch this video to learn from the master of outdoor cooking, Tomahawk Ranch Camp Director Obi Joe! She’ll teach you how to make a rhubarb pie (made with fresh rhubarb from the garden!) in a Dutch oven over coals – delicious! VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: How to Bake a Rhubarb Pie in a Dutch Oven We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here. #ObiJoe #GirlScoutingatHome #GirlScoutsatHome #TomahawkRanch #outdoorcooking #gsoutdoors #camp #TomahawkRanchCamp #TomahawkRanchGirlScoutCamp

Join Girl Scouts of Colorado Chief Executive Officer Leanna Clark on Saturday, July 18 at 2 p.m. as she announces the recipients of the 2020 Volunteer Recognition Awards. Everyone is invited to attend this virtual celebration to honor the many amazing volunteers across the state, who were nominated for—and received—a recognition award. You can watch a live video premiere of the celebration on the GSCO Facebook page. Not on Facebook? That’s OK! Watch on our YouTube channel using this link: https://youtu.be/AvaVwxt1CsE. Please note this link will not work until the celebration starts at 2 p.m. If you log on early, you may need to refresh your screen at this time. Service units that have virtual or socially-distanced special award celebration moments with their volunteers can share photos and videos on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Twitter and Instagram users should also use #GSColo. #020VolunteerRecognitionAwards #GSCOevents #VolunteerNews #Volunteerrecognitionawards

In a few years, you will be 18-years-old and able to vote. It is also a presidential election year, and a year in which Colorado chooses a new U.S. Senator, and all the seats we hold in the House of Representatives are on the ballot as well. In American history, women and 18-year-olds have not always had the right to vote (or run as a candidate for office), but now they do, and you will. It will not only be your right to vote, but a wonderful way to honor the women who fought for our right to vote in every election. Voting is also the best (and easiest) way to tell the government where you stand on the issues and whom you think is best able to make decisions that will affect you and your sister Girl Scouts. In the Senior Behind the Ballot Badge, we will explore the way people get elected to office, and the importance of voting both here at home and around the world. Step One: Find out more about elections Step Two: Investigate the Ins and Outs of Voting Learn the very easy, but important steps that are required to vote in Colorado by completing one or more of the activities below. Research voter access. Research the history of Colorado’s law that mails every registered voter a ballot. How do you register to vote? Has this led to more voter turn-? Where can voters drop off ballots if they don’t want to pay for a stamp. How is voter fraud avoided? How can voters correct a mistake they made or replace a damaged ballot? Design a pamphlet or video with instructions on how to vote at home, and how to turn in your ballot, along with FAQs for how to fix common problems. OR Research voting technologies. Each county elects a Clerk and Recorder, whose job it is to run elections, and select the method by which the voters cast their ballots. Look at three different counties or states to see how voting technology choices differ from region to region. Are there still those that use the manual punch cards, or machines with manual buttons and a handle to pull once the full ballot has been voted? What role do computers play in helping voters cast their ballots, and helping the Clerk and Recorder’s Office count the ballots? What common accommodations are made for those who need assistance, such as people who are blind, can’t read, don’t speak English? How is fraud avoided? What are the challenges that people face with the technology that currently exists? What are the pros and cons to internet or smart phone voting? Share your findings with your troop, on the GSCO Blog, or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Twitter and Instagram users should also use #GSColo. OR Research Voter Registration. Research the requirements for being an eligible voter in Colorado? How old to you have to be? What does it mean to be a resident? What sorts of things cause you to lose your eligibility? What are the ways you can register to vote? Is the motor-voter registration access enough? Why or why not? What are the barriers to registration? What are the pros and cons to automatic registration once a person turns 18? Do you support automatic voter registration? Come up with a PSA to support your position and share it on the GSCO Blog, or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Twitter and Instagram users should also use #GSColo. We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here. #BehindtheBallotBadge #GirlScoutingatHome #oldergirls #GirlScoutbadge #SeniorBehindtheBallotBadge #GirlScoutbadges #GirlScoutsatHome #GirlScoutSeniorBehindtheBallotBadge

From Girl Scouts of the USA Girl Scouts is continuing our exciting partnership with the National Park Service and the “Girl Scout Ranger Program,” a joint venture connecting girls with National Park Service sites throughout the United States, including monuments, seashores, and urban sites. This year, Girl Scouts will be awarded a limited-edition commemorative patch for participating in activities focusing on the significance of the 19th Amendment. This special program will offer pathways for Girl Scouts to learn about women’s history and the suffrage movement through discovering, connecting, and taking action to make the world a better place. So, how exactly do you earn your special patch and learn more about women’s rights? Choose a National Park Service Site or Explore Online. Visit http://www.nps.gov/findapark/index.htm. Choose a national park or any of 419 sites protected by the National Park Service. Research and consider exploring areas of national parks connected to women’s history and the suffrage movement in your area. Not able to visit a park in your area? No problem! Take a look at the park or historic site’s webpage and virtual tours. These are often full of photos, videos, history, and other educational resources. Many also have Facebook and Instagram accounts. Another great source of information is the NPS women’s history webpages. Answer Questions, Conduct Research, and Get Outdoors.* Once you’ve selected your site, complete one or more of the following : With help from an adult, research the site’s webpage. Visit the site and take a tour or attend a ranger-led program, if that’s available. Please first make sure the site you choose to visit is open to the public! Look for books or trusted websites that explain the history commemorated at the site.Then choose fun activities listed in the 19th Amendment Centennial Program Activity Guide to earn your patch! Best part? All the activities have a women’s rights historical tie-in! Unlock Your Limited-Edition Patch. Your special 19th Amendment Centennial Patch will be available for pick up as soon as National Park Service offices officially open for business. To receive your patch, present the completed activity log at the park where you completed your activity. Are you ready to explore women’s history through the national park lens? We certainly are! Share your best shots on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and here on GSCO Blog. Twitter and Instagram users should also use #GSColo and #gsoutdoors. *GSUSA encourages all Girl Scouts to respect social distancing rules. Follow your state’s guidelines about stay-at-home measures and enjoying public nature spaces. We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here. #GirlScoutsoftheUSA #GSUSA #NationalParkService #Rangerpatch #womenssuffrage #suffrage #GirlScoutRangerProgram #19thAmendment #RangerPatch2020

Update as of July 27, 2020: Camp boxes for Tomahawk Ranch are sold out. Girl Scouts of Colorado is bringing some of the fun of Girl Scout Camp home to you! Both Tomahawk Ranch and Sky High Ranch will offer camp-in-a-box experiences for July and August of 2020. Sky High Ranch has designed three different themed activity boxes with fun Sky High Ranch paraphernalia and a little something special to bring a small piece of camp home. Choose from “Aspen Art Box,” “Innisfree Nature Box,” “Lucky Circle Laboratory Box,” OR ALL THREE! Learn more and order yours here. Tomahawk Ranch has also designed three different themed packages. Theirs are packed with activities, fun Tomahawk Ranch paraphernalia, and a piece of Tomahawk Ranch to help bring camp to your home. Choose from “Camp Fun Box,” “Adventure Box,” “Wizarding Box,” OR ALL THREE! Learn more and order yours here. Boxes will be mailed the day after each deadline with an expected arrival within five business days. The cost of each box is $50, including taxes and shipping. Quantities are limited, so order yours today! If you have questions or run into trouble completing registration, please contact inquiry@gscolorado.org or 877-404-5708. We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here. #CampinaBox2020 #GirlScoutingatHome #GirlScoutsatHome #GirlScoutCamp #GirlScoutCamp2020 #camp #CampinaBox

Girl Scouts of all ages are invited to meet the executive director of a Colorado animal welfare organization! Join Sarah Swanty on Wednesday, July 22, 2020 at 3 p.m. as she discusses what working in the animal welfare industry is like, and how things are changing these days to better help both pets and people. After the chat, you will get the opportunity to watch a shelter animal receive its intake exam, and learn about the different components of the exam. Register now: https://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/events-repository/2020/meet_an_expert_anima.html Registration closes July 21. We will use Zoom to host this webinar. All information on how to join online or via phone will be emailed out to registrants the day before the webinar. Capacity is limited; each individual participant should be registered so we can track capacity. Please do not share the information on how to join with others who have not registered. Questions? Email aimee.artzer@gscolorado.org or have trouble completing registration, please contact inquiry@gscolorado.org or 877-404-5708. We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here. #GirlScoutingatHome #GirlScoutsatHome #GSCOevents

Watch this video and learn the international language of trail marking from Tomahawk Ranch Camp Director Obi Joe! Trail Marking with Obi Joe Transcript We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here. #GirlScoutsatHome #GirlScoutCamp #TomahawkRanch #GirlScoutomgatHome #trailmarking #camp #TomahawkRanchCamp

Explore behind-the-scenes to see artifacts and exhibits not open to the public at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science with this special, one-time video tour open ONLY to Girl Scouts renewed for the 2020-21 membership year! Girl Scouts of Colorado is proud to partner with Denver Museum of Nature and Science for this special opportunity Tuesday, July 28, 2020 at 4 p.m. DMNS is the premier natural history and science museum in Denver and the western United States. A museum tour guide will show us some of the museum’s collection not currently on display to the public. After the 30-minute tour, our guide will answer Girl Scouts’ questions. If you haven’t signed up for another year, now’s the time! All girls renewed by June 30 will receive the invite to the DMNS special tour, an Explore More patch, and, of course, you’ll keep your Girl Scout adventures going for another year. And, you can now use Cookie Credits to renew girl membership! If you have Cookie Credits available from any previous Product Program incentive, you can put them to good use and pay your annual membership of $25. Additional troop incentive Troops that renew two Troop Leadership Team members, at least three girls, and complete the Annual Troop Report by June 30 also get a $25 credit to the Girl Scout shop, available for use in August. Also, any troop that renews this week (between June 24 and June 30) will be entered into a contest for a chance to win a Zoom meeting a Tomahawk Ranch goat. Goats don’t always have the best Zoom etiquette but they can provide plenty of fun! Girl Scouts at Home We know it’s been a strange spring and early summer, and we’ve all had to make changes in our daily lives. We’ve been so impressed with the resiliency of Girl Scout volunteers and girls as you’ve once again proven that given a batch of lemons, Girl Scouts will make lemonade! To support you as you continue your Girl Scout Leadership Experience, we’ve launched a plethora of live and recorded online programming. There’s truly something for everyone – check out the Meet an Expert series, online storytime in English and Spanish, upcoming Summer Badge Series and Clubs, Campfire Chats for adults, additional training for volunteers(link), and resources at Girl Scouts at Home. More is coming – including a Diversity. Inclusion. Together patch program, and two panel discussions on race with our partners’ experts answering girls’ questions. Even as small groups begin to meet in person in July, we will continue to provide top-notch online programming and we’re exploring ways to deliver this programming across the digital divide because Girl Scouts is for ALL girls. Show your support for Girl Scouts. Be the glue that keeps your troop together. RENEW TODAY #CouncilNews #EarlyBird #EarlyBird2020 #VolunteerNews

Submitted by Emily Mullen, GSCO Volunteer Support Specialist Metro Denver Denver Happy Pride! Black Trans Lives Matter. In 2019, advocates tracked at least 27 deaths of transgender or gender non-conforming people in the U.S. due to fatal violence, the majority of whom were Black transgender women. In 2020, so far, at least 15 transgender or gender non-conforming people have been fatally shot or killed by other violent means. We say “at least” because too often these stories go unreported — or misreported. (source: https://www.hrc.org/resources/violence-against-the-trans-and-gender-non-conforming-community-in-2020) This year, pride will look different for a lot of people. At Girl Scouts of Colorado, we stand with every LGBTQI+ person this Pride month and beyond. We know there is a lot of work to be done daily to practice being an ally. We encourage you to have age appropriate conversations with your Girl Scouts about LGBTQI+ identities. Below is a noncomprehensive list on how to practice allyship for the LGBTQI+ community: Listen. Open yourself up to understanding without the desire to be heard. Respect the voices of those within the LGBTQI+ community and use your platform of privilege to raise those voices up. Learn. Do the work to educate yourself; it is not the responsibility of someone within the LGBTQI+ community to educate you. Google is an extremely helpful tool if you ever have questions, however, it is important to check the resources you are using for credibility. We have also linked some helpful resources at the bottom of this post. Grow. It’s okay to not be perfect – messing up is in our nature. Apologize for your mistakes and move on. Learn from your mistakes and do better next time. Always continue learning. An ally’s work is never done. Language is always changing, which means continuing education is crucial. Helpful Resources for Engaging Youth Trans Student Education Resource – The Gender Unicorn Mypronouns.org – Resources on Personal Pronouns The Trevor Project – Education Resources The Trevor Project – Approaching Conversations on the Intersection of Race and LGBTQ Identity Colorado Based Resources The Center on Colfax – Rainbow Alley, LGBTQ Youth Programming in Denver Inside/Out Youth Services – LGBTQ Youth Programming in Colorado Springs Out Boulder County – LGBTQ Youth Programming in Boulder County SPLASH Youth of Northern Colorado – LGBTQ Youth Programming in Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, and Loveland Questions? Email GirlExperience@gscolorado.org. We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here. #Denver #MetroDenver #PrideMonth #PrideMonth2020

Submitted by Kimberly Foster Pikes Peak Colorado Springs Robyn is a Cadette in Troop 43530 and plays travel softball. She made 12 masks with the help of her grandmother, so that her team could play and be in compliance with the new COVID-19 guidelines. Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) has partnered with Feeding America, a network of local food banks across the United States, for a nationwide mask-making campaign. All girls have the chance to step up to help their friends, neighbors, and frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more. We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here. #GirlScoutingatHome #ColoradoSprings #GirlScoutsGiveBack #GirlScoutsatHome #COVID19pandemic #COVID19 #maskmakingserviceproject #PikesPeak