Your Input Affects the Future of GSCTX Properties

A Long Range Property Committee has been activated, including local volunteers and GSUSA personnel, to determine the future of all GSCTX properties, including program centers, scout houses, and camps. As part of the process, the committee wants to know what the local Girl Scouts truly want in their programs and properties.

Therefore, the committee developed a survey via Survey Monkey. This survey includes questions on current and future usage of all facilities, as well as program goals for our Girl Scouting Program. A random sampling of girls and adults was used, including girls of all program age levels. Those randomly chosen were sent the survey via email addresses. For those without email addresses, a postcard was sent with the contact information.

If you received this survey, please complete it as your opinion counts! In order to guarantee randomness, only those receiving the request may complete the survey. Younger girls will need parental assistance and approval in completing their portion, but their opinions will be considered. The survey has a deadline date of February 8, 2013. If not enough surveys are returned, a second list will be developed at that time, to insure adequate input from membership.

Thanks for your participation, The Long Range Property Committee

Launching in February 2013...

Girl Scouts of Central Texas will be partnering with CampMinder to bring you online camp registration! CampMinder is a web-based software which means parents can access their camper’s information from anywhere, anytime. The Camp Guide will go live mid-February - check www.gsctx.org for this year’s programs. Parents are able to access your child’s information, submit online applications, and submit all camp forms online for Kachina, Texlake and Zilker Day Camp. For overnight campers - Once your daughter is at camp, you are able to see daily photos (and purchase them for your scrapbook), send one way email to your camper, get daily news, see what she buys in the trading post and manage her account balance. All of this, with one login. Say goodbye to:

• Having to track down last year’s health form – all the information will be on your child’s account, just update it from year to year 
• Waiting in the long trading post line on opening day – the trading post account money moves from camp session to camp session with your daughter 
• Keeping track of different forms and remembering them on opening day – it’s all handled online before you arrive 
• Waiting to hear if your daughter got her first choice of camp sessions, if it’s online, it’s open! 

We will still offer paper registration for those that do not have internet access although we encourage everyone to utilize this amazing and easy to use program! To ease our first year of online registration, the camp department will be ready to answer your questions and guide you as register your daughter!

For registration questions, contact: Shayna Bright, Camp Registration Coordinator at shaynab@gsctx.org or Caroline Key, Camps Coordinator at carolinek@gsctx.org. The Camp Office phone number is 512-264-1044.

-Caroline Key

It's Almost Time for Cookie Season!

The holiday season may be over but Girl Scout cookie season is right around the corner! We are only a few days away from the start of cookie sales here in Central Texas. Which cookie are you most excited for? Did you know that there is a new cookie this season? You can read all about our new cookie here.

Is your mouth watering yet? While you think of the delicious taste of our beloved Thin Mint, you should also consider what cookie sales does for the seller. The Girl Scout behind the cookie booth is learning money management, people skills, business ethics, goal setting and decision making. Did you know that? Don't take our word for it. Read about how cookie selling helped a local Girl Scout come out of her shell here.

Cookies arrive January 16 in Central Texas! For more on cookies such as nutrition facts, recipes and the new cookie, visit www.abcsmartcookies.com. 

Sleep Experts and Girl Scouts Share the Warmth

Join Sleep Experts and Girl Scouts in sharing the warmth this holiday season with families in need!

Fast facts on this year's giving back program:

• Sleep Experts' 1st Annual Share The Warmth Blanket Drive in Austin asks families to drop off new or gently used blankets at any of the retailer’s 7 Austin locations, starting October 29th through Thanksgiving. For store locations, visit sleepexperts.com.

• This year’s Blanket Drive will benefit four area non-profit organizations across Austin, each sharing a mission to help homeless families become self-sufficient: SafePlace, Center for Child Protection, Saint Louise House, and Foundation Communities. 

• The Girl Scouts of Central Texas will be helping to Share the Warmth by collecting blankets in their area.

• Everyone has an extra blanket around the house, so clean out your closet and donate a blanket today. We also accept donations of comforters, sheets, towels and pillows. It’s a simple way to help a family in need by sharing the warmth during a difficult time.

• Girl Scouts are encouraged to participate in a variety of service projects so that they learn the importance of giving back to the community. Share the Warmth is a great way for them to do something good for families in need. For more information, visit www.gsctx.org.

 About the beneficiaries: 

• SafePlace (www.safeplace.org) provides a 105-bed emergency shelter; extensive transitional services; counseling, prevention and education programs for domestic and sexual survivors.

• Center for Child Protection (www.centerforchildprotection.org) is a child-friendly, specially-equipped facility where children go for recorded forensic interviews, medical exams, counseling and intervention during the investigation and prosecution of child abuse cases. It is the only nonprofit in Travis County involved in the investigation of crimes against children.

• Saint Louise House (www.saintlouisehouse.org) provides affordable housing and essential services to mothers and children experiencing homelessness in Central Texas. In their apartment-style housing environment, families are embraced and encouraged to be a part of our supportive community as they work or attend school.

• Foundation Communities (www.foundcom.org) provides first class, affordable homes and support services for thousands of low-income families and individuals, empowering them with the tools they need to succeed. They own and operate 16 properties in Austin and North Texas.

-Kate Lipinski, GSCTX Program Lead

Out & About - July

FOGS Fundraiser: Troop 8121 of the Central Bell Service Unit recently hosted a FOGS fundraiser that boasted a Girl Scout fashion show, silent auction and dinner. Volunteers and troop leaders pitched in to help run the event that was attended by local troops, families and supporters. Girl Scouts from different service units strutted the runway in vintage Girl Scout uniforms. Donations totaled more than $500. Great job, ladies!

Girl Scout Turns Interest into Career Choice

Hello, my name is Allison and I am a recent graduate of Anderson High School. I was also a Girl Scout with the GSCTX Bluebonnet Valley Service Unit. My adventures in Girl Scouting began in kindergarten when my mom helped form a troop. Troop 1526 remained strong throughout elementary school. We went on several camping trips and completed badges. My troop also sold cookies and completed our Bronze Award together. In middle school, we found new ways to have fun with outings we liked to call, “Mystery Weekends.” The leaders and parents planned everything out but didn’t tell us where we going until we got to our destination. High school was more focused on community service. Several of us became involved in other extracurricular activities during this time like band or athletics. As a troop, we still treasured all the adventures we went on and time we spent together.

My personal adventures with Girl Scouts continued and extended beyond the traditional troop setting. Four years ago, I was introduced to a STEM program called FIRST. FIRST is an internal organization designed to get students involved and excited about Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. A few months later, the GSCTX council announced its supports of the program and Girl Scout robotics teams. I found a few friends to join and with the gracious help of the UT Robotic Automation Society and the Anderson High School FRC team, my team learned how to use screwdrivers, wrenches, hand drills and other tools I didn’t know about before FIRST. We successfully built a robot in six weeks and earned the Rookie Inspiration Award at a regional competition in Houston that year. However, FIRST is more than just winning, it’s about learning from your mistakes and working with others, promoting your team and getting everyone involved in STEM.

Our team of seven turned into twenty over four years. Girls as young as sixth grade have joined our ranks of robot builders. We’ve taken the robot we built to more than 100 demonstrations in the community. It became our mission to encourage girls to participate in STEM activities. To say that the partnership between GSCTX and FIRST has changed my life is an understatement. Before FIRST, I was destined to be a dancer in the theater world, but I now seeing myself in engineering field. I will study Mechanical Engineering in the fall at UT Austin and I can’t imagine at this point doing anything else. I also plan to remain involved with FIRST as a mentor.

For more information on STEM and FIRST, visit the Girl Scout website.

-Alison R.

Girl Scout Great - Lucy Baines Johnson

In honor of the Girl Scout centennial year, Girl Scout alumna Lucy Baines Johnson has been selected by national as a Girl Scout Great. Join GSCTX in continued celebration of our anniversary by visiting our website and girlscouts.org to find out more.