Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council returned from a weekend of surf, sun and fun on Catalina Island. A total of 217 girls, chaperones and camp staff attended Camp Catalina, a yearly retreat - or rather treat - for the 167 Girl Scouts who earned the reward by selling more than 1,250 boxes of Girl Scout cookies earlier this year.

The campsite is secluded from the tourist hub of Avalon and closely resembles the nostalgic paradise of Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom, a film released earlier this year which features scouting on an imagined 1960's island community.

Five, full buses of happy campers arrived at the Queen Mary launch site at 10:00am the morning of August 17, 2012. The group boarded the Catalina Duchess and began the 60 minute ride from the mainland, but it was anything but ordinary. Crew and passengers were delighted to be visited by several pods of dolphins. The dolphins followed in the wake of the ship, jumping and flipping within the waves.

"Literally hundreds of dolphins swam alongside our boat," said Elizabeth Locke-Thomas, VP of Product Sales. Elizabeth is in charge of the Girl Scout cookie entrepreneurial program at San Gorgonio Council. Joyce Knoll, Camp Director of San Gorgonio Council, planned the event and aimed to give girls a true camp experience, not just an ordinary vacation.

Once they arrived at camp the Girl Scouts participated in a plethora of activities, including arts and crafts, games, volleyball, ping pong, fencing, a photo shoot, snorkeling, kayaking, a guided visit to the tide pools, luau and dance party. In particular, the group followed in the Girl Scouting tradition and participated in traditional camp activities.

Three hikes were offered at sunset, sunrise and even at night. A "sparkle party" was held for girls to enjoy stargazing and amateur astronomy during the night sky hike. Girl Scouts also participated in outdoor cooking exercises, made s'mores and sang traditional Girl Scout camp songs around a roaring fire.

Coming from Riverside and San Bernardino counties, Camp Catalina was an exciting adventure unlike anything many of the Girl Scouts had every experienced before. For numerous girls the weekend was their first voyage on a ship, be away from home or to even touch the ocean.

While a campers felt the tug of homesickness, most were busy forming new friendships with their 167 Girl Scout sisters. The camp was more than some inconsequential reward for selling cookies; it remains a significant opportunity for team building and networking among Girl Scouts, young and older.

San Gorgonio Council consists of over 10,000 Girl Scouts spread across hundreds of miles and two counties, San Bernardino being the largest county in California and Riverside the fourth largest.

Opportunities such as Camp Catalina allow girls who live great distances apart to meet and strengthen the bonds of Scouting which tie them together. So this coming spring when the Girl Scout cookies start beckoning you at the door of your nearest grocery store, just remember what a box of cookies can do.

Elizabeth elaborated by asking, "What can a cookie do? It can make the impossible, possible. It can teach a girl that dreams are attainable, it can build a foundation for a career, and it can help her discover the bravery within herself. A cookie can do much in the life of a girl. What can a girl do? Whatever she believes to be possible."

Click on this last image to see the full-sized photo!

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Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place.

To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, either as a volunteer or member, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

All our stories may be freely published and shared with others! If you enjoyed this article please let us know by leaving a comment!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share?
Contact Katherine at kli@gssgc.org.

Students from Beijing show off their American craft projects at the Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio main office in Redlands.

A visit from over 100 Chinese middle school students on Wednesday, July 25 offered Girl Scouts from the San Gorgonio Council an opportunity to try out their diplomatic skills. A separate event hosted by GSSGC the previous Friday, with about 40 other Chinese high school students,offered the girls valuable experience for the big event.

All the visiting students hailed from Beijing, the capitol of The People's Republic of China and also one of the most populous cities in the world, bursting with over twenty million inhabitants.

Trisha Carr, Program Assistant, helped organize the event. She said, "Having so much support from the council staff, adult volunteers, and our local Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts made for an exceptional day."

The Chinese students are enjoying an international summer travel camp hosted by their school. They were accompanied by three of their teachers - Ms. Li, Mrs. Lee and Ms. Lee - and Mr. Hua, the Assistant Principal of their middle school.

Mr. Hua, the Vice Principal of the visiting middle school from Beijing, China, is joined by teachers and his students for a quick picture.

Visiting student Isabel holds up her goodie bag filled with fun Girl Scout patches she received from San Gorgonio Council staff.

"This is their first big trip abroad," said Cecelia, a travel guide from Beijing who is assisting the school. It was also Cecelia's first visit to the United States, as well as her first journey outside of China. "It has been a wonderful experience and the students are really enjoying themselves," Cecelia said.

Before now, the middle school had never sent more than a handful of students abroad. "But, we are starting to practice a policy of going global," enthused Mr. Hua through a translator. The group arrived in New York City a little over a week before for the first half of their American excursion. They are enjoying a 14-day tour with equal time spent in New York and Los Angeles.

Local Girl Scouts Cynthia Lua, Silvia Rosales and Kimberly Hardy, plus three members of Troop 998 --Kaelyn Rodriguez, Meara Docherty, and Ashley Mullins --greeted them at the doors to the San Gorgonio Council offices. All the Girl Scouts were either middle or high school students. They told their Chinese visitors about American life, Scouting and camping, community service and, of course, selling Girl Scout cookies.

Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council take part in the Diplomacy for a Day event.

The delicious Girl Scout cookie spread offered visitors the chance to taste every Girl Scout cookie variety!

Ashley Mullins, a Cadette Girl Scout, told us, "I love helping so it was a lot of fun for me. I made some new friends and we plan on visiting them in China one day."

Although China was one of the first three countries to host Girl Scouts in the world, established in 1912, Scouting has been officially banned since the founding of the People's Republic of China by the Communist Party in 1949.

Even today attempts at starting a national Girl Scouting organization in China have proven to be challenging. Yet there are still opportunities for Chinese girls to experience the impact Girl Scouting can make.

Alicia Jones, Leader of a USA Girl Scouts Overseas troop, works at The British School of Beijing and boasts the largest international troop in the city. "We're expecting somewhere around 50 girls in the coming school year," she says.

She explained, "USA Girl Scouts are banned from accepting Chinese nationals into our troops, but we have hundreds of girls across China who are members of our international troops. To join, girls needn't be American. For instance, in my troop, I have girls from America, Venezuela, Brazil, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, France, Russia, New Zealand, Italy, Australia, South Korea, and England."

Over 200 girls from across the world are joined as Girl Scouts, just in Beijing, and this number continues to grow each year. Alicia added, "We have more demand for girls to participate than we have spaces available, or troops and troop leaders. It's a really exciting problem to have!"

A Girl Scout stands with her guest, Kosma, visiting from China's capitol, Beijing.

Example of the gifts the students and faculty bestowed upon their hosts, Girl Scouts and Council staff.

USA Girl Scouts Overseas in the People's Republic of China are serviced by Girl Scouts USA headquarters in New York. In addition to Beijing, there are troops in Guangzhou (just north of Hong Kong), Kunming, Nanjing, Shanghai, Shekou, Tianjin and Zhuhai. These pockets of Girl Scouts may be prohibited from directly serving Chinese nationals, but they still work directly with their local communities.

With their international Girl Scout numbers growing, the Chinese students who visited Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio's headquarters in Redlands will surely begin to recognize Girl Scouts once they return home.

Alicia gave an example of how her girls are making an impact on the local Chinese population. She said, "My Seniors and Ambassadors will be working with girls from the Chinese school and another international school next door on having a stoplight built at our schools' intersection. It's a terribly dangerous intersection, where you have to cross a busy four-lane road to get to one of the three schools that share the corner."

Alicia and her troop see the Chinese enjoy their outreach and, as long as they don't create political turmoil, the government is fine with their being part of the community. "Being in China affords some unique opportunities for the girls to really feel like they are making a difference," said Alicia Jones.

And the most popular Girl Scout cookie flavor goes to...

Lemonades!

Here in Redlands, Girl Scouts from Riverside and San Bernardino counties continued this tradition of international outreach and diplomacy.

Mr. Hua, the Vice Principal, was very pleased with the American tour his students were experiencing. "We want our students to learn more about the outside world and thus appreciate it," he said. Mr. Hua also enjoyed the activities Girl Scouts had planned. "We are letting our kids get a big dose of American culture because we have become more American in many ways."

Referring to the past decade of China's economic expansion and freedom, Mr. Hua continued, "Most importantly we wish to improve our international teamwork and practice a policy of innovative spirit."

The Girl Scouts participated in craft projects with their guests, took pictures and helped the students practice their English-speaking skills. Afterwards, they gave an energetic demonstration of Girl Scout camp songs for their visitors. The boisterous songs, accompanied by dance and descriptive gestures, startled the Chinese visitors at first, but they soon joined in the spirit of fun and camaraderie.

Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council entertain their guests by singing Girl Scout camp songs.

An interested crowd formed to watch the camp song singalong.

Isabel, a Chinese student, 14, said, "I want to come back to United States next year for camping. My family has never been before."

Very popular with the students were the refreshments, which included trays lined with hundreds of Girl Scout cookies in every variety, fresh fruit, and ice-cold bottled waters. By far the most popular Girl Scout cookie was Lemonades.

Kimberly Hardy, 15, a Senior Juliette Girl Scout, said, "My mom encouraged me to go because it was a one-time experience. I was actually very happy I attended; it was something that you don't get a chance to do every day. It was really interesting learning about the differences between going to school in China and America."

Near the end of the event, the Chinese students and chaperones surprised their hosts with fun, colorful gifts from China, inviting their American hosts to visit Beijing. Some exchanges included paper money, stamped envelopes from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, terracotta warriors, bookmarks, and even the personal photography of one student's father.

"They were very generous and I got a small comb, postcards and chopsticks," said Kimberly, who was taken aback by the gifts.

When asked if his school now planned to start a program similar to Scouting, Mr. Hua was surprised at the question, but he said, "That's good advice!"

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Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place.

To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, either as a volunteer or member, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

All our stories may be freely published and shared with others! If you enjoyed this article please let us know by leaving a comment!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share?
Contact Katherine at kli@gssgc.org.

Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio were recipients of a singular honor-- a flag flown from the stern of the United States Ship Milius (DDG 69), a guided missile destroyer operating at sea. Kristen Freiberg, wife of the ship's chaplain and a Council Girl Scout Leader, presented the flag and certificate to GSSGC President & CEO Cynthia Breunig on July 19, along with a sheaf of thank-you letters from the crew.

The USS Milius honor was in response to an I Care shipment of Girl Scout cookies, lovingly packed with notes thanking the ship's crew for their service, by Freiberg's daughter and hundreds of her sister Girl Scouts and San Gorgonio Council families. The sailors received the cookies at a particularly challenging point in their extended sea tour and the treats and notes immediately raised morale.

Imagine the humility of the sailor who wrote the girls, saying, "We're very grateful for the service that you have provided us while many miles from home." The I Care program is intended to thank our women and men in uniform for their service, and here a serviceman is thanking our girls for their service. The spirit of I Care was summed up by another sailor's message: "They [I Care Packages] really made our day, let us know we have the love and support from great kids like you back home. We do what we do for you guys and girls."

Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio were recipients of a singular honor-- a flag flown from the stern of the United States Ship Milius (DDG 69), a guided missile destroyer operating at sea.

Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council, a nationwide leader in per-girl cookie sales for the past three years, has also been a leader in the I Care program. "If You Can't Eat Them, Treat Them" is the motto, and tens of thousands of boxes of cookies are donated each year to Operation Gratitude, the USO, and 33 other partner agencies. This past Cookie Season, GSSGC chose to not only participate in the national I Care program, but to also embrace our own Council families with friends and loved ones serving in uniform.

Earlier this year, at four I Care packing parties throughout the Council region, Girl Scouts packaged boxes of cookies to be sent to over 250 family members and friends of Council Girl Scouts who were serving overseas. Each package contained at least ten boxes of cookies but, more important, they all contained handwritten notes of thanks for their service. In the case of the USS Milius, enough cookies were packaged to treat the entire 300-person crew.

The ship's motto for the USS Milhous is Alii Prae Me - "Others Before Myself." It is clear that the crew of the USS Milhous and the Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio have much in common.

You can view a slideshow of the booklet and thank you letters on our issuu page.

The certificate presented by Kristen Freiberg, wife of the ship's chaplain and a Council Girl Scout Leader, to GSSGC's President & CEO Cynthia Breunig on July 19, 2012.
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Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place.

To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, either as a volunteer or member, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

All our stories may be freely published and shared with others! If you enjoyed this article please let us know by leaving a comment!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share?
Contact Katherine at kli@gssgc.org.

Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council ventured to Washington, D.C. to Rock the Mall!

Following is a first-person account by the Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council's Vice President of Retail and Product Sales, Elizabeth "E" Locke-Thomas, of the top-seller incentive trip to Rock the Mall in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, June 9, 2012.

It is with respect and awe that I recount our travels to Washington, D.C. with our amazing 4000-plus cookie sellers and their guardians.

To say our girls were excited hardly touches the surface of our girls' spirit at the airport. Nor could I ever fully describe the pride council staff experienced as they watched the girls carry themselves with grace as they boarded the planes and thanked the air staff.

As we flew into D.C., I saw tears in the eyes of more than one of our parents who "earned" a spot along with their 4000-plus Girl Scout cookie seller, as this was too great an adventure not to be shared with a family member.

The girls each brought a parent along for the adventure!

On the first night we were quick to bed after a long day of travel. In the morning we would join over a quarter million sister Girl Scouts on the Mall.

Saturday morning our girls were up bright and early, everyone in their Rock the Mall shirts. We arrived in the early hours to secure prime spots so that our girls could see everything. As we walked the mile to the Mall we did much sight-seeing; staring in awe of the WWII monument, Lincoln and the Vietnam memorials.

Girl Scouts from Riverside and San Bernardino counties visit the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Our girls were inspired, respectful and sometimes a bit overwhelmed. As they learned more about the sacrifice of our military personnel, our Scouts walked right up to veterans and thanked them for their service. One such veteran, who was 93-years young, served our country in three wars, yet he still thanked our girls for making the world a better place.

At Rock the Mall our girls sang their hearts out next to a quarter million of their Girl Scout sisters. Even the extreme heat and humidity could not stop them from singing, dancing and laughing.

A great treat was running into Anna Maria Chavez, our Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of the USA, who not only congratulated our girls for their phenomenal sales but also acknowledged their brilliant "Sparkle!"

Free time for our girls and their parents included taking twilight tours throughout the city and visiting national monuments. And this all took place in our first day!

Girl Scouts Brynn and Naomi with Anna Maria Chavez.

The second day in Washington began with a hearty breakfast in the Smithsonian Museum, a full two hours before the museum opened to the public. We were greeted by the Smithsonian manager who hugged our girls and told them that we were their favorite group; polite, respectful and clearly thankful for this special event.

Our girls watched a special Girl Scout-only IMAX movie of the Galapagos Islands, participated in a special forensics lab with real human bones, and then ended with a visit to the Butterfly Pavilion for a hands-on adventure.

The girls with Dawn Meade-Duffy, our San Gorgonio Council's chairwoman, at Rock the Mall.

On our last day in D.C. Dawn Meade-Duffy, GSSGC's chairwoman, joined our girls on a visit to the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court. The girls loved having a member of the board tagging along with them on their final day.

As we arrived at the airport to go home, our young ladies were met by our CEO and again went over the moon to fly home with their very own Cynthia. Not to be missed were the airplane pilots who saw our girls flying in uniform and invited them to sit in the cockpit for a photo.

Our 4,000+ Girl Scout cookie seller, Brynn, with the Captain in the cock pit.

To say our 4000-plus girls - Caitlyn, Brynn, Caroline and Naomi - had a magnificent time does not adequately tell the story. Our girls worked very hard to achieve this level of selling and as they walked around the city, taking in the rich history of our nation's capital, our girls said, "We would do this every year!"

Knowing that their hard work would be rewarded with an experience that touches the heart, our girls will continue to reach higher and higher, striving for ever greater achievement, in the years to come.

What can a cookie do? Make a memory to last a lifetime. A memory that embraces our nation's rich history and incorporates the Girl Scout spirit into one amazing weekend.

What can a Girl Scout cookie do? This is what a cookie can do!
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Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place.

To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, either as a volunteer or member, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

All our stories may be freely published and shared with others! If you enjoyed this article please let us know by leaving a comment!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share?
Contact Katherine at kli@gssgc.org.

A Girl Scout smiles while learning outdoor living skills at Wi-Wo-Ca day camp in Yucaipa, California.

While many girls' camps are often no more than glorified daycare centers characterized by mundane afternoons and "girly" crafts, Camp Wi-Wo-Ca in Yucaipa, California delivers its promise of a unique camp experience for girls.

Girl Scouts of the San Gorgonio Council recently enjoyed a week-long lesson in outdoor living and survival skills at Wi-Wo-Ca on June 25 thru 29.

Campers learn outdoor skills such as how to make a fire ring, pitching a tent, archery, safety from wild animals, Dutch oven cooking or how to handle and sharpen an axe.
This year's camp director was Cindy Chapman, a Wi-Co-Ca expert who has been a part of the yearly day camp since 1993. "It always has been and continues to be a lot of fun for the girls," said Cindy.

Wi-Wo-Ca offers a "unique camp experience" to Girl Scouts.

Cindy began her career in Girl Scouts as a volunteer leading her daughter's Girl Scout troop. Cindy recalled, "The best part of camp was enjoying a unique way to bond and form memories with your daughter."

Now a grandmother, her volunteerism led to a position as Council staff. Today she is the Training Specialist for Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council who specializes in program pathways and volunteerism.

"Wi-Wo-Ca is a unique experience because it borrows so heavily from the Girl Scouting tradition," Cindy said. Examples of activities included outdoor cooking, survival and safety, ecology, outdoor camping and first aid.

19 years after Cindy began volunteering at Wi-Wo-Ca, the camp still operates on an enormous volunteer effort. Each camp volunteer is a registered adult member of Girl Scouts, although not all are Leaders. Some adults and parents volunteer especially just for camp. These leaders guide the girls in the Scouting tradition while incorporating modern themes into the activities.

Girl Scouts from San Gorgonio Council and volunteers enjoy a sunny morning at camp.

The week began with the arrival of the girls, each of whom adopted a camp name. Camp names are used exclusively during a Girl Scout's time away from home at any camp event. Scouts choose names inspired from the world of nature or related to a talent that's unique to her.

While camp names may be a tradition of the Girl Scout organization, Wi-Wo-Ca does have traditions of its own; conches and beads are two examples.

Every camper receives a conch on her first day. These are intended to be saved and reused for the remainder of years a girl camps at Wi-Wo-Ca. Different colored beads are rewarded for skills mastered or assignment performed. The beads are then attached to the conch. In addition, returning girls receive a special bead for bringing back their conches each year.

A conch and bead necklace, a Camp Wi-Wo-Ca tradition, also holds "swaps" from over the years.

On the first day of camp girls were divided into groups, or camp "units," according to age. This separates campers by experience and outdoor living proficiency levels, as well as allows them a chance at making new friends.

Units are regulated to be no larger than 20 girls, but this year Wi-Wo-Ca suffered from a shortage of volunteers. Some age groups were forced to form units as large as 28 girls.
This didn't deter them from having fun and learning all week, however. Dana Wood, aka Shutterbug, is this year's co-director and also a Girl Scout volunteer.

"It's the most fun way to do community service," said Dana. "Whether or not you're a parent, a Girl Scout Leader gains honorary daughters through his or her volunteer service. The girls see your dedication, the example you set, and you become like family," Dana added.

Another tradition at Wi-Wo-Ca is choosing your unit's name. The girls made suggestions then voted amongst each other for the perfect name. This year's camp theme, which changes annually, was "Back to the Future" in honor of the Girl Scouts' 100-year anniversary. Unit names often tie into the camp theme.

Girls make new friends in their units, which are formed according to school grade.

Eleven units formed at Wi-Wo-Ca this month with names like Unit One's "70's Disco Divas" and Unit Ten's "2020 Girls."

Significant focus fell on outdoor cooking. Unit leaders submitted a shopping list to camp staff at the beginning of camp. The groceries were then purchased at retailers and brought back to Wi-Wo-Ca for cooking.

A cooking packet chock full of delicious camp recipes, such as "Breakfast in an Orange" and a Dutch oven lasagna, was distributed to volunteers at the beginning of camp.
Outdoor apple dumplings, cooked in a Dutch oven, of course, was a girl-voted favorite dessert.

The camp operated daily, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., during the course of the week. The only exception was Thursday when girls in the fourth grade and above stayed for the overnight campfire experience. The next morning, they woke early for either a two and a half or five mile hike.

Girl Scout color guard carry the stars and stripes for the morning flag ceremony.

Wi-Wo-Ca's day camp cost $80.00 for the entire week of activities, counting the overnight stay for older girls, and includes a grab bag full of Wi-Wo-Ca swag. This year's Girl Scouts brought home the official camp t-shirt and hat, "Back to the Future" patch, decorated water bottle and a printed copy of their unit's group picture. Food for the week was also covered.

For families or troops unable to drive to Yucaipa daily, a school bus offered optional round-trip transportation from Redlands.

Nikki Wood, a graduated Girl Scout and current volunteer member said, "I went to Wi-Wo-Ca as a Girl Scout and loved it. Half the adults who volunteered with my Girl Scout troop I've grown to call 'mom.' The experience really changed my life."

Nikki believes camp can change a girl's life for the better in unexpected and wonderful ways. In only a short week, a girl might make an unbreakable friendship or learn a leadership skill that propels her to college.

"It truly is a unique camp experience!" exclaimed Nikki.

Learning about nature at Girl Scout Camp Wi-Wo-Ca in Yucaipa, California.

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Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place.

To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, either as a volunteer or member, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

All our stories may be freely published and shared with others! If you enjoyed this article please let us know by leaving a comment!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share?
Contact Katherine at kli@gssgc.org.

Official Blast to the Past patch designed by Girl Scout Alyssa Tuck. The event was hosted at the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base in San Diego, California.

Beach-side camping for Girl Scouts of all ages from San Gorgonio Council!

Girl Scouts of the San Gorgonio Council celebrated 100-years of Girl Scouting during a 3-day event, Blast to the Past Camporee, at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California on June 16. Thirteen Girl Scout troops were represented in the 99 total registered attendees.

The event was exclusively planned and executed by Girl Scouts with the help of five registered adult Girl Scout members.

"The event took us about five months to plan," said Kylie Baumbusch. Kylie has been a Girl Scout since grade school and became co-Leader of Troop 746 after graduating from high school. It just so happens that Troop 746 is also lead by her mom, Nancy Baumbusch.

"I have always loved Girl Scouting, which is why I decided to step up and become my mom's co-Leader," said Kylie. Along with Kylie and Nancy, the Camporee staff included Girl Scouts and registered members from Troop 1100 and Troop 1656.

Even a few registered Girl Scout dad's joined in the weekend fun!

Camporee organizers Nancy and Kylie Baumbusch are just one example of many mother-daughter teams present.

Another girl member of staff is Lauren who said planning the camporee helped her acquire important life skills. "I learned how to efficiently work with people, to plan and carry out projects to the end, by organizing events like this for Girl Scouts," she said. Lauren has been a Girl Scout since kindergarten and plans to try out for the Air Force band since she graduated from high school earlier this month.

The camp ran Friday evening through Sunday afternoon, with the troops arriving throughout the night in cars, trucks and caravans. The evening's ceremonies began with a solemn flag retiring service. Even the youngest Girl Scouts sensed the gravity of the event and remained respectfully quiet throughout the service.

In contrast, campers enjoyed an energizing, early morning start on Saturday with arts and crafts projects following the camp's 2012 theme: 1960's Flower Power.

Girl Scouts made marshmallow hippies, got their faces painted and worked on a giant birthday card celebrating 100 years of Girl Scouting which they planned to send to the Girl Scout headquarters in New York.

The Blast to the Past Camporee's 2012 theme was 1960's Flower Power displayed in the girls' craft project.

Campers made a giant birthday card celebrating 100 years of Girl Scouting.

By far the girl's favorite camp feature was the refreshing beach location. Rose, a Brownie Scout from Terri B.'s Troop 803 said, "I'm having so much fun! Listening to the sound of crashing waves at night when we sleep is the best part of the trip."

Rainbow Girl, also of Troop 803, said she couldn't wait to go swimming in the ocean. "Mrs. Terri is the most awesome Leader ever for taking us here!" she enthused, while working on a beach-themed picture frame. All girls adopt a camp name, for fun and safety.

The adult staff and Girl Scout Leaders agreed that the ocean was lovely, but their favorite part of the experience was the Marines. "They were all very courteous and helpful," said Katherine.

Members of the planning team even enjoyed the thoughtful attitude of young Marines out for their morning ocean-side jog. April remembers, "The Marines offered to help carry our supplies and tents out to the camp site. They were perfect gentlemen."

The Camporee even caught the attention of Girl Scout Troop 6404 from the Greater Los Angeles Council. Carmen, the troop's Co-Leader, said, "Everything has been great and the location can't be beat. Trips like these allow you to learn so much about your girls and it's a great bonding experience." Carmen's daughter is also a member of her Girl Scout troop.

The best BFF's in Girl Scout Troop 803!

Greater Los Angeles Girl Scouts joined Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio at the Blast to the Past Camporee at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California.

After the morning's activities and self-made lunches, campers dawned their swimming attire and headed for the San Onofre beach. San Onofre State Beach is situated in San Diego county and is bordered to the south and east by the sprawling Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Reserve. The gentle waves and shallow waters make the beach ideal for surfing, snorkeling, windsurfing and other aquatic activities.

Girl Scouts enjoyed a relaxing afternoon of sunshine and pleasant temperatures on the beach and even booked a cabana with fire pit for later in the evening. Just behind them, the wind sent tantalizing whiffs of barbeque down to the beach from atop the seaside cliffs. A full RV park and campsite is located along the coast.

The camp ground and RV park situated in the Marine Corps Reserve are available only to active and retired military personnel or family. Girl Scouts of San Goronio was able to enjoy the special retreat courtesy of Nancy Baumbusch's husband of 39 years who was himself stationed at Camp Pendleton as a young man.

Staff girls and a Leader take a moment to relax from their duties.

Girl Scout troops bring "swaps" to trade and commemorate the event. A fun Girl Scout tradition!

"We actually met here," said Nancy, "and I knew this would be the perfect place for Girl Scouts to camp. Many of the younger girls have never been to the ocean before, so we are really lucky to come and use the military facilities."

Later that night, campers gathered on the beach for a bonfire, S'mores and entertainment. Troops sang camp songs and performed skits they'd prepared. The Camporee staff also prepared skits, called "commercials," which they performed in-between troop acts.

On Sunday morning the girls enjoyed a hearty breakfast before breaking down the camp and participating in a closing flag ceremony.

Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council transform each other into mermaids in the sand!

Moms and daughters from the Inland Empire Girl Scouts enjoy some refreshing sand and surf at the San Onofre State Beach in San Diego, California.

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Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place.

To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, either as a volunteer or member, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

All our stories may be freely published and shared with others! If you enjoyed this article please let us know by leaving a comment!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share?
Contact Katherine at kli@gssgc.org.

The 2012 Gold Award recipients honored at the Mitten Building in Redlands, California.

The Mitten Building in Redlands was the site for Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio's 2012 Gold and Silver Awards banquet and ceremony on Friday evening, June 15. Marking the close of the 2011-2012 Girl Scout year, 229 girls were honored from throughout Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

The evening began with a banquet and special program to recognize 19 Gold Award recipients. As part of the requirements to qualify for Girl Scout's highest earned award, these girls spent up to two years designing and implementing "Take Action" projects in their local communities. Each girl's project addressed a vital, unmet need.

After the invocation and a flag ceremony, Mike Morrell, California State Assemblyman from the 63rd District, told the girls how their accomplishments have demonstrated that they are tomorrow's leaders. He stressed to them the need for women's leadership in all areas of life--home and family, community, business and public service.

Cynthia Breunig, President & CEO of Girls Scouts of San Gorgonio, and Dawn Meade-Duffy, Chair of theCouncil's Board of Directors, then took the podium. After congratulatory remarks, the Gold Award recipients were recognized individually and pinned with their award by volunteer members of the Gold Award Committee.

In addition to the Gold Awards, two other awards were presented: the Margaret Scout Service Award to Emma Skilier Thomas for her hundreds of service hours to Girl Scouts and her community; and Girl Scout of the Year, the highest award that can be given by the Council, to Allison Aoun as a advocate for Girl Scouting.

Allison's citation read, in part, "She believes that all girls deserve to have a bright future and she does her part to help in every way she can." The program concluded with a candle lighting ceremony centered on the Girl Scout Promise and Law.

Immediately following the Gold Awards banquet, the 120 guests in attendance proceeded to the main hall where an audience of hundreds more had assembled to honor girls who achieved other significant milestones in Girl Scouts.

Nineteen exquisitely framed Gold Award recognitions, with portraits, Gold Award project descriptions, and special patches were prominently displayed around the room. Breunig and Meade-Duffy took the stage, expressed their pride and admiration for the girls being honored, described their achievements, congratulated the girls individually and presented them with pins recognizing their milestones.

The Silver Award,the second-highest award that a girl can achieve in scouting, is a prerequisite for earning the Gold Award. Ninety-nine girls achieved the Silver Award in 2012. Recipients proudly received their award before their sister Girl Scouts, families, friends and Council staff.

Education is a key to leadership and Girl Scouts strives to help every girl graduate from high school and pursue post-secondary school training. Forty-seven 2012 high school graduates from the Girl Scout movement mounted the stage and were recognized for their achievement.

The final group to be honored were the 64 girls that reached the ten-year milestone on their Girl Scout journey in 2012. Meade-Duffy observed, "By choosing Girl Scouts, a girl chooses to reach for the stars, to achieve greatness and blaze her own path in life."

At the conclusion of the ceremony, all the girls and the guests were invited to move to a large reception area, where refreshments and a variety of pastries and desserts were offered. Hugs from family members, congratulations from sister Scouts and words of encouragement from friends and strangers alike brought the evening to a fitting close.
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Check back soon for a link to our professional photographer's photo album of the event!

Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place.
To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, either as a volunteer or member, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

Do you like this story and want to use it for your blog or newsletter? All our stories may be freely reposted and shared with others! If you enjoyed this article please let us know by leaving a comment!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share?
Contact Katherine at kli@gssgc.org.

The Girl Scout Gold Award exemplifies each girl's individual commitment to making the world a better place.

June 12, 2012 - Redlands, California. 20 Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council will receive the esteemed Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest achievement in Girl Scouting, at a dinner and recognition ceremony to be held at the Minton Building in Redlands this Friday, June 15, at 6:30p.m.

The recipients include Talia Barth, Nicholle Varga, Emily Pooley and Katie Wooldridge of Riverside; Ashley Bergstrom of Apple Valley; Julia Bray, Karli Zevalkinik, Joanna Eskander and Madeline Long of Redlands; Morgan Brown of Canyon Lake; Alexis Bush and Danielle Tasaka of Colton; Laura Burke of Corona; Jodie Miller of Sun City; Danyelle Moncuse of Moreno Valley; Lanaja Phillips of Victorville; Angela Resendez of Mentone; and Aryane Reagan, Skye Woolsey and Rose Zetz of Murrieta, California.

"These twenty girls posses determination, organization, and time management skills. They utilize all the skills their leaders have given them during their years as a Girl Scouts. They are truly motivated to make a difference in their world," said Cindy Chapman, Training and Program Specialist.

The Gold Award requires that the girls use their exceptional positions as Girl Scouts to take action in their local communities.The Gold Award exemplifies each girl's individual commitment to making the world a better place.

To complete a Gold Award project of high quality, the San Gorgonio Council suggests that a girl devote a minimum of 80 personal hours to her project. However, many Girl Scouts may spend 2 to 3 years working on their projects. They identify community issues important to them, research and devise a project plan to address the issue.

Each Take Action project must achieve a sustainable and measurable impact for years to come. Gold Award project proposals are evaluated by the Gold Awards Committee, consisting of Girl Scout leaders and volunteers from throughout the Council jurisdiction. If the project does not meet the Take Action criteria, it will not be considered for the Gold Award.

Gold Award recipients have reaped benefits from their participation that they have carried forward into adulthood. Just this month Gold Award girls personally hand delivered GSUSA's Annual Report to President Obama.

In addition, "A Girl Scout who has earned her Gold Award and joins the Armed Services will enter at one rank higher than other recruits," said Chuck MacKinnon, VP of Fund Development and External Relations.

All Girl Scouts take the lead in planning and executing their projects. They aim not only to educate others in the process, but to inspire them, as well. Friday's ceremonies will begin with a Gold Awards recognition ceremony and catered dinner, followed by a Silver Awards recognition ceremony and dessert buffet.

In addition to Gold and Silver Award recipients, 10-year Girl Scout members and graduating high school seniors will also be recognized. Girl Scout of the Year, the highest San Gorgonio Council award presented to a girl in the 9-12 grades, and the Margaret Scout Service Award, which recognizes individuals or groups who have offered outstanding service to the council, will also be presented.

An invitation to this year's 2012 Gold and Silver Awards Gala hosted by Girl Scouts San Gorgonio Council.
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Members of the press are invited (and encouraged!) to attend the Gold and Silver Awards Gala.

For additional information, please visit our website or contact David Maxfield at dmaxfield@gssgc.org

Any blog or story inquires, please contact Katherine Li at kli@gssgc.org
This press release and all stories on our blog are free to reprint and reuse!

Daisy Troop 211 tour the Apple Valley Fire Protection District headquarters in San Bernardino County, Ca.

Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council Daisy Troop 211 were invited to tour Fire Station 1 on May 29. The station, under the leadership of Fire Chief Art Bishop, is headquarters to the Apple Valley Fire Protection District located in San Bernardino County.

The seven Daisies learned the significant role of the fire department; how to dial 911 in an emergency; reviewed procedures for Stop, Drop and Roll; and discovered the reasons why information such as their full names, phone numbers and home addresses are fundamentally important for emergencies. The girls were also taught the difference between a fire truck and a fire engine.

Fire Dispatch welcomed Troop 211, accompanied by their Troop Leader Jennifer Simpson, three co-Leaders and parents, via an intercom announcement to all local fire departments. The Daisies experienced the fire station's daily operations, met on-duty firemen and firewomen, learned about their 24-hour shifts and explored the firefighter's living quarters.

This Girl Scout practices putting out imaginary flames.

Girls learn the difference between a fire truck and a fire engine.

In addition, Girl Scouts were taught the importance of a healthy meal to keep their bodies strong, how to test smoke alarms and plan an emergency exit from their homes in case of a fire.

Their tour guide, firefighter Jennifer Eisenbrey, affectionately called 'Mrs. Jennifer' by the Daisies, is also a spokeswoman for the Apple Valley Fire Protection District and a public education specialist who reaches out to the local community on issues relating to fire prevention, water safety and emergency preparedness.

The visit was planned to be both fun and practical, explains Jennifer Simpson. "We wanted to teach the girls the importance of firefighting and learn which information is important for emergencies, as well as show them that women can be firefighters too."

While the girls enjoyed all of the day's activities, their favorite part of the tour was learning to handle a real fire hose. Each Girl Scout was given the opportunity to put out an imaginary fire with help from a friendly on-duty firefighter. At the end of their visit, the girls were awarded their patches and received special gifts from Mrs. Jennifer and the men and women of Fire Station 1.

Jennifer and her co-leaders believe in the power of their girls to dream big and achieve their goals. She declared that the most important lesson they learned was, "Girls can do anything!"

Girl Scout Daisy practices fighting fires with an Apple Valley fireman.

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Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place.
To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, either as a volunteer or member, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

Do you like this story and want to use it for your blog or newsletter? All our stories may be freely reposted and shared with others! If you enjoyed this article please let us know by leaving a comment!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share?
Contact Katherine at kli@gssgc.org.

Girl Scouts Ariadne, Bailey, Nicole and Alicia pose with San Bernardino City Council members Robert Jenkins, John Valdivia, Fred Shorett, Virginia Marquez, Rikke Van Johnson, Chris Kelley and Wendy McCammack. Troop Leaders Jennifer Thomas and Wendi Johnson are also pictured.

Girl Scouts and leaders from San Bernardino Troop 744 gathered at the San Bernardino City Council Chambers on Monday afternoon, June 4. They were there at the invitation of Chas A. Kelly, Council Member, Fifth Ward, to receive a resolution of The Mayor and Common Council commending Girl Scouts of America on their 100th Anniversary.

A generous group of supporters joined Girl Scouts Alicia Hernandez, Bailey McGeough, Nicole Perez and Ariadne Johnson in receiving the resolution. They included Troop 744's leaders Jennifer Thomas and Wendi Johnson, volunteer Paula Bailey, family members and San Gorgonio Council staff Linda Dominguez, Mayra Brown and Chuck MacKinnon.

"Being asked to accept the resolution on behalf of San Gorgonio Council makes us feel so proud and thankful to be a part of Girl Scouts, and to have the honor of meeting the Mayor," said Bailey.

"It's a huge honor," said Jennifer, a Leader of the troop, "I'm super proud of these girls because anytime I need something done, they never fuss. These girls are really not afraid of hard work and always have a good attitude. They deserve to be here."

The Council Meeting was called to order and, after an invocation, Pledge of Allegiance, and routine business, the Girl Scouts were called to the floor. Down front each girl and representative was greeted warmly by Mayor Patrick J. Morris. Councilman Kelly pointed out that 2012 has been declared The Year of the Girl and then read excerpts from the resolution.

The resolution recounted, in part, that Juliette Gordon Lowe founded the first Girl Scout Troop in 1912 in the belief that girls should receive the same opportunity as boys to develop physically, mentally and spiritually; that 100 years later Girl Scouts is the nation's premier leadership organization for girls; and that Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council perform hundreds of hours of community service in the City of San Bernardino.

San Bernardino Mayor Patrick J. Morris honors Troop 744 and Girl Scouts across the nation.

After the resolution was read, Linda Dominguez, Vice President of Membership and Community Development, delivered brief remarks and asked the question, "Will you help girls reach their full potential?"

The girls then delivered boxes of Girl Scout cookies to each of the 7 Council Members and to Mayor Morris, who observed, "I have a freezer full of cookies. I buy a box from every girl I see during Cookie Sales." Photos with the Mayor and the entire City Council ended the presentation.

The girls of Troop 744 carry on a tradition of Girl Scouting in San Bernardino, stretching back to the 1929s. Today, they--and their sister troops-- partner with many local agencies including The Home of Neighborly Service, Healthy San Bernardino, Latino Health Collaborative and Health Communities, and the CAPS program with the San Bernardino City Unified School District.

The resolution, which will be proudly displayed at the San Gorgonio Girl Scouts' headquarters in Redlands, concludes,

"Now, Therefore, be it resolved on this occasion, and in appreciation of their leadership, dedication and impressive contribution to the City of San Bernardino and its citizens, on behalf of the Mayor and Common Council of the City of San Bernardino, do enjoin and commend Girl Scouts of American on their 100th Anniversary and encourages all citizens to join in this observance via celebration, education and promotion thereof."

James P. Morris, the Mayor's Chief of Staff, added, "It was an honor for the Mayor and Council to commend the Girls Scouts during their centennial celebration for 100 years of instilling courage, character and confidence in our nation's young women. The Girl Scouts' legacy of service to this nation and its youth has been remarkable."
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Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place.
To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, either as a volunteer or member, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

Do you like this story and want to use it for your blog or newsletter? All our stories may be freely reposted and shared with others! If you enjoyed this article please let us know by leaving a comment!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share?
Contact Katherine at kli@gssgc.org.

Cali Girls meet bright and early in the Disneyland theme park for a group photo Sunday morning. The girls enjoyed roaming the park and rides without wait times before it opened to the public for the day!

Each year Girl Scouts from the San Gorgonio Council dream of pixie dust and starlight. That's because for the past three years hundreds of them earned the Cookie Program Cali Girl incentive. During the 7-week cookie sale girls dedicated themselves to achieving goals and, when they succeed, magic happens.

"I do believe that a Girl Scout cookie can do anything and this weekend's Cali Girl outing to Disneyland proves that once again," said Elizabeth "E" Locke-Thomas, VP of Sales at San Gorgonio Council.

Each year "E" helps girls and parents achieve with Sparkle training and business etiquette, while supplying boundless energy and support during Cookie Season. Families and troop leaders, as well as Devon Spira of the Council, are all imperative members of the Cali Girl team who help drive girls to reach their Cookie Program goals year after year.

Showing her love for Cali Girl by giving Mickey Mouse a great, big Cali Girl hug.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest entrepreneurial program for girls in the world. While there are many incentives for achieving sales goals, Cali Girl is especially popular, and motivates more and more girls to reach new levels of achievement each year.

During the record-breaking 2012 Cookie Program, 722 San Gorgonio Council girls sold more than 750 boxes of Girl Scout cookies each! Every one of these girls earned a place of honor at this year's all-expenses paid Cali Girl celebration at Disneyland.

Daisies--girls in kindergarten and first grade--were accompanied by a parent or guardian, received two "everywhere" park passes for Saturday, a $100 food card, tickets to World of Color, swag bags, and a special desert buffet awards event.

For the older girls, Cali Girl was a 2-day event, chaperoned by volunteers, and included a night's stay at the Disneyland Hotel, Park-Hopper passes for two days, special events tickets, an awards breakfast and take-away gifts and surprises.

Cali Girls at the Cali Girl Awards Ceremony held Saturday morning at the Disneyland Hotel.

Cali Girl began with Daisy check-ins at the Disneyland Hotel's Sleeping Beauty Pavilion. Despite the brisk, morning air, the excitement and anticipation generated waves of energy over the crowd of attendees. Girls began trading Swaps--handmade pins created by troops to commemorate the event-- almost immediately.

Voting for favorites was set-up at a nearby table and individual girls entered their own creations for a chance at winning a Swap Award during the awards ceremony.

In the Magic Kingdom Ballroom, a sea of wonderfully decorated tables awaited the Cali Girls. Each table held bright, Disney floral centerpieces, fresh baked croissants and muffins, fruit bowls, a Cali Girl schedule of events and colorful bracelets at each place setting.

A catered hot brunch of bacon, scrambled eggs, and French toast was served before the official Cali Girl Awards ceremony commenced. "E" hosted the awards, which began with a video look-back at the seven-week cookie sale.

Then the announcements that all the girls had been waiting for: top sellers for each Girl Scout level, and for the entire Council.

Girl Scouts and their chaperon enjoy a delicious catered breakfast in the Magic Kingdom Ballroom.

Among the 722 Cali Girls are this year's three top sellers for the San Gorgonio Council. Caroline Biggs with 4,001 boxes, came in as the third-place Council Top Seller for 2012.
"This is the first year that I was an overall top seller and feels great," said Caroline.

"Some of the strategies I used were going door to door, lots of booths with my troop and booths at home. I loved to up-sell, and always put my sparkle on!"

Brynn Stephens secured a second-place spot as a Top Seller by selling 4,131 boxes. "It felt really awesome when they called my name!" she remembers. I always say one box at a time," Brynn said about her selling strategy.

"Sometimes people think it's a joke, but I literally count every box. I keep a chart on the wall to keep track of the number of boxes and we mark off numbers."

Brynn says her mom is one of her biggest supporters. "She keeps me going and I couldn't have done it without her. And my little sister, of course, is also a Girl Scout who helped me a lot."

San Gorgonio Council's 2012 Top Sellers Caitlin, Brynn and Caroline enjoy a little Disney Magic.

Then there's Caitlin Loret. Caitlin worked hard to achieve the title of Top Seller last year, selling 4,051 boxes. This year Caitlin made Top Seller for a second consecutive time with an astonishing 6,219 boxes!

"It feels cool," said Caitlin, "to make Top Seller again." When asked about her selling strategy she's very straightforward. "We went out every single day." Giving her very best, Caitlin continued to sell cookies one day at a time and kept a positive attitude about every aspect of her business.

"If a person didn't want to buy cookies, I'd ask them if they wanted to donate a dollar to send cookies to the troops." Caitlin made over $2,900 for ICare by asking that simple question.

Of course, she wasn't alone when she broke her own record by 2,168 boxes. Caitlin received huge support from her friends and family. "My friends bought many boxes to support me and my parents took the time to transport me to cookie booths," she told us.

Her mom, Tina, and her father, Paul, are both active in Caitlin's Girl Scouting career. Tina is the Leader of her daughter's troop and Paul acts as Co-Leader. A Girl Scout can go miles on her own integrity and Sparkle, but the Lorets prove a family's love and support can really go the distance!

In addition to our Top Sellers Caroline, Brynn and Caitlin, a fourth Girl Scout from San Gorgonio Council reached the 4,000 box level. Naomi Jefferson-Glipa achieved top recognitions by selling 4,000 boxes.

Caitlin, Brynn, Caroline and Naomi each sold over 4,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies in 7 weeks!

"Making new friends with the girls in my group, not having to wait in line for Star Tours because we got to get into Disneyland early, seeing Princess Tiana in the parade (she actually waved right at me!), and getting to scream 'What can a cookie do!' to every Cali Girl I see," said Naomi.

"It was like being a celebrity at Disneyland. Everyone was asking us if we were Girl Scouts and when we told them how many cookies we sold they were amazed."

Besides Cali Girl, these four entrepreneurial stars have earned a journey to Washington, DC for Rock the Mall. On June 9, 2012, they will join over 250,000 Girl Scouts and adults for the world's largest Sing-Along.

"E" notes, "I'm proud of our Girl Scouts and nothing compares to seeing each and every one achieve her goals. Our girls learn life's most important lessons, that hard work does pay off and having a dream is the key to success. Then to see them rewarded in this grand fashion merely exemplifies those lessons."

Large groups attending Cali Girl opted to wear their own "uniforms" to designate their individual Girl Scout troop.

By noon all Cali Girl groups dispersed into the Disneyland theme parks for a day of adventure and fun. "Mob" activities were scheduled throughout the day for Cali Girls, allowing large groups of Girl Scouts and chaperones to attend events together.

At the Tomorrowland Terrace Stage, girls experienced and participated in the live-action Jedi Training Academy attraction. Girl Scouts joined the Disney-certified Jedi masters on stage to learn the ways of The Force.

Darth Vador even made an appearance and threatened the show until several Girl Scouts bravely stood up from the crowd to challenge him.

Cali Girls and their Chaperone pose with Agent P from Disney's Phineas and Ferb.

The Phineas and Ferb Rockin'Rollin' Dance Party! at Disney's California Adventure theme park also organized a Mob event for Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio. Chaperones and girls had fun learning new dances, and even our older Girl Scouts let loose.

The Disneyland Hotel Water Park was also scheduled for Cali Girls from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. for a little pre-summer splash fun.

Later in the evening the Daisy Awards Ceremony and Desert Buffet was hosted at the Banquet Hall in the Paradise Pier Hotel. A cast of Disney characters, along with Phineas and Ferb, greeted excited guests for pictures and autographs.

Scrumptious cupcakes encrusted with Cali Girl chocolates and dusted in shimmering pixie dust covered buffet tables lining the room.

Daises also made Cali Girl and celebrated with a separate ceremony all their own!

"For Cali Girl we strive to create the most magical memories that a girl will experience for that 48-hour period," said Jua-Nita Houston, Director of Events at San Gorgonio Council. Jua-Nita worked with Disneyland Resort to bring the Cali Girl experience to life.

"We want to make them feel special and honored. They work hard to get to that goal and we want to make sure that when they reach it they experience the magic that makes it all worthwhile."

What can a cookie do? It's magic.
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A little cookie magic? A Girl Scout watches as her sister battles the forces of evil - Darth Vader - at Disneyland's Jedi Training Academy.

Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place.
To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, either as a volunteer or member, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

Do you like this story and want to use it for your blog or newsletter? All our stories may be freely reposted and shared with others! If you enjoyed this article please let us know by leaving a comment!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share?
Contact me, Katherine, at kli@gssgc.org!

Our Top selling Girl Scout with her family, San Gorgonio's Council's Ceo and Chairwoman of the Board.

For the third year running, Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council celebrates a record breaking cookie sale. This year the girls, with the help of thousands of cookie moms and dads, leaders and volunteers, delivered an amazing 2,224,128 boxes of Girl Scout cookies. The per girl average was 294.5 boxes, making San Gorgonio the number one council for all ABC Baker councils.

Sales incentives for the girls were also the most generous in the nation, with four of our Girl Scouts heading to Washington DC for the Rock the Mall song festival in June. It's an all-expense paid trip for the four top selling girls and a parent or guardian. Trip winners, who each sold over 4,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies, are Caroline Biggs from Troop 364, Naomi Jefferson-Glipa from Troop 77, Brynn Stephens from Troop 593 and Caitlin Loret from Troop 1114.

Caitlin made waves this year with a breathtaking 6,219 boxes! She broke her personal record by 2,168 boxes and became San Gorgonio Council's top seller for a second consecutive year. Caitlin's intense focus kept her a full 2,088 boxes above the competition.

Last year Caitlin traveled to Richmond, Virginia with three members of her family to visit ABC Bakery, where San Gorgonio's Girl Scout cookies are baked. She enjoyed a tour of the facility, had lunch with the General Manager and discussed strategies for another successful sale. We can only guess what strategies Caitlin devised on that trip that sent her skyrocketing to the top.

This year's second top seller was Brynn, who sold an amazing 4,131 boxes, followed by Naomi and Caroline who both became the 2012 third top sellers with 4,001 boxes each.

Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council's Top Sellers for 2012 each sold over 4,00 boxes of Girl Scout cookies.

While it is an incredible achievement for any Girl Scout troop to sell close to 4,000 boxes, it takes a Herculean effort for a single girl to do so. Yet, this year the San Gorgonio Council has four awe-inspiring girls with insurmountable work ethic, energy, dedication and sparkle. The term "sparkle" is used in Girl Scouting to describe the attitude, behavior, and presence a Girl Scout exudes when following the Girl Scout Promise and the Girl Scout Law. Sparkle is best noticed in challenging situations, such as the cookie sale or while earning a Girl Scout Bronze, Silver or Gold Award.

The overall incentives results for the entire council are equally impressive, with 7,244 girls taking home bracelets at the 50 box level. At 100 boxes, 6,371 girls earned jewelry boxes and 1,784 girls reached Walk-Abouts at 200 boxes. The Walk-About level pays for a girl's 2013 membership.

Last weekend, 722 Girl Scouts who sold 750 boxes or more celebrated their achievement at Cali Girl, a two-day stay at the Disneyland Hotel and Resort that included Park Hopper passes for Disneyland and California Adventure, awards brunch, room at the Disneyland Hotel, $100 card for food and face-painting, tickets for the World of Color nighttime water spectacular, and a Cali Girl swag bag.

This year, 160 girls earned a weekend trip to Camp Catalina, the incentive for selling 1,250 boxes and 18 iMacs, top-of-the-line Apple computers, are going home to Girl Scouts who sold 3,000 boxes.

And just think, all incentives are cumulative, so the girls get every award from the bracelet through to the trip to Washington, D.C., depending on their total number of boxes sold.

Girl Scout cookies and basic necessities of home are carefully hand packed by volunteers and Girl Scouts for the ICare program.

Girl Scouts honor the women and men in uniform, and help those in need here at home, with the ICare program. This year, generous San Gorgonio cookie customers donated 146,089 boxes of cookies.. ICare Packing Parties were hosted by the Council on March 27 at several area locations, and 755 local Girl Scouts and their family members volunteered to pack ICare boxes for our troops, writing thank you cards and decorating banners to be included in the packages that will be traveling overseas.

The Cookie Program helps girls develop their entrepreneurial, business, service and leadership skills that will last a lifetime. With each box she sells, a girl engages the world with her own unique sparkle and personality. The foundation of this entrepreneurial program is to teach the girls that they can achieve any goal they choose to set for themselves.

This year saw more incentive levels than ever before, providing thousands of girls with the opportunity to set personal goals and achieve their dreams.
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Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place.
To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, either as a volunteer or member, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

Do you like this story and want to use it for your blog or newsletter? All our stories may be freely reposted and shared with others! If you enjoyed this article please let us know by leaving a comment!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share?
Contact me, Katherine, at kli@gssgc.org!

Girl Scout Troop 2005 from San Gorgonio participates in an American Heart Association CPR class hosted by the YMCA in Palm Desert, CA.

Girl Scout Troop 2005 of the San Gorgonio Council learned how to help save lives in a unique CPR training experience tailored specifically for children, co-hosted by the YMCA of Palm Desert.

The 11 delightful girls, ages 6 to 9, from Troop 2005 attended the training accompanied by their troop leaders and moms. GSSGC Girl Scouts had an opportunity to speak with the women behind the idea.

"We were extremely fortunate to participate in this program," said Gail Solomon, Leader of Troop 2005, referring to the May 7 event held in Palm Desert, California.

The troop's co-Leader, Melissa Moll, was inspired by her work as a Site Supervisor for the YMCA and wanted to offer her Girl Scouts a special opportunity.

She began by contacting Paula Simmons, YMCA's Community Programmer, to teach a class.

Special training and supplies came from the American Heart Association, which donated 150 CPR Anytime® kits to the Palm Desert YMCA. Each kit includes a head and chest CPR dummy, as well as an instructional DVD.

Together Melissa and Paula integrated the American Heart Association's Family & Friends® CPR Anytime® Personal Learning Program and the YMCA's after-school programing into a Girl Scout experience where girls could earn badges.

Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council practice CPR chest compressions.

"And they did great!" beamed Melissa.

Paula added, "I was surprised. I was able to keep them engaged the entire time and they had so many thoughtful questions."

The YMCA-hosted class, which is aimed at children third grade and up, taught the girls introductory CPR and the importance of being prepared for emergency situations.

"They do role playing, and they learn the basics of CPR, like how to dial 911 and complete chest compressions," said Paula.

During each practice scenario, the girls established rules for surveying the area and asking permission to help a victim. No artificial respiration was taught during the event. Instead, the girls could choose to learn breathing techniques at home.

The students practice role playing by surveying the scene, checking the victim and calling 911 for help.

At the end of the lesson, girls took home their CPR Anytime® kits to complete the larger goal of the Family & Friends® Personal Learning Program: that is, for each student to continue the experience by educating her peers.

"We're looking into a CPR badge to give the girls right now," said Melissa, "for completing the course and teaching five other people."

Once the girls successfully teach 5 people CPR, they can return a signed form with comments to their troop leaders. That's when they'll have officially earned their CPR badge of honor.

"The girls had a lot of fun; they were all very eager to demonstrate what they had learned. I was really impressed," said Paula.

Melissa finished our interview by proudly noting that, "There are now 12 extra people in the world who know how to respond in an emergency situation." That's 12 additional Girl Scouts who can save lives and the San Gorgonio Council is very proud to acknowledge Troop 2005's achievement.

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Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place.
To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, either as a volunteer or member, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

Do you like this story and want to use it for your blog or newsletter? All our stories may be freely reposted and shared with others! If you enjoyed this article please let us know by leaving a comment!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share?
Contact me, Katherine, at kli@gssgc.org!

Co-owner of B-Rad's Bike Stop, David Cain, accepts his certificate of appreciation from San Gorgonio Girl Scouts Julia and Gaby.

David Cain of B-Rad's Bike Stop, a cyclist's dream shop in Corona, California, recently honored the Girl Scout Centennial with a generous donation to the Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council's silent auction at their Annual Meeting on April 28.

Julia and Gaby, two Girl Scouts from Troop 553, accompanied by their Troop Leader Roxy Hanson, arrived at B-Rad's Bike Stop after school the afternoon of April 25 to pick up a brand-new beach cruiser bike.

"We want to give a big shout-out to Dave and Brad at B-Rad's Bike Stop for their generous donation of a gorgeous beach cruiser!" said Roxy.

David let each girl test ride different bikes from the shop's impressive selection and the Girl Scouts unanimously agreed that the white beach cruiser was their favorite.

B-Rad's bright banner beckons bikers to breeze by and buy a bike at bargain price!

B-Rad's Bike Stop was recently opened in December, 2011, by two Corona residents, Brad Aduddell and David Cain. Much more than just a store, B-Rad's is a full-service bicycle shop with repair facilities, professional skills training and bicycle repair lessons. B-Rad's actively participates in community rides and sponsors a race team, on which, coincidentally, Gaby's brother, Jarod, rides downhill racing.

Just like its owners, Brad and David, the shop is vibrant, bright and full of energy. The walls are painted in shades of neon green and burnt orange; the windows are large and spotless, allowing natural sunlight to flood the entire store.

Hundreds of bikes neatly line the floor and form rows of color across the walls, reaching corner to corner.The shop environment encourages the perfect disposition to take home a new bike for cruising the beach or trekking across the mountains.

The beach cruiser that was Girl Scout approved by San Gorgonio Council's Troop 553.

"We wanted to create a place that included all aspects of the biking experience," said David. Their love of the sport is clearly reflected in the inviting atmosphere of the shop.

In addition to their donation to Troop 553, the bike shop supports many local businesses, school PTA's, charities and the community at large through their donations, event hosting, and free advertising. They are the perfect example of the business community helping the community at large.

"We are especially happy to participate in landmark events such as the Girl Scouts 100th anniversary!" cheered David, as Gaby and Julia breezed around the parking lot on test bikes.

Ronny, one of B-Rad's two very helpful Store Managers, was happy to pose for us.

The shop is open 7 days a week to serve its growing clientele. David hopes, "Individuals looking to reap the many rewards of a healthy bicycle riding lifestyle," will find a home at B-Rad's.

The girls from Troop 553 enthused about the, "fantastic group of peeps at B-Rad's who are always ready to support their community and provide us with a great place to buy a new bike or get the old one fixed up for summer."

"Pedal power!," chimed Julia and Gaby.

The beach cruiser donated by B-Rad's was a featured item in the silent auction at Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council's Annual Meeting. All the money raised funds Girl Scout camp scholarships for local Girl Scouts and girls from foster families, and helps repair and maintain the Council's camps.

You can visit B-Rad's Bike Stop at:

9022 Temescal Canyon Rd
Corona, CA 92883

(951) 444-7353
http://www.b-radsbikestop.com

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Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place.
To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, either as a volunteer or member, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

Do you like this story and want to use it for your blog or newsletter? All our stories may be freely reposted and shared with others! If you enjoyed this article please let us know by leaving a comment!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share?
Contact me, Katherine, at kli@gssgc.org!

Ms Pam Field, Director Soroptomist Association Cathedral City- Rancho Mirage (left), Amanda (center), and Ms. Silvia Signoret, President of For The Children foster care (right).

Amanda Jayasekara, a local Girl Scout, was honored by the Soroptimist International with the prestigious Violet Richardson Award for her commitment to volunteerism and the advancement of women.

"I feel like every step I take to make a difference, I take a step toward a better future," expressed Amanda, referring to the "Camp 4 Kids" project she helped lead, along with other volunteer experiences like Relay for Life.

The Soroptimist International clubs of Cathedral City-Rancho Mirage, La Quinta, Coachella Valley, Palm Desert and Palm Springs presented the award at the Classic Club in Palm Desert, Calif. Amanda received her Violet Richardson Award in a joint recognition ceremony with three other 2012 recipients from Coachella Valley communities.

Soroptimist International, a nonprofit organization headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, offers programs for social and economic improvement in the lives of women and girls. According to their website, "Programs include the Women's Opportunity Awards, which provides cash grants for head-of-household women seeking to improve their lives with the help of additional education and training." More than $1 million is disbursed through the program each year.

Started in 2000, the Violet Richardson Program offers a way to honor girls for their volunteer service to their communities. Young women between the ages of 14 and 17 are eligible to be chosen for recognition.

Amanda asserted that volunteering, "should come from your heart, the passion, the love and not for the sake of doing things or just to earn a name." A Cadette Girl Scout, she began volunteering at the age of 10 through her participation with Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio.

Amanda and her Girl Scout troop decided to volunteer baby-sit in support of "For the Children" foster care. The girls babysat once a month while children's parents were at meetings, allowing them to nurture individual relationships with the kids they watched.

"Each child had something unique in them that we discovered as we got to know each of them, "said Amanda, adding that, "A group of my friends and I felt so connected to these kids that we wanted their new parents to see what we saw and feel a connection between each other."

That's when they had the idea to take the foster families camping, a tradition deeply embedded in the Girl Scouting life.

The girls devised "Camp 4 Kids," a two-night camping event to be held at Hurkey Creek. Amanda and her friends met twice a week for months to pull their idea together.

"We wrote letters asking for sponsorship in helping us book the campsite, provide families with necessary equipment, food, and money to buy arts and crafts supply for kids," she explained, offering a glimpse into all the hard work and dedication involved.
Manori Jayasekara, Amanda's mom, believes it is her daughter's spirit of compassion which allows her to share her talents to impact fellow Girl Scouts and better their communities.

"Her ability to care unconditionally and spread this sense of welcome and caring to others allows her to share the most special parts of her - her values, character, and intellect!" said Manori.

Camp 4 Kids took place September 10, 2011, and was a great success. Amanda's project even earned her troop their Girl Scout Silver Award, the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can earn.

As leaders who showed organization, determination and dedication, Amanda and her troop improved their community and brought lasting change to those foster families.

It was Amanda's Girl Scout achievements and her many other acts of volunteerism, like visiting senior citizens' homes during Thanksgiving, Christmas caroling for those in need, and participating in food drives and toy drives that earned her the recognition of the Violet Richardson Award.

"I am proud to say that she loves what she does and that her commitment and 'think big' outlook on life has helped her to be where she is now!" said Manori, adding, "I am a happy mom knowing I have been blessed with the opportunity to support her and always remind her to believe in her choices and be the change she wants to see in the world."

Amanda Jayasekara, a Cadette Girl Scout, won the Violet Richardson Award and achieved her Girl Scout Silver Award.
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Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place.
To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, either as a volunteer or member, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at the www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

Do you like this story and want to use it for your blog or newsletter? All our stories may be freely reposted and shared with others! If you enjoyed this article please let us know by leaving a comment!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share?
Contact Katherine at kli@gssgc.org

Girl Scout Troop 803 bought $100 worth of new books and donated them to the Greater Hope Foundation's new Preschool in Barstow, California.

Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Troop 803 in Redlands, California, won the Best Cookie Marketing photo contest earlier this March. The girls were awarded $100 in troop funds, yet instead of using the money on themselves, they decided to help other children.

Terri Blomker, leader of Troop 803, said, "We took the one-hundred dollars we won from the marketing contest and purchased books tonight to give to a non-profit day care center."

The center, Greater Hope Preparatory School, in Barstow, California, is a newly-built preschool run by The Greater Hope Foundation. The school serves infants through children of 5 years of age.

Greater Hope is "a non-profit organization developed to provide services which foster the physical, intellectual, emotional, and social needs of abused, neglected, and troubled youth, together with the community."

Helena Smith, from the Greater Hope Foundation, thanked the girls for their, "Wonderful donation of children's books to our library at the new preschool."

The Great Hope Preparatory School in Barstow, California

Upon learning of the donation, the school's excitement led them to ask Troop 803 to join their grand opening celebrations and evening ribbon cutting ceremony on March 29.

Troop 803 is a diverse group of 13 girls, ages 5 to 14, and Troop Leaders. Five of the Girl Scouts can speak Spanish and one co-Leader, Debbie Anderson, even knows sign language. Debbie is hoping to teach the girls the Girl Scout Promise in sign language. Both the girls and their parents are dedicated to the Girl Scouting life.

"We've got the most awesome group of girls and awesome group of mommies - and daddies!" gushed Terri, adding that, "Every single parent is registered with the San Gorgonio Council to lead and is dedicated to their daughters' pursuits."

Six of the 13 girls made it to Cali Girl, an incentive level in the Cookie Program for girls who sell 750 or more boxes of Girl Scout cookies. When a girl's business reaches this level, she earns an amazing Disneyland experience and a spot at the top-sellers awards banquet.

The girls stand in the preschool's library, along with their contribution of new books.

This achievement is reached by only 10% of the San Gorgonio Council's girls who sell. To have nearly half of one troop reach this prestigious level is truly an amazing feat.

Additionally, all of the girls in Troop 803 sold 150 boxes or more. In total, the troop sold an astonishing 7,000 boxes of cookies. Not bad for a Girl Scout troop only two years old.

This wholehearted devotion to Girl Scouting is what lead to their victory in the Best Cookie Marketing photo contest.

Now, thanks to the girls' generosity, Greater Hope Preparatory School students will enjoy reading from 14 brand-new books.

The exact books they purchased remained a mystery until that night, giving the Greater Hope team more to look forward to.

"We were so surprised by their thoughtfulness. Even more surprising is that they personally picked each book. They were all smiles and willing to help," said Ms. Smith. She added, "It certainly was a lovely surprise!"

2011 Miss Barstow, Anne-Shirley Harpole, and 2011 Teen Miss Barstow, Juliet Manzanares, both appeared at the event to rally support for the new preschool. The girls of Troop 803 had the chance to meet the women and take pictures together.

Girl Scout Troop 803 with Miss Barstow, Anne-Shirley Harpole, and Teen Miss Barstow, Juliet Manzanares, at the Great Hope Preparatory School on March 29.

"They are doing so many amazing things and I really hope they keep up the great work," said Ms. Harpole.

Pageant life is deeply committed to community service and both Miss Barstow and Teen Miss Barstow presented themselves as excellent role models for any Girl Scout to hold in high regard .

The school also hosted a time capsule to commemorate the event, asking guests, families and children to bring items for inclusion. The girls decided on a photo collage of their Girl Scout troop for the capsule.

Troop 803's Leader was even asked to speak at the event that evening. "We especially enjoyed having Terri Blomker speak at the Ribbon Cutting," said a Greater Hope Foundation staff member.

Applause and appreciation met Troop 803 when they formally donated their contribution to the new preschool. "I was so proud of these girls, they did a great job," said Terri.

Girl Scouts hand-picked each book with love and care for the new preschool's library.
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Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place. To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at the www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

Do you like this story and want to use it for your blog or newsletter? All our stories may be freely reposted and shared with others! If you enjoyed this article please let us know by leaving a comment!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share?
Contact Katherine at kli@gssgc.org

Assemblyman Mike Morrell honors Girls Scouts of San Gorgonio with an award for Girl Scout's Centennial. Here he poses with Cynthia Harnisch Breunig, CEO and President of GSSGC, and Girl Scouts at the 2012 B.I.G. Expo.

In his latest newsletter to his constituents, California Assemblyman Mike Morrell (R-Rancho Cucamonga) honors Girl Scouts on their Centennial.

The assemblyman writes, "I am honored to join with so many others to say Congratulations on a long and prestigious history!"

Assemblyman Morrell himself has a prestigious history with Girl Scouts and knows the movement well.

When State Farm Insurance came together with the Girl Scouts to help create Easter baskets for the Foothill Family Shelter and Salvation Army of Redlands, the assemblyman--then a local business leader--jumped on board to support the project.

The assemblyman gave the keynote address to open the inaugural Believe in Girls Expo (B.I.G.) in 2010, where Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council brought together 3,000 girls at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

Assemblyman Mike Morrell speaks at the Believe In Girls Expo for Girl Scouts in Palm Springs, Calif.

He returned for the 2012 B.I.G., where he delivered inspirational remarks encouraging over 5,000 girls and volunteers to become leaders in their communities. Assemblyman Morrell stayed to tour the B.I.G. event hall, talk with girls, observe badge-earning activities and visit the scores of exhibits.

B.I.G. surely helped the assemblyman recognize the profound effect Girl Scouts can have on a local community.

As he observed in his newsletter: "The Girl Scouts are teaching the young women in our community to 'think big,' encouraging girls to have dreams and pursue them."

The Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council extend a sincere thank-you to Assemblyman Mike Morrell for his years of public service and dedicated support for the local Girl Scouts of the Inland Empire.
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Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place. To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at the www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

Do you like this story and want to use it for your blog or newsletter? All our stories may be freely reposted and shared with others! If you enjoyed this article please let us know by leaving a comment!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share?
Contact Katherine at kli@gssgc.org

Girl Scouts and volunteers write cards and pack boxes for military personnel at an ICare Packing Party on March 27, 2012.

Girl Scouts showed their patriotism and generosity at the San Gorgonio Council's four regional service centers in Redlands, Palm Desert, Murrieta and Victorville on March 27.

ICare Packing Parties hosted by the Council were attended by 755 local Girl Scouts and their families.

Diligently coloring a heart on her -Thank-You- card was Lydia, 9, who remembered "meeting some families who got the cookies last year and it felt really rewarding."

The conference rooms where each event took place quickly reached capacity. Energy and excitement filled the air. Above the chatter of Council members, girls, parents and volunteers played the patriotic melody of Lee Greenwood's Proud To Be An American.

Donated Girl Scout cookies for ICare packages. Riverside and San Bernardino donated 147,000 boxes of cookies in 2012.

Girl Scouts, helped by a Boy Scout or two, eagerly wrote cards, made new friends, and lovingly packed ICare boxes filled with Girl Scout cookies, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant and other personal necessities.

Citali, 12, submitting the ICare box she'd personally made, said, "I like sending boxes out because the troops do so much for us and we just want to thank them."

A photo presentation of last year's ICare mission played on a large projection screen in the background. Attendees could watch the video and be reminded of the accomplishments of previous years, adding fuel to their all-American work ethic.

Patriotic Daisies pose for a picture at the ICare Packing Party in Murrieta, Calif.

Girls of all ages participated and showed their support.

Thousands of Girl Scout cookie boxes were labeled with personalized stickers, hand-drawn by the girls, expressing sentiments such as "with love" and "thank you" in both English and Spanish.

Kiera, a plucky 13-year old, told us, "It helps many soldiers and it cheers them up because they are away from their families."

Girl Scout mom Monica Tentman had to work that evening, but her daughter was able to attend the event. She later wrote, on the San Gorgonio Council's Facebook wall, "Thank you for hosting such an awesome event! My daughter had a great time and I love the fact that this was very 'hands on' and the ICare program became tangible for her."

Adding a splash of color to their -thank you- cards for the troops, Girl Scouts work diligently with crayons and markers.

Having a closer relationship with our nation's heroes is exactly why each girl hand-writes cards and packs boxes. In addition to the care packages, girls signed their names and placed handprints on banners for the troops.

This year the amazing residents of Riverside and San Bernardino counties donated 147,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies.

"In spite of the economic climate, it warms my heart to see such a charitable spirit coming from our girls and the residents of our Council area," said Michael Wyatt, a member of the San Gorgonio Council product sales team and himself an honorary adult member of Girl Scouts.

Sending the basic necessities to troops abroad and at home.

Cookies and cards for our nation's heroes.

The ICare program demonstrates the power of community support and all it can offer to our nation's military.

Of the almost 150,000 boxes donated, Operation Gratitude will receive 77,000 boxes, USO will receive 27,000 and another 30,000 will be delivered to regional ICare partners such as the Ronald McDonald House, Rescue Mission and the Salvation Army.

Elizabeth Locke-Thomas, Council VP of Product Sales, noted that, "It is the good deeds we do, standing side by side, making the world a better place, that makes me proud to be a Girl Scout."

Girls showed off their Girl Scout pride with 100-Year Anniversary clothing.

Although many troops overseas will soon enjoy a sweet taste of home, much of the evening's focus fell on the families and friends of military personnel.

Kristin Freiberg, whose husband is deployed with the US Navy, attended the event with their daughter, Breanna, a Girl Scout for 3.5 years. They also have two sons.

Breanna said, "It was so much fun to make the banner with the hand prints!"

Her mom, Kristin, added, "The most touching part of the event was for us to be able to get our hands in there and write the cards and personally place the labels. We absolutely had the best time."

Many military families and friends are able to give hands-on support to loved ones through the ICare program.

Girl Scouts have stood to aid their country for 100 years.

Lt. Shane Freiberg has been member of the military for 18 years and is enjoying his first deployment at home.

He gives moral and spiritual support to sailors based out of nearby San Diego and can be assigned anywhere from one to five ships. He knew the ICare program would be the perfect morale booster.

"It was such a moving thing," said Kristin, "because we know how much this is really going to mean to the people who are serving."

A personal touch: Girl Scouts and volunteers make banners for our troops by adding a hand print and signing their name.

The average age of a sailor is only 18 or 19 years old; many are deployed far from home with little or no contact from families. Being uprooted is difficult and " although people show them support, they don't always understand what that's like," she said.

Kristin elaborated, "When they get a package and open it and know someone cares about them, it just means everything. To have that feeling of home."

Some 300 ICare boxes were packed for Lt. Freiberg's ship, but only he and the Captain know about them. The rest of the crew are in for a big surprise in the coming weeks.

Scouts showed the spirit of sisterhood at the ICare event.

There are many reasons to be proud of our nation's brave servicewomen and men, so the 950 volunteers that helped pack the ICare boxes certainly have a reason to be proud of themselves.

We asked some Girl Scouts what they would say if they met a soldier in person.

Sasha, 7, said, "I would say we really appreciate you and we're happy that you're keeping us safe."

"And - thank you - for saving our country and God bless," added Maiah, 10, sealing her ICare Package with tender loving care.

She made us smile by waving the flag for our women and men in uniform!
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Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place. To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at the www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

Do you like this story and want to use it for your blog or newsletter? All our stories may be freely reposted and shared with others! If you enjoyed this article please let us know by leaving a comment!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share?
Contact Katherine at kli@gssgc.org

C.A.P.S. and the Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council have partnered to create the very first after-school Girl Scout troop in the San Bernardino area.

On a chilly, overcast day at Jefferson Hunt Elementary in San Bernardino, CA, a diverse group of girls gather after school to participate in the state-funded CAPS (Creative Afterschool Programs for Success). All CAPS programs aspire to "enhance each student's academic, social, and emotional development," by providing guided before-school and after-school programming.

Jefferson Hunt's CAPS program allows students to enjoy of a wide variety of activities immediately after the academic day has ended, releasing parents from the worry of arranging transportation. On some days, the activities can run as late as 6:00 p.m.

Different options are offered to meet the varied interests of the kids; for athletes there are sports like soccer, baseball, flag football and softball, while scrapbooking, dance or singing lessons are available to students interested in the creative arts.

Enthusiastic new Girl Scouts show off their cookie clothes while working at their first Cookie Booth outside Jefferson Hunt Elementary School.

This year CAPS has partnered with the Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council to do something a little different: start a Girl Scout troop, where the teachers are the troop leaders and the students become Girl Scouts.

The CAPS Girl Scout troop is the first of its kind in the San Bernardino area. It's an experimental program that's somewhat unusual when compared with traditional Girl Scout pathways, all the while remaining true to the spirit of Girl Scouting. At the moment, this particular troop is only open to girls in the CAPS program.

The bell rings to signal the end of the school day, but amid the immediate rush of students headed home a group of 20 or so girls stay behind. These are the eager members of the first Jefferson Hunt Elementary Girl Scout troop. They enjoy a nutritious snack and complete some homework with the help of teachers, before gathering at the front of the school to work their Girl Scout cookie booth.

The girls sold every variety of Girl Scout cookie at their booth, including classics such as Thin Mints and Peanut Butter Sandwiches.

The girls have joined late in the Girl Scout year, which runs from August to September, but this hasn't put a damper on their first day as, "real Girl Scouts," says Tatiana.

"I joined Girl Scouts because I love to sell cookies and learn new skills," says Mia, a vibrant girl bursting with cookie-selling passion. In fact, the same level of energy could be seen and heard in all the girls who recognize this unique opportunity.

Tatiana, one of the first girls to sign up for the program, is literally jumping about with joy. "Our cookie selling is going pretty good!" she shouts, "I'm glad I joined Girl Scouts because it's a great way to gain new experiences."

Like all the CAPS Girl Scouts, this is Mia and Tatiana's very first cookie sale and their first time running a business. The girls will take turns operating their cookie booth for the rest of the week, earning them their first badges and covering the yearly Girl Scout registration fee for each member.

Although their belated start won't give them a full six weeks to sell, like other troops, the girls still manage to earn first-rate profits in a little over one week of selling. What's the secret ingredient in their business plan? Heaping spoonfuls of pure enthusiasm.

Znia, another new Girl Scout, says, "I'm living the dream and now I can become who I want to be."

The girls, part of the San Gorgonio Girl Scout Council, chanted "It's Cookie Time!" as they worked hard to earn their first badges.
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Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place. To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at the www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

Do you like this story and want to use it for your blog or newsletter? All our stories may be freely reposted and shared with others! If you enjoyed this article please let us know by leaving a comment!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share? Contact Katherine at kli@gssgc.org.

The "thank you" poster distributed by the Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council.

Blythe, CA, Saturday, March 3, 2012. As dawn broke on Saturday, March 3, San Gorgonio Council Rangers Brian Smith and Uwe Busch arrived at the Blythe Girl Scout House. They unloaded their truck and began setting up chairs and tables for a very special event: the grand reopening, ribbon cutting ceremony, and open house for a special place that had been vandalized, burned and nearly destroyed last fall.

By 7:30 a.m., Girl Scout leaders and Girl Scouts from Troops 240, 517 and 522--along with San Gorgonio staff members and Regional Chairwoman Beth Newton--had arrived and begun decorating tables, hanging banners and stocking a cookie booth, as well as setting up several different activities and displays in the backyard.

As guests began arriving at 9 a.m., each one was greeted warmly and welcomed by the volunteers and staff. Many of the visitors were already very familiar with their surroundings as they were members of the Blythe community that came together to rebuild the facility. One of the first arrivals was Craig Wiita, who rallied dozens of local citizens to support the renovation with labor, materials and monetary donations. Accompanying Craig was Raymond Hoover, a colleague from Wiita Mining and Exploration who devoted many hours to the Scout House reconstruction.

The girls show off their silly side inside their newly renovated Girl Scout House, complete with fresh coats of pain and colorful fixtures.

The grand reopening celebration, emceed by Linda Dominguez, director of membership and community development, began with the Girl Scout flag ceremony performed by Troop 517. The Girl Scout Promise followed with all scouts and honorary scouts raising three fingers in the Girl Scout Sign. Next, Cynthia Breunig, president and chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council, took the podium to greet the assembled guests. Cynthia set aside her prepared remarks and spoke from the heart about how moved she was by the outpouring of support from the Blythe community and the warm, positive atmosphere created in the Blythe Girl Scout House. She then quickly placed the spotlight on the people responsible for the new House, calling Craig Wiita to come forward for special recognition.

Cynthia presented Craig with a plaque of appreciation for his instrumental role in bringing together the resources to rebuild the Scout House. She announced that he had been made a Lifetime Member of Girl Scouts and presented a gold and diamond pin signifying his new status. Then one of Blythe's Girl Scouts stepped forward to present him with a thank-you remembrance from the local troops. As Craig took the microphone to spirited applause, his eyes glistened with emotion. Craig spoke of how honored he was by the recognition and how important it was for the girls to have a safe, nurturing place to gather and do their scout activities.

Maurice Playford, executive director of Sheltering Wings, stepped up to make an announcement. Maurice is the man responsible for landscaping, including the donation and installation of a six-station irrigation system. He explained that the small Indian Redwood tree in the front yard will be named the Craig Wiita Tree and that a suitable plaque will be placed beside it. He compared the tree to the Girl Scout Movement in Blythe: it begins life young, small and somewhat fragile; but will grow large and strong over the years.

City Councilmen Wayne Cusick, Joseph DeConinck and Mike Evans were in attendance. Before moving to the ribbon-cutting ceremony, they offered remarks of encouragement to the girls and assured them that the City of Blythe and the community at large stood with them as they embarked on their Girl Scout journeys. Mike even pulled a $100 bill from his pocket as an on-the-spot donation to help with the work yet to be accomplished in the back yard of the Scout House.

To end the ceremony, Cynthia and Craig wielded a giant pair of scissors and declared the Blythe Girl Scout House open. As soon as the ribbon was cut, scores of guests and girls streamed through the front door to admire the new facility. Inside, they found a beautifully decorated large meeting room with a couch, chairs, tables, brightly painted storage cabinets and walls covered with Girl Scout decorations. In the middle of the room stood a table loaded with boxes of the full 2012 cookie flavor catalogue. Girl Scouts greeted everyone and offered cookies for sale.

San Gorgonio Council Board President and CEO, Cynthia Breunig, and a local Girl Scout honor the man who made it all possible, Craig Wiita, as an honorary Girl Scout for life.

Moving toward the backyard, visitors exited the Scout House through a sparkling new kitchen. Outside they found a spacious, walled yard with a brick barbeque grill and activities to do in each of the four corners. The face painting was particularly popular and many guests could be seen sporting cacti, hearts, or flowers on their cheeks, hands and arms. Making more backyard improvements, including more plants, grass and walking paths, is the next project on tap for Craig and his community-minded crew.

As the Open House Celebration wound down, departing guests commented on what a beautiful and inspiring morning it had been. Everyone knew that something special had happened in Blythe and that generations of girls would be the beneficiaries.

Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place. To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at the www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

Do you like this story and want to use it for your blog or newsletter? All our stories may be freely reposted and shared with others! If you enjoyed this article please let us know by leaving a comment!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share? Contact Katherine at kli@gssgc.org.

One thing most folks think they know for sure: When you're a Girl Scout, you have to sell. It turns out that Girl Scouts participate in the Girl Scout Entrepreneurial Program; they don't just sell.

Each year the girls are offered a chance to participate in a Fall Products Sale and the Cookie Program. Each sale teaches girls invaluable life skills: sales and marketing, public relations, goal-setting, money management, communications, commitment and community service. Summed up, life is selling --a fact every one comes to know, but one that more and more kids don't realize until after college.

Participation in Council-sponsored Product Sales Programs is plays an important role in the Girl Scouting life. In addition to the life lessons learned, these programs also fund troop activities and trips, camp opportunities, volunteer training, and Council operations that support the girls.

Each girl is encouraged to participate in all aspects of the Product Sales Program. But if she is part of troop, a girl with strong money management skills might focus on keeping the troop's "books, " while her sister scout does more of the direct selling.

For those not a part of Girl Scouts, and even some Girl Scout adult volunteers, the true benefit, meaning, and experience of the sales can be difficult to see. To gain a better understanding, I interviewed the top three Fall sellers from last year, Jasmine Perkins ( Girl Scout Ambassador), Dakota Gregory (Girl Scout Cadette), and Elizabeth Howard (Girl Scout Brownie).

Fall Products Sale is a training program to prepare girls for the much larger, much more competitive Cookie Season. I called on them to congratulate their achievements, as well as to learn more about the industriousness it took to make it to the top. In this last week of the 2012 Cookie Program, perhaps their words will inspire other Scouts to reach for their goals in the home stretch.

1. Congratulations! You made the Top 3 Sellers List last fall - and you were the Top Seller in your age group - Tell me about your selling strategy.

E: "I asked anybody that would listen to me: my family, teachers and all my friends."

D: "To ask as many people as we can and put in effort consistently over the course of the sale. Always keeping the eye on the prize!"

J: "Everyone has a different way of doing things- and everyone has their own way of selling. Not everyone can use the same strategy that someone else used, while one person's strategy is another person's victory. However, there are some things that anyone can use: resilience and passion."

2. When you discovered you'd become the Top Seller, how did that make you feel?

E: "I was really excited, because I wanted to be a top seller. I screamed really loud!"

D: "Proud! And very loved! As I know I could not have reached these accomplishments without the love and support of my family. I was also very happy for Jasmine and Elizabeth!"

J: "I actually didn't think I was going to be the Top Seller. I knew I had worked very hard and that I wanted to be in the top, but I doubted myself capable of being the Top Seller. When I found out, I was so excited, happy, relieved, and honored. I was excited to have achieved my goal and relieved that all of the hard work paid off. I was happy to have spent my last Fall Product Sale in Girl Scouts as successfully as I did, and honored to be representing the Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio and other scouts. It was truly an amazing experience and it was worth the hard work to earn it."

3. Did you have a specific goal when you started?

E: "I just wanted to sell a lot so I could get all the fun prizes."

D: "I did want to top my own sales from the year before but, I really just focused on trying to do as many items as possible. I also set my Military Donations as a Priority. Ever since I got to pack boxes for our men and women serving our country, as well as shake hands with soldiers deploying. Being able to hand them and their families a delicious treat from Girl Scouts to say, 'Thank you for all you do for our country,' was a huge honor. This is will continue to be a passion for me to continue in supporting and giving back to them."

J: "I wanted to be the Top Seller in our Council. I have been a top Seller for Girl Scout cookies, but I never sold as much in Fall product. My primary goal was to have fun and enjoy my last sale as a Scout, and then to be the Top Seller."

Elizabeth, Top Fall seller and proud Brownie Girl Scout, poses in full uniform.

4. Tell me about the reward you received, both personally and from Council. Were they worth the time and effort?

E: "I liked all the prizes I got. I really like the tattoo kit. My favoritist part was going on stage with Miss E. at the BIG Expo. I loved being in the fashion show. That was the bestest. Yes, it was worth it."

D: "Council rewards: I really liked the GS pillow case and T-Shirt, and I use my Nutty Dough towards my Extended Troop Trip.
At the Personal/Troop level - We used the $1.00 per item or 10% per magazine towards our trip on the Alaskan Cruise set for Sept 2012. My efforts go directly to getting myself to this exciting adventure. I can not wait to take this once in a life-time journey with my friends!"

J: "I got some really nifty stuff from Council: a VIP pass to BIG, the cape, a nicely framed award, a free weekend at camp, and an amazing Girl-Scout-Canopy. Aside from the super awesome cape and award, I gained a lot of experience through the sale. I had to try different methods of selling, and each one taught me something new. I was exposed to various business techniques that I had not used before and some that I was a little intimidated by (such as sending out emails). But there is something even more than these. There are two very particular instances that I would like to talk about. The first occurred during the sale.

'The first instance I would like to talk about was one that I came across at B.I.G Expo. While I was volunteering- yes, I was volunteering even though I was a s VIP, a woman came up to me and started to thank me. When I asked her what for, she told me that I had inspired her girls to do so much more and that I gave them more interest in Girl Scouts; it was cool again. She told me that they wanted to sell even more cookies and that she wanted to do more in Girl Scouts. The girls were amazed at the mere fact that an older girl was a top seller- and she had purple hair! I had never even thought about or considered my impact on the younger girls. I didn't think I made that big of a difference, to be honest. But these words told me otherwise. I will not forget talking to that mom and I hope that I can inspire girls to do their best too. This personal reward was well worth every moment and I would never surrender it.'
My second case came about during the actual Fall Sale. Along the way, I found a former Girl Scout. Here is the letter that I received after talking to and delivering a 100th Anniversary tin to her. This is not just her story."

5. Team work is an essential aspect of Girl Scouts, how much support did you receive from family and friends?

E: "A lot! My mommy and daddy help me with everything I do. All of my family always buy from me to help me make my goals. All my friends cheered for me when I got my award at BIG."

D: "My Mom and I are a GREAT TEAM! When I feel to overwhelmed with school work she helps me with my sales to keep the balance. I inspire her to keep going too, we lift each other up."

J: "I was in awe at how much support I had from my family and friends. When I told my mom my goal, she said "Alright, let's do it!" My dad thought it would be a fun challenge and helped out too. Even my special needs brother supported me and pushed me forward. My friends were also a huge wave of support. My three fellow Girl Scouts knew what my goal was and encouraged me to reach it. Last, but most certainly not least, "E" helped me achieve my goals. Her words inspired me to do great things and urged me forward. She too was aware of my goals and wanted to help make it happen. I want to thank her, and everyone else who believed in me."

6. What role did your Girl Scout troop play in your success? Did you help each other out? If yes, in what ways did you inspire each other?

E: "My leader, Miss Elaine, always tells us how good we are doing and gives us ideas on how to get more sales."

D: "I went door to door with some members of my troop to try to encourage them in their goals; we did great as a team. The girls at least reached patch level and we enjoyed our time together. Mostly during Fall Sale it is individual - as some think it is too hard to sell these items. The nuts and candy may not sell themselves like the cookies do, but many people we ask never even knew we sold these things and are excited to try something new."

J: "To be honest, the other girls in my troop didn't participate much in the sale. They encouraged me and I tried to help them, but I was on my own as far as the sale went. But this was not going to get me down. I wanted to make them proud."

Dakota, a San Gorgonio Council Top Three Seller is nuts for Girl Scouts!

7. What do you think you've learned from your experience as a Girl Scout? Do you have any future Girl Scout goals?

E: "I've learned a whole bunch. We are learning about how to save water at our meetings. I love to learn about camping. I really like to cook our Brownie Stew. When I grow up, I want to be a counselor at Girl Scout camp like Trumpet and Hot Tamale. I want to sell a lot of nuts and cookies the next years, so I can earn enough to go to San Fransisco and walk across the big bridge."

D: "I have learned everything from Fencing to Financial Literacy. Camping, Horseback Riding, Kayaking, Whale Watching,and gone to see the Blue Man Group are just a few things my troop and I have done together. I have gotten to learn and try new things that I would never have been able to do if I was not in Girl Scouts."

J: "I've written essays on this topic for university because Girl Scouts has been such an irreplaceable factor of my life.'

'My passion for Girl Scouts, and what I have learned through it, leads me to stay connected, utilize those skills in my future, and live my life as a scout. I plan on earning a degree in business because of the talents and skills scouts has given me, and for helping me find who I am. Through the years, I learned how to use money, advertise, devote myself to sales, utilize time management, and found what courage, resilience, and commitment really are. I want to chase my gift in business and one of my dreams is to become a successful business woman that works for a cause. I learned that I am good at something and that I can do whatever I set my goals for. I will be able to take both and help the world.

'Ten years later, I still want to stay involved with Girl Scouts. I interned over the summer and enjoyed every department. One goal now, is to harvest my values as a leader. I used to be a timid, quiet girl who stood back as others lead me- but not anymore. I know girls can do great things, as I have come to discover, connect, and take action in my community. I have become a lady of distinction for my troop, my community, and for other Girls Scouts who look up to me for my accomplishments. I want to teach girls as a troop leader. I want to help them undergo a metamorphosis and grasp their true talents.
I know I will miss Girl Scouts, but even if I am too old to participate, I will always be a scout at heart. I will serve God and my country, help people at all times, and forever live by the Girl Scout Law.'"

8. What advice would you give other girls who become frustrated, discouraged, or unmotivated with their sales?

E: "I would tell them its OK, you can make your goal. You just have to ask everybody you see."

D: "Setting small goals everyday is the best tip. Like, I will talk to one person today or call one family member. You can not reach the really big goals without reaching a lot of little ones along the way. It is work but, worth it. Just staying active in the trying gets you to your goals. Stay happy with little things to re-motivate yourself like get ice cream if you had a great sale day."

J: "Please don't ever give up. I have had some really tough times, and as cookie sales progress, I feel myself frustrated and unmotivated. I am a full time High School student during the day with classes such as Calculus, Anatomy and Physiology, and Government. I am a part-time college student at night too; I am currently taking Sociology and English 1B. I also get tutoring on Tuesdays so that I can stay ahead of the game. If that's not enough, I am also doing cookie booths almost every day until 8 at night.

'Sales have been so slow, and it seems hopeless. I wanted to have the best Cookie Sale ever because I will never get to have one again, but everything is trying to break me. I have sold in snow, wind, rain, and droughts. I have sold through lightning and thunder storms. I have been through the barren days and others full of "No Thank You's." I've even been in two car accidents while transporting cookies form booth sales!

'Even though it is tough, I still have fun. When I am with my troop, my friends, my sisters- I know that everything is okay. I have the support I need to keep going and I won't give up. It's just one season! You will have more to go and each time you will learn something new. For every one person that says "yes", there will be 99 that say "no". But no is not an option. Don't ever let someone else get you down. You make the choice to stand on your two feet and make the most of every second you can! When you look back at this in the future, you will see why it was worth it. Girl Scouts lets girls do great things- just remember that and strive to succeed."

Elizabeth made an impressive $1,700.00 in sales; Dakota earned $2,452.00 for her troop and council; the number one Fall Top Seller was Jasmine, who brought in an amazing $2,861.00!

Jasmine is the number 1 Top 2011 Fall Seller for GSSGC. Here she poses with her life-long loyal customer, who has purchased Girl Scout cookies from her each year since she first became a Girl Scout. Jasmine offers a warm, "Thank you, Mr. Mallard."

BLYTHE, CA - February 28, 2012 - A ribbon cutting ceremony and grand rededication of the Blythe Girl Scout House, 324 North Third Street in Blythe, is set for Saturday Mar. 3, 2012 at 9:30 a.m. There will be an open house from 9 a.m. to noon.

The Scout House had been shuttered for several months waiting for needed repairs, when it was attacked by vandals on Sep. 19, 2011. They broke into the house by smashing the kitchen window, and proceeded to desecrate the property with graffiti and excrement, before setting fire to the building.

Damage from the two-day attack was estimated to be in the thousands and the insurance company refused to cover losses, since the property had been unoccupied prior to the vandalism.

Before the senseless destruction, the Blythe Scout House was a beloved center for Girl Scouts of all ages. Little girls would create arts and crafts; enjoy snacks in the little kitchen and cross the miniature white bridge to signify their transition from one Girl Scout level to the next. Out of the ashes of this heartbreaking event grew a more united community, stronger than ever before.

A local business leader, Craig Wiita, read about the incident and volunteered his services, taking responsibility for reconstruction and organizing other volunteers from throughout the area. Assisted by rangers from Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council, Wiita and his volunteer crew cleaned up the damage and remodeled the house on their own time.

Wiita had this to offer, "Thank you to everyone who came out to help us with this great project. See, Blythe, this proves we can tackle a project, even one of this size, and get it done. The Girl Scout House is looking fantastic inside and out." The new scout house is a modern facility where Girl Scouts and volunteers can meet and participate in Scouting activities.

The ribbon-cutting and open house celebration honors and commemorates the industriousness and dedication of scores of community members who came together and rebuilt the Blythe Girl Scout House.

Troop 16, comprised of Girl Scout Daisies, ages 5-7, spent the afternoon cleaning up after messy patrons at the Wildwood Park in Yucaipa, CA.

On World Thinking Day, February 22, residents of the Inland Empire learned that even the littlest Daisy can make a big difference. Five Daisy Scouts from Troop 16 came together at Wildwood Park in Yucaipa, CA, to clean up a favorite neighborhood locale.

Four adult volunteers and three additional kids joined to help with the pick-up. Shannon McLaughlin, leader of Troop 16, coordinated the clean-up after the girls expressed a wish to work together, rather than do independent projects to earn their 2012 World Thinking Day patch.

All Girl Scouts of the USA honor their sister scouts and guides around the world on this globally recognized holiday. The theme of World Thinking Day 2012 was for all girls to declare, "We can save our planet!"

The Daisy troop's assistant leader, Tricia Murphy, stepped-up to the challenge and led the scouts and volunteers in the park project.

"It went great and we had a lot of fun," said Murphy.

Sydney, a Daisy scout, after 45 minutes of removing rubbish, refused to throw her collection bag away. Her mom says, "she wanted to keep picking up trash!"

All the girls showed an equal amount of enthusiasm for their work. After they cleaned up, the girls enjoyed snacks and took advantage of the sunny day to climb some trees.

Girl Scouts hard at work on February 22, 2012, World Thinking Day. This year's theme was "We can save our planet."

As a community project, the girls reached out to local residents who could see firsthand their commitment to the environment. In addition, some girls also completed work at home.

One Daisy in particular researched endangered animals, prompting her to learn more about green sea turtles and how we, as responsible citizens of the planet, can help save them.

This year's World Thinking Day theme also corresponds with the Girl Scouts' 100th Anniversary Take Action Project - Girl Scouts Forever Green - where girls challenge themselves to reduce waste and develop creative conservation projects. Rain gardens and recycling programs are just two development missions suggested by Girl Scouts USA.

The girls honored their founder, Juliette Gordon Low, who was herself an avid lover of nature and the outdoors, with their hard work and dedication. By doing their part to care for the Earth, the scouts recognized their powerful sisterhood around the globe and made a difference in their community.

Troop 16, we thank you for your service.

In tribute to the Girl Scout founder, Juliette Low, these Daisies enjoy some good, old-fashioned tree climbing away from their televisions and video game screens.

by Katherine Li
kli@gssgc.org

Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place. To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at the www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

Do you like this story and want to use it for your blog or newsletter? All our stories may be freely reposted and shared with others!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share? Contact Katherine at kli@gssgc.org.

If you enjoyed this article, please leave a comment and spark some discussion!

Miss Bailee "the Cookie Rookie," age 8, from Riverside, CA, wins the San Gorgonio Council's 2012 Best Walk-About or Lemonade Stand Photo Contest

Miss Bailee "the Cookie Rookie," age 8, from Riverside, CA, could barely stay seated in anticipation of her award and grand prize: a shiny, new iPod Touch.

Winner of the Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council's Best Walk-About or Lemonade Stand Photo Contest, this little jitterbug orchestrated a landslide win - capturing 265 votes to victory. Her closest contender, Raelynn of Big Bear Lake, CA, collected a noteworthy 186 votes. According to contest rules, participants could only vote once and votes were authenticated as they were tallied.

The winning photograph showcases Bailee, holding up a package of Thanks-A-Lots, beside her first-ever "Lemonade" stand. A Girl Scout only since September, she is already making a name for herself.

The winning photograph: Bailee beside her "Lemonade" stand.

"She sold over 30 boxes in two hours!" boasted Leann, a very proud mom, indeed.

At 655 boxes to date, Miss Bailee is just shy one-hundred boxes of reaching Cali Girl. And there's no doubt this new Girl Scout will strike her 750-box target soon.

Bailee owes her victory to the love and support of family members across the globe. On the last night of voting, while Southern California peacefully slumbered, her faithful relatives in the Philippines casted their own votes, catapulting her to triumph the next morning.

Bailee's gratitude extends far beyond geographic boundaries and, with a shy smile, she proffered her family a warm, "Thank you for voting for me."

The contest winner was presented with a colorful award honoring her achievement by the Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council's President and CEO, Cynthia Harnisch Breunig. Joining Cynthia in honoring Bailee's accomplishment was Elizabeth "E" Locke-Thomas, VP of Retail and Product Sales, best known around town as the "Cookie Queen."

Cynthia Harnisch, President and CEO, and Elizabeth "E" Locke-Thomas, VP of Sales, present Bailee with her prize.

Bailee has a quiet moment with GSSGC's CEO Cynthia Harnisch, comparing badges they've both earned.

During the ceremony little-sister Kenlee began to feel left out, but the gift of a Brownie vest with plenty of room to grow brought a huge smile to her face.
While Bailee most surely admired her award, the real excitement came with the presentation of a brand-new iPod Touch. The freshly polished prize was engraved: I rock, therefore I am. GIRL SCOUTS ROCK!

"I'm going to play with it as soon as I get home," she declared, "and put lots of music on it."

When asked if she was a Justin Bieber fan, Bailee shook her head, "No way!" Yet a playful twinkle could be seen in her eye.

The grand prize: a shiny, commemorative iPod Touch.

After the award ceremony the entire family took a guided tour of the Council. "E" led the way, introducing them to the Council staff, while brother Noah explored the property with his sister, energetically leaping up stairs and trying out the multicolored sofa cushions in the upstairs visitor's area.

Chris, Bailee's father, was also very pleased with his daughter's Girl Scout work.
"It's great because it's competitive," he affirmed about the Girl Scout Cookie Program. As a dad, he loves a little competition.

Bailee and her brother, Noah, explore the local Girl Scouts Council facility.

During the tour Bailee shook hands with several key Council members. Each was impressed with her work ethic, positive attitude, and ambitious goals.

At the end of the night, Bailee was asked what she looked forward to the most.
She answered, "My favorite thing about Girl Scouts is to go camping!" Bailee and her mom are excited to sign-up for camp later this year.

by Katherine Li
kli@gssgc.org

Bailee with her dad, Chris, mom, Leann, brother, Noah, and little sister Kenlee.

A week later, Bailee returns to her Cookie Booth, determined to make Cali Girl this year!

Click to see more photos from this event at GSSGCGirls Flickr page.

Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place. To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at the www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

Do you like this story and want to use it for your blog or newsletter? All our stories may be freely reposted and shared with others!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share? Contact Katherine at kli@gssgc.org.

Did you enjoy this article? Please leave a comment and spark some discussion.

Volunteers at the Burgess Mega Drop in Riverside prepare for 7 hours of Girl Scout cookie pick-ups on Saturday, January 28, 2012.

Mega Drop, it's why you can experience the delightfully soft, chewy and gooey caramel of a Caramel deLight on your tongue. The refreshing crisp of a Thin Mint. The melt-in-your-mouth crumble of sweet shortbread and tangy lemon icing known as Lemonades. You know what I'm talking about - Girl Scout cookies.

For a brief, but magical, eight weeks out of the year you can forget about your diet. It is, after all, cookie season. But have you ever wondered just how that cookie gets to you?
Without Mega Drops, your local Girl Scout could not entice you with her wagon full of delicious Shout Outs! and Peanut Butter Sandwiches.

A forklift driver moves a pallet of Thanks-A-Lot Girl Scout cookies into place during the early morning hours of Mega Drop Saturday.

Mega Drop Saturday was January 28th and the Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council distributed 127,000 cases of Girl Scout cookies at six of these large-scale cookie pick-ups in Riverside, Victorville, Thermal, Yucaipa, Lake Elsinore, and Morongo. That's over 1.5 million boxes of cookies loaded into cars, horse trailers, U-Haul trucks, motor homes--even school buses--in just over 7 hours! Volunteers, Board Members and Council staff braved the brisk morning air with a 6:30AM arrival, erecting pop-up tents, chairs, and tables in preparation for the 8:00AM traffic.

Girl Scout volunteer, Emma, said of her participation, "Mega drop was 'Mega' awesome. It was amazing to be a part of something so exciting, it was really hard work but I felt important, we all did, to be a part of something so MEGA."


Girl Scouts Jenny and Emma take a moment to pose for the camera. The girls worked hard to get Cookie Season off to a running start.

All troops received their initial cookie orders on Saturday to allow equal opportunity for walkabout selling, which started the next day. To have an idea of the efficiency of this operation, between eight to 16 troops had their orders swiftly transferred from pallet to vehicle - within minutes. By end, the pick-up rate averaged 172 cases per minute. At the Riverside Mega Drop, there were eight stations, each dedicated to a single variety of cookie. Cars pulled up to each station, a "walker called out the number of cases, and "pullers" loaded cookies into the vehicles, while drivers remained seated and checked off each delivery.

The difference between success and failure in this operation unquestionably rested in the diligent hands and feet of the volunteers. Some 400 Girl Scouts and supporters showed up to help. And then there were the "Mega Minds."

Girls need to eat, too! Hungry volunteers, girls and boys, break for a delicious catered lunch.

A Mega Mind is like an orchestra conductor, keeping all the sections working in harmony. The beloved "E", Elizabeth Locke-Thomas VP of Retail & Product Sales, mega-minded over all six Mega Drops, while a few amazing regional volunteers - Kimberly Romero, Phyllis Dailey, Elaine Lambert, Tracey Knox, Susan Schulze, Susan Wade, and Carolyn Crisco - coordinated their individual Mega Drops. The Girl Scouts and residents of San Gorgonio County have these brave and devoted volunteers to thank for their mega efforts at the various drop sites.

"The beauty of watching the sun rise over a mountain of cookies is like watching the possibilities rise in the sky. Cookies help our girls reach goals that many feel are only dreams," said "E."

Mega-Mega Mind "E" directs all six Mega Drops within the San Gorgonio Council's area.

In-between the Peanut Butter Sandwiches she continued, "A cookie can make 'anything' a reality and it starts on Mega Drop day when our cookies are distributed. It takes hundreds of hands, hard work and a can-do attitude. But isn't that just like life, where anything worth having is worth the effort it takes to achieve?"

Kalista Imaging donated their services to document the event with snapshots and an incredible time-lapse video capturing the organized frenzy over the Burgess Mega Drop in Riverside.

One could wander between the pallets of cookies, some as tall as eight feet, and believe this was cookie heaven, yet the truth is much sweeter. A "dead drop" is the espionage term for covertly exchanging messages between spies. A Mega Drop is the behind-the-scenes equivalent of exchanging cookies for opportunities.

Team work was necessary in order to get over 1.5 million cookies out into the public within seven short hours.

Every year millions of cookies are transported from ABC Bakers into the expectant arms of a hungry Inland Empire. The money raised by the Cookie Program funds individual troops, girl incentives, Council programs, volunteer training, camps, travel experiences and much more. Every penny, after the baker is paid, stays in the San Gorgonio Council area.

In addition, each girl learns business ethics, goal setting, money management, people skills, and decision making through active engagement. A Girl Scout cookie can do so many amazing things, making purchasing several boxes of the sweet treats a not-so-guilty pleasure after all.

If you've already had your fill of Peanut Butter Patties, make a donation to purchase a box of Thanks-A-Lots for our troops overseas, local emergency service providers, and charities through the Girl Scout I-Care program. If you can't eat them, treat them! Mega Drops deliver more than just cookies; they deliver girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.

by Katherine Li
kli@gssgc.org

Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place.

To see what moving 127,000 cases of Girl Scout cookies in seven hours looks like, check out the Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio's YouTube time-lapse video

Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio builds girls of courage, confidence and character who help make the world a better place. To find out how you can get involved with Girl Scouts, call 1-800-400-GIRL (4475) or visit us online at www.girlscoutssangorgonio.org.

Do you like this story and want to use it for your blog or newsletter? All our stories may be freely reposted and shared with others!

Do you have a great Girl Scout story to share? Contact Katherine at kli@gssgc.org.

Did you enjoy this article? Please leave a comment and spark some discussion!