C mpass - Sister to Sister - Girl Scouts of Maine

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C mpass - Sister to Sister - Girl Scouts of Maine
C mpass
     Your guide to a great journey in Girl Scouting

   Sister
   to Sister
   Edition 2018
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C mpass - Sister to Sister - Girl Scouts of Maine
Girl Scouts is for the bold, driven,
                                                              and devoted. If this sounds like you, you
                                                              might be a G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator,
                                                              Risk-taker, Leader)™ Another year of
                                                              adventure awaits.
                                                              Starting April 1, renew your membership
                                                              online at girlscoutsofmaine.org/renew.
                                                              Membership fees are $40 for girls,
                                                              $25 for adults.

Everyone wins with these awesome incentives, but they won’t last long.

    Renew by:                       Your troop will get:
       4/25      5/16      5/30

        ☙         ☙         ☙       Eligibility to register for Celebrate Camp events at Camp Pondicherry and
                                    Camp Natarswi*

        ☙         ☙         ☙       Free special GSME Early Renewal Patch for girls
                                                                                                    Oops! Time has
                                                                                                    run out for this
        ☙                           Free New Power of the G.I.R.L. Patch for girls
                                                                                                     one, but don’t
                                                                                                    miss out on the
        ☙         ☙                 $5 bonus per girl renewed online**                               rest of these
                                                                                                      great offers!
                            ☙       $2.50 bonus per girl renewed online**

    Need help? Contact our Customer Care team at 888-922-4763 or customercare@gsmaine.org.
    *Spaces are limited for the Celebrate Camp events and are first come, first served. You must
    renew to be eligible to register. Registration for Celebrate Camp starts April 1 and closes when full
    or by May 30 (whichever happens first). Cost for Celebrate Camp is $15/girl and $10/adult.
    **Must be PAID renewals. Not applicable if paper forms are used or membership assistance is provided.
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C mpass - Sister to Sister - Girl Scouts of Maine
C mpass                                                                                     From
                                                                                            our CEO
                   Sister to Sister 2018                                                    I love the power of words!
                                                                                            The perfect word choice
                    Editor: Cortney Smart                                                   can elevate, clarify, excite,
                  Designer: Rebecca Benoski                                                 and capture the reader’s
                                                                                            understanding and move

     In this edition:                                                                       them to action.
                                                                                            One word I love is IMPACT.
                                                                                            It means “to have a direct effect on
Early Renewal.....................................................................2         or to influence an outcome.”
From Our CEO.....................................................................3          As Chief Executive Officer, the impact I reach for every
Passion to Action..............................................................4            day is found in our mission: to build girls of courage,
The Power of G.I.R.L..........................................................6             confidence, and character who make the world a
                                                                                            better place.
Cookie Sale News..............................................................9
A Love of Reading............................................................ 10            Embedded in these pages is evidence of the impact
                                                                                            of Girl Scouts on communities all over Maine through
Celebrate Camp................................................................11
                                                                                            service activities and take action projects. These
GSME Programs............................................................... 12             accomplishments and so many more have prepared girls
Destination Anywhere!.................................................. 15                  for a path that leads to improved conditions in the world.
Girls on the Go:
Off to London, Costa Rica and Australia.................... 16                              The ultimate IMPACT of Girl Scouts is to have strong
                                                                                            girls who become strong women.
Girls on the Go: Italy and Greece................................. 18
Camp Life is the Best Life............................................. 20                  Another word I love is PASSION. I have had many career
G.I.R.L. Celebration!                                                                       paths, but Girl Scouts is truly my passion, and my
Silver, Gold and Volunteer Awards............................. 22                           professional calling. I know in my heart that strong girls
Volunteers of the Month.............................................. 30                    who become strong women will make for a strong world!
Camp Adventures for Grown-Ups...............................32                              There are many problems in this world, and a lot of work
Share the Awesomeness of Girl Scouts.................... 34                                 is necessary if we want to impact positive change; this
                                                                                            work is often hard and frustrating. Impacting change
Shop.................................................................................. 36   often requires PASSION to fuel our motivation to keep
                                                                                            on trying when it gets tough.
                                                                                            With this in mind, I am excited to invite you to our
                                                                                            extraordinary forum, “Passion to Action,” on Friday,
                                                                                            June 15 at University of Southern Maine’s Hannaford Hall
                                                                                            in Portland from 8:00 - 11:30 a.m.

                            Celebration
                                     Awards Ceremony & Annual Meeting
                                                                                            We will hear from three prominent Maine public servants,
                                                                                            and listen to their personal stories on why and how they
                                                                                            took their passion and put it into action.
                 Saturday, May 12, 2018                                                     Scheduled speakers are:
                        Waterville Opera House
                     1 Common Street, Waterville                                            The Honorable Angus S. King, U.S. Senate
           9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Light Refreshment                                         Emily Cain, Executive Director of EMILY’S List
           10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Celebration and Awards                                   Meredith Strang Burgess, President and CEO,
                       Special guest speaker                                                Burgess Advertising
                     2018 Woman of Distinction
                       Laura Thompson, Ph.D.                                                Learn more and register at girlscoutsofmaine.org/
     Director of Sustainable Development and Policy Initiatives,                            passiontoaction.
                        Sappi North America
                                                                                            I would love to see you there!
                                 Cost
         2018 Silver, Gold and Graduating Girl Scouts: FREE!                                Yours in Girl Scouting,
                            All guests: $5
            Learn more about our awardees on page 20.                                       Joanne Crepeau                                 Joanne Crepeau
                                                                                            CEO, Girl Scouts of Maine                              CEO
                                                                                                                                           Girl Scouts of Maine

                 Register now at girlscoutsofmaine.org.

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C mpass - Sister to Sister - Girl Scouts of Maine
ss i o  n
    Pa       t o
                 n
      A c t io

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C mpass - Sister to Sister - Girl Scouts of Maine
Passion to Action | Friday, June 15
                              Hannaford Hall
                  University of Southern Maine, Portland
                    8:00-9:00 a.m.       Continental Breakfast
                    9:00-11:30 a.m.      Speakers and Q&A

As older Girl Scouts get ready to embark on their adulthood journey, Girl Scouts
of Maine wants to inspire them to be active citizens into their college years and
through their adult life. The world today needs leaders with courage, confidence, and
character who make the world a better place. And Girl Scouts fit the bill.

We are deeply committed to the development and empowerment of girls and young
women. Our goal includes helping to advance the next generation of women into
senior leadership positions in the workplace, their community, and their country.

Please join us at our extraordinary forum “Passion to Action” on June 15. Girl Scouts
and students are free; tickets for all other guests are $10.

At “Passion to Action” we will hear from three prominent Maine public servants, and
listen to their personal stories on why and how they took their passion and put it into
action.

Scheduled Speakers:
     The Honorable Angus S. King, U.S. Senate
     Emily Cain, Executive Director of EMILY’S List
     Meredith Strang Burgess, President & CEO, Burgess Advertising

As part of “Passion to Action,” the new “Girl Scouts of Maine Future Leaders
Scholarship” will be presented to several Ambassador Girl Scouts. Learn more about
this scholarship at girlscoutsofmaine.org/futureleaders.

   We would love to see you
     at Passion to Action!
Register now at girlscoutsofmaine.org/passiontoaction.

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C mpass - Sister to Sister - Girl Scouts of Maine
G.I.R.L.                                g
                                     go-getter                                              Inn
      Getting their hands dirty for a good cause
      Last fall, Brownies from Troop 745, of Windham, took the reins and lent a hand
      at the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals, the largest horse shelter
      in New England. Working under the MSSPA’s volunteers, Girl Scouts worked hard
      that day, cleaning out several horses’ stalls. They even got to meet a beautiful
      horse named Noel, cleaning his paddock and caring for him.
      These G.I.R.L.s certainly know how to get the job done, knowing that the work may
      not always be fun or clean, but it is important and necessary. The girls had a great
      experience, and felt good when they saw the beautiful animals benefiting from
      their hard work! We are so proud of you girls!

                                                            Giving Back
                                                            Pays Off
                                                            As part of the Give Back
                                                            Badge, Brownies from Troop
                                                            159, of Hodgton, decided to
                                                            shop for $300 worth of food
                                                            to donate to their local food
                                                            pantry.
                                                            After getting a special tour
                                                            at their local Hannafords,
                                                            the girls split into three
                                                            groups to shop for the food
                                                            pantry. Each had a budget of
                                                            $100, and were tasked with
                                                            staying within their budget
                                                            while making sure to get
                                                            items that are approved for
                                                            the food pantry. Each group
                                                            successfully completed their
                                                            challenge. The girls were so
                                                            excited to deliver the food
                                                            to the local church's food
                                                            pantry.
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C mpass - Sister to Sister - Girl Scouts of Maine
i
novator
                                              r
                                           Risk-taker
                                                                                                  l
                                                                                                Leader
 Wrapping up the
 gift of caring
 For their fifth year, Cadettes from Gorham
 Troop 2300 took part in HomeInstead
 Senior Care’s “Be A Santa To A Senior”
 program. Rallying sister Girl Scouts in their
 Service Unit and surrounding towns, they
 made 300 ornaments to put with the gift
 request tags and distributed them to 13
 local businesses.
 These ambassadors of cheer also
 maintained two trees, collecting, checking
 and wrapping gifts in preparation for
 delivery. One tree, which was at GSME’s
 South Portland Service Center filled 35
 tags for the seniors this year, with gifts
 coming all the way from Girl Scouts in
 Indian Island, Maine. Way to go
 Girl Scouts!
 Cadettes from Troop 2300, pictured l-r:
 Maeve D., Danielle I., Izzy D., Emily F.,
 Grace P., Brinn I., Taylor J., and Meghan I.

 Brrrr-inging Joy on the Polar Express!
 The girls from Troop 161, from Madawaska, worked hard in the freezing cold to bring Christmas cheer to their
 community, by participating in the Grand Isle Maine Light Parade this past December. The girls planned their float, and
 with the help of a few willing parents, put together the “Polar Express,” an awesome light float! Nice job ladies!
 Girl Scouts from Troop 161: Chloe R., Megan C., Samantha C., Adelaide S., Zoe R., Samantha T., Peyton M., Lilly G., and
 tag-a-longs Connor and Nicholas.

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C mpass - Sister to Sister - Girl Scouts of Maine
G.I.R.L.                                                          g
                                                               go-getter                                             In

                                                                 A new friend from the
                                                                 statehouse
                                                                 Girl Scouts from Troop 690 were excited to host
                                                                 Maine legislator, Jessica Fay, to talk with them
                                                                 about government and how important it is to
                                                                 have your voice heard by voting. She shared the
                                                                 book “If I were President,” by Catherine Stier with
                                                                 the girls, and did an amazing job keeping all the
                                                                 girls interacting through the whole time! Thank
                                                                 you to Ms. Fay for taking time for our girls!

                   Putting jolly up with the holly!
    Brownies from Troop 1585, of Washburn, brought a little extra joy to
      the seniors at the Washburn Estates this holiday season. The girls
        signed Christmas cards to pass out to the seniors, who were so
                             thankful for their kindness and their visit!
       Pictured: Elizabeth, Viviana, Destiny and Ashlyn from Troop 1585.

                                                           Supporting the Juliette Scouts
                                                           On a sunny day with below freezing high winds Juliette
                                                           Elizabeth braved the cold to sell Girl Scout cookies at the
                                                           local Sam’s Club. Displaying true Girl Scout Spirit, Allison
                                                           from Troop 1409 and Molly from Troop 2019 joined
                                                           Elizabeth to help her with her cookie booth. With their
                                                           help, all three girls sold out the cookie booth at 174 boxes
                                                           sold! The money went directly to the Juliette Fund.
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C mpass - Sister to Sister - Girl Scouts of Maine
i
nnovator
                                              r
                                           Risk-taker
                                                                   l
                                                                 Leader

                                                          Cookie sale
                                                          was a sweet
                                                           success…
                                                         thanks to you!
                                                        With the help of thousands
                                                         of dedicated volunteers,
                                                           Girl Scouts in Maine:
                                                        ☙ Had over $4.3 MILLION in gross
                                                          sales this cookie season!

                                                        ☙ Sold ONE MILLION boxes of
                                                          cookies, with nearly 6,000
                                                          Girl Scouts participating in this
                                                          girl-lead business!

                                                        ☙ Sold 13,810 boxes to SHARE
                                                          with neighbors in need who receive
                                                          Meals on Wheels.

                                                        ☙ Showcased their digital
                                                          entrepreneurial spirit by selling
                                                          15,256 boxes online this year
                                                          – blowing away 2017’s record of
                                                          1,956 boxes. That's 7.5 times more
                                                          cookies! WAY TO GO!

                                                        ☙ Earned nearly ONE MILLION
                                                          DOLLARS for their troop activities
                                                          and TWO MILLION DOLLARS for
                                                          statewide programming.

                                                        ☙ 129 girls pearned a free session
                                                          of camp

                                                        ☙ 16 achieved the Six Flags
                                                          Adventure Challenge, selling at
                                                          least 600 packages during the
                                                          initial order phase.
  Dancing Lemonades
                                                        ☙ This year’s top seller sold 1,151
  Troops 612 and 913 had a busy                           packages during the initial order
  cookie season! Braving the cold at                      phase. This is the first time in a
  their cookie booths at Wal-Mart                         long time that a Girl Scout in Maine
  and Joann’s Fabric, they sold over                      sold over 1,000 boxes of cookies.
  2,000 boxes! The manager at Joann's                     This year we had three! Wahoo!
  especially loved their matching fleece
  hats and table cloth made from the
  new Girl Scout fabric line. And who
  can resist a dancing Lemonade?

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C mpass - Sister to Sister - Girl Scouts of Maine
ALove of Reading
          Making a big impact in a small town
           Submitted by Kristina Lento, Paige’s Mom

                       When Paige was a Junior and
                       began to think about what her Bronze
                       Award Project should be, she began to notice
                       that the library in her school wasn’t being used as
                       much as it should be. She asked questions and
                       discovered that because so much of the library
                       was outdated, kids weren’t interested in the books it had
                       to offer.

                       Paige set out to fix that problem. She decided to gather
                       donations of gently used books that were newer and
                       offered subjects the kids in her school wanted to read
                       about. She set herself a goal of collecting 320 books for
                       the library. She began her quest by first going through her
                       own books and donating anything she and her sister had
                       outgrown. Then, she started asking other kids to do the
                       same.

                       She did a survey of the kids in her class to find out what
                       types of books they liked to read. She set up a poster
                       and donation basket at the school book fair; she asked
                       people at yard sales to donate the things they didn’t sell.
                       She sorted through all the donations and carefully chose
                       the books that would be best for the library and donated
                       the other books to local charities. Before long, she had
                       surpassed her goal!

                       Two years have gone by and more than 600 books
                       have been collected for the library by Paige or have
                       been donated in honor of Paige. Paige passed away in
                       December of 2016, but her love of reading and the love
                       she had for Girl Scouting and her community lives on as
                       more donations come in and more kids are becoming
                       interested in reading.

10
p !
                       e C                 am
       b          ra t
Ce l e                                                             Saturday,
                                                              September 15, 2018
                                                             10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
                                                                Camp Natarswi,
                                                                  Millinocket

                                                  Saturday,
                                             September 29, 2018
                                            10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
                                             Camp Pondicherry,
                                                  Bridgton

Join us for a full day of fun only to be found at camp!
We’ll have tons to do like archery, games, and badge
activities. And you’ll get a free t-shirt!
Here’s how:                         Fee:                        $15/girl, $10/adult
                                    For girls
by May 30...                        entering grades:            1-12
1 Renew your                        Register by:                May 30, 2018
   2019 membership.                   You can easily renew and register online at girlscoutsofmaine.org!
2 Register for                      You are invited to stay over Friday night
    Celebrate Camp.
                                    or Friday and Saturday night at Camp
Then you’ll be ready for            Natarswi! First come, first served.
another awesome year
                                    ☙ Fee per troop, one site (Friday): $20
in Girl Scouts and for a            ☙ Fee per troop, one site (Friday & Saturday): $30
day of adventure at camp!           (Please note: Food is NOT included in the overnight fee.)

     For information, contact: Customer Care | 888-922-4763 | customercare@gsmaine.org                     11
Don’t sign off for summer!
 There is still tons to do
 with GSME!
     Check our website for all of our
     current program offerings.
                                                   Dinosaur Fossil
                                                   Detectives Overnight:
                                                   Tall & Small
      Shocking                                     Dates: June 9-10
      Science Overnight                            Time: 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 a.m.
                                                   Location: Portland
      Dates: June 2-3                              Levels: D/B
      Time: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 a.m.                  Cost: $28/g, $16/a
      Location: Bangor                             Registration deadline May 23
      Levels: D/B/J
      Cost: $41/g $26/a
      Registration deadline: May 16
                                                   What is a fossil and what can it tell us? In this Tall and Small
      Come experience jolts                        overnight, experience the life of a fossil through dramatic play
      and volts at the                             and explore the Children’s Museum & Theatre’s collection of
      Discovery Museum!                            prehistoric fossil replicas to determine which creatures they
      Get ready                                    once belonged to. Touch the T-Rex jawbone replica! Spend
      for hair-raising,                            the rest of the evening playing and sleeping in the Museum &
      safe fun with                                Theatre’s exhibits and wake up to a complimentary breakfast.
      one of the most                              This overnight is a perfect opportunity for parents/guardians to
      amazing forces                               help prepare their daughters for a troop overnight (troops are
      of our world:                                welcome).
      electricity!

     Decomposers                                   Penobscot
     Dates: June 9                                 River Adventure
     Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
     Location: Boothbay                            Dates: June 25
     Levels: B/J                                   Time: 9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
     Cost: $7/g, $13/a                             Location: Brewer
     Registration deadline: May 23                 Levels: J/C
                                                   Cost: $5/p
     Join the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens      Registration deadline: June 6
     as you investigate life underground and
     discover the important role decomposers       Come join the Penobscot Riverkeepers and experience one
     play in helping our gardens grow. Learn       of Maine’s greatest natural resources. Paddle on the water
     to identify these living organisms, explore   and find out about some of the history of this recovering
     the anatomy of a worm, and understand         watershed. On shore, learn about some of the activities going
     how a compost pile works. Badge link:         on in and around the river including salmon migration and
     Bugs, Flowers                                 nearby ecology.

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High Flying Adventure
Dates: June 2
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. or
      1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Location: Wiscasset
Levels: J/C/S/A
Cost: $20/p
Registration deadline: May 16
Navigate through more than 30 obstacles from 12 to 50 feet in the air, zoom
along one of the five zip lines, or the giant swing at Monkey C Monkey Do. This
uniquely designed course offers multiple levels of difficulty, so no matter where
your comfort level lies, you’ll have an experience you won’t soon forget. It is
recommended that at least one adult participates per group, more if your girls
would need assistance navigating the course. The adult fee only applies to those
who participate. Journey Link: It’s Your World - Change It!, It’s Your Story - Tell It!

The Amazing Race: Boston
Dates: August 11
Time: 6:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Location: Boston, MA
Levels: J/C/S/A
Cost: $60/p
Registration deadline: July 11
With your team of Girl Scouts, solve clues and race
around Boston to see if your team can beat the
clock and be the first to make it to the finish line.
With a little friendly competition to push you
along, you’ll navigate your way through Boston
as you complete riddles and challenges. The
cost includes Portland transportation to/from
Boston, a metro pass and a little extra to help
make the day a success.

Science Survivor,
Hurricane Island
Dates: August 17-19
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Location: Rockland
Levels: C/S/A
Early Bird deadline May 16
		Cost: $330/g, $205/a
Registration deadline: June 13
		Cost: $345/g, $210/a
Join the field scientists at Hurricane Island Center
for Science and Leadership for a one-of-a-kind,
adventure. Explore marine biology through real-life
research, and field sampling. Be a part of an amazing
team striving to make a difference in the world- as
students, scientists, citizens, Girl Scouts, and leaders.
                                                                                          13
Camping S’more fun Together
                                                                       Dates: September 8-9
                                                                       Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
                                                                       Location: Bridgton
                                                                       Levels: J/C and adults
                                                                       Early Bird deadline July 31 | Cost: $30/p
                                                                       Registration deadline: August 8 | Cost: $45/p

                                                                       In this wonderful outdoor weekend, girls and adults will
                                                                       have the opportunity to work separately and together to
                                                                       build camping skills and practice them onsite with the
                                                                       help of skilled volunteers and outdoor facilitators. Adults
                                                                       will complete their Troop Camp Training Part 2 Overnight
                                                                       while girls work on Level 2 of the Outdoor Skills Patch.
                                                                       Prerequisite: ALL adults must have completed Troop
                                                                       Camp Training, Part 1 before July 31; ALL girls must have
                                               Adelaide,               mastered all the requirements for Outdoor Skills Level 1
                                          Troop 141 Girl Scout         before event.
                                         I liked how so many troop
                                      leaders were there. The camp
                                      was quite nice and bunks were
                                      cool. The training for my mom
                                      making camp food made it nice
                                       so we could go camping later.
                                          I liked getting time to be
                                                with other girls.

                                                                                                             Nicole,
                                                                                                         Troop 141 Leader
                                                                                                     We had an amazing time learning
                                                                                                    together. We grew stronger, not by
                                                                                                just mother and daughter, but by Troop
                                                                                                  Leader and Girl Scout. Watching my
                                                                                                   daughter grow the confidence that

     Save
                                                                                                  she has makes me feel like I’m doing
                                                                                                   something great as a mother and a
                                                                                                   leader. There was so much to learn
                                                                                                       from. Would love to go again!

      Date
                the

 Transforming                                                 Amanda,
  Leadership                                              Troop 141 Leader
                                                      We learned a lot about outside
      November 3, 2018                            cooking and how to prepare before
                                                  we went camping as a troop. When
  For Cadettes, Seniors,                          you put younger girls into the mix,
 Ambassadors, and adults                            you know it’s always going to be
                                                   different than if it was just adults.
             Orono                                 It was a great combination to give
                                                   you what it’s like with them there,
Join us for an amazing day where                    but enough time where the girls
you’ll explore science, technology,                 were separated out so we could
       leadership, and more!                                 still train/learn.
 14
Destination
      Anywhere!

Now is the perfect time for you
to start thinking about applying
for a Destination next year.
Things to do now:
☙ Check out the list of the current Destinations!
Destinations are often repeated, you can
investigate and see what opportunities may
interest you. Check it out at forgirls.girlscouts.
org/travel/take-a-trip/destinations/

☙ Download and complete the application, but
make sure to leave the Destination Name blank.
(It’s a great idea to have someone look it over!)

☙ Keep an eye on the website. 2019-2020
Destinations will be posted by the beginning of
September, then all you have to do is choose the
Destination that interests you and apply!

☙ Application deadline due to Girl Scouts of
Maine is mid-November.

☙ For questions, or to learn about support
for Destinations, contact Elizabeth Helton at
Girl Scouts of Maine, ehelton@gsmaine.org.

This year GSME has eleven girls going on
Destinations from South Africa to the Galapagos
Islands. Next year, you can be one of the girls
from Maine choosing to explore the world!

Congratulations to the Girl Scouts traveling on
GSUSA Destinations this summer! Have fun and
take lots of pictures!

                                                     15
Girls on the Go:
                   Off to London, Costa Rica,
                          In 2019, Girls on the Go will celebrate our fifth year with a trip every
                           Girl Scout should take – “London to Lucerne!” Think about it… the
                          opportunity to visit two World Centers – PAX Lodge and Our Chalet –
                             in one trip, and to be one of the few Girl Scouts in Maine who
                                    proudly wear the pins from both World Centers.

Start in London...                                                               This trip will also
                                                                                 include the sights
                                                                                 of London, such as
                                                                                 Windsor Castle, the
                                                                                 London Eye, and a
                                                                                 Thames River cruise.
                                                                                 While in London,
                                                                                 be part of a special
                                                                                 pinning ceremony at
                                                                                 PAX Lodge.

       Then travel by
                                                          ...then Paris...
      the Eurostar to
     the City of Light,
       Paris, tour the
        Louvre, Notre
     Dame Cathedral,
      and admire the
          Eiffel Tower.

...end in Lucerne!                                                               Onward to Switzerland,
                                                                                 stopping at Our Chalet
                                                                                 for a special program,
                                                                                 pinning ceremony,
                                                                                 and a day of Swiss
                                                                                 Alps awe. Travel on to
                                                                                 Lucerne, Switzerland
                                                                                 and take part in a
                                                                                 Swiss Folklore evening,
16                                                                               before heading home.
COSTA RICA
                                                                 Costa Rica: A Touch of the Tropics will
                                                                 allow you to explore Costa Rica from the

and Australia
                                                                 beach, to the rainforest, to the cloud forest
                                                                 to whitewater rafting, and everything in
                                                                 between. Start your journey learning how
                                                                 Costa Rica produces some of the world’s
                                                                 best coffee beans, and then off to visit
                                                                 Poás Volcano. Enjoy kayaking, hiking to La
                                                                 Fortuna Waterfall, relaxing in hot springs,
   In 2020, Girls on the Go                                      and participating in a cultural activity.
                                                                 Travel to the cloud forest area to visit Santa
    will be traveling to two                                     Elena Cloud Forest, plant a tree, visit a local
                                                                 school, and experience a canopy tour. On to

   different continents, so                                      the Central Pacific Coast region with lunch
                                                                 at an ecological rainforest reserve, hike

   which will you choose?
                                                                 in the rainforest, experience a crocodile
                                                                 river tour, and dip your toes in the Pacific
                                                                 Ocean at Manuel Antonio National Park
                                                                 (watch out for the monkeys), before heading
                                                                 back to San José. The last day is full of an
                                                                 exciting whitewater rafting adventure on the
                                                                 Sarapiquí River, where you might get the
                                                                                              chance to see an
                                                                                              orchid that
                                                                                              only blooms for
                                                                                              one day, plus
                                                                                              amazing wildlife.

NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA
Journey Down Under will take you to New Zealand and
Australia. In New Zealand, learn about sheep-shearing at
the Agrodome, participate in a geothermal experience,
experience a Duck Boat Tour, visit a Maori village with a
Hangi feast, ride the Skyline Gondola, and learn about jade
production in New Zealand. Fly to Sydney, Australia and visit
Sydney Tower, learn about Australian opals, take a harbor
cruise, explore the Hyde Park Barracks Museum, a UNESCO
Heritage Site, and a walking tour of Sydney. Fly to Cairns and
spend time snorkeling on the amazing Great Barrier Reef
before returning home.

These tours are open and ready for your enrollment. Applications are on
GSME website, www.girlscoutsofmaine.org/travel.
Other upcoming tours include: Bonjour Paris (2021), Charting the Galápagos (2022),
London & Paris (2023), Adventure in Peru (2024) and England, Ireland & Wales (2025). For
more information on any of these trips or Girls on the Go, contact travel@gsmaine.org.                       17
Girls on the Go:
                                        Italy and Greece
                                            Submitted By Michelle Sarber, Bowdoin, Ambassador

     W      hen I signed up for Italy and Greece, I was signing up for the trip of a lifetime. For the longest
            time, it seemed so far away. All the extra shifts I picked up at work, all the cookie booths I did
     were for a trip that was in the future, but all of a sudden, I was waiting at the airport gate with my
     carry-on luggage, and camera, hours away from landing in Rome!

     When I first got off the airplane, everything felt different - the air, the sounds around me, even the
     clouds. I was so excited to see Rome, and soon I was walking down the 135 steps of the Spanish
     Steps, drinking out of the boat fountain, and throwing a coin over my shoulder into the Trevi Fountain.

     During the next few days in Rome, I visited Vatican City, where I saw Michelangelo's fresco on the
     ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and climbed all 871 steps to the very top of St. Peter’s Basilica’s Dome.
     I saw where the gladiators fought for their lives at the Colosseum and strolled through the Roman
     Forum where Rome’s Empire once stood, but has now been buried for over hundreds of years.

18
In Florence, I walked around the city,
eating as much gelato as I could,
while looking at grand churches, and
the powerful Medici family house.
I got to look into the windows of
shops on the Ponte Vecchio, a famous
bridge that is known for only selling
priceless gold and silver jewelry. My
favorite part of Florence was being able
to see Michelangelo’s world famous
masterpiece, David. It was nothing like
I imagined, and being able to see it in
person took my breath away.

After my art adventure in Italy, I was
on my way to Greece, where the Greek
gods and goddess’ lives and stories
were a part of the country. I got to see
Apollo’s temple, theatre, and stadium.
Most importantly, I got to see the tree
next to the temple where Apollo’s great
love, Daphne, turned herself into a plant to
escape him. I also saw another important
temple, the Temple of Athena, also known
as the Parthenon, which is located at the
top of a hill where Poseidon and Athena
proved to the town’s people who should
become their patron god.

After visiting Italy and Greece, my trip wasn’t
over yet. I was signed up for a four-day cruise
around the Greek Islands where I would
be able to sit back, relax, and choose what
adventures I wanted to partake in each day.
Some days I did excursions with the cruise to
see the main town of the island, other days
were spending time at the beach with the
nice warm white water that went on past the
horizon.

On the five islands, I could shop, visit the
archaeological museums, and more ancient
temples. When I wasn’t on an island, I was on the
cruise enjoying the outside decks and activities
that they had for us. At night I ate in the dining hall
where waiters and chefs served us with a different
selection of meals and desserts each day. I always
left that room rolling to my cabin for a good night’s
rest after such an adventurous day.

Although my trip is over now, I still relive it every
day! I’ll see a photo is a travel magazine of Rome,
or something comes up during school, and I’m
connected with one of the many statues and
buildings that I saw in on my trip. I know that I will
never forgot this trip – it was truly a trip of a lifetime.

                                                              19
Camp Life
This summer, #CampLikeAGirlScout, and you’ll
                                                         is the
explore the great outdoors, try new things, build
your problem solving skills, make awesome new
friends, and so much more.
                                                       Best Life!
Whether you try day camp or resident camp, you                    Keep the
will have the summer you’ve always dreamed of –             Girl Scout fun going
one full of excitement, exploration, and adventures.
                                                             all summer long!
Resident Camp
Pondicherry (Bridgton) & Camp Natarswi (Millinocket)
One & two week sessions run from July 1 – August 3.                     Don’t miss Camp
                                                                        Pondicherry and
Day Camps                                                               Camp Natarswi’s
For grades 1 - 4 | Camp Pondicherry, Bridgton | Camp Scelkit, Kittery   Open Houses
                                                                        on Sunday June 3,
                                                                        1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
                                                                        Explore camp on your own with
                                                                        a self-guided tour, meet some
                                                                        camp staff and make a S’more!
                                                                        Join in some fun camp
                                                                        activities and get a chance to
                                                                        meet Mary Boyle, Pondicherry’s
                                                                        Camp Director and Treasa
                                                                        Wheeler, Natarswi’s Camp
                                                                        director.
                                                                        Discover our Day and Resident
              Register for camp now!                                    programs while you learn about
                                                                        daily schedules, fun activities
20           Camp Tuition payments are due by May 31                    and how to prepare for camp.
Spirit Week, July 15 -20                                     Troop and Mini-Camp
  Camp Pondicherry & Camp Natarswi
              All ages
                                                             registration is now open!
                                                             Bring your whole troop to camp and let the fun begin!
Don’t miss this week of imaginative ideas and creative       Mini-Camps are just for troops. Sleep in platform tents,
scenarios that will challenge you, make you laugh, and       get artsy, take aim in archery, go hiking, roast s’mores,
help you learn new skills with friends, new and old. Enjoy   and more. We’ll run all the activities and provide meals.
this week of choice and fun with cool counselors – it’ll     You bring your troop and we’ll bring the fun.
be a blast! Sign up and show your awesome camp spirit.
Activities galore! Where will your imagination take you?
                                                              Mini-Camps, Natarswi

Camp with Mom or Dad!                                              1+
                                                                  Grades
                                                                           Aug. 8-10, Aug. 10-12, Sept. 7-9 $100/pp
                                                                                            Dates                   Cost
What’s more fun than a weekend with mom or dad
enjoying camp life? Have an unforgettable time together
boating, swimming, playing, trying archery, and making        Extreme Mini-Camp, Natarswi
cool crafts! Cost $100 per person; parent & child must
register as Girl Scout members.
                                                                   3+           August 8-12            $240/g $160/a
                                                                  Grades            Dates                    Cost
Me and My Dad, Camp Natarswi
Dates: August 17-19                                           Outdoor Explorer Mini-Camp, Natarswi
Me and My Mom, Camp Pondicherry
Dates: August 10-12                                                2+         September 21-23              $100/pp
                                                                  Grades            Dates                    Cost
Family & Troop Mini-Camp, Camp Natarswi
An event the whole family can enjoy!                          Mini-Camp, S’mores & More, Pondicherry
Price: $100 per person
Dates: August 24-26                                                1+            August 3-5                $100/pp
                                                                  Grades            Dates                    Cost

             Check out all of our camp programs in our Camp Compass or visit girlscoutsofmaine.org.                        21
BUSY BLANKETS

                                                                        Celebration
                                                                        Awards Ceremony & Annual Meeting
                        We are excited for May 12, a very special day when go-getters, innovators,
                        risk-takers and leaders from across Maine will come together to celebrate
                        the power of G.I.R.Ls!
                        At G.I.R.L. Celebration, we are going to honor our Silver and Gold Award Girl
                        Scouts and all of our amazing volunteers, who are featured on the upcoming
                        pages of Compass. We are so proud of all of these Girl Scouts who possess
                        the qualities of true leadership, and show us all how we can make the world a
                        better place!
                        You can still join us at G.I.R.L. Celebration on May 12 at the Waterville
                        Opera House! Register now at girlscoutsofmaine.org/girlcelebration.

E.E.M.S. THIRD AND
FOURTH GRADE ART CLUB
                        SILVER AWARDS
                        4-H Showmanship                                 residents of Avita. She also created a flyer
                        Rabbit Show                                     to help build awareness to the importance
                        Abigail Decrow, Gorham, Troop 1732              of busy blanks for those who suffer
                                                                        from memory loss, and she even built a
                        Abigail realized that, at the Cumberland        Facebook page to help promote them.
                        County Fair, there was no opportunity for
                        4-H rabbit enthusiasts such as herself, to      Composting at Curtis
                        show off their beloved animals! Leading         Memorial Library
                        a research group, Abigail compiled the          Rayna Schinhofen, Brunswick, Troop 1699
                        official documents and after review by
                        the Cumberland County Rabbit Breeders           The town of Brunswick has very few options
                        Association, she submitted the standards        for composting, and the Curtis Memorial
                        and scoring sheets to the Cumberland Fair       Library was spending tons of money to take
                        to be used for 4-H Rabbit Shows.                away waste, like coffee grounds, that could
                                                                        serve a better purpose. Rayna saw her
GREEN TEAM              Because of Abigail’s fondness for               chance to make a difference, and designed
                        fuzzy friends, under the supervision of         a composting system for the library to use!
                        Cumberland County Fairground, there will        Now, instead of things just going into the
                        now be a 4-H Rabbit Showmanship Show            trash, Rayna’s composting system allows
                        every year, just like the other animals.        for biodegradable items to be disposed of
                                                                        in a more environmentally-friendly way.
                        Busy Blankets
                        Adeline Dolley, Brunswick, Troop 1644           E.E.M.S. 3rd & 4th Grade Art Club
                                                                        Gillian McFadden, Ellsworth, Troop 174
                        For her Silver Award project, Adeline create    Elaine Hutchins, Winter Harbor, Troop 174
                        busy blankets for Avita, an organization that   Montana Wallace DeJulio, Ellsworth, Troop 174
                        helps seniors with memory loss conditions.
                        Busy blankets, also known as fidget quilts,     Knowing that the arts programs in many
LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES   are special blankets designed to help           schools are being cut, Gillian, Elaine, and
                        reduce agitation in a person suffering          Montana took action to make sure it didn’t
                        from memory loss. They are often made           happen in their schools. They wanted to
                        with brightly patterned fabrics, and have       create a safe, free space for kids to be
                        different things, such as buttons, stuffed      creative and see themselves shine, so they
                        animals, textured fabrics, and zippers, sewn    created a free after-school “Art Club” for
                        onto their surfaces.                            third and fourth graders.
                        Adeline set out to make 15 of them! After       Their goal was to have 20 students in the
                        sharing about memory loss and about             club, but they had nearly 40 students
                        how the busy blankets combat some of            sign up! Adjusting their club schedule to
                        the effects with volunteers, she had lots       accommodate so many kids, the girls were
                        of volunteers to help make busy blankets.       able to give more time in the art room and
                        She was thrilled to present them to the         get them excited about art.
22
MINI-LIBRARIES
                                                 Origami with Yarn
Putting the Art Club into place was a huge       Amanda Winslow, Presque Isle, Troop 1133
accomplishment for the girls, and as
Elaine says, if these G.I.R.L.s can organize     Amanda’s passion for knitting and crochet
the lesson plans, be role models to 38           isn’t from a love of colorful yarn, but
different children, strategize for large         from the relationship she has with her
groups, and work collaboratively with their      grandmother, who has been a Knitting and
peers, they can be successful in anything.       Crochet instructor of 45 years. Wanting
                                                 to preserve her grandmother’s talent and
Green Team                                       bring the art into a modern expression,
Riley Flannery, Scarborough, Troop 485           Amanda set about accomplishing both
                                                 with her Silver Award project!
Appalled by the huge amount of waste
being produced at her local church, Riley        Capturing how-to videos and posting them         ORIGAMI WITH YARN
took action to change it! Working with local     on YouTube, and creating an instructional
organization ecomaine, Riley put together        brochure of how to crochet and knit,
information sessions for the members of          Amanda hopes to catch the attention of
her church, addressing topics of recycling       younger people who may not have the
and composting. She put together a               opportunity to learn from a mentor like she
“Green Team” for the church and set up a         did, or have the extra time to take classes
table to share more information about it,        due to busy schedules. She showcased
as well had magnets, pencils, and recycling      her project at the library, and even gave
bins for anyone to take. She also convinced      demonstrations to those who attended
the members of the church to stop using          the exhibition. Finally, she put together kits
with plastic silverware for church suppers.      with materials and a flyer and donated
By using metal silverware, the church’s          them to the library so people who want to
waste decreased immensely.                       can try their hand at the art.

Little Free Libraries                            Outdoor Homework Area
Madelyn Buzza, Mapleton, Troop 1133              Grace Girardin, Auburn, Juliette

Madelyn discovered that her town of              During the after-care program at her
Mapleton, and the two surrounding towns          school, Grace realized that students didn’t      OUTDOOR HOMEWORK AREA
of Chapman and Castle Hill, did not have a       have a good, comfortable place to work on
local library. Residents would have to travel    their homework outside. They’d either sit
ten miles to another town’s library, and pay     on the concrete ramp, or they just wouldn’t
a non-resident fee, in order to be able to       do their homework at all, choosing to
have access to books.                            wait until later to do their homework. This
                                                 prohibited them from participating in
With a love of reading herself, Madelyn did      family time, or even made them stay up
not find this acceptable, so she set off to      too late to finish their work.
build and install three Little Free Libraries,
a nationally known organization for              To provide a proper place at after-care,
creating opportunities to share books and        Grace secured a portable table, including
reading. She placed them in busy areas           folding benches, and she convinced the
throughout town where families, children         after-care teachers to put out the table
and senior citizens, can take a book, and        once school was out. Not only was this a
leave a book.                                    great place for kids to do their homework,
                                                 but Grace also designed a small “take a
Mini-Libraries                                   book, leave a book” storage space, as well
Erin Corcoran, Rockland, Troop 2117              as an interactive US Map game.
                                                                                                  SUMMER READING PROGRAM
With illiteracy being a huge problem in the      Summer Reading Program
United States, and the cutting back of local     Rachel Prejean, Hollis, Troop 1999
library hours, Erin learned that it was much
harder for people to visit the library. She      We know that when school is out, kids
took action to make sure that people in her      check out! But Rachel’s Silver Award
community would have access to books             project helps bring the excitement of
at any time! Collaborating with community        reading to kids throughout the summer at
members and securing supplies and                the Hollis Town Library.
books, she built five Little Libraries to put
out around the community.                        Rachel organized a Summer Reading
                                                 Program, which includes games and prizes,
Each library contained a sign, describing        helping to get people to come check out
how they work, and encouraging people to         the library, a valuable resource in the town.
“take a book, leave a book,” hoping to keep      She also put together advertisements on
them going for a long time.                      social media and even created a Book
                                                 Drive. The Book Drive was so successful,
                                                 the library will be continuing it all year!
                                                                                                                       23
SMALL ANIMAL
      SURVEY              Seed Lending Library                     path. StoryWalk will be available
  FOR FOSTER              MacKenna Homa, Gorham, Troop 1674        all year long and provide families
     FAMILIES                                                      an awesome activity they can do
                          Eating fresh fruits and veggies is       together outdoors.
                          important to our health and well-
                          being, and gardens can be an             To put her project into action,
                          effective way to ensure that we have     Hannah brought together two
                          access to this important produce.        local boards, getting them to work
                          But as MacKenna found out, many          together to maintain her project. The
                          people do not have a garden because      Acton Public Library has committed
                          seeds are too expensive. After talking   to providing new stories to be put
                          to farmers at her local farmer’s         up, and the Mary Grant Nature
                          market, she also found out that many     Preserve board has agreed that
                          growers don’t always use all the         they will ensure that the posts are
                          seeds they have, so they go to waste.    kept in good shape. She had to
STORYWALK                                                          work especially hard to understand
                          To solve these problems, MacKenna        how boards work, and convinced a
                          created the “Seed Lending Library”       skeptical board member to agree to
                          at the Baxter Memorial Library. Local    her project (which in the end, he did!)
                          gardeners donate their unused and
                          anyone who wants to can take seeds       Summertime STEM
                          home to start their own gardens. Her     Karissa Farr, Ashland, Troop 1158
                          goal was to have the Seed Lending        Brooke Harris, Ashland, Troop 1158
                          Library stocked with 50-60 seed
                          packages, and she has over 100!          Karissa and Brooke’s Silver Award
                                                                   project brings the fun of learning into
                          Small Animal Survey                      summer. Seeing that their town’s
                          for Foster Families                      rec program offered only sports to
                          Kelly Bruns, Buxton, Troop 140           kids in their town, these Girl Scouts
                                                                   took action to make sure that kids
                          At the Animal Refuge League in           in grades 1-5 got a chance to check
                          Westbrook, about 300 small animals       out all the fun and awesome things
                          like rabbits, guinea pigs, and mice,     they could be doing with science,
                          get adopted each year. However, for      technology, engineering and math.
                          those families who want to bring
                          home a new fur-ever friend, there        They built a curriculum manual
SUMMERTIME STEM           wasn’t a lot of information on the       and ran the programs throughout
                          small animals as there is on the cats    the summer, using handouts and
                          and dogs. Kelly set about to make        Facebook to advertise their program.
                          sure that small animals got their        They were thrilled when kids came
                          place in the spotlight too.              back week after week. Going forward,
                                                                   the Ashland Recreation Department
                          Kelly created a survey for the staff,    will be using Summertime STEM
                          volunteers, and foster families          each summer!
                          to use when caring for the small
                          animals, helping them evaluate each      Veteran Parking
                          animal’s behavior and activity. She      Charlena LaVallee, Gray, Troop 1214
                          also created personality cards for       Abigail Ladd, New Gloucester, Troop 1214
                          the small animals. Now, when the
                          animals are ready to be adopted,         Noticing that their towns had limited
                          each animal has a personalized           parking spaces at their town halls,
                          evaluation card, giving prospective      Charlena and Abigail decided to
                          families an opportunity to know          make sure that the veterans in their
                          them better and making sure they         towns had accessible parking spaces
                          are a right fit for their homes.         to do their business around town.

                          StoryWalk                                The girls went before each of their
                          Hannah Robertson, Acton, Troop 1932      town councils and convinced
                                                                   them to put up parking signs
                          Hannah’s project entices new visitors    for veterans. Both towns agreed
                VETERAN   to the Mary Grant Nature Preserve        unanimously to allow the sign
                PARKING   in Acton, bringing awareness of this     installation, one council even giving
                          natural treasure in her own town,        the girls a standing ovation after their
                          helping people get outdoors and          presentation. The girls created and
                          even encourages parents to read          installed the signs, and even had
                          to and explore nature with their         enough funds to ensure multiple
                          children. “StoryWalk” follows a          signs were made in case of theft or
                          half-mile path, displaying laminated     vandalism.
                          pages of a children’s book along the
24
GOLD AWARDS

EXPLORER PACKS                                              PRESERVING THE
Ann Grabowski                                               ORAL HISTORY
Ambassador,                                                 OF CUMBERLAND,
North Berwick                                               MAINE
With 65% of fourth grade’s                                  Erin O’Donovan
reading at or below the                                     Ambassador,
basic reading level, and
1/3 of new kindergarteners                                  Cumberland
lacking the skills needed
to learn to read, Ann                                       In the fast-paced society
recognized that our country                                 of the world we live in, we
faces a literacy crisis on                                  find that unless people take
a national and local level.                                 positive steps to preserve
Her own community’s                                         history, it is often lost
school falls short of the                                   forever. Knowing the value
district’s 85% pass rate on                                 and the lessons that history
standardized reading test                                   can hold for us, Erin wanted to do her part to preserve
scores.                                                     her hometown’s history, and make it accessible to all.
Studies show that a lack of parental involvement is the     With a town rich in history, Erin decided to focus her
biggest roadblock to a child’s success in school, so Ann    lens on the one-room schoolhouses in town. After
created “Explorer Packs,” a fun and engaging tool to        surveying long-term town residents, Erin secured 14
help parents and children to work together to grow their    different interviews with residents who had attended
enthusiasm for reading, and to cultivate their literacy     these schoolhouses as children.
skills.
                                                            Visiting residents at their homes, the library, and
Housed at the Martha Sawyer Library, Explorer Packs         nursing homes, Erin captured each of their stories on
are full of science-based explorations, easy, fun           audio. Later, she reviewed each story and edited them
activities and books that families can check out, take      into smaller audio clips that she incorporated into a
home, and explore together. By introducing STEM-based       web page she was developing to house these historical
subjects and supporting activities, Ann believes the        treasures.
packs will help promote literacy to reluctant readers in
a fun way, increasing their enthusiasm for books.           Erin worked with the town’s communications director
                                                            to establish a page for the Historical Society on the
Collaborating with the Lebanon Community Learning           town’s website, and include a page that would house
Center, Ann held an open house at the library to            Erin’s work titled “Cumberland Schools Through the
showcase the Explorer Packs, and introduced her             Ages.” Her web page provides a summary of the
projects to over 40 students from an after-school           history of the schools, a map, photos, and the audio
program.                                                    clips from her interviews.
The Explorer Packs are cataloged and will routinely be      Erin is using her web page to encourage others to help
inspected and maintained by the library. The library will   add to the schools’ history, as well as history of the
also feature a “Family Scientists” Bulletin Board, where    town. Since the publication of her project’s web page,
families can post pictures of their explorations, as well   four additional pages have been added by others!
as share their experiences in a logbook of each of the      She also coordinated with second grade teachers to
packs.                                                      incorporate her project into their curriculum.
Already Ann has seen the Explorer Packs at work,            Because of Erin’s project, people from Cumberland –
sparking children’s interest in literacy, as well as the    and around the world – will be able to learn important
excitement of the families who get to share that            pieces in the history, hear the recording of their
experience with them. She hopes that, in the long-term,     loved ones, and hear their stories. More importantly,
the school’s district will see an improvement in test       though, her project helps preserve the oral history
results because of her project.                             of “Smalltown USA,” establishing its importance in
                                                            history, right alongside big cities.

                                                                                                                      25
VOLUNTEER AWARDS                                         ❧
                                                 Darlene Bruns has made a 100%             Stacey Dudley started the year as
         As a volunteer - driven                 commitment to the Lake Service            the Maple Valley Service Unit Cookie
       organization, Girl Scouts of              Unit, making sure all leaders have        Supervisor, then became the assistant
        Maine is populated with an               the most current information to           Service Unit Manager, helping with
      abundance of Adult Volunteers              keep their troops running smoothly        other Service Team roles as needed.
        who go above and beyond.                 and in the know. She volunteers at        Stacey has stepped up for the small
                                                 all events, even when her own girls       Service Team to keep the Girl Scout
                                                 are not attending, and is always          experience going, availing herself as
                                                 available to help. She has worked to      leaders need support.
     President’s Award                           streamline processes like introducing
     The President’s Award recognizes            Cheddar-Up, allowing for easier event     Jesse Ellis has done an amazing job
     the efforts of a service delivery team      registration payment and tracking.        as the Knox Service Unit Recruiter.
     or committee who has significantly          Darlene uses her experience to            She helped start five new troops and
     contributed to meeting one or more          support Girl Scouts throughout the        has had a couple of the new leaders
     of GSME’s mission delivery goals.           service unit.                             shadow her until their troops were
     These Service Units have performed                                                    up and running. She availed herself
     in an outstanding manner and have           Desiree Bryant is a mother of four        for each of the Girls’ Night Out events
     satisfied the criteria of the President’s   who still finds time to give every girl   and planned additional recruitment
     Award.                                      in the Sokoki Service Unit a chance to    events. She goes above and beyond
                                                 experience the best of Girl Scouts. As    recruiting new adult volunteers from
     Emerald                Merrymeeting         the Service Unit Manager, she goes        initial point of contact, communicating
     Knox                   Nonesuch             above and beyond to ensure leaders        with them until the troop is running.
     Longreach              Sapphire             have the support and supplies they
     Machigonne             Sokoki               need and she offers her Service Team      Kaitlin Johnson has been a leader of
                                                 members the support they need.            the Summit Hike up Mt. Katahdin at
     Appreciation Pin                            Nicole Buzzell has served as the
                                                                                           Camp Adventures for Grown Ups for
                                                                                           the last two years and will again this
     The Appreciation Pin is awarded to a        Treasurer for Lake Service Unit for the   summer. We don’t often get to see
     nominee who provided service above          last two years, reviewing the books       our Girl Scouts in action as adults, but
     and beyond the expectations for             and revamping the system to provide       Girl Scout Alum Kaitie is one we get to
     the position(s) held and has made           clear, detailed monthly and annual        see. At just 20 years old, she has taken
     an impact beyond a single troop, in         reports. She also took the lead with      responsibility for safely guiding adults
     one or more geographic areas within         the Camporee Committee to put on          up a rigorous hike, reassuring, coaching,
     GSME.                                       an event that delighted Girl Scouts of    advising, and guiding them along the
                                                 every level.                              way.
     Susan Austin and Colleen Grant
     have been long-time leaders in the          Tiffany Davis goes out of her way         Lorise Jordan has served as
     Nonesuch Service Unit who have gone         to ensure there are plenty of events      the Service Unit Manager in the
     above and beyond with their own             and opportunities for troops in the       Frenchman’s Bay Service Unit,
     troops and in their service unit. This      Frenchman’s Bay Service Unit. As          where she worked hard to make
     year, they came to the assistance of a      Service Unit Program Coordinator, she     sure everyone felt involved. She has
     troop that lost a leader and was going      communicates constantly through           reached out to recruit new volunteers
     to have to disband. The two of them         the service unit Facebook group, and      and made a point of taking training to
     joined the troop’s leadership team          creates flyers for Leader Meetings.       become a GSME Learning Facilitator
     so it could continue, and sistered-up       With her positive attitude, she is        so she can offer workshops and
     their existing troops to expand the Big     committed to ensuring the Girl Scout      classes locally. Lori has a huge heart
     Sisterhood experience for all of the        experience remains in her service unit.   and cares greatly for all things Girl
     girls.                                                                                Scouts.
                                                 Sharon Dodge believes it is
                                                 important to inspire all of us to be      Pam Kane presently serves as the
                                                 better. When Sharon saw a need on         Service Unit Manager for Nonesuch
                                                 the Merrymeeting Service Team,            Service Unit, where she has been a
                                                 she stepped in and asked “Where           leader and Service Team member for
                                                 do I start?” Since she took the role      more than 15 years, including seven
                                                 of Volunteer Support Coordinator,         as Service Unit Treasurer. She steps
                                                 Leader Meeting attendance has gone        in to help new troops get started
                                                 up and leaders feel recognized and        and serves as a mentor and advisor
                                                 supported. She also stepped up to         when needed. Her kind style and
                                                 help other Service Team members           perseverance have served Nonesuch
                                                 when they were struggling with health     throughout the years on event
                                                 issues. “You can always depend on         committees, at recruitment events,
                                                 Sharon to do her own job and help         at cookie deliveries, and in conflict
                                                 anywhere it is needed.”                   management.
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Vickie LaMontagne has given her            Lisa Salger serves as Dirigo’s Helper       Michael Taylor has been associated
time and energy to the Machigonne          of All Trades! From World Thinking          with Girl Scouts for more than
Service Unit for 13 years. She reminds     Day to Juliette Gordon Low’s                        25 years as a dad and a
all of us that if each person volunteers   Birthday, to Cookie Rallies, to                          volunteer’s husband,
for one thing in the Service Unit,         Camporees, Lisa is there                                    and now volunteer,
we can offer so much more to the           asking what she can do                                       especially on the
girls. She is a role model, by taking      to help. Lisa brings a                                         event staff of
the lead arranging for local parades       smile and a solution                                            Camp Adventures
and keeping her own troop engaged          to problems. Best                                                for Grown Ups!
through high school, as well as helping    of all, Lisa involves                                             Mike has been a
with Cookie Rallies, Camporees, and        her older girl troop                                              leader of hikes
other events in the service unit.          in every event                                                    for several years,
                                           and committee,                                                    whether helping
Michelle Lowell takes the role of          modeling girl                                                    people reach
Program Coordinator in the Nonesuch        leadership and                                                  Katahdin’s summit
Service Unit to a new level. With          helping them to build                                          or hiking around
her coordination and mentorship,           their own leadership                                         Dacey Pond. His vast
the unit holds more than 12 events         skills.                                                    hiking experience and
and opportunities over the year,                                                                   easy manner instill great
keeping costs low so all girls are         Merrie Sue Spurr has taken                         confidence in participants,
able to participate. Michelle ensures      on the role of Dirigo Service Unit          helping them meet their goals.
that every leader receives outlines        Community Recruiter with a start-
explaining how activities at events        to-finish attitude, attending all local     Katie Wales provides direction and
meet criteria for Badge, Patch, and        recruitment events and directly             guidance as the Service Unit Manager,
Journey work.                              connecting with new volunteers,             not only to members of the Bauneg
                                           continuing to provide support as they       Beg Service Team, but to all Bauneg
Amanda Maloy currently serves              get registered and start their own          Beg leaders, keeping all apprised of
as the Dirigo Service Unit Treasurer;      troops. She works to be inclusive,          local goings-on and accommodating
however as an active team member           finding a troop for every girl. She         others’ needs whenever possible.
her service reaches beyond that.           also helps with event committees            With encouragement and her
Amanda has a “just roll with it”           throughout the year, maintaining            personable style, she keeps leaders in
approach, so whether faced with            connection within the unit.                 the know and feeling appreciated.
helping to pull together an event,
needing to get her girls’ troops from      Cathy Steeves serves as the Saco            Jennifer Watson completed both
point A to point B, or having to change    Bay Service Unit Treasurer, coming          her leader training and her Troop
plans mid-session in an event, she is      aboard at the time when Saco Bay was        Camp Overnight training upon arriving
able to shift gears without losing her     merging with part of the former Silent      in Maine, the spring before her oldest
focus.                                     Springs Service Unit. She took records      daughter became a Daisy. She jumped
                                           from both units and sorted through          in with both feet and landed in a joyful
Jenn Peavey coordinates and                everything to create order from chaos.      run that she invited others to join! She
encourages excellent programming           She created a maintenance system for        has built community around her troop
in the Longreach Service Unit while        impeccable records and she pitches          in the Nonesuch Service Unit and
serving as the Service Unit Manager,       in when the service unit needs a            beyond, starting a Facebook Group
pulling together curriculum for            hand. She also volunteers with her          called “Girl Scouts who Code”, has
Summer Day Camp and designing              granddaughter’s troop.                      been a guest presenter on multiple
workshops like STEAMpunk to                                                            Wednesday Webinars, and has led girls
introduce girls to Science, Technology,    Cassie Tarbox, Service Unit                 in a Day of Coding.
Engineering, Art, and athematics.          Manager for Longreach Service Unit,
Jenn embodies the GSLE, guiding girls      is cheerful, helpful, and empathetic        Leah Wright is the person you need
to Discover, Connect, and Take Action      as she prepares and runs Leader             when you need someone to step
through girl-led, learn by doing, and      Meetings and participates in service        up and do a great job! When the
collaborative activities.                  unit events. This year, she worked          Nonesuch Service Unit Product Sales
                                           with Jenn Peavey to organize a              Supervisor had a family emergency
Michelle Rolerson has served               Veteran’s Dinner serving more               last year, Leah stepped in to help
as the Knox Service Unit Product                         than 160 community            make sure the rally ran smoothly. She
Sales Supervisor for four years,                             members. She was          also was the Camporee Chair that
giving 100% to each sales                                        instrumental in       year, managing a team that created
campaign. She provides a                                           engaging the        an awesome weekend for over 180
well-prepared, clear, and                                            service Unit      girls and adults! As a registered nurse,
straightforward trainings                                             to make it       Leah is often the event first aider,
at volunteer meetings,                                                 happen,         tending the unit’s First Aid Kits, and all
as well as continued                                                    resulting      the while she serves as the Treasurer
support through emails                                                  in such a      and works with her troop!
to keep troop leaders                                                    powerful
informed. She handles                                                    event that
this difficult job in such                                              the unit
a way as to make troop                                                 plans to hold
leaders feel supported                                                it annually.
and successful
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