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Welcome to GSSI's Weekly Volunteer Update
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COOKIE PROGRAM EXTENDED
GSSI is extending the 2025 Cookie Program by one week. The program will now run through Sunday, March 9. Online access will remain available throughout the entire program.
New due dates are as follows:
• Girl Payments to Troop - Monday, March 10, 2025
• Troop Paperwork to their Service Unit - Wednesday, March 12, 2025
FRIDAY COOKIE PICK-UP MOVED TO THURSDAY
Friday cookies will still be available this week, but pick-up will occur on Thursday from 9:00 to 5:30 at the council office. Friday Cookie Request Form
COOKIE TRANSFER REQUESTS ON FACEBOOK & RALLYHOOD
If your troop has extra cookies you'd like to share with another local troop, please post in the Rallyhood Cookie Exchange and the Girl Scouts of Southwest Indiana Volunteers group. GSSI encourages troops looking to restock to check with fellow troops before visiting a cookie cupboard. When posting, include the number of packages or cases available for each cookie variety.
Troops can also contact their SU Cookie Chair or email cookies@girlscouts-gssi.org if they have extra cookies they are unable to sell. Make sure to reach out as soon as possible; do not wait until the end of the cookie program on March 9.
Please note that the Cookie Exchange Rally and Facebook group are private.Any volunteer can request access to both sites using the links above.
ENTER FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS IN SMART COOKIES:
Encourage families to submit cash and checks weekly. Troops should deposit funds frequently to prevent loss, theft, and bounced checks. To keep the Girl and Troop Balance Summaries accurate, log girl-to-troop and troop-to-GSSI deposits in Smart Cookies deposits. See directions for how to enter transactions at the link below.
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Girl Scout Week is Coming!
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Girl Scout Week is March 9–15, and you're invited to celebrate 113 years of making the world a better place all week! The week includes National Girl Scout Day, March 12, which marks the anniversary of the founding of our Movement. Check out activities for each themed day at the link below. Share your Girl Scout Week experiences on social media using #BecauseOfGirlScouts and #NationalGirlScoutDay. Be sure to tag @girlscouts (national) and @girlscouts_swin (Instagram) or @girlscouts.gssi (Facebook) so we can see and share your posts!
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Register Now for the 2025 Spring Summits!
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GSSI understands the importance of providing space for volunteers to connect and share ideas across our entire council. To foster a collaborative volunteer community, the 2025 Spring Summits will focus solely on volunteer networking through guided topic discussions. For each topic, volunteers will have the opportunity to engage in small group discussions at their tables, share insights with the larger group, and receive a brief overview of relevant council resources.
Discussion topics will include:
• Planning and funding your upcoming troop year
• Bridging ceremonies
• Favorite badge and patch activities
• Programming with community partners
PLUS, volunteers who attend will receive a Volunteer Summit patch!
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Friday, March 14, at 12:00 PM CDT
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Upcoming Service Unit Meetings
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Service units (SUs) consist of Girl Scout members who live in the same city or county. SUs provide opportunities for volunteers to connect, share experiences, and build camaraderie through their shared commitment to the Girl Scout mission. Regardless of volunteer role, all volunteers are invited to attend SU meetings in their area! Learn more at About Girl Scout Service Units.
Registered volunteers will receive a special save-the-date postcard in the mail for the upcoming March meeting in their area!
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Perry/Spencer: Thursday, March 6, 6:00 PM CDT, First Baptist Church (802 13th St, Tell City)
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Posey: Monday, March 10, 6:00 PM CDT, Saint Francis Xavier (10 N Saint Francis St, Poseyville)
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Daviess/Martin: Tuesday, March 11, 5:00 PM EDT, Beulah Ame Church (805 W Walnut St, Washington)
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Pike: Wednesday, March 12, 6:00 PM EDT, Pike County Indiana Historical Society & Museum (1104 E Main St, Petersburg)
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Southwest Warrick: Wednesday, March 12, 6:00 PM CDT, Newburgh United Methodist Church (4178 IN-261, Newburgh), North Warrick volunteers are invited to discuss day camp planning
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Vanderburgh: Thursday, March 13, 6:00 PM CDT, GSSI Office (5000 E Virginia St, Evansville)
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Dubois: Monday, March 17, 6:00 PM EDT, Jasper Public Library (100 3rd Ave, Jasper)
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North Warrick: Tuesday, March 18, 5:30 PM CDT, Boonville-Warrick County Public Library (611 W Main St, Boonville)
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Knox: Thursday, March 27, 6:30 EDT, Ponderosa Steakhouse (2625 Hart St, Vincennes)
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PLUS—All volunteers who attend a March SU meeting will receive a Girl Scout Volunteer Pin (while supplies last)!
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Spotlight on Our Amazing Volunteers
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We are excited to highlight and celebrate the following volunteers this week in recognition of their outstanding contributions.
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Troop 505 Co-Leaders A huge shoutout to Michele Perkins and Mindy Clark for planning their very first troop outing! 🎉👏 Congratulations on taking Troop 505 to the next level and continuing to provide amazing leadership opportunities. Your dedication and hard work are truly inspiring, and we’re all excited to hear about the adventure you’ve planned. Thanks for everything you do to make these experiences possible. Here's to many more successful outings ahead!
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Do you know a Girl Scout volunteer who has recently gone above and beyond in their role, and want to recognize them for their work? Submit this form, and we will include your story in one of the next weekly volunteer newsletters!
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Nominate a Volunteer for a GSSI Award!
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Girl Scouts of Southwest Indiana deeply appreciates the time and energy that our volunteers dedicate to the Girl Scout movement. Our local GSSI Awards were created to formally recognize the exceptional contributions of volunteers within GSSI’s jurisdiction.
A special thank you to GSSI's Volunteer Appreciation Committee for introducing a NEW award category for 2025 – the Northern Star Award! This award honors outstanding volunteers who have served in two or more roles (e.g., Troop Co-Leader and Service Unit Treasurer), highlighting their versatility and dedication.
Descriptions and requirements for each award category are available HERE.
Nominations are due annually by April 1 for presentation at GSSI's Annual Meeting.
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Rallyhood: An Improved Way to Communicate and Collaborate!
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We’re excited to announce our new collaboration platform, Rallyhood! This all-in-one tool will help our GSSI community—volunteers, families, and members—work more efficiently and stay connected. With over 12 years of experience working with Girl Scout councils, Rallyhood eliminates the need for multiple apps and brings everything together in one place in an easy-to-use application. You’ll soon have access to features like direct and group messaging, shared calendars, file sharing, event planning, and payment collection, all through a private desktop and mobile app.
LEARN ABOUT RALLYHOOD
An upcoming live admin training for troop leaders will be held on Thursday, March 20, at 6:00 PM CST. Please join the Welcome Volunteers Rally for details of the call and to RSVP for the meeting. Training links and guides are available in the links section of the rally.
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Register for Fire Building Training this May!
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GSSI's training course, Fire Building and Basic Outdoor Cooking, is designed to equip volunteers with the skills to utilize the Girl Scout program outdoors effectively. This course certifies volunteers to conduct outdoor campfires for recreation or cooking and consists of in-person training and required pre-reading.
WHERE: Evansville, IN
WHEN: Sunday, May 25, 2025, 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM CDT
COST: $10 per person to cover food and training expenses. A $2.50 credit card processing fee will be added to each submission.
REGISTRATION: The deadline to register is Monday, May 12! Limited space available.
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Experience STEM in the great outdoors at STEM in the Wild!
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This exciting one-day experience will immerse girls in hands-on STEM activities, nature exploration, and team-building challenges that foster critical thinking, resilience, and teamwork with GSSI's community partners!
Event Highlights include:
✨ Learn about Leave No Trace principles to protect our environment
🚀 Explore a STEM activity with NASA Ambassador Amanda Scurry
🏭 Get hands-on with Berry Plastics and discover the science behind materials
🦅 Experience a live Birds of Prey demonstration with Falconry Chronicles
🍫 Create your own delicious snack at the G.O.R.P. station and much more!
🎖️ All girls will receive a special event patch!
WHERE: Gibson County Fairgrounds
709 N Embree St, Princeton, IN 47670
WHEN: April 12 from 2-4 PM CDT
COST: $10 per Girl Scout with a patch and snack included
REGISTRATION: Deadline to register is April 7!
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Upcoming Girl Opportunities
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Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities
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How to Get in Touch with Us
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General questions & assistance: Email GSSI at support@girlscouts-gssi.org.
Volunteer events, training, and resources: Alyssa Miller, Volunteer Support & Training Manager, at amiller@girlscouts-gssi.org.
Bank accounts and finance reports: Brittany Pringle, Membership Administrator, at bpringle@girlscouts-gssi.org.
Membership questions and troop support: Contact your Membership Specialist based on the areas listed below.
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Zone 1: membership1@girlscouts-gssi.org Vanderburgh, Southwest Warrick
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Zone 2: membership2@girlscouts-gssi.org Gibson, Knox, Posey
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Zone 3: membership3@girlscouts-gssi.org Daviess, Martin, Pike
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Zone 4: membership4@girlscouts-gssi.org Dubois, Perry, Spencer, North Warrick
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For additional membership support: Kim Consley, Director of Membership, at kconsley@girlscouts-gssi.org.
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Show Us What You're Up To!
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GSSI wants to know about the positive change that local Girl Scouts are creating so that we can spread their stories and their impact further. Tell us about your troop's Take Action project, volunteer activities, or participation in local events. Your girls could be featured on our website, social media, or future marketing materials!
Send your stories and photos to Hannah Minasian at hminasian@girlscouts-gssi.org. Be sure to include your troop number and details of the activities pictured.
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