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iT'S GIRL SCOUT COOKIE TIME

Dear Friends,

We have survived January without snow and cold weather, here is hoping that the groundhog didn't see his shadow! It would be great to have a warm day for Cookie delivery. 
 
This unseasonable weather has provided a good opportunity for the construction of the new facility to progress. Much of the foundation and concrete work has been completed and the framing should begin in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, the staff has begun cleaning and removing "stuff" from our many lockers and cubby holes in preparation for our big move-in date. We are all excited that we will have such a beautiful place for our Girl Scouts. Remember, you can check on the building by clicking on to our website .
 
GSUSA is progressing with their Realignment plans for all Girl Scout councils. This is a major change initiative that will impact every organization as they seek to consolidate operations and enhance the effectiveness of girl programming. This month, Debbie Watts and I will be representing our Council at a statewide meeting on February 14th to begin addressing the impact this will have on Ohio councils.  At the end of the month, we will attend the National GS meeting where the preliminary recommendations for mergers will be presented.  Councils will have until June 1st to submit their response and recommendations to GSUSA. The national board will review this information during the summer and approve the final implementation plan in August. For more details please continue to go to the Core Business Strategy site.

We are saddened by the news that Barbara Foley, a former Executive Director of Buckeye Trails passed away in December. Barbara led this council during much of the 1980's and continued her Girl Scout career at the Girl Scout Council of San Francisco. She was inducted into the Buckeye Trails Hall of Fame in 2003 for her outstanding contributions to Girl Scouting.

Ann Granger, CEO

Girl Scouts promote healthy living for girls

Girls Aspire to be "Normal Healthy" According to New Girl Scout Research Institute Study

A new Girl Scout Research Institute study sheds light on the childhood obesity crisis by asking girls directly how they define health and what motivates them to lead a healthier lifestyle.

The study, which brings the voice of girls to the forefront of the conversation on childhood obesity for the first time, finds that girls are in many ways ahead of the curve, using a varied, complex set of norms to define health. Today's girls are defining "health" on their own terms, placing the same value on emotional well-being and self-esteem as they do on diet and exercise. For girls, being healthy is more than just eating right and exercising; it is also about feeling good about oneself and being supported by family and peers.

Girls say that efforts to reduce childhood and adolescent obesity that focus solely on nutrition or physical activity miss the mark. "This research gives us a window into girls' view on health and it illustrates conflicting messages they receive from peers, parents and the media," says Dr. Lilian Cheung, lecturer and director of health promotion and communication for the Harvard School of Public Health's Department of Nutrition and also an advisor to the study. "The study will help us advance research and strategies that potentially help control obesity and instill healthy lifestyles among Girl Scouts as well as girls and families nationwide."

Learn more about what girls said….

Buckeye Trails Hall of Fame Honorees Announced

This year the WINGS (Women INvesting in Girl Scouts) selection committee has chosen nine extraordinary Girl Scouts to be inducted into the Buckeye Trails Hall of Fame. Initiated in 2002, this esteemed award honors Girl Scouts who, as adults, have made a significant impact on Girl Scouting within Buckeye Trails Council or who credit Girl Scouts for contributing to their success and accomplishments.

Juanita Woollard Atherton (posthumous), Rose Alexander, Frances McGee-Cromartie, Pat Koziar, and Vita Saluke – Montgomery County

Carolyn Collier, Pauline Forsythe (posthumous), and Norma Jean Weeks –Greene County

Edith Swearinger – Champaign County

We will honor these remarkable women at the annual WINGS luncheon, Friday, March 10, 2006 at Grace United Methodist Church on the corner of Salem and Harvard Avenues. Invitations will be mailed mid-February.

Please save the date for this special fundraiser. This year the luncheon celebrates the Girl Scout camping tradition with the theme Light the Way to a Brighter Future. Proceeds from the luncheon help to provide financial scholarships to girls for camping opportunities. We hope you can join us. If you would like to receive an invitation or more information on the luncheon, WINGS, or the Buckeye Trails Hall of Fame, please contact Shirley Whitacre 937-279-6550 or via email to shirley_whitacre@btgirlscouts.org. You can register on-line now.

Check Out Techfest

Girl Scouts are invited to participate in TechFest 2006 – A Science & Math Exploration Extravaganza! This is a family fun event for all ages. more….

 Girl Scouts Afternoon at the Ballet

Alice in Wonderland and Other Repertoire Dances performed by the Miami Valley Dance Company,  more….

Health Fair to Feature Cardiac Nurse and Dietician

A Health Fair on Saturday, February 11, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the Girl Scout Program Center, will feature two adult courses. A cardiac nurse will instruct Heart Smart, 10-11:15 a.m., in which participants will learn how to have a healthy heart. To help with your New Year's resolution to lose weight, a dietician will present The Fat and Skinny of It: Get a Taste for Good Nutrition, in which participants will learn about some current popular diets and their effects with an emphasis on good nutrition. Cost for both courses is $5.00. 

While adults are in these sessions, girls can enjoy sessions on a healthy body, healthy cooking, and relaxation techniques. Cost for girls is $8.  Girls can register by clicking here. Adults can register by clicking here.

Focus on the Issues Features Daughters of Diversity for First 2006 Seminar

A girl joins a troop after moving here from Japan. How do volunteers prepare girls in relating to others of different cultures?

Volunteers at Buckeye Trails have a unique opportunity to learn how to teach girls about cultural diversity by attending the first Focus on the Issues seminar, Daughters of Diversity, Thursday, February 16, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Shiloh United Methodist Church, 5300 Philadelphia Drive, Dayton. 

This is based on the award-winning video, Daughter of Danang, which is a touching documentary on the Vietnam Operation Baby Lift. Space is limited, so register before February 9!

Susan Halter to Travel to Norway

Susan Halter, Master Level Trainer, Instructor of Trainers, and Red Cross trainer for Buckeye Trails, has been selected to be on the Destinations staff for a trip to Norway, July 30-August 5. This is one of numerous Destinations offered for Girl Scouts.  Leaders are encouraged to share these with girls. Congratulations, Susan!

Cookies are Coming, Cookies are Coming!!

The Cookie Sale is in full swing with cookies scheduled to hit the streets of the Miami Valley the week of February 20! Girls will be delivering preorders and beginning booth sales at many locations on the weekends through March.

Troop leaders – the delivery schedule will be posted on the website by 5:00 pm on February 8. Please be on time for your pick up as scheduled.

Please note that the sizes of the hoodies has changed The Adult Small is now an Adult Medium and the Adult Large is now an Adult Extra Large.  We apologize for any inconvenience

SchillerMath Rising Star Scholarships

ShillerMath and the Girl Scouts share a common agenda: for girls to learn and love math. Together we are working to acknowledge outstanding performance and potential in math and the sciences by Girl Scouts, by awarding four scholarships and six runner-up prizes each year for the next five years (2005 through 2009).

To be eligible for the ShillerMath Rising Star Scholarship, you must be a registered Girl Scout, plan to graduate high school two years from now, plan to study college-level mathematics after high school graduation
 
The top four applicants will receive $2,500 per year up to a maximum of $10,000 total towards tuition. The top four applicants and the six runners up will be matched with a mentor from the MIT Sloan School to help them be the best possible math scholars, leaders, and role models for girls.
 
Your application must be received by March 31, 2006. Applications received after that date will be returned unopened.
 
For more information and to receive an application, please  click here...

Hitachi Foundation Opens Youth Community Service Awards

The Hitachi Foundation presents the Yoshiyama Award for Exemplary Service to the Community each year to ten high school seniors from around the United States on the basis of their community-service activities. Deadline: April 1, 2006

WE NEED YOU to Register NOW...for Challenge Course Facilitator Training.

Our challenge courses are growing and so are the numbers of girls who want to take them on! This program is skyrocketing and we don't have enough facilitators to meet demand. We will train you to become a challenge course facilitator and you can share in the excitement of seeing the girls as they celebrate their individual successes. Sign up for a training now or call John Yancey at 937-279-6569 or 800-233-4845 ext. 569 or john_yancey@btgirlscouts.org.

Summer Camp Sessions Added

Four additional sessions have been added for the week of July 16 – 21. Check it out……

Grills Needed for Camp

Do you have a gas grill you would like to donate to Camp Whip-Poor-Will? We are looking for a few gas grills for our summer camp program – we will be cooking out once a week – this will be a really fun time for the girls and a new way to serve meals to the girls this summer. If you would like to donate a grill – please call Patti Davy at 937-279-6521 or email at patti_davy@btgirlscouts.org