Are you looking for inspiration?  Or Information?  Try checking out some of these Newsgroups or Bulletin Boards.

Let's talk about Kaper Charts
Councils Own Programs
CA Scouts
GS Events Planning
GreenBlood News
GreenBlood Gab
GreenBlood Traditions
SWAPS GS Style
GS Leader Cyber Council
GS & GG Resource Exchange

Did you know that many Council’s have “Council’s Own” try-it’s, badges & IPAs? Did you know that even if you are in a different Council nine times out of ten you can earn these awards?  In addition, my daughter has found that these awards are easier, and more interesting to earn then other choices out there.  I found a newsgroup through Yahoo! That’s sole reason for being is to discuss and locate these awards.  councils-own-programs · GS Councils Own Programs

 Did you know that there are on-line websites such as JustForGirls, and Studio2B that have additional awards to earn.  You can find a list of Council’s Own Awards on ScoutingWeb or by typing in Council’s Own in any of the search engines.  Give it a try you will be pleasantly surprised.

Thkining Day Postcard Exchange
GREETINGS EVERYONE... ITS TIME TO JOIN AGAIN !

It's time to start creating the list for the 2009 Thinking Day Postcard Exchange! This will be the twelfth year and we are looking forward to another great year!

Please spread the word to all your Guiding and Scouting friends to help make this project a huge success. Last year we had 2961 US troops and 1057 International Units (from 49 countries) participating. The exchange will begin the first part of September. To learn more about the program or to sign up, please visit www.mythinkingday.com

Have your Say about World Thinking Day!
Help select five countries to focus on for World Thinking Day 2009 (girls only)

World Thinking Day, is a special day that gives Girl Guides and Girl Scouts a chance to celebrate international friendships. It is also a reminder that Girl Scouts of the USA is part of a global community—one of 144 countries in the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).

We're asking you to help us select five countries to focus on for World Thinking Day 2009. Please vote for five countries, one from each of the WAGGGS five regions—Africa, Arab Region, Asia/Pacific, Europe and Western Hemisphere.

Girl Scouts Centennial Silver Coin

Read all the details here. WOW how cool is this!

Environmental Events

September 20: International Coastal Cleanup
September 18: World Water Monitoring Day
September 27: National Public Lands Day
September 27: National Estuary Day
October 2: Appalachian Trail established in 1937
October 7-13: National Wildlife Refuge Week
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Additional Information
Girl Scouts can earn the Get with the Land Patch by volunteering in environmental events done in collaboration with a federal or state natural resource agency or on federal or state lands.

Closings

1. Clean-Up (Good for young girls)
The children skip about the room arranging everything neatly, singing to the tune of "London Bridge.”
Weave the magic in and out, in and out, in and out,
Weave the magic in and out, we are Girl Scouts.
We have tidied everything, everything, everything,
We have tidied everything, we are Girl Scouts.

Finally, the girls line up before the leader who asks, "Is everything finished?"
The children answer: "Everything."
The leader asks: "Is nothing left?"
The children answer: "Nothing!"
The leader says: "Then be gone!"
(Leader can wave a special "good-bye wand" as girls
silently tiptoe out.)

2. Magic Tunnel
When hats and coats are on, the Girl Scouts stand in two lines facing each other, raising their arms and holding hands to make an arch. The two farthest from the door go under the arch, then the next two, etc. The tunnel diminishes until the last two go.

3. Good-Bye Song
Tune: "Good Night Ladies"
Good-Bye (name of level...repeat 3 times)
It's sad to see you go.

Note: Can be sung while doing the Magic Tunnel (above).

4. Good-Night Song
Tune: “Taps”
Night has come,
Owls are out,
Beetles hum round about,
Tip-toe so,
Out they creep,
Girl Scouts go home to sleep.

5. Girl Scout Out
Stand in circle with a girl in the center. Spell G-I-R-L-S-C-O-U-T. Girl in center touches the top of a head as each letter is said. The three girls that get the letters O, U, T leave the circle and line up by the door or are given permission to leave with their designated adult. The remaining girls close up the space and the spelling begins again. Keep repeating until all are eliminated.

6. Taps
Hand motions:
Day is done - arms are held extended with palms down, shoulder level
Gone the sun - lower arms slightly
From the lakes - turn palms up, raise arms slightly
From the hills - raise arms higher
From the sky - raise arms level with top of head
All is well - lower arms to shoulder height, place right hand on left elbow
Safely rest - cross left hand to right elbow
God is nigh - bow head into crossed arms

Variations of "Taps"

Daylight: Thanks and praise, for our days
'Neath the sun, 'neath the trees, 'neath the sky,
As we go, this we know,
God is nigh.

Evening: So good night, peaceful night
Till the light of the dawn shineth bright.
God is near, do not fear,
Friend, good night.

Juliette: On this day, we have come
From the North, from the South
East and West, all your dreams
Will live on, Juliette.

7. Spread Arm Good-bye
Circle - Extend arms sideways at shoulder level, drop halfway to sides, step one pace in and hold hands not with the people on either side of you but with the person next to them. Every other person will be holding hands and the arms will make an interesting zig zag pattern. Sing a good-bye song.

8. Girl Scout Good-Bye Song
Tune: "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"
Now our Girl Scout meeting ends,
Say good-bye to all our friends
To our homes we Girl Scouts go
Singing songs to let you know,
We are happy as can be,
Working, playing, merrily.

9. Native American Benediction
May the Great Spirit - Extend right arm straight overhead
In the future - Slant arm ahead
As in the past - Slant arm behind
Be in our hearts - Right hand on heart
As in our prayer - Bring hands together at chest
Repeat, using only gestures, no words

10. Friendship Circle with Friendship Wish
Girls stand in circle with arms crossed right over left and grasping the hands of the person on either side. A designated person starts the passing of the friendship wish by thinking a silent wish and then symbolically passing the wish to the person on her right by squeezing her hand. That girl then thinks her own silent wish and continues the "squeeze". This is repeated until the "squeeze" has gone around the entire circle. When the originator receives the "squeeze" she says, "God Bless the Girl Scouts and Girl Guides everywhere. Goodbye". The girls drop their hands and leave in silence.


Note: This could be preceded by singing "Taps".

Hint: So that the location of the "squeeze" can be identified, have each girl extend her right foot as she passes on her wish.

Resources for Change

Learningtogive.org offers free of charge more than 1,200 K-12 lessons and educational resources to teachers, parents, youth workers and community leaders. Students learn about volunteering, being responsible and showing leadership in the classroom-and how to be leaders in the community.

Voicesforservice.org is part of the AmeriCorps program, which offers thousands of opportunities to serve through a network of partnerships with local and national nonprofit groups that are fighting illiteracy, building affordable housing, cleaning parks and streams, and more.

Whatkidscando.org features inspiring stories from around the world about community service projects, including "Straight Talk," first-person accounts by young volunteers about their experiences. Its "Kids on the Wire" service, which features news clippings on teen volunteer programs, is updated daily.

Servicevote.org is Youth Service America's campaign to engage young people in the political process, beginning with voting. At this interactive site kids can log on to the "My Two Cents for Change" feature and share ideas about how to engage candidates during the election-and afterward.

Ms. President Patch

For Girl Scouts Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors

Today, girls have many opportunities to be leaders when they grow up. They can become leaders in their schools, communities, and in government. This was not always the case: In the past, girls were more limited in their choices, but now girls and women can be, and are, great leaders. Other countries have had women leaders as presidents and prime ministers, and the United States may someday have one, too-Ms. President! Earning the Ms. President Patch The Ms. President patch is a participation patch, which does not require girls to complete a specific number of activities. To earn the patch, girls at each age-level participate in any number of activities they choose, but they must do one activity from each section below:

• Herstory
  
• Leadership
  
• Roads to the White House
  
• On the Campaign Trail