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THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

Dear Friend,

I want to thank you for the many ways you continue to support Girl Scouts of Buckeye Trails Council and our programs. The challenging reality of life today is that, in every community, the needs are growing faster than the resources available to help. 

One way you can support our programs and scores of other community services is through the United Way. United Way agencies provide essential services. Without community support some of these programs are in jeopardy of not being there when people need them.
Please see the United Way website to learn more about how vital your support is to thousands in our community. 

As always, thanks for helping make a difference.

Sincerely, Ann Granger, CEO

Report of the National Convention

Our council delegation has returned from the National Convention in Atlanta excited about the direction that Girl Scouts is taking for the future of the organization. The most important thing they learned from their experience was that Girl Scouts is so much more than just their own local experience!

Girl Scouts and WGBH Public Television: Helping Girls to Meet the Global Health Challenge

Girl Scouts of the USA and WGBH Educational Foundation have partnered to help girls to become ambassadors of good health to their communities, both local and global.

This project will kick off with the series Rx for Child Survival: A Global Health Challenge which premieres on PBS on November 1-3, 2005 (check your local listings). More information...

Girl Awards Event

We have some exciting news to share about the 2006 Gold and Silver Ceremony. This year, the ceremony will include recognition of Gold, Silver, and Bronze Girl Scout Award winners as well as the 2006 Girl Scouts of Buckeye Trails Scholarship recipients. This celebration of outstanding Girl Scout achievement will take place on Sunday, March 26, 2006. Look for more information to come.

PAMPERED CAMPER EVENT BIG SUCCESS

On September 17, 2005 135 women came together at Camp Whip-Poor-Will for Pampered Camper a Women's Retreat. The weekend was filled with activities from Challenge Course, horseback riding, Tai Chi, Masterful Gardening, Belly Dancing, chair massage, hand scrubs, aromatherapy and sushi rolling. There was truly something for everyone.  More information...

We appreciate all our sponsors for this year's Pampered Camper, especially National City Bank, our lead sponsor.  With their financial assistance and the dedicated work of the committee, Pampered Camper raised more than $17,000 for financial scholarships for membership fees, program fees, day camp and summer camp opportunities. 

We have already begun gearing up for next year's Pampered Camper, which we are expecting to be a sell out.  Please mark your calendars early, Pampered Camper 2006 will be Saturday, September 16, 2006. 

If you are interested in receiving more information about Pampered Camper or serving on the committee, please email toni_shade@btgirlscouts.org or call (937) 279-6543.

NEW BUCKEYE TRAILS UNIVERSITY CATALOG FOR JANUARY-JUNE, 2006

The new Buckeye Trails University catalog of adult training opportunities is in production and will be in the mail the week of November 14. The new edition when available will also be posted on the council website.

Adult awards deadline

Calling All Writers!

The Ohio Center for the Book at the Cleveland Public Library is seeking Ohio students in grades 4th through 12th for a national writing contest. Would you help us "get the word out" to the Girl Scouts in Ohio? This would be a terrific project for the girls complete for one of their badges. Deadline for entries is December 1, 2005. More information……

The GirlChild Press Project (funded in part by the Prince George's Arts Council) presents: Growing Up Girl: An Anthology of Voices from Marginalized Spaces Edited by: Michelle Sewell The anthology will feature a collection of poems, essays, and short stories from girls and young women (Under 30). Individuals may submit up to three pieces (short stories/essays.) More information…..

HURRICANE KATRINA -  HOW YOU CAN HELP Below is a message from Jackie Alexander, Chief Executive Officer of the Girl Scout Council of Southeast LA which was sent as a letter to Council CEOs with thoughts on how you can help.   Dear Sister Girl Scouts:   As you know, the Girl Scouts in Southeast Louisiana have been facing - and will continue to face - inordinate challenges. Some area girls are still missing family members or have lost treasured pets. Some of our girls' families' homes will have to be bulldozed as a result of the water and wind damage – or are months away from being habitable. Many girls have lost all of their possessions. Others have been displaced and are starting over, away from their lifelong friends, in a new school, in an unfamiliar location. Area families are facing unemployment, homelessness and a host of problems most thought they would never face.  More information on how you can help...

Mark Your Calendars for COTC 2006

The leaves are dropping and the distinctive nip of fall and winter is in the air but we have our sights on Spring and Council Operated Troop Camp (COTC) 2006 and it will be bigger and better than ever.  The planning is underway and the dates to mark on your calendar are April 28th – April 30th.  This is a great opportunity for experienced and non-experienced campers alike to recreate at our wonderful properties and participate in some of the finest programming that we offer. Watch for more information to come.

Camp Ambassadors

Our camp ambassadors are getting ready to rock and roll with visits to service units, troops and any special events that arise.  We are always looking for more camp ambassadors to join our group.  This is a group of "camp brats" …girls that are so excited about camp they want to spread the word to other girls and get them excited to attend summer camp in 2006.

If you would like to become a Camp Ambassador  OR have the camp ambassador team visit your troop, service unit meeting, leader meeting or special event - call Patti Davy at 800-233-4845, 937-279-6521 or email at patti_davy@btgirlscouts.org

Camp Facilities Price Increase and Deposits

No doubt everyone is feeling the effects of rising energy, heating and fuel oil costs and Buckeye Trails is no exception.  We always endeavor to maintain our properties and programs at a high level of quality for as low a cost to you as we possibly can. 

Although we have been successful in not having to increase prices for any of our facilities in the past few years, rising maintenance, equipment and heating and cooling costs dictate that we begin to offset these overruns with some modest increases which will take effect in October of 2006.
The new rates effective October 2006. More information...

NEW AT Camp Whip-Poor-Will – BIRD BLIND

Jenny Crist created a beautiful area outside of the bird blind for her Bronze Award.  Jenny placed bird houses in front and information inside to create a spot for nature lovers to watch the birds fly in and feed.  If you would like to donate bird food to the bird blind – just bring it to WPW and Ranger Blake will see to it that it gets put in the rubber container. Thanks Jenny for a great bird watching spot!

Camp Confirmation Packets

Beginning January 1, 2006, confirmation packets will be emailed to the camp requester in an Adobe pdf format to help cut costs and save trees. This information is very important and should be read by all who reserve a camp site. Those that do not have email access will still receive theirs in the mail. Thanks for helping us to work faster and in a more environmentally friendly way.