Girl Scout Alumna Visits Council

Yesterday former Girl Scout Wanda Rowena Smith, 88, visited the Kodosky Program Center. Wanda presented GSCTX with a very special gift, her 1931 Girl Scout uniform. Adorned with vintage patches and an infectious sense of pride, GSCTX staffers and CEO Etta Moore gathered to admire this piece of Girl Scout history. As I heard Wanda tell her story, I couldn’t help but observe her devotion and passion for the organization she credits rewarded her with experiences she will never forget. GSCTX is eternally grateful to Wanda for her kind donation and for sharing her inspiring story with us. Please read Wanda’s letter below.

Dear Girl Scout friends:

As I begin to enumerate and describe the many benefits and thrills Girl Scouting has given me, I know that I shall forget some; though I realize the ever-present influence of this character-building organization. Girl Scouts has, by its many branches, stimulated an interest in me for almost every field of work; though I do not like to call it work, for Girl Scout sisters and I have learned to enjoy work since we are doing something for others. Our overnight, day hikes and camp life have afforded opportunities to work and call it play. The greatest benefit I have received from Girl Scouting is the provision of many lively, educational and healthful activities to help divert my soul, mind and body from unwholesome ones. It has served as a marker along the road of life and helped lead me straighter. How I do wish that more girls would become and remain true Girl Scouts and give themselves an opportunity to know the world better. I honestly believe that when I joined Girl Scouts at the age of nine, I was becoming a member of the most enlightening and helpful organizations.

Sincerely,

Wanda Rowena Smith

Volunteerism Opens Doors for Girl Scout

This past Saturday marked the 20th anniversary of the Girl Scout event Race on the River and the 5th anniversary of participating in the race for Girl Scout Chynna. What brings her back each year to help out and compete in this annual race? According to her, Girl Scout events such as this one allow her to gain courage, confidence and character in her life endeavors. Through Scouting, Chynna has taken an active role in her community by volunteering with local troops, programs and events. The satisfaction of lending a helping hand is not the only benefit she receives from her involvement. Her role in Scouts has brought many scholarship opportunities her way and a chance to attend school in Australia in 2012. Chynna also adds that when it comes to meeting new people, Girl Scouts is a great way to make long-lasting friends. GSCTX is thrilled at Chynna’s accomplishments and how her time in Girl Scouting allowed her to flourish into a successful individual.

For more information on Race on the River and to view 2010 photos, please visit gsctx.org and flickr.com/GSCTX.

Your Date with the Future

After 98 years, Girl Scouts remains the premier leadership organization for girls. Posted by GSUSA, this video is an example of how far we've come and yet, stayed the same. Volunteers are still one of the main reasons Girl Scouts of Central Texas continues to reach over 21,000 girls. Here's to another 98 years of building girls of courage, confidence and character!

Michelle Obama Challenges Girl Scouts

Earlier this month, United We Serve team launched a “Let’s Read. Let’s Move.” initiative. The goals of said initiative are to use service to promote physical activity, expand access to healthy and affordable food and prevent summer learning loss in America’s kids. Honorary Girl Scout National President Michelle Obama has challenged all Girl Scouts to take part in this opportunity. She asks all Girl Scouts to read, exercise and keep track of these activities.

GSCTX girls have a head start in this initiative. Our scouts find ways to have fun outside with their troops while maintaining their desire to enrich their minds through books. You can check out all of the fun activities our girls have been doing this summer on our Flickr and Out & About pages. If we keep it up, GSCTX can answer Ms. Obama’s challenge and show her what Central Texas girls can do if they set their mind to it. All girls can join in on the GSUSA initiative and log their hours reading and exercising right here. You can also join GSCTX by sending in your stories on how you are keeping up with your reading and exercising or just what fun stuff you have been doing this summer with your troops. Send them to us and they might be posted on the web!

Have a great rest of the summer Central Texas Girl Scouts! Keep active, smart and healthy!

Becoming a Brand Ambassador

At the 2009 Service Team Conference, GSCTX asked volunteers to take the position of Public Relations Coordinators. The position entailed sending in press releases and pictures to local media along with keeping an eye on Girl Scouts in the news. For this year, we have adjusted the responsibilities to better align with your needs and time constraints as a busy volunteer.

We still ask you to keep us updated on what your girls are doing in their troops or even outside of the troop because no one knows them better than you do. In order for the council to remain aware of the happenings in your troops, we would like for you to become our Brand Ambassadors. This position simply relies on you submitting your stories, photos, events, etc. to us so we can do the work for you and get your message out to the community in an effective manner. When you see your stories or the stories of other troops in the news, please still send them into the council. We also ask that you remain aware of how our new brand is being implemented in your troops. The volunteer page of our website offers a Powerpoint presentation on the new brand so you can be aware of how to correctly use the materials.

If you have any questions on this change or would like to submit stories of your troop to be featured on GSCTX sites and in local media, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Thank you for all that you do for girls,

-Kristine Rheinboldt

After 98 Years, Girl Scouts gets a Makeover

Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA), one of the most well known organizations in the nation, is revitalizing and reenergizing its brand to reach a new generation of girls.

After extensive research and development, Girl Scouts debuted a long-term, multichannel brand campaign last week that is designed to reacquaint the country with the iconic organization and communicate the power girls have to change the world through Girl Scouting. The campaign, known by the tagline What Did You Today?, is also keyed to boosting the number of girls and adult volunteers who participate in Girl Scouting annually after a period of declining membership.

“About one out of every 10 girls participates in Girl Scouting and that’s a tremendous number when you think about it,” says Kathy Cloninger, Chief Executive Officer of GSUSA. “We have revamped our entire organization to appeal to that 90 percent of girls who aren’t benefiting from the Girl Scout leadership experience. And with our new brand work, we think we have the right message at the right time.”

The branding is composed of a striking new visual identity, which includes a distinctive trefoil mark, revised color palette, and refreshed logo that was originally created in the 1970s. In addition, the initiative also includes plans for a 360 degree marketing program that taps the online, place-based and traditional media.

“The new brand look will reinforce the Girl Scout message that is relevant to girls and the lives they lead today,” says Etta Moore, Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of Central Texas. “We’re excited to launch the new brand initiative locally in an effort to continue to build girls of courage, confidence and character and to position ourselves as the premiere leadership organization for girls in Central Texas. “

Girl Scouts is launching its rebranding from a position of strength because it can draw upon strong name recognition and a long legacy of leadership development. With this new campaign and the projected growth in overall girl population in the United States, Girls Scouts expects to see its membership begin to increase over the next few years. The campaign will also pave the way for a major effort to gain exposure during the organization’s national centennial celebration in 2012.

-Kandace Fierro

For more information on the new brand and to view the new brand graphics, check out the Communications Department table at Service Team Conference this Saturday!

A Girl Scout Summer

Many thanks to all who submitted their great Girl Scout photos! Here are a few good ones of girls enjoying the activites Scouting provides to 21,000 Central Texas girls.

Grand Canyon Trip

Rock Climbing at Barton Creek Greenbelt

Camp Texlake Session 2

Camp Texlake Session 1

State Gold Award Ceremony

Have any great quality Girl Scout photos you would like to share with us? Send them our way by August 1 and they could be featured in a number of Girl Scout publications.