August 14 2017

Convention Update, Visiting Jenny, and Brick Walls

Random Things That Don't Fit Anywhere Else Kinda Like Me    1 Comment    , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s been an intense few months here on the GSWAC blog due to all of the governance posts I’ve written lately.  Here are a few non-membership dues/National Council/National Board and hopefully fun quick hits:

AS SEEN ON TV

OK, I lied.   Here is a governance related update.  Contrary to what I posted back in June about G.I.R.L. being a no-go, things have changed and I will be attending as a national delegate alternate!  So while I won’t be voting or attending any of the delegate only events, I will still get to be a part of the National Council Session as a guest and enjoy the weekend activities.  No word if security has been notified yet.  So look for me!  I will be the one in the navy blue and wearing an OFFICIAL scarf!  And yes, I will have my OFFICIAL scarf swaps with me among others – but you’d better bring your best swap in order to get one!  I will only have a limited number on hand because they are very time-consuming to make.  Continue reading

August 7 2017

List of Nat’l Council Session Proposals and Actions Since 2008

National Governance    8 Comments    , , , , , , ,

This page is no longer updated. You can find a summary of all NCS proposals and decisions from past years on the GirlScoutGovernance.com website.

Based on my research and personal observations over the past few months about National Council Sessions since 2008, it’s become obvious that many people’s memories are fuzzy and a lot of assumptions are being made about what passed or what they were even about.  There’s a lot of “I believe” and “I think” or “I remember” out there.  Even former delegates don’t even remember what they voted on.  What exactly is being slipped into the food at conventions?  What the heck people!

So to put it all in one place and make it easier to reference, here are the proposals and actions taken at National Council Sessions since 2008.  This summary does not include secondary motion voting results.   More NCS proposals and results from previous years can be found here. Continue reading

July 29 2017

The Board of Directors and Fiduciary Duties

Delegate Duties    No Comments    , , , , ,

I don’t know about you, but when I hear about a “board of directors,” I get the mental image of a bunch of people in business suits sitting around a long conference table looking important.  They may be on a conference call too.  Probably one of those calls where it takes 10 minutes for the call to actually get started because you have to go through the usual “Who just joined us?” and “Can you hear me?” questions and the uncomfortable silence and shuffling of papers while waiting for everybody to finally get on the call.   I bet it’s even got that weird background noise that nobody ever cops to but forces the call organizer to ask “Can everyone please mute your phones when you’re not speaking?” multiple times.

You can find a more thorough explanation and an in-depth article about Who’s Who in Council Governance along with a Council Delegate Primer on GirlScoutGovernance.com.

Continue reading

July 18 2017

National Delegates Don’t Do This! Comic

National Governance    1 Comment    , , , , , ,

You’re welcome to use this anywhere you’d like:

This week is our service unit’s annual summer camp called City Slickers, so I’ll be out of pocket for at least the rest of the week and maybe more for recovery!  It comes at a good time, and I’m looking forward to getting to do what this is all about.  I’ll write up something about this year’s City Slickers once I get back down to earth.  Hah.  I just made a funny because this year’s theme is “Look to the Sky!”  It’s astronomy based to tie into into next month’s solar eclipse.  We’re in an area of totality!  So off to City Slickers – and beyond!

July 10 2017

But What If There’s an Emergency?

National Governance, Opinions    6 Comments    , , , , , , , , , ,

In case you’re just joining us, we’ve been studying what’s been going on with the National Board, raising membership dues, modifying the Credentials, and looking at the Lifetime Membership Proposal for the upcoming 2017 National Convention.

Before proceeding, it’s a requirement that you read these two posts first in this order if you haven’t already:

  1. Back to the Future: About 2008 and Membership Dues
  2. The Lifetime Membership Dues Amendment Contradiction

Continue reading

July 6 2017

The Lifetime Membership Dues Amendment Contradiction

National Governance, Opinions    7 Comments    , , , , , , , , ,

Sometimes I feel like I might be getting too cutesy with the titles of my blog posts, so I decided to stick with something that’s more to the point.  But now that I’m reviewing this particular one, it reads like a title of a Big Bang Theory episode.  Anyway, this is a follow-up post to the one entitled Back to the Future:  About 2008 and Membership Dues.  If you haven’t read it yet, stop right now and do not continue reading until you’ve read it.  This one will make no sense unless you’ve got the background down pat first.  Re-reading it is probably not a bad idea either. Continue reading

July 4 2017

National Center West Newspaper Photo

Reminiscing    No Comments    , , , , , , , , , ,

Happy Fourth of July!

What?  Troop 20’s trip to National Center West was featured in the newspaper?  You don’t say!  Here’s our obligatory picture in the Athens Banner-Herald that ran not too long after we got back from our trip in 1987:  Continue reading

July 3 2017

Thirty Years Ago at National Center West!

Reminiscing    No Comments    , , , , , , , ,

Well, if there’s anything that’ll make you feel old, it’s realizing how long ago something happened when it feels like just yesterday.  Later this summer, Jenny and I are planning on getting together to go through all of her Troop 20 pictures and scrapbooks and reminisce!  I gotta figure out how to bring along a scanner!

Lately, the National Center West Facebook group has been very active with the planning of an archive.  Some of the 1987 staff members are in the group too!  And just by coincidence, this is the 30th anniversary of Troop 20 taking our Trip Out West!  We arrived at NCW on Sunday, June 28th and left on Tuesday, July 7th of 1987.  You could create your own schedule by choosing from a variety of sessions.  Here was mine!  Continue reading

June 17 2017

Back to the Future: About 2008 and Membership Dues

National Governance, Opinions    9 Comments    , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I’m not really sure if there’s an analogy to the movie BTTF here, but it’s my favorite movie and I just wanted to add a picture of it here.

In April’s post titled Surveys, Rogues, and Signs, I mentioned the Farthest North Council’s lawsuit vs. GSUSA over the 2017-2018 membership increase from $15 to $25.  At that time, I was under the impression that the National Council (delegates) had turned over authority to raise membership dues to the National Board during the 2008 National Convention.  I made a sarcastic comment as well.  I’d like to apologize for that comment, because after reviewing the 2008 proposal (#4 to be exact) and what is stated in the Blue Book, the National Council did in fact NOT give that power away.  In fact, it is my opinion that the National Board overstepped its bounds in 2016 and was not and still is not authorized to increase dues.  Continue reading