Leadership

Did someone say FUN and ADVENTURE?!

I love taking my troop outdoors.  They always get to develop their skills and I’m able to give them new scouting challenges. The best part about the experience is as they get older you can expand on the outdoor activities. This helps to keep them engaged over the years.

We first started our outdoor adventures in 2011, when we attended Running River’s (now Wild River) Magical Camporee at Camp Mah-Kah-Wee. They made crafts, learned new campfire songs and took their first hike. There’s really nothing like that first hike.

My daughter Elyse and I, 2012

In 2012 we went to Riverpoint Program Center for a WOW Wonder of Water day program. This was out in Brevard, and they really enjoyed the water activities. The girls completed the Mailbox Trail activity that day too.

The following year, we ventured outside of Council properties and went to the Florida Elks Lodge for the Tradition Expedition Camporee hosted by the Wild River Community. The girls roasted marshmallows around a campfire, exchanged swaps, went canoeing and tried archery for the first time.

Elyse exchanging swaps at Tradition Expedition

Most recently, my troop attended the Wild River Cadette Retreat at Riverpoint Program Center. They cooked meals, completed two outdoor badges and participated in archery, paddle boarding, canoeing, and kayaking. It was great because no experience was like the last. There’s always something new and different we all got to share in.

 

Whether you are an outdoors enthusiast or prefer staying inside there are many options to get your girls exploring nature. Here are just a few ways I’ve come across that could help:

  • Attend a service community camporee… like I did with Wild River.
  • Earn an outdoor badge during your troop meetings.
  • Ask an older girl troop from your service community to host an outdoor badge workshop or teach an outdoor skill.
    • One of the bridging requirements is for girls to teach younger scouts a skill they have learned!
  • Reserve a Citrus Council property for a couple hours to canoe, kayak, or archery.

Girl Scout Camp!

Every year, Girl Scouts of Citrus Council will send out a Camp Book in the mail. The Camp Book has information on all types of camp programs being offered by Council. It can also be found online http://www.citrus-gs.org/en/about-girl-scouts/our-council/publications.html

Paddle Boarding at River Point

There are camp programs for Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors. Camp adventures can include archery, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, paddle boarding, campfires, songs, hiking, and other activities.

If you’re a first time troop leader or a troop leader that hasn’t jumped into camp experiences, then you might want to attend a Citrus Open House. This can be very helpful to understand what is offered by Council and when. It can be even more useful for when parents have questions.

At these open houses, you’ll learn more about day camps, sampler camps, travel camps and resident camps. The Council staff is there to answer questions and you can take a tour of the sleeping and activity areas.

If you can’t make it to one of the Open House, then reach out to Council for additional information. There are great resources on the council website and you can always reach out to council staff for more info…especially if your interested in reserving a space.

Be Safe and Be Prepared

Whether you’re planning to take your troop camping or do an outdoor activity, here are some key things you want to keep in mind:

  • Visit your health provider to complete a girl physical and receive a current tetanus shot.
  • Watch the eight outdoor skill-building videos before taking girls outside at www.girlscouts.org/en/adults/volunteer/volunteer-resources/outdoor-resources.html. These videos can help volunteers give girls a sense of empowerment in the outdoors, show them how to use natural resources more wisely (including respecting our environment and wildlife), and help them become lifelong stewards of the land and our natural resources.

The Volunteer Toolkit (VTK) has some great resources to help plan your Outdoor Experience. Most recently, the VTK has been updated with some great activities in the STEM Journey & Badges, and the Outdoor Journeys & Badges.

Whatever you decide, I know it will be an amazing experience. As I look back at my time as a Troop Leader, I can say that some of my favorite time spent with my Girl Scouts, has been in the outdoors.

Be sure to follow me on Facebook @floridagirlscout

Cookies

Wrapping up your Cookie Season

Cookie Season is finally over! But before you shut down and focus on other Girl Scout activities, there are two questions you need to ask yourself:

  • Is all the money accounted for?
  • Did you meet your cookie goal?

Is all the money accounted for?
Collect all remaining cookie money and deposit to the troop bank account. Provide each girl/adult the remaining cookie balance and the final due date for the money collection.

Make at least three attempts to collect the money. The attempts to collect money must be documented in writing.

All outstanding parent debt must be reported immediately to Council’s Product team (by March 1, 2018 to Debbie Zito at 800-367-3906).

Enter each cookie deposit under Finances: girl transactions in www.abcsmartcookies.com.

Inform the troop of their total cookie profits.

Retain the ABC Smart Cookies Troop Balance Summary and share it with your troop leader(s) or troop finance manager to complete the June troop finance report.

…and of course, let the girls know which cookie incentives they earned as a result.

Did you meet your cookie goal?

Before the cookie sale started your girls set individual and/or troop cookie goals.

If they reached their goal:

  • Be sure to congratulate the girls on accomplishing their cookie goal.
  • Plan a cookie celebration with your troop.
  • Look at the cookie sale pin, earned cookie badges and fun cookie items available at the Citrus Council Shop.

Didn’t meet your cookie goal:

  • Meet with the girls and discuss how they can meet their goals next year.
  • Look at what you did well and what didn’t go so well.
  • Discuss different ways to increase cookie sales at booths and during walkabouts.
  • Suggest increasing online cookie sale participation.

 

Remember to Say THANK YOU

Lastly, be certain that your booth locations are recognized and appreciated for supporting the Girl Scouts of Citrus Council. In the past I would provide each booth location with some token of appreciation. They can be thank you cards, thank you certificates, handmade swaps or even some Girl Scout cookies.

Troop 763

Thanking each booth location is a great way for your service community to have the opportunity to return for booth sales next year. This is especially important when the location was a high traffic area.

It’s also good practice for each service community to thank their community cookie chair(s) and troop cookie troop chairs for their time, talent and support.

Troop 154

They’ve worked hard to make this a successful cookie season for all and showing appreciation can go a long way to make the experience a rewarding one.

Thank you to all the parents, girls and volunteers who made this cookie season a great experience for all.

 

 

Be sure to follow me on Facebook @floridagirlscout

Cookies

Finish Strong this Cookie Season

When I say Girl Scout you say COOKIES!

This has been an amazing cookie season for the girls to learn and complete their 5 cookie skills: Goal Setting, Decision Making, Money Management, People Skills, Business Ethics.

There are a couple days remaining and the girls are almost at the finish line. The girls are looking to their adult volunteers for a cookie victory! That’s you by the way J

 

Cookie Booth Management

Check your cookie inventory after each cookie booth. Visit your cookie cupboard regularly for additional cases of cookies. Oddly enough, customers really want cookies when they can’t find them or when cookie season is almost over. Funny how that works right?

Encourage your girls to continue selling door to door, at cookie booths and at local businesses.

Promote cookie sales using different booth posters or marketing ideas.

  • Fill your Easter basket with Girl Scout Cookies!
  • Don’t be a fool on April Fools Day… give a box of cookies to your friends and family.
  • Purchase cookies for Teacher Appreciation Month in May.
  • Girl Scout cookies freeze well to eat during the Summer.

Cookie Sale Management

Deposit cookie money into your troop banking account after each cookie booth. Be sure to collect cookie money from initial cookie orders and deposit into your troop bank account.

Check the cookie money you have received and provide the girls their remaining cookie balances. Provide receipts for cookie money received. The cookie receipt booklets are provided to your cookie chair at the end of the cookie season.

Check your cookie paperwork for accuracy and contact your cookie chair for assistance or support. It’s important to know your remaining cookie inventory to prepare for cookie cleanup.

Provide the cookie sale ending date to your adult volunteers and girls.

  • Cookie Booths end February 25
  • Digital Cookie Program ends February 25

National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend

From February 23 through February 25 Girl Scouts across the nation will band together to speak as a single, powerful voice to raise awareness of the Girl Scout Cookie Program and increase cookie sales.

Wild River Cadettes attend a woodworker badge workshop to prepare for the National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend. Several troops will display their project at cookie booths.

Make sure you have plenty of cookie booths this weekend and let your community know that this is the last opportunity to purchase cookies.

For those selling cookies this weekend, There’s a National GS Cookie Weekend Patch you can purchase from the Citrus Council Shop at www.girlscoutshop.com/CITRUS-COUNCIL.

 

 

Girl Scouts of the USA’s Cookie Pro Contest 2018

This cookie season, let’s show them how the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world prepares girls to lead, learn, succeed, and shine – not only for today but also for the future.

Enter the National Girl Scout Cookie Pro Contest 2018 now through April 30, 2018 at www.girlscouts.org/en/cookies/just-for-cookie-sellers/cookie-pro.html

 

Cookies

While in Full Cookie Swing

 

Managing Funds and Bank Accounts

I would advise to make individual cookie deposits for each girl rather than depositing cookie money in large sums. When you record the bank deposit receipt with each girl’s name this can help you track the progress for each girl. There may be questions down the road as to the total amount generated and what was recorded. This can help during that awkward conversation.

You’ll get to know the bank tellers (or in some cases, the Bank ATM’s) fairly well as you make frequent bank deposits during cookie season.

Please… DO NOT keep cookie money in your home or automobile for long periods of time. A week can easily turn into 2 weeks or even a month. A lot can happen during that time, including money loss. So again, just avoid being put in that position.

If you have other adult volunteers helping pool the funds it’s important to have a system in place to track this. Know which adult volunteer(s) have the troop cookie booth money and cash box. Count the cash box change before and after each booth shift. Deposit booth money into your bank account after the booth shifts.

Be prepared and have the cookie deposits in your troop account ready for the 1st and 2nd council withdrawals. Contact your cookie chair or council to confirm these withdrawal dates.

Working with Parents

Parents can be your greatest supporters or make your job harder. From my experience, they really want to help and make sure their girls have a successful cookie season.

Provide troop parents with all the cookie resources available. Encourage your girls/adults to participate in digital (Direct Ship) cookie sales, and remind girls to send emails through www.abcsmartcookies.com

In this digital age, Parents may want to go on different online platforms and sell for their girls or promote that their girls are selling cookies. It’s important to note that this is discouraged as it puts the girl’s personal information out in the cyber world. And in this day and age, that can be a scary notion.

What they can do, is share their girl’s online link. No names, no phone numbers, no emails, no personal info from the girl.

For those working the cookie booths, be sure to thank them. Thank your adult volunteers and girls after each cookie booth.

 

Keep Girls Motivated

Encourage your girls throughout the cookie sale. When they reach their cookie goal or complete the badge requirements provide them with a cookie fun patch, cookie pin or cookie badge. Give your girls fun cookie items from the Citrus Council Shop. There are mini buttons, pencils, pins, and all kinds of goodies.

I know of some troops who have a cheer they do, when the girls reach their initial goal. Remember to celebrate any and all accomplishments. Look for the positive, and keep the momentum going.

 

 

Dealing with failure or slow sales

Now, I would like to say that everyone will have an amazing cookie season, and all girls will sell non-stop. But that’s not always the case. There will be slumps or times when you don’t meet your goal.

Some ways you could help change that would be to:

  • Schedule additional cookie booths if you don’t sell out at your initial booths.
  • Continue to sell cookies during Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day.
  • Bring cookies with you to sell anywhere you go with an adult.
  • Resend emails to family and friends asking them to purchase cookies.
  • Go door to door selling cookies (with an adult). Many homes are not visited and have not had the opportunity to purchase cookies.

 

When in doubt, ask your fellow troop leaders, your community or reach out to council. We’re all here to help make this a successful experience for everyone.

Leadership

Grow Your Troop!

Looking to grow your troop?! Know of girls asking to join Girl Scouts? 

Para Español oprima aqui.

Did you know the average Girl Scout troop only has eight girls? Yet our research shows that the most successful and durable troops have 12 girls on average. Just imagine what could happen if troop leaders added at least one new girl to their troop. Not only would more girls be able to participate in Girl Scouts, but introducing new friends to Girl Scouting allows existing members to flex their leadership skills and build confidence. Basically, everybody wins!

That’s why we’re launching our new Grow Your Troop: Increasing Troop Size Campaign.  What’s even more fun than a new year of Girl Scouts? Welcoming new girls to your troop! After all, new members bring fresh ideas, different ways of looking at things, and excitement that can spark creativity and energize everyone.

Girl Scouts of Citrus is offering your troop a chance to be entered into a raffle to win goodies! Troops that grow their size by registered girls will be entered into a raffle for the following:

  • Special Patch
  • $100 for each co-leader towards a Citrus shop purchase (up to 3 co-leaders)
  • $350 voucher towards a Citrus program of their choice
  • 2 night stay at Camp Mah-Kah-Wee (Up to 4 cabins at camp during a select time of year)
  • $100 food voucher via Wal-Mart gift card
  • $700 towards a Citrus program of choice

***ALL DAISY TROOPS that increase their troop by 4 or more registered girls between January 1, 2018-February 28, 2018 will be entered into a raffle to win:

  • Lunch with Citrus Council CEO
  • Tour Citrus Council Office
  • Earn the CEO Patch

One winner will be selected for each level based on the number of new girls registered. (1-3 girls, 4-6 girls, 6+, and Daisies)

 

 

3 TIPS TO HELP RECRUIT GIRLS FOR YOUR TROOP

1. Showcase what your troop loves to do most!

A. Update the Troop Description in the opportunity catalog. Visit Update My Troop Link and add your troop to the catalog and include a troop description. Whether that be the troop’s love for community service, outdoor adventure, photography, or science experiments. What better way to match families with a troop that does activities they love, and get a new Girl Scout’s experience off to an exciting and memorable start than to head straight into the action?

2. Hand out this form: GSC Troop Invitations.

A. Our girls are by far our best recruiters. Make it easy for their friends to join in on the fun by giving out a handful of physical invitations for your girls to pass out at school, in the community, clubs, church, sports practice, dance classes, back-to-school night, student government meetings, and, well, you get the idea!

B. Have your girls rock their Girl Scout uniform at school and to events.

C. Since 50 to 55 percent of new members learn about Girl Scouts from a friend or family member, share these relevant articles on social media.

 

READY TO GROW YOUR TROOP? Contact customer care with how many openings you want displayed in the opportunity catalog!

Cookies

Getting the Cookie Plan Together

As we prepare to celebrate the holidays, Girl Scouts throughout the nation are also getting ready for that very busy time of year…Girl Scout cookie season!

Our Girl Scout Motto is to ‘Be Prepared’, and its important to do just that! January can creep up on us quicker than we think. Some of us may already see requests for cookies, so its essential to be prepared.

My troop prepares for the cookie season by attending our annual troop holiday party. We munch on the newest Girl Scout S’mores™ cookie, enjoy homemade hot chocolate and make plans for the first day of cookie sales.

Our troop prepares by getting our uniforms ready, attending troop cookie training and designing cookie booths. As a troop, we go over our cookie checklist. Which looks something like this:

____ Girl Scout vest or sash.

____ Identify a Cookie buddy (adult).

____ Tote, cart, or wagon to load cookies.

____ Cookie order form and pen.

____ Amount of money to have on hand for change.

____ Cookie envelope for payments in a day pack.

Before setting up cookie booths or selling cookies door to door Girl Scouts proudly wear their official uniform. I encourage girls to wear their favorite Girl Scout t-shirt or official Girl Scout polo shirt with vest or sash. Remember presentation is key.

When a Girl Scout wears the uniform, she lets the world know she’s a real-life Cookie Boss! I’ve found that wearing the Girl Scout uniform can also increases cookie sales. Cookie customers look for the blue, brown, green or tan vests and sashes to purchase cookies each year.

During troop meetings practice selling cookies to customers door to door through selling scenarios.

  • Smile and introduce yourself.
  • Practice your cookie “script”
    • Hi, my name is Daisy. I am a Girl Scout in Troop 123. The Girl Scout Cookie Program is teaching me how to run my own business. I have Girl Scout cookies for sale at $4.00 a box. You can also purchase cookies to support our military troops by donating $4.00 for each box.
  • Practice providing change for the cookie purchases.
  • Smile and thank your customers whether they do or do not purchase cookies.

Ask the girls in your troop to select the Cookie Badges they will earn during the cookie season. The 2018 Girl Scout Cookie Activity Pin – Celebrating the 5 Skills with girls can also be earned!

Daisies Count It Up Badge & Talk It Up Badge
Brownies Meet My Customers Badge & Give Back Badge
Juniors Cookie CEO Badge & Customer Insights Badge
Cadettes Think Big Badge, Business Plan Badge & Marketing Badge
Seniors My Portfolio Badge & Customer Loyalty Badge
Ambassadors Profit & Loss Badge and Research & Development Badge

 

Check with council and your community on the different Cookie Rallys and Cookie kickoff events they have going on early in the year. These are great ways to get your girls motivated and excited.

Here are just a few you might want to look into:

January 14, 2018- Sea World Cookie Kickoff

January 20, 2018 – Girl Scout Cookie University at Embry Riddle

 

Badges and Patches

Is Your Troop Ready to be a Super G.I.R.L.…

 

A Super G.I.R.L. Troop exemplifies girls and adults working in partnership to give each girl an amazing Girl Scout experience. Surveys show that a satisfied and happy Girl Scout is having fun with her friends and has a quality experience engaged in meaningful activities throughout the year.

Super G.I.R.L. Troop Requirments:

  • Have a minimum of 12 girls and 2 co-leaders with current memberships.
  • Participate in the Fall Product Sale and Cookie Sale.
  • Have a per girl average of $200.00 in fall products sold and 198 box of cookies sold.
  • Participate in a minimum of two council sponsored Outdoor Programs and two council sponsored Girl/Indoor Programs.
  • Make a troop donation to GIFTS for Girls. Donation must be a minimum of $5.00 per family.
  • Complete at least one service project during the current Girl Scout Year. This cannot be substituted for a higher awards project.
  • Be Early Bird registered. At least 80% of girls and 50% of parents by the 2nd week of the Early Bird campaign.

Super G.I.R.L. Troop Co-Leader Requirements:

  • New co-leaders must complete all required training within 90 days. Existing co-leaders must have completed VE and GSLE trainings. Product trainings must also be completed annually.
  • Take the online VTK training and create a year plan in the VTK
  • Complete and submit Troop Finance Reports via the VTK two times per year – December 31 and May 31

If your troop has what it takes to be recognized as a Citrus Super G.I.R.L Troop, not only will they have bragging rights, but they’ll also get:

  • A Super Troop Patch for all the girls in the troop
  • A Super Troop Pin for co-leaders
  • An invitation to a special and exclusive event for all Super GIRL Troops in May
  • Each Super GIRL Troop will also receive $50 in Citrus Shop Bucks
  • And much MORE

Is your troop on track to become one of Citrus Council’s Super G.I.R.L Troops?

Cookies

Preparing for Cookie Season

Take a deep breath, roll up your sleeves and get ready for COOKIE SEASON! It’s time to get the girls EXCITED to sell cookies!

My first troop cookie sale was January 6, 2010. My daughter learned how to speak to her customers, take cookie orders, deliver cookies and receive payments.

These learned life skills make the largest girl-led business in the world extraordinary. As an adult volunteer you provide the girls with training, sale strategies and safety guidelines for successful cookie sales.

Be sure to ASK your service community, troop and Citrus Council for support or assistance throughout the cookie sale. Experienced Cadette/Senior/Ambassador Girl Scouts can attend your troop meetings to help teach the girls cookie basics.

We need to teach our girls to be safe and prepared during cookie season. It’s a good idea to discuss why the Girl Scout Cookie Program Safety Guidelines are important during your troop meeting…and believe me they are.

Have the girls read, accept and sign the Girl Scout Internet Safety Pledge and Girl Scout Digital Cookie Pledge.

Then, be sure to…

  • Buddy Up
  • Partner with Adults
  • Sell in the Daytime
  • Have a plan to Safeguard the funds generated
  • Girls Wear Uniform, its all about presentation

And always remember to…

  • Protect the Girl’s Privacy
  • Be Safe on the Road
  • Be weary of “Do Not Enter” signs
  • Be Streetwise- corners give you access to two lanes of traffic flow

Setting Goals

Before the cookie sale begins the girls need to set cookie sales goals. Girls need to know how to set and reach goals, not only for the cookie season but to succeed in school, in jobs and in life.

Setting individual girl cookie goals are important to reach your troop goals. When girls set an individual cookie goal you typically see an increase in the number of packages your troop sells overall.

Set goals that are realistic to achieve (they have to learn how to set and keep their own goals). Set mini cookie deadlines on the girls calendar to make regular progress on her goals.

Leverage Resources

Leverage the cookie incentives (patches, stuffed animal, tickets, electronics, etc) to set goals. This will give them something to work towards. You could also select the number of boxes or cases to sell. Have each girl determine their individual cookie sale goals during a troop meeting.

Parents or co-leaders can help the girl set reasonable goals by setting deadlines, “I’m going to send 25 emails to my family and friends by the end of the first week of cookie sales.” Track the goals on a spreadsheet or cookie goal chart.

Whether this is your first cookie sale or you are a cookie expert prepare your girls for the best cookie sale in Citrus Council history!

Online Cookie Resources

 

Badges and Patches

Local Troops Explore STEAM Through Slime

 

Brownie Troop 1014 and Junior Troop 4623 celebrated Halloween by creating a unique concoction – slime! It’s an innovative approach to earning their Senses and Detective badges at the same time. Troop co-leaders Erika Grabish and Lauren Pascarella take Girl Scouts’ girl-led process seriously and knew the most important projects the girls wanted to do this year. Making slime was definitely on the list for these girls. Just before Halloween, the girls were discussing options for a way to honor the spirit of Halloween traditions, while still respecting that not every girl in the troop celebrates Halloween as a holiday. How thoughtful!

Pascarella found inspiration online for cute Halloween-themed jars of slime, and the group started combining activities from badges to keep working toward their goals. Garbish describes the meeting’s activities: “We started our meeting by closing our eyes and using our other senses to observe our surroundings. Then, the girls spent the meeting making slime to learn about their sense of touch, listening to spooky music in different genres to hone their hearing, practicing with hidden object puzzles to think about their sense of sight, tasting five different foods (baking chocolate, marshmallows, Altoids, Sour Patch Kids, and Goldfish crackers), and checking out our “sniff station” where we set up witch’s sleeping potion (hot chocolate powder), Big Foot’s lotion (lemon juice), monster’s bath bomb (a slice of onion), mummy toothpaste (coffee grounds), and mummy’s powder (cinnamon) which they had to smell and and try to identify.”

Brownies used the activity to earn their Senses badge, while Juniors refined their observation skills in preparation to earn their Detective badge a few weeks later. Bonus: the girls practiced working in teams and discovered that things aren’t always as they appear. Troop co-leader, Erika Grabish, was pleasantly surprised that the girls were so eager with the tasting and sniffing activities, but also had a good laugh when each girl bit into the baking chocolate expecting a sweet treat, only to discover it wasn’t what they expected!

 

  1. The Slime Recipe:
    • 6 Oz Elmer’s Glitter Glue (You can use regular Elmer’s Clear glue instead if you like, and color with a little bit of washable paint and loose glitter, but make sure you use Elmer’s brand glue. Not all brands slime up the same way)
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • Contact Lens solution (make sure it contains boric acid)
    1. Pour the glue into a bowl or container for mixing.
    2. Add the baking soda and paint if you’re using it.
    3. Stir well.
    4. Add 1 1/4 Tbsp of sensitive eyes contact solution and stir well. The slime will start to thicken and stiffen. Continue adding contact lens solution a little at a time and stirring or mixing by hand until you get the right consistency.

Erika’s advice for troop leaders who want to try similar activities: “Do it! You may want a blindfold for the sniff station, but we did fine without one. Check allergies carefully for your troop before you do any tasting-I know we have several, so I had to read labels very carefully choosing the tasting items, and it meant, for example, that I couldn’t use anything with chili peppers or strawberries, but I still had plenty of options. You do need extra hands to run the sniff station while you’ve got slime making and puzzles and tasting going on, but it was a lot of fun for adults and kids.”

Best of all, the skills girls learned and practiced while making slime and using their senses paid off weeks later, when the group had a real problem to solve. They were working on an escape room challenge for the Juniors’ Detective badge and one small group didn’t have enough mirrors in their supply stash. Instead of waiting for another group to finish using one, the girls used their observational skills to realize that they could solve the mirror puzzle by holding the paper up to the light backwards to read the words. Way to go, Innovator G.I.R.L.s!

National

Recruit Parents to Help Your Girl Scout Troop!

You know those parents who always step up, lend a hand, and bring the fun to your Girl Scout troop? Wouldn’t it be amazing if more followed their lead and signed up to volunteer?

Girl Scout troop leader Richel Newborg is never short on volunteers, but not because she’s lucky—she puts in the effort to bring them into the fold. After reading her tried-and-true tips on Girl Scouts of Northern California’s blog, The Trailhead, we knew we had to spread her wisdom throughout the Movement. Check out Richel’s advice in her own words below, follow her lead, and watch as your troop gets all the support you could ever need!

1. Set an expectation that everyone volunteers and we are in this together.

My first opportunity to let parents know I need their help is when new members join the group. We always welcome each new member and their family at the girls’ first troop meeting. I introduce key members of our troop leadership and I let parents know that they will be asked to volunteer for at least one thing. Usually I list in writing which things I know I’ll need help with and a brief description of what duties are involved. This way parents are free to select what interests them.

Some of these jobs might be helping pack for the camping trip, cookie mom, bringing snacks, or cutting out pieces for SWAPS. Your troop will have different positions depending on how you expect your year to unfold, so customize your own list according to your needs. Let everyone know that by pitching in and helping even with a small task means no one is responsible for all the work and it balances out across the board. It’s an important lesson for the girls to learn too.

A few jobs you might need filled in your troop are:

  • Troop Treasurer
  • Cookie Volunteer
  • Initial Cookie Check-Out Assistant
  • Snack Planning
  • Carpool Drivers
  • Camping Lead
  • SWAPS Volunteer
  • Recruitment Supporter
  • Community Outreach
  • Event Planning (bridging ceremonies, holiday parties, Court of Awards, etc.)


2. Use a family talent survey and require every family to fill one out.

This is a survey where parents are asked about their own Girl Scout background as well as what talents and tasks they may be able to help with. From this you can learn a lot about who’s on your team! When my girls’ parents completed their surveys, I quickly discovered we had tons of parents with camping gear and the skills to go with it. We also learned 10 parents were CPR certified and 2 worked in the medical field. Go through your roster and make sure every parent has responded, and remind non-responders that this is one way you can get to know them and learn how they all can support the troop.

3. Plan a family event and then fit the job to the personality.

When you host a fun family event, you’ll quickly learn a lot about the parents in your troop. It’s true that some folks love to be in front of kids, some have great teaching skills, while others are terrified, and don’t know what to do. At our family events we make sure to have a mix of activities, games and teambuilding-type activities that everyone participates in with their girls.

This gives everyone an opportunity to have fun together and you’ll quickly know everyone’s personalities from how they participate.

4. Ask parents personally for their help.

In the age of social media and email, avoid the mistake of asking for volunteers by a broadcast email. That approach almost never works and will only cause you frustration. It’s also important that you refrain from complaining publicly about a lack of volunteers in your troop. Honestly, nothing scares off helpers faster than someone that’s complaining!

Instead address parents in a small group or in a one-on-one conversation. Make sure you speak with a positive tone and avoid being confrontational. Campouts, BBQs, and events that are geared to be “mixers” are a perfect time to ask, because parents tend to be relaxed and not stressed about their other obligations. Don’t feel like you have to fill every role by the end of your first month of meetings. Some people may need to get to know you and your group before they step up.

5. Once someone says yes, follow up and set them up for success.

As soon as you can, you’ll also want to contact the volunteer to give them all the information they need to be successful. You’ll also need to let them know if there is any training specific to their position that they will need to attend or complete such as a council background check.

For instance a dad that wants to take the lead on camping trips needs to not only register as an adult and get a background check, he’ll also need to take your council’s required training. A mom who said she wants to help with cookies might need to attend an online training or come to a Service Unit meeting to get information on how a Girl Scout Cookie sale works. Since some of these trainings can be done online and some must be done in person, it’s important to provide them with this information. Check with your council for the best online resources, and to find out about in person trainings.

6. Recognize the volunteer right away.

Once someone says they will help, make sure you thank them. I like to write a personal note and hand it to them at the next meeting. Also at the next troop meeting, in front of all the parents and girls, announce the new volunteer’s role. Then ask everyone to thank him or her for stepping up and helping support the troop. This makes the newcomer feel great about volunteering and makes it a bit tougher to back out! It also lets the girls know they have a team supporting their Girl Scout experience throughout the year!

Follow these tips and keep a positive attitude and you’ll quickly learn that there are many parents that want to help!