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

June 5 2017

G.I.R.L. 2017 is a No Go

Random Things That Don't Fit Anywhere Else Kinda Like Me    5 Comments    , , , , , , , , ,

For the past few years, I’ve heard a ton about national conventions.  I was looking forward to finally being able to go to one since I didn’t even consider going in 2014 due to the distance.  Everybody kept telling me how much I would enjoy them.  Continue reading

June 2 2017

October to May 2017 Hours Tally

Experiences as a Leader    No Comments    , , , , , , ,

For the 2015-2016 year, I decided to tally up my hours to see if I was close on my estimation of 300 hours volunteered for Girl Scouts.  So I continued to track my hours for this past year – why not at this point and just compare and contrast them from year to year?  So here’s the tally for Oct 1st, 2016 to May 31st, 2017!  I’ll continue tracking them through Sept 30th to add them up for the full fiscal year.  Continue reading

May 30 2017

I’m Sorry We Leaders “Failed” Your Daughter

Opinions    4 Comments    , , , ,

Strongly worded letter time!

This post pairs up with the last one (Camping, the Outdoors, and Defending Leaders Again), so if you have time, read it first.

I’m not a big fan of “open letters” because I think they are passive aggressive.  I’ve always said I hope the authors of these open letters at some point confront whoever it is they are taking to task.  So based on that criteria, the following is not an open letter but a strongly worded one.  Before writing this blog post, I’ve had discussions on Facebook at various times with multiple people who have made the following statement including an admin who shared the same attitude.  And I will continue to press when I see it on display again.  If someone says it to me in person, thar she blows! Continue reading

May 26 2017

Camping, the Outdoors, and Defending Leaders Again

Experiences as a Leader, Opinions    18 Comments    , , , ,

Our weekend at Chimney Rock

A few months ago, a link to the article The Girl Scouts Is Raising Our Next Generation of Rippers was posted in some GS groups, and this paragraph was noted in particular:

In my neighborhood in Washington, D.C., the local Boy Scout troop goes camping once a month and the Girl Scouts go three times a year. Chalk one up for the boys. Only 40 percent of Girl Scouts, in fact, do any kind of outdoor activity on a monthly basis. Although half of all Girl Scouts rate ­camping as a favorite activity, only 3 percent go out and pitch a tent ­every month. Four percent go hiking monthly, and 19 percent go walking, an activity that sets a ­pretty low bar.

And right on cue, it brought out some of the people who love to compare BSA to Girl Scouts (which is another rant for another time) and also the ones who like to bash Girl Scouts for not going on enough camping trips.  Or just blame GSUSA for everything under the sun.  Then throw in a parent who whines that Girl Scouts “failed” their daughter – whatever that means (yet another rant for another time).  But they are being extremely unfair to GS leaders, and I have to say I take their comments personally because the volunteer base is a big portion of what encompasses “Girl Scouts.”  Continue reading

May 14 2017

Make Your Own Troop Crest

Reminiscing    2 Comments    , , ,

I’ll be honest – the past few weeks have been bummers Girl Scout-wise on many levels, but I’m looking forward to our Cadette camping trip to the GS Weekend at Chimney Rock next week.  The sun’ll come out… tomorrow!

Here’s a flashback Troop 20 post.  I haven’t done one of these in a while.

When we became Juniors, it was time for us to pick our own troop crest.  I was so excited to finally get one!  Being the Girl Scout nerd that I was at the time (because you know, I’m not one now), I remember looking over the available troop crests and wondering – would we have a bluebird?  Or a pine cone?  Maybe even a clover!  Continue reading

April 23 2017

Burgers R Us

National Operations, Opinions    8 Comments    ,

Customer:  I am so excited about going to Burgers R Us!  I grew up going there and I love the cheeseburgers!
Burgers R Us:  Hi, welcome to Burgers R Us!  What can I help you with today?
Customer: Thanks!  I’d like a cheeseburger.
Burgers R Us:  Here you go.  That’ll be $5.
Customer:  Aren’t you going to put it together for me instead of just handing me the pieces?
Burgers R Us:  No.
Customer:  How will I know how to put it together?
Burgers R Us:  Just go over to that table and figure it out.
Customer:  I don’t understand.
Burgers R Us:  You’ll figure it out.  Continue reading

April 15 2017

Surveys, Rogues, and Signs

Random Things That Don't Fit Anywhere Else Kinda Like Me    5 Comments    , , , , , , , , , ,

Here are just a few random thoughts about some subjects that wouldn’t necessarily take up a whole blog post, but they do deserve some mention before I go into my upcoming EPIC RANT!  Rawr!

First, it’s time again for the annual Voices Count GSUSA Survey!  ::throws confetti everywhere::  Our council supposedly requested 100% adult and girl participation, but apparently this request was ignored and they were just randomly sent out instead.  My oldest daughter received one, but neither my youngest nor I did.  But that didn’t stop me!  Nope!  I requested a survey by sending an email to GSVoicesCount@girlscouts.org, and after a few days, I got one.  But before I filled mine out, I cajoled my oldest daughter into taking hers.  I won’t go into the drama.  Gotta love the tween years.  I figured it’d be the same confusing survey written at an adult level like what’s been sent out year after year.  In fact, I wrote (aka complained) about it last year and suggested creating different surveys for leaders, parents, and girls.
Continue reading

April 8 2017

WaBak Falls

Traditional Stuff    1 Comment    , , ,

There’s a small but beautiful waterfall located on the Camp WaBak property appropriately named WaBak Falls.   There are two ways you can view it.  One is via an observation deck that you can reach by heading down a short trail next to the Amphitheater, and the other by walking down a very, very steep wooden staircase down to the creek and then wade up from there.  The Creek Hike is a traditional activity during camp and a very welcome one when it’s during the hot South Carolina summers.  But be careful on the hike – it never fails that I slip on the rocks and come down hard on my tush.  But I have a lot of padding, so no worries!  Continue reading