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Service Unit: Sunny Peaks
Troop 529 (Seniors – Ambassadors)
Years as a troop leader: 9
What kind of activities do you do with your troop? What is their favorite thing to do?
Our troop loves to socialize so we either have our regular meetings or meet at a local pizza shop. Some of our favorite activities include crafting and camping! Together, we’ve gone kayaking on the Verde River, and also enjoy going trick-or-treating in Uptown Sedona on Halloween.
Tell us about a volunteer moment that stands out to you.
It’s hard to choose just one, but recently, while we were on a camping trip I watched the girls work together to set up their bunks, gather wood for the fire, and help with cooking and cleaning duties. It was satisfying and inspiring!
What would you like others to know about volunteer opportunities with the Girl Scouts?
I want others to know that volunteering as a Girl Scout leader is a real gift. The girls are inspirational and I’ve learned a lot from them about myself and about my relationship with my daughter. It’s a wonderful feeling to watch a group of girls evolve into wonderful young women. It’s truly special knowing that other volunteers and I played a small part in their growth.
What is the most inspiring moment you have experienced as a troop leader?
There have been so many inspiring moments – small and large. What I find most inspiring is watching the girls go from little kids to pre-teens to young adults, knowing they have learned a lot of valuable things in Girl Scouts and seeing them put those things into action. Their kindness to one another, the way they maintain respect despite their differences and then celebrate their achievements together is always inspiring and empowering.
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It’s officially Girl Scout Cookie season which means girls all over Arizona will be going on Walkabouts to sell cookies! This year we want you to participate in our Walkabout Contest for a chance to win a $25 gift card to one of our delicious Dessert Challenge restaurants!
How to enter:
- Take a picture while on your Walkabout any day after school or on the weekend.
- Submit the photo and complete the form on the Walkabout Contest 2020 form
About the contest:
This contest is hosted my GSACPC’s Marcom team and is being hosted only through social media You may submit a photo each time your Girl Scout goes on a Walkabout. One winner will be selected at random each Friday of cookie season (Jan. 20-Feb. 28), for a total of six winners. You may participate each week with unique Walkabouts entries, duplicate entries will not be entered into drawings. You may only win once.
By submitting a photo to this contest, you are giving GSACPC permission to share this photo on GSACPC owned communication platforms.
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Service Unit: Ocotillo
Troop 3050, Cadettes
Years as a GS: 2
Years as Troop Leader: 8
What inspired you to become a Troop Leader?
At first, I wanted to spend time with my daughters doing all the fun activities. Then when I saw all the options for experiences – badges and service projects, neighborhood encampment and travel – I wanted to have more of a role in guiding and encouraging the troop to get more involved with all that Girl Scouts offers.
What kind of activities do you do with your troop? What is their favorite thing to do?
We work on badges – each girl picks one that interests them and leads it each year. Some of our favorites have been cooking, learning about pets/animals, and woodworking.
Our troop likes to go on field trips – police station, firehouse, bank tour, frozen yogurt shop, pizzeria tour, pet store, and a tour of the City of Chandler building, to name some. Many of these are free or low cost and help us work on badge requirements.
We love to travel! We’ve been to San Diego twice. Once for beach camping at Camp Surf and another year we stayed at Sea World overnight. They were both awesome trips!
What kind of service projects have you done with your troop?
For their Bronze Award, Troop 3050 held a backpack drive for foster kids. We started by setting a goal. I thought we could try for 20 but one of the girls in our troop said, “I think we should try for 100.” We set up a meeting with the school principal and asked if we could have the drive at school. We explained why foster kids needed backpacks and what our next steps were. The girls then made signs, hung them up and decorated boxes for collection areas. In just a week and a half we collected over 80 backpacks! Our next step was working with a local woman who collected other needed supplies so that we could stuff the backpacks with toiletries, a new book, stuffed animal and pajamas.
We recorded our steps throughout the process to pass along to other troops so they can have successful drives in their communities, making the project sustainable.
Tell us about a volunteer moment that stands out for you.
Going to a food bank to pack perishable items and help people in our community load the food into their cars, bikes, and backpacks to take home.
Packing food for children in another country was such a valuable learning experience but seeing the need in our own backyard was eye-opening for the girls.
What advice would you give other Troop Leaders?
Don’t get overwhelmed! There are so many resources available to help you, especially from other leaders. Also, get more parents involved! Even when my girls were Daisies, each parent was asked to lead one meeting. As the girls got older, their parents helped less and the girls led more.
Take advantage of Council-led activities and events! The girls LOVE council staff!
What do you wish someone had told you as a new Troop Leader?
Let the girls play and factor that time in to the meetings. Don’t worry about all the small details involved in each badge. Did the girls learn something, try something new and have fun? Great!
What would you like others to know about volunteer opportunities with the Girl Scouts?
Whether you have one hour or 20, there is something you can help with. When I planned an encampment, I had a woman who wanted to help but couldn’t come to a lot of meetings. I asked her to simply buy the ingredients needed for S’mores. She was happy to buy those items while she was doing her normal grocery shopping and it saved me a trip to the store and some room in my car.
Does your troop sell cookies? If yes, tell us in your own words why it is important to participate in the cookie program?
Yes, we do sell cookies. I think it’s important to participate in the cookie program because it’s a great way to raise troop funds. The cookies sell themselves! Not only does the sale help our troop buy badges and patches, troop supplies and fund travel, the cookie program keeps our camps running. We love all the camp properties and always have the best experience at Council events. We are so lucky to have four beautiful camps.
What are your troops’ cookie-selling tips and tricks?
We always answer the question “How much are cookies?” with “they are 4 for $20.” Many people will buy up and leave happy with more cookies.
Booth tips – never sit and always wear your uniform. People notice the effort. We have learned not to just say “Cookies for sale!” But ASK “Would you like to buy some cookies?”
Ask everyone. Just ask!
What is the most inspiring moment you have experienced as a Troop Leader?
My 7th grade Cadettes and I planned and organized an event for our Service Unit. It was a Photo Scavenger Hunt for Daisies, Brownies and Juniors. We had fun doing a run through of all the clues the week before the event and were so excited when we had 80 girls register and attend! I was so proud to see the girls explain the rules, encourage teams during the hunt and then keep them busy during scoring by teaching songs and playing games. They were helpful, friendly and showed leadership.
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Girl Scout Cookie Season – the World’s Largest Girl-Led Entrepreneurial Program – Takes Place Jan. 20 to Mar. 1 across Central, Northern Arizona
For six weeks each year, Girl Scouts in Arizona participate in the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world: The Girl Scout Cookie Program. From Jan. 20 – March 1 more than 10,000 girls in central and northern Arizona will be walking around neighborhoods and boothing in front of local stores learning entrepreneurial skills while selling delicious cookies.
“It is critical to note that Girl Scout Cookies are about far more than money and sweet treats,” says Tamara Woodbury, CEO of Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council (GSACPC). “The cookie program provides girls the skills they need to be fiscally savvy now, and to become successful, financially independent women.”
The qualities that lead to successful entrepreneurship, like curiosity, confidence, and innovation, are important for all types of academic and career success. There aren’t many organizations that help girls learn key entrepreneurial skills, like business ethics and decision-making. Girl Scouting does, with the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world!
“Not only is every cookie sale a teachable moment, but because all proceeds stay local, girls are able to enjoy summer camp, robotics programs, field trips and even adventures out of state in a safe environment,” says Woodbury. “Sales also have the potential to impact the community as troops reinvest their proceeds with service projects.”
GSACPC sold over 2.8 million packages of cookies last year. This year’s goal is 3 million packages.
Here is a snapshot of the season at a glance:
The Cookie Lineup
- New! Lemon-Ups: Crispy lemon cookies baked with inspiring messages. $5
- Thin Mints: Mint flavored with a delicious chocolaty coating. Vegan. $5
- Tagalongs: Layers of peanut butter with a rich, chocolaty coating. $5
- Samoas: Caramel and toasted coconut-covered cookies. $5
- Trefoils: Iconic and delicious shortbread cookies. $5
- Do-si-dos: Crisp and crunchy oatmeal outside and creamy peanut butter inside. $5
- Girl Scout S’mores: Crunchy graham sandwich cookies with creamy chocolate and marshmallowy filling. $6
- Toffee-tastics: Buttery (and gluten-free) cookies with sweet, crunchy golden toffee bits. $6
NEW: Announcing our 2020 Cookie Boss – Renee Parsons!
GSACPC is honored to announce Renee Parsons, president of PXG Apparel and co-founder of The Bob and Renee Parsons Foundation, as its first-ever Cookie Boss! The Cookie Boss serves as an entrepreneurial role model and helps support Girl Scouts in the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world. The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation has been a vital partner to GSACPC, with its strong belief in Girl Scouts, commitment to our community and partnership in the Girl Scout Cookie program.
NEW: Cookie Fast Pitch
Over 100 girl cookie bosses and 25 local CEOs/executives are expected to attend the first ever Cookie Fast Pitch on Jan. 25 from 8:45 a.m. to 11 a.m. at University of Advancing Technology located in Tempe. Participating girls will make their cookie sales pitch to one of the corporate executives in attendance. In exchange, they’ll get feedback on their pitch and develop confidence in their one-on-one coaching sessions. And if the CEO was sold on the pitch, they’ll purchase up to $500 worth of cookies.
NEW PARTNERS: 7th Annual Girl Scout Cookie Dessert Challenge
For the seventh year in a row, participating chefs from restaurants across central and northern Arizona will go head-to-head to create a winning dessert with one of the Girl Scout Cookie flavors including Thin Mints, Samoas, Tagalongs, Do-Si-Dos or Trefoils.
The creation will be featured on their menus during February, and for the second year, GSACPC will offer an online poll for everyone to vote for their favorite! To vote, fans can visit girlscoutsaz.org/dessert-challenge. The dessert with the most votes at the end of the challenge in central and northern Arizona regions will each be crowned the 2020 Girl Scout Dessert Challenge Champion in early March.
A portion of proceeds are donated back to GSACPC, and some participants provide cookie boothing space on their property. The friendly competition provides a great opportunity for local businesses to support and inspire future entrepreneurs — Girl Scouts!
Booths
Girl Scouts will be setting up a temporary “shop” in front of local business and other locations like sporting events, church and community events and selling cookies. Partner booth locations this year include: Fry’s Marketplace, Bashas, Safeway, Joann Fabric and Craft Stores, Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club and Goodwill.
The Cookie Finder App
Visit girlscoutsaz.org/cookiefinder and use the Girl Scout Cookie Finder to find a cookie booth near you. It’s simple – just enter your zip code and choose from a list of locations nearby. If you want cookie finder access on-the-go download the free Girl Scout Cookie Finder app onto your iOS or Android mobile device from Google Play or the Apple store.
Walkabouts
To encourage local girls to directly connect with their communities, as well as learn valuable lessons about public speaking, work ethic and ingenuity, the council is encouraging Girl Scouts to conduct more “Walkabouts.” Through Walkabouts, more than 10,000 Girl Scouts are encouraged to walk their neighborhoods selling cookies door-to-door in residential areas with adult supervision and visit cookie customers from years’ past. It’s also a strategic sales channel in this on-demand economy (kind of like DoorDash for Girl Scout Cookies).
Digital Cookie
The Girl Scout Cookie Program goes beyond the booth with Digital Cookie. Digital Cookie helps take the five essential life skills girls learn through the traditional cookie program to a whole new level—introducing lessons about online marketing, application use, and ecommerce to Girl Scouts, through building their own cookie website and managing their virtual sales. In addition, girls can use the Digital Cookie Mobile App to accept mobile payments from customers in-person.
Cookies for the Community – Cookie Donations Accepted
Cookies for the Community is a cookie donation opportunity for customers to purchase cookies as a donation for a local nonprofit organization – more than 10,000 cookies are donated through this program each year. It helps girls learn about the importance of community service and giving back to the community with the cookie program. GSACPC will proudly support St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank and St. Mary’s Food Bank with donated cookies in 2020. Cookies for Community purchases are tax-deductible.
Where Does Cookie Money Go
100% of GSACPC Cookie proceeds stay local to benefit Girl Scouting in Arizona. Girl Scout Cookies’ proceeds stay local to:
- Help girls fund local Girl Scouts’ Take Action projects for the community and girl-led adventures for troops.
- Cover the cost of running the Girl Scout Cookie Program, including the costs of cookies, materials, and logistics.
- Help GSACPC provide Girl Scout programs in STEM, the outdoors, life skills, and entrepreneurship, as well as camps, leadership training and more.
- Maintain and improve the local four camp properties and the financial assistance that keeps Girl Scouting available and affordable for all girls.
Girl Scout Cookie entrepreneurs also earn rewards on their individual sales. They can choose to receive incentive prizes or “Program Credits” that can be used to help pay for summer camp, membership dues, travel, and other programs and events.
IMPORTANT: Cookie Clarifications
- Our new delicious Lemon-Ups cookies have replaced the Savannah Smiles cookie. The Savannah Smile cookie will no longer be available.
- There are cookies for dietary needs: Thin Mints are vegan and Toffee-tastics are gluten-free.
- Toffee-tastics will sell for $6.00 a box. Only troops that have opted into selling this cookie will have them, so it will be available only in limited quantities.
- Bakery Confusion: there are two commercial bakers licensed by Girl Scouts of the USA to produce Girl Scout Cookies. Therefore, cookie variety varies by council. The bakery for GSACPC is Little Brownie Bakery.
- All of our cookies have no high corn fructose syrup, no partially hydronated oils (PHOs), zero grams of trans fat per serving and use RSPO certified (Mass Balance) palm oil.
About the Girl Scout Cookie Program
The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world, generating over $700 million in annual sales. Nearly 200 million boxes of Girl Scout Cookies are sold each year to more than 50 million cookie customers.
GSACPC sold over 2.8 million packages of cookies last year. This year’s goal is 3 million packages.
Please note: Girl Scout Cookie Program dates are set by each council throughout the U.S. and vary based on the local market and environment. The 2020 Cookie Season for Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council (GSACPC) is Jan. 20 – March 1. GSACPC is one of two councils in Arizona. Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona (GSSoAZ) cookie season is Jan. 18 – March 1.
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January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month
GSACPC has been a leader in the fight against human trafficking for over 20 years. Seen as one of the best prevention models in the country, Girl Scouts empower girls with the skills they need to become self-aware and self-reliant. From how to take healthy risks to social and emotional skills for building healthy relationships at every age.
As we aim to bring awareness to human trafficking, it’s unfortunate to know that all children may be vulnerable. As a parent, grandparent or guardian, here are some tips to remain vigilant against human trafficking:
- Empower yourself with current and accurate information.
- Be willing to talk about difficult subjects with your children and loved ones to keep the lines of communication open to allow for healthy dialogue. By continuing to have ongoing conversations with your kids about healthy relationships, positive body image, social media concerns, bullying, and cyberbullying, this will make them more aware and more likely to open up to you if they encounter an unsafe situation.
- Actively listen when a child comes to you and shares their concern about a topic.
- Encourage children to participate in healthy activities and programs in their spare time. Studies have shown that unsupervised youth and teens who hang out with friends unsupervised for long stretches of time are more vulnerable than those who have somewhere to go or something to do.
In addition, here are some signs that a child is being groomed for future trafficking:
- Has new, older friends
- Talks about friends who seem too good to be true.
- Spends a sharply increased amount of time online or on their phone.
- Has suddenly changed their appearance, dress, or grooming habits.
- Has items they’d be unable to afford, like a cell phone, new clothes, etc.
- Has become withdrawn from the family and/or friends and become more secretive
For more information and additional support, you may contact the Arizona Anti-Trafficking Network (AATN) and its affiliates by visiting visit www.aatnaz.org.
If you would like to receive training and materials, reach out to the TRUST (Training and Resources United to Stop Trafficking) by visiting www.trustaz.org.
If you suspect Human Trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-3737-888.
Source: “How to Talk to Your Kids About Human Trafficking” by TRUSTAZ
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Service Unit: Oasis
Troop 7073, Daisy – Junior
Years as a GS: 0
Years as Troop Leader: 2
What inspired you to become a Troop Leader?
I decided to become a leader after not finding a troop that fit my daughter’s interests.
What kind of activities do you do with your troop? What is their favorite thing to do?
We enjoy taking trips outdoor such as hiking. They also enjoy doing artwork.
What kind of service projects have you done with your troop?
One of the service projects has been making snacks bags to feed the homeless.
Tell us about a volunteer moment that stands out for you.
A volunteer moment that stands out to me was to be able to run a Journey in a day for the Service Unit without any prior experience. The event turned out to be such a fun and exciting day for the girls.
What advice would you give other Troop Leaders?
The advice I would give is to always ask for help. There is always a leader out there willing to help you out.
What do you wish someone had told you as a new Troop Leader?
I wished someone would tell me that asking for help doesn’t mean you’re unsure of things, it just means that you are wanting extra guidance to direct your girls the right way.
What would you like others to know about volunteer opportunities with the Girl Scouts?
I would like them to know that there’s a ton of training for almost anything such as mental health and going camping. These trainings are essential and help leaders to have all the proper information to support girls.
Tell us in your own words why it is important to participate in the cookie program?
I think it’s important to participate in cookie selling because it teaches the girls how to independently reach their goals.
What are your troops’ cookie-selling tips and tricks?
My troop sells every weekend after the sale starts and usually does 2-4 booths a day.
What is the most inspiring moment you have experienced as a Troop Leader?
The most inspiring moment has been being able to have such a good connection with my co-leaders that whenever we need something one of us is always willing to help.
