G.I.R.L. 2020 is a N.O.G.O.
Random Things That Don't Fit Anywhere Else Kinda Like Me 9 Comments 
eeyore, make new friends but keep the old, membership dues, national convention, national council
If you haven’t heard the very disappointing news yet, G.I.R.L. 2020 has been cancelled. It will not be rescheduled. The National Council Session is going to be held virtually. You can read more about the decision at the OFFICIAL G.I.R.L. 2020 page.
Not long ago, I wrote a blog post as to why I didn’t think the NCS could be held electronically. So much for that. Maybe there is a time crunch due to the nature of the membership dues proposals, and postponing the meeting would have been an issue. I don’t know. I also have no idea how virtual meetings work, but I hope there is some sort of option to allow non-delegates to watch the proceedings. So much will be lost by not having the NCS in-person, so I hope at the very least we can figure out a way to allow the membership the opportunity to see it.
I truly feel for the upcoming National Delegates who will not be able to experience everything else that goes along with the session itself. My heart breaks for them. Being in a room full of like-minded members (and OFFICIAL scarves) makes you feel like you are a part of something bigger. I’ve participated in a handful of webinars and teleconferences this past month, and while it’s nice to connect, it’s not the same as seeing them and talking in-person. You can’t reproduce that sitting behind a screen.
Personally, the news is bitterly disappointing on multiple levels. First, it is dissatisfying to have spent so much time and energy on the membership dues topic these past three years only to not be able to witness its conclusion. Sitting by myself in a quiet room waiting for news is very anticlimactic. But I guess it’s not meant to be.
But most of all, it is saddening to not be able to see the friends I have made from other councils throughout the country. I had been looking forward to this since 2017. Who knows what the future may hold, so 2017 may have been my first and last convention. All of this is just crushing.
Addendum 6/7/20: I still stand by my opinion about not being able to have electronic meetings via our Constitution and D.C. law, and the GSUSA parliamentarian agreed with me in her memo. I have serious concerns about the fairness of a virtual NCS and how it will be handled.
I agree with you, Amy. Being a delegate is truly one of a Girl Scout’s finest opportunities. Not only does it allow for friends to get together and to make new friends, it also provides experiences where one bursts with pride at what girls have accomplished. It proves the value of Girl Scouts in both tangibles and intangibles. I am so sorry, too, that the 2020 G.I.R.L. is being held only virtually. It would be nice to be able to participate in the Delegate Session, if only by watching. Perhaps they can post the proceedings for downloading and offer a connection.
Truly a sad time for GS!
My Council just held our Annual Meeting virtually. Delegates and others interested where able to attend and I thought it worked really well given all that is going on in the world. It was just the does of Girl Scout love that I needed! I am certain that GSUSA will do a fantastic job of bringing a virtual experience to delegates, nominees and all those interested.
How did you all handle parliamentary procedure and voting?
I hate that the NCS will be virtual and that all in person events associated with it are cancelled, but my background and training in microbiology and immunology tell me there really was no other alternative. I also think it’s downright funny that the idea of a virtual meeting — thought to be so impossible just a few short months ago — is now the way to go! As an author of one of the proposals for a constitutional amendment to allow for virtual special sessions that got significant support from other councils, I have to wonder if GSUSA will reconsider whether to put that on the agenda. Some of the excuses they gave, such as the need to validate delegate credentials, maybe even with biometric authentication, seemed laughable to this several-time delegate who knows how little they really check on identity at conventions. In fact I know for some of the conventions they simply handed over the entire packet of delegate credentials to the CEO; those of us who arrived early were NOT allowed to check in ourselves. And delegates simply walk by the ushers keeping the delegate area for delegates only. Just sayin.
So, we’ll see how this virtual meeting works out. I’m thankful there will be a way to debate and vote on the proposals. I hope GSUSA will NOT tightly moderate delegate calls and website interactions. Without meeting in person, we need other ways to interact freely and easily with one another, and during breaks between sessions as well, as much like face to face as possible.
I got asked to leave in 2017 when I went into the delegate section before it started to say hello to our delegation. When I got bumped up to delegate, they checked my lanyard before they would let me into the section. I think I was marked though. 😉
I an not saying they don’t check to see if a person has delegate credentials before admitting said person into the delegate area. I AM saying that they don’t check to see if the bearer of a set of delegate credentials is the person to whom the credentials should belong. They simply don’t do that.
GSUSA should support the statement, “The ultimate responsibility for Girl Scout Movement rests with its members.” NCS discussion and proposals should be shared with councils, delegates and members. How? An official or unofficial site should be a link. Each GS council and overseas troops should have on their governance page: Name and contact Information for mechanism to contact local council delegates. Discussion items and proposal information needs to be disseminated through Council websites. Delegates should represent the members – not the Executive Director who gets input from GSUSA.
How does the Executive Director hear from the members in your council?
Barbara Duerk, Birginia Skyline
Virginia Skyline Council has a membership voice committee with an e mail address.