We are making about 200 napkin rings for Meals on Wheels using yarn and toilet paper tubes. Cut a tp tube into 3. Wrap yarn around the tube. Use any combination of red, green, and white that the girls want to do in any pattern. Put a holiday napkin inside the ring. I just got cheap bounty type napkins from Walmart with snowmen and christmas trees on them. ========================================== This is the html version of the file http://jenefer.speedyweb.com/badgefiles/service.doc. G o o g l e automatically generates html versions of documents as we crawl the web. To link to or bookmark this page, use the following url: http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:XnHzbqr9RogJ:jenefer.speedyweb.com/badgefiles/service.doc+tray+favors+film+plaster&hl=en Google is not affiliated with the authors of this page nor responsible for its content. These search terms have been highlighted: tray favors film plaster -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Service Projects for Cadette and Senior Girl Scouts Presented and compiled by Judy Brennan Girl Scouts of Mid-Continent Council From many, many wonderful Girl Scout Volunteers "Service is an important element of the Girl Scout program and is performed to better the quality of life for others, without regard for personal reward." Our troop did stall cleaning at the local fair ground. They have horse shows there. Anyway, we earned $5 a stall. There are over 300 stalls. Needless to say I never want to see another shovel, rake, or hay. But, summer is coming up and we'll need money. Also gift wrapping at Barnes and Noble, enchilada sales, Navajo taco sales, plates of Christmas cookies (pre orders and sold to businesses). -- Robyn (Roholl@aol.com) in Flagstaff, AZ * * * * * * * * * * Our favorite service project was tied into earning (Lone Star Councils) Our Own Councils Cooking Badge. We cooked a meal for the homeless (that has temporary housing in a local church) and spent the afternoon with them. In between preparing the meal, our girls did lanyard and nail polishing - it turned out one of the 'homeless' girls had been a scout.....very humbling for my scouts....a very worthwhile experience. -- Maura Berger maura1@fcc.net in New Jersey * * * * * * * * * * Some of the Service Projects that have been done here in Crossville are: Making Christmas ornaments for local nursing homes, caroling, walking dogs at the Humane Society, donating food to the local Humane Society or shelter, helping fold clothes and do things at a local women's shelter, hanging up United Fund posters, passing out flyers for organ donating, sponsoring a child at a Local Head Start for Christmas, making valentines for needy children, helping to create a food pantry at a local church, helping rake leaves for the elderly, providing school supplies for needy children, reading to younger children, tutoring, a book drive for needy children, making small quilts for babies in hospitals. Faith troll@MULTIPRO.COM in Tennessee * * * * * * * * * * Here's what my troop has done so far this year, and part of last year: We raked and cleaned the local day camp before it opened. Played bingo with senior citizens Christmas caroling Donated books and tapes to a local preschool. (The girls taped themselves reading the book) Collected a Thanksgiving food basket Had a bottle and can drive to boost recycling Made dog biscuits for an animal shelter Donated cookies to various public service organizations CraftyCat1@aol.com * * * * * * * * * * This past December, our 6th grade troop helped wrap presents for a gift give-away for the needy- the girls really enjoyed this one! They were talking about next year- and can we please do it again! We will also be cooking dinner for a Senior Citizen outreach that is down every other week through a local church- the girls will cook, serve, clean up , decorate the tables and play bingo with the seniors. It will be some work- but I think they will really enjoy it! We have done the Birthday in a Box. This past December, our 6th grade troop helped wrap presents for a gift give away for the needy- the girls really enjoyed this one! They were talking about next year- and can we please do it again! We will also be cooking dinner for a Senior Citizen outreach that is down every other week through a local church- the girls will cook, serve, clean up , decorate the tables and play bingo with the seniors. It will be some work- but I think they will really enjoy it! Jerie Campi - campi@prodigy.net Leader Junior Troop 1090, Brownie Troop 722 Santa Clara, CA * * * * * * * * * * Here's my favorite service activity: A local support group for families of children with attention deficit/ hypertensive disorder [this could be generalized to ANY family support group for kids with problems] holds a family outing once a summer at a local beach. Our Cadette troop would go and run several venues of carnival-like games for the children. The support group designed and built the game venues, and obtained the prizes for the 'winners'. All my troop had to do was show up and be the game operators (and prize givers). They thought that to be just the best service activity ever. Not only did they get to be in charge of the games but they got to be heroines to the kids (who all got more than just a trinket, the real prize was the praise and attention). Plus, they got a free picnic barbecue, time at the beach afterward, and a visit to an ice cream place on the way home (their money). So much service activity is drudgery without reward. This was fun, with rewards and no drudgery - unless you count very active kids clinging to various appendages. Seriously, the problem is that families of these 'demanding' kids have so little time to themselves and they were so grateful for the Girl Scouts to come 'to the rescue' even for just a couple of relaxing hours. Neil Savage - Neilsavage@aol.com * * * * * * * * * * Presently, we are volunteering at the humane society. We groom and exercise the animals. Take them to visit nursing homes and will be entering them in a pet parade in April, hoping to find homes for them. We are also using some of our cookie money to sponsor what we call a doggie doo station - it's a place that has plastic bags and gloves used to clean up after your pet while on walks. Our future plans consist of making clothing for premature babies or babies who have past away. Also, knitted hats and blankets for the Children's Hospital. We have helped with meals on wheels, baked apple pies for community dinners, made tray favors for the nursing homes and health care kits for the women's shelter. We helped put together packets for the beginning of school and organized a community clean up day and made sleeping bags for the homeless. I'm sure we did many more things but this is all I can think of right now. Debbie - LaConner, Washington - ddcayman@cnw.com * * * * * * * * * * gscouts@frognet.net> My troop has done Windshield Washing as a service project. We went to a local shopping center (Mall will work) after getting permission from the center and cleaned windshields (actually all windows) after the cars were parked. Each girl brought a roll of paper towels and a bottle of window cleaner. We even cleaned one gentleman's glasses for him (he asked). Some of the people were so glad to have their windshields cleaned that they gave us donations. We did make little tags that we place on the side window that said the windows had been cleaned by Cadette Troop XXXX as a service project. We have also done Poisons in the Home Awareness at our local shopping center. Made chocolate candies to be used for Valentine's Day at our local Senior Citizen's Center (regular & dietetic). Events for younger girls. Brenda Pomeroy, Ohio - gscouts@frognet.net Jr. Leader/Sr. Leader, SU Cookie Chair, SUA & Trainer - Black Diamond GSC www.geocities.com/heartland/cottage/4062 * * * * * * * * * * We have got involved in some fun community projects that I am planning on continuing with the older girls. A couple of years ago, I had a person call and ask if we could "work" in the area for children at the local free arts/crafts show in June. So we face paint and last year we added kite flying (with the simplest kite you have ever flown). We do this Fri-Sat and Sun with whichever older girls show up. Great hours for these girls. Also we started helping at the local Special Olympics a couple of years ago. The participates have their organized events, but in between, the Scouts "run" an area of carnival type games. Special Olympics gets prizes that we give out to every child who comes and plays. This year, we plan on doing face painting also, since we are getting so good at it :-) Judy Bencke, Leader of Troop 406, Bluestem Council, OK JudyBencke@AOL.COM http://members.aol.com/judybencke/gs * * * * * * * * * * This is the leader that I sent to all troop leaders in our unit. This is to update you on the Centennial Star Thinking Day 2000 gift exchange with Girl Guides and Girls Scouts Around the World. My daughter Laurie and I, started the project September 23 and worked on it until December 15, which gave troops who were exchanging with other countries enough time to mail their exchanges. Our goal was to have 2000 girls participate. Laurie, made brochures explaining the Thinking Day exchange which she gave to leaders in the service unit. She also passed out the brochures at her Basic program aide training class, at the Silver Award meeting, the Wider Opportunity meeting and at the On my Way event. The brochure also provided information to those interested in exchanging who didn?t have access to the Internet. I updated the Centennial Star leaders of the Thinking Day process at the service unit cookie meeting. With the help of Pamela Mann from the Gulf Pines Girl Scout Council in Mississippi, we each made WebPages at 2 sites http://www.angelfire.com/co2/tdswaps/ and http://www.zyworld.com/TDSWAPS/index.html which contained information for Troop Leaders to register their troops. Mile-Hi Council listed the site in the Something newsletter. Virginia Skyline Girl Scout Council did a write-up on us in their monthly newsletter "The Skyline". Girl Guides of Australia helped us out by listing the Thinking Day project at their web site http://www.guidesaus.org.au/Events/Think2000/Thinkday2000.htm We also organized the Thinking Day Around the World Webring for troops with WebPages to join to help advertise the event. The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), and World Guiding http://worldguiding.anzagl.com/ assisted with the advertisement along with various Service Units and Troops around the world. Girl Scouts and Girl Guides from Africa, Australia, Canada, Kuwait, New Zealand, United Kingdom as well as the United States participated in this event. Out of the 299 troops that registered 243 of them participated, for a total of 3,424 girls. Laurie said she had a lot of fun with the project and hopes to do it again for the 2001 Thinking Day. I am amazed at how successful working with other troops can be, the support we received from troop leaders around the world, and how coordinating with other troops internationally can really add to the concept of a true Thinking Day. "Thanks to all of you from our own service unit who helped make this Thinking Day successful" Lauretta Pierce, Cadette Leader, Troop 2563 fjp@earthlink.net> * * * * * * * * * * As a leader I was invited to a "mini-project". Since the program was in the very beginning stages they wanted to see how some of the adult/advisors felt about how the work would be proceed. We went to a place called "Food Gathers". It is a "warehouse" of sorts. Food items are donated to FG by grocery stores and individuals. FG volunteers then separate the big bags of flour, salt, beans etc. FG then "prices" the food items. It is a program where they "buyers" still get to feel like they are "providing" for their families. Instead of just getting handouts. Some of the people we have come in contact with have felt like they didn't want charity, this place gave them the opportunity to feel good about getting the food. For example they had big industrial sized cans of spaghetti sauce for like $1. The project was for the girls to go in and organize the "grocery store", separate out the bulk items and that sort of thing. We had a couple of senior scouts there who loved it. They also talked about how they like service projects where they can see what a difference they are making. They like to meet the people they are helping. Some of the other suggestions the girls had were working in the "soup kitchens". They also like helping with Meals on Wheels, delivering meals to home bound individuals. A few of the others are Adopt A Highway, working with animals at shelters, working with younger children and cleaning graffiti in neighborhoods or at schools. Gina Davidson, Brownie and Junior Leader Council Trainer TSD for Huron Valley Council, Michigan gina-davidson@mediaone.net * * * * * * * * * * kcandgc@telepak.net> My troop started a project that we now have adopted in the service unit. We collect new and like new stuffed animals. The program is called Emergibuddies. We present the animals to our EMS(emergency management service) to be placed in every emergency vehicle in the county. Whenever a child id involved in any way in an emergency, they use the stuffed animals as a way to calm and soothe the child and let the child keep them. We have had wonderful responses. On each event we hold we tell the troop that they have a fee and 1 stuffed animal per girl.(not a must-just try) You'd be surprised. The girls ask all their friends and bring in plenty. Our older girls are going to begin to paint on one of the city gyms that is near our service unit office also. We are collecting Birthday packs for a local children?s home. Whenever girls have a birthday party they always have party ware leftover. We collect and donate these to the shelter. Children there use them for all sorts of parties that they wouldn't otherwise celebrate under the circumstances. We are looking to put together duffel bags and suitcases for them also. When children come to them they sometimes have all they own in a garbage bag. It's nice to send them on their way with their own bag. I didn't think this would go over well-but was amazed how many bags girls have laying around they were willing to give up. It's been great. * * * * * * * * * * The Troops at one of our Schools (1 Daisy, 2 Brownie & 2 Junior) will be doing landscaping and yard work at the School in appreciation for their meeting there. Kermit - SU27GSPPC@aol.com * * * * * * * * * * I remembered another service project the girls did. Instead of just gathering up old clothes and throwing them in a bag, we asked the girls to donate one complete outfit. Their outfit needed to include at least two articles of clothing (matching sizes) that had been laundered and ironed and one accessory -- barrette, scarf, bottle of nail polish, belt, etc. The girls took a lot more time putting their outfit together than when you ask them to just donate any old clothes. We stressed that the outfit had to be in great condition (just too small for them). The outfits were packaged (labeled with size) in gift boxes donated by a local store and given to a women's shelter. ? mathisgreat@aol.com * * * * * * * * * * My troop 867 of 4th & 5th grade girls chose a great service project this year. We have a nursing home located 5 miles from the school. Each girl wanted to adopt a resident for the school year. The number of residents matched exactly the number of girls in the troop. The girls make the residents crafts for decorations each holiday and make them cards. Then we deliver them and the girls hand the craft to their resident. The girls decided this project on their own after we went caroling there last Christmas. Both residents and girls get enjoyment from this project. I never have to encourage participation when we are working on a project for the home. Hope this helps! Lisa Kuhn, Talus Rock Council, Pennsylvania ? dddr@penn.com> Town Service Projects Operation Comfort Pins This project is based out of Texas & was started up by 2 moms in response to the shooting in Littleton last April. OCP is looking for donations of pins to distribute to people that have been touched by tragedy (man-made or by Mother Nature) to let these people know that others are thinking of them. The pins are to be of angels, hearts, teddy bears or candles, and can be made of any kind of material. (This is the along the idea of SWAPS.) State Police-Teddy Bear Drive This project is collecting new or "gently used" teddy bears of all sizes & colors. The bears will be given to the State Police & distributed among their various vehicles. When the troopers respond to a call & a child is present, they will give the child/children a teddy bear as a "warm, fuzzy" to keep, & hopefully comfort the child while the police take care of business. It's a Baby Shower!! This project involves collecting items (new or gently used) for babies & toddlers. These items can range from baby powder to a used infant car seat that is no longer needed. Everything will be donated to the homeless shelter in Milford & the shelter for battered women & children in Worcester. Project Linus This is a national program. This project involves creating blankets to be given to terminally ill children. All blankets will be distributed through the local Project Linus chapter Fun Boxes There are 4 types of boxes in this project: Teen Craze Days: lip gloss, nail polish, emery boards, hair brush, comb, scrunches, hair clips, butterfly clips, a journal & pen, deck of cards, teen magazines, puzzle books, chapter. Birthday Boxes: cake mix, frosting, candles, plates, forks, napkins, balloons, streamers, party favors & a small gift for the birthday child. Rainy Day Boxes: crayons, markers, paper, glue stick, scissors, watercolors, glitter, stickers, Play-Doh, Silly Putty, puzzle books, deck of cards Outdoor Fun: bubbles, yo-yo, paddleball, sidewalk chalk, jump rope, jacks, Frisbee, soccer ball, kick ball, bouncing ball, whiffle bat/ball, football, scoop/toss game, plastic horseshoe game Troop Service Project Ideas * bookmarks for the children's library * used books drive * hat & mitten drive (There's a huge need for this!!!) * used toy & stuffed animal drive * put together Halloween goodie bags; can include candy, small toys, small decoration * make up a holiday food basket * make holiday ornaments for a local shelter * Adopt-An-Angel * put together Valentine "care packages"; can include unopened box of Valentine cards, a fun pen or pencil, stickers, candy * create Easter basket; can include candy, small toys, stuffed bunny, small decoration * coordinate a food drive at a town event (Brownie Square Dance, Fun Nite, Town Bridging) (There's a huge need for this in the spring!) Ideas for the children's ward at the hospital * create artwork to decorate the rooms * collect stickers for the nurses to give out * make get well cards * put together busy bags (stickers, crayons, puzzle books, deck of cards, etc.) * make baby books out of material (touch & feel books) * put together easy, non-messy craft kits (like pony beads & gimp or seed bead pins) * create a joke book * make pins for the children & nurses too!! * create journals with construction paper covers & white paper for the inside pages & attach a pencil * older girls can coordinate a visit to play/read/sing with the children * make a small toy to be given to visiting siblings or put together a sibling pack with things in it for the kids to do while visiting * * * * * * * * * * My 7th grade girls love to volunteer to help the homeless. During the cold months, the neighborhood churches take turns each night opening their doors to people who have no where to go. They provide shelter, a place to clean up, dinner, a safe place to sleep, and breakfast. The girls were surprised to find out that kids were homeless too! The organization is called PADS and we are in Illinois. Sue Heinlein" scotty_gs@hotmail.com * * * * * * * * * * Our Service Unit is doing a very different Service Project this year. We are making "Comfort Kits". These are designed to be given to children who are removed from their homes and placed in foster care. So many times this is done on an emergency basis and the child has no time to gather belongings; and often there is nothing suitable to bring. So the kits provide necessities depending on the gender and age group you select to make a kit for. We've broken in down to infants/toddlers, preschoolers, grades K-2, grades 3-5, middle school, and high school. For an example, a middle school girls kit might contain, brush, deodorant, toothpaste and brush, shampoo, personal hygiene items, and even a small stuffed animal. Anything to make them feel more at home in the new surroundings. We are bringing all of the kits to our annual lock-in in April. Can't wait to see the results! Sherrie -- Shershe699@aol.com * * * * * * * * * * Tray favors for hospitals, retirement homes, etc. "Just because day" Not necessarily at the holiday time. They need attention all year! Clean up empty lots around town. We have a lot of weeds in our town that collect trash and get unsightly. Volunteer to help in a soup kitchen for the needy/homeless Collect and or make things for a fun box for kids. (Pencils, paper, stamps, stickers, lotion, envelopes, small books, special note from the giver, etc) These may be given to local shelters, homeless or women's. Roxie Patterson - POOF1967@aol.com IOT, Master Trainer - Joshua Tree Cnsl * * * * * * * * * * Collecting stuffed bunnies in the spring that were given to hospital patients Collecting used cellular phones and giving them to a local shelter whom was going to reprogram them to dial 911 and they were to be given to abused women. Also, several of the older girl troops offer themselves to new leaders especially in the beginning of the year as they start up the troops. They assist with parent meetings, earning badges, working on crafts. Assisting with completing paperwork, etc. Whatever the new leader needs help in. This has been a great service to me since I am also the SUC. Lisa Tighe -- BossScout@aol.com GS Broward County * * * * * * * * * * Comfort Caps for Cancer patients (a really easy sewing project, we had a pattern from a sewing store. I wasn't in charge and really don't know sewing but if you want more info I can get it) Knitted/Crocheted Baby Caps for Newborns (Again we had a pattern and directions. This was neat because we found some senior citizens whom really knew how to crochet and knit so it was really an intergenerational project) Bought gifts for a needy child at Xmas (through Salvation Army this year, a local group the year before that) Collected cat food for a local animal shelter (in conjunction with one of my girl's Silver projects) Decorated bulletin board backings for a nursing home (This is really just making pictures on paper for hanging on resident's bulletin boards. It was a last minute thing when other plans fell through and one leader had just done this with her Brownies so she had left over materials) We are trying to arrange to go to a Greyhound dog shelter to walk the dogs there. Collected personal care items to be donated to our food pantry Made floral centerpieces for a new elderly housing complex (paper flowers, silk flowers) Our Newcomers Club runs a huge craft fair every year and they ask Girl Scouts to act as "waitresses" for the crafters. We go to the booths, pick up their money and lunch order and then go to the caterers table where they put together the food and then we deliver it back to the crafters. Some troops also run the children's activities at this fair. (Face Painting, simple crafts, etc.) Sharon -- Ariel4008sf@aol.com * * * * * * * * * * Providing refreshments for the Habitat for Humanity workers Collecting videos for the children's hospital Baby baskets for newborn girls at hospital on Juliette Low's birthday Adopting an endangered animal at the zoo Donating Girl Scout & Juliette Low books to the public library Having a baby shower for items to donate to DFACS Mary Beth Burrell -- gburrell@worldnet.att.net> * * * * * * * * * * My troop did and annual Challenge Food Drive. The food bank asked us to do it as late in the year a possible because the pantry runs very low then. We sent flyers home on Mon. explaining that we were challenging the grade levels to see which one could bring in the most non-perishable food/personal items. If possible send reminder strips home on Monday. We collected the food between 7:30am and 8am on the stage in the cafeteria. We hung signs on the backs of chairs for each grade level and put the food in front of the chairs. At 8am the girls when to class and the leaders finished up. Each child who donated got a sticker to wear for the day (Thurs and Fri). Friday morning, same thing. After the last one was collected we decorated the winners chair/food, posted a sign as to how much was collected by each grade and a total, the principal announced the winners and the winning grade got a certificate to hang in the hall. Both days the kids got to see the results during lunch. At 3:00pm, when school got out on Friday, the troop bagged the food, put it in the cars and we took it to the food bank. There we had a tour the first time, sorted the food and took pictures. We also had the local paper out to the school during the collection. This can be a great annual event at a school. Does require a good working relationship with the principal. We were very clear that we wanted to work within the schools schedule and not intrude on the classes. 2nd project was PTA, but could be troop. Book Exchange Days Each class had a day to bring gently used books to school. Teachers set the books outside the classroom. Volunteers picked up the books and took them to the cafeteria. On the side we set up tables and laid out the books. When a class had finished lunch, the lunch room ladies let them put up their trays 5 min. early, go quietly to pick a book and then line up for the teacher. Problems: you need to collect older level books to supplement 3-4-5th grades. They brought in baby books to share. We put them out because the kids look for them, but we wanted to encourage reading at grade level. Do the k-1-2 classes last and supplement their books with the leftovers from the olders. When done we let teachers pick books for in-class libraries, reading support, etc and then boxed the rest. We also monitored incase of inappropriate books. Extra books were collected from garage sales (ask and most will donate), the book sale company (good place to buy cheap), and by asking parents to include extras if possible. You need a class head count so you can be sure each child gets a book. If the cafeteria is not possible maybe the classes could be scheduled to come to a room, library or specific area to pick books. Lynn -- tonerjck@earthlink.net> * * * * * * * * * * Visit a care center sing several songs ... share what else you did (craft, game, story, whatever) with your seniors to build an idea list for future visits Pick up litter in a public park, have some sort of thing that raises public awareness while you are doing it Food drive for poor Collect and bring toys to a hospital for children Practice random acts of kindness Just before school starts, collect or donate school supplies. Turn them over either to the local elementary school or the local food pantry. Focus on festivals of light (Hanukkah, Diwali & Christmas) and base your service around brightening up the winter (Northern Hemisphere) for those in need? This could be done by visiting old-peoples homes; children?s homes; hospitals etc to provide entertainment, gifts & help perhaps leaving candles or other lights as a "sign" that you have been there. Foster beautification in a public place: plant a or tree or seasonal flowers. You might have to find a spring date to avoid frost dangers for this. Visit the local nursing home. Perhaps make up small "kits" of lotions or other toiletry items. Make a craft for the residents. While there, sing some old-time favorite songs. Make up shoe boxes full of either toiletry items or personal are items. This could include toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, sample bottles of mouthwash, brush/comb or the like. Donate them to local missions. If girls and/or families get one item per week with their weekly grocery shopping, it adds up quickly and the cost is quite minimal. This can be done towards Christmas and the boxes wrapped festively (it might be an idea to make a list of what is included in the box on a small piece of paper on the outside so that mission staff know what is inside). Plant flowers. If coordinated in the fall, do bulbs. Write and distribute a form letter suitable for sending to local newspapers and radio stations, letting them know who, what, when, where, and why. Other troops would really enjoy picking which radio stations to send this to! Participate in something like "Project Dear Abby" which writes to servicemen/women stationed overseas. Those members, who do not have military overseas, can adopt a base nearby. Or, everyone could adopt a VA Hospital. Vets are ignored most of the year, except when Abby has her readers write to them at Valentine's. This could be done before the holidays. Hospitals (fire departments, ambulance drivers, police, etc.) need stuffed animals for children who are hurt, in a difficult situation or whatever. Your troop could make "bears" from a simple pattern using leftover fabric, fabric paint and ribbon around the neck. Stuff with fiber fill, but old hose could be used. "Boo Boo Bunnies" could be easier, just as effective, and easier to store or carry for a small child?s use when needed. Clothing drive School supplies drive Collect children's books and toys for a local Children's hospital/pediatric ward/shelter Have the girls collect childrens books, and read them (recording them on a cassette tape). They could then package up the books, along with the tape, - perhaps 3 books per tape - to give to all kinds of programs serving children: hospitals, nursery schools, Dr.?s offices, etc. There are so many groups that could use these book & tape packets. Have troops collect and/or make items for a children's ward in a hospital. Then have troops visit the children's ward to donate the items and plan a special little "celebration" with them. Troops could collect toys or make picture books in their troops from magazine cutouts. The project could involve troops making cards for the children, bring in punch, and singing some GS songs to the children. Depending on the area where the troops are located, troops could aim for a major hospital where terminally ill children go. Collect new or slightly used books to donate to different places (VA hospitals, Urban Ministry Centers, Homeless Centers, etc.). Donate toys to a hospital, gathering and donating school supplies, and the toiletry items for the missions. Many areas have shelters for abused or battered women and their children. Great many of these women have to leave their homes in a hurry. They are not able to gather toys, clothing, and other essential items. Collecting these items as well as diapers and other baby needs, toys, clothing, toiletries, books, and other items these families in crises may need and donate them to the shelters. Collect pet food to donate to the SPCA -- pack some sort of a food hamper for homeless pets. Collect non-perishable food items for the food bank, then provide girl-power to pre-pack bags. Meals-on-Wheels - Each troop take a turn at making tray favors for Meals-on-Wheels. Make and place PEACE POLES in public parks or school grounds etc. Design a special ceremony regarding Girl Scouts and Girl Guides spreading PEACE around the world. Picture books could be sent overseas to areas, which don't speak English, girls in those areas could create libraries with the books. Some girls might try writing stories in their language to go with books. Troops without funds to ship overseas, or lots of English books could create libraries in homeless shelters, local schools, etc. Education is one of the best ways of helping girls around the world, according to the UN. Projects that deal with the out of doors. Camp rehabilitation, trail building, awareness activities of outdoor opportunities, etc. A world wide Sharing Tree. At the end of November, put a tree up in a downtown business building. Pass out flyers through local paper, churches, and businesses, requesting new gifts. Also contact ministers, and school superintendents requesting families in need. People drop off things unwrapped under the tree. Troops periodically collect them and get together on a day, and wrap them all. Then a small group of volunteers match the items with the families in need and deliver them during the Holidays. Ask for toys, hats, mittens, clothing, non-perishable food packages, toiletries, light bulbs, stationary, any thing people might need. Neilsavage@aol.com * * * * * * * * * * Make little tray favors for Meals on Wheels. Two of my girls have just finished doing this out the little plastic gray film canisters (photo places save them by the bundles). Then we used plaster of Paris and silk flowers to fill the little canisters. This is a lovely little arrangement for Meals on Wheels. String cereal into garlands and then hang on trees for the little birdies to eat Collect paper bags (or plastic) for your local food banks or churches food closet Have a food drive... girls and write or stencil (an advertisement to collect food for needy) on paper bags, deliver the bags to neighbors and tell neighbors your troop will be back the following week to collect the filled bags. Collect toys for local shelters Have a book drive for local shelters or even schools that may need them Collect clothes for local shelters (call first, some shelters do not accept them) Coordinate a collection for the Purple Heart or Salvation Army Older girls may be able to facilitate or set up a blood drive for the Red Cross Plant a garden at a local Library - make a lasting impression by planting perrinels rather than annuals If you have a military base nearby, contact the Chief of Staff, there is almost always a service project that can be done on post/base. Start a lending closet. Collect used Girl Scout Uniforms for all levels to wear. Then when the Cadette Troop goes somewhere special (like Legislative Day) they can all be decked out in uniform. Older Scouts can learn to sew and make Scout vests for younger scouts that can's afford vests. Have a Carnival and proceeds donate to a worthy cause. There are tons of things to do at Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Centers: Christmas caroling Bake them goodies (those old folks LOVE food!) Help with Bingo (if they have Bingo at the home) Bring pets in for the folks to cuddle. Make sure pets are mild tempered. Plant a garden (flower or vegetable) for them. Try to get them involved also. It might be good for them to have something to care for. Come in and to silly campfire skits for them. Remember so of them are hard of hearing to make sure you speak loudly and clearly. Offer baby-sitting services on Sundays for the church that sponsors your troop (if you meet at a church). You can have two girls do it together each week (with an adult) and rotate the girls so that each girl only does it once a month or so. Volunteer to help at a local soup kitchen or shelter ... ask what they need help with. Ask local shelters what items they need and have a drive to collect money and items they need. Dianna Stuge" -- da_wolff@hotmail.com * * * * * * * * * * We have two service projects we do every year now, which are a little unique. (Plus Scouting for Food and whatever.) We make and serve breakfast for our local volunteer firemen on two Sundays in February. They sponsor our troop. They have required OSHA training in February and were having a hard time getting their volunteers to come, so we volunteered to serve breakfast to them. We were asked by our local American Legion to put out the American Flags in the cemetery for Memorial Day. We put them out about a week before Memorial Day and take them back down after July 4. My father happens to be the town historian and he has printed maps where the flags need to go and we use the maps to find the correct placements. Debbie Vosburg, -- dvosburg@wycol.com Junior & Cadette Leader Silver Springs, NY GS of the Genesee Valley Council (Rochester, NY) * * * * * * * * * * We've participated in council canned food drives, Father-Daughter Sock Hops (bring new socks for a school district year round needy families assistance program), collected clothing and non-perishables for Hurricane Mitch relief, collected toys and clothing for a child crisis center, baked cookies for troops in Bosnia, made Red Cross toiletries boxes, made care packages for a girls orphanage near the Arizona/ Mexico border and for a school for homeless children in Phoenix, served lunch for workers at a Phoenix Habitat for Humanity site and helped fill in a trench at one of our council camps that was dug to run water out to the ropes/challenge course. If you'd like more detail on any of these, let me know. Kathleen R. Wilton, -- krwilton@worldnet.att.net Leader, Troop 513 * * * * * * * * * * We are a first-year Cadette troop. Last weekend we helped keep score at Special Olympics basketball tournament and made balloon animals for the Cub Scout pack that meets at the school where we also have our meetings. We have made greeting cards for a nearby Veterans' hospital for Christmas (Season's Greetings), Valentine's, Easter/Spring, and Memorial Day. This year our council suggested a "Sharing is Caring" project related to cookie sales. When you take cookie orders you also solicit orders that will go to the charitable organization of your choice. (We choose a Senior center in town.) There are the usual clean-ups. Check with Habitat for Humanity or a similar organization to help fix up or paint a home for someone who needs it. You could also volunteer to do yard work for ill or elderly people. We have collected food, sorted and divided it for a local food pantry. Thelma -- Kamleht@aol.com * * * * * * * * * * Last year we made "birthday" boxes for the local food bank. In the box was a disposable cake pan, cake mix, frosting, candles, plastic silverware, and party supplies (plates, cups, napkins, party hats and party horns). We made up 4 boxes, so the party supplies were all Barbie in 1 box, racecar in another, Pooh in another and another type in the last. We put everything in a large box, wrapped it in birthday paper and a bow and labeled it for a girl or boy or either. Then we took them to the food bank. It was great for those families who can't afford the party supplies! This year we're going to make up baskets of "goodies" for the first baby girl born in each hospital on Juliette Low's birthday. The Cadette / Senior Association hosted a pizza and movie evening and admission was a blanket to give to the homeless shelter. They also did a pizza and movie evening last fall and admission was cans of food. They got 260 cans of food and donated to a women and children's shelter. Hope the ideas help! Nancy -- headcookie@aol.com * * * * * * * * * * While every community has needs, it seems that some always get more attention than others. Within this list are ideas submitted by leaders like you; ideas covering not only the common needs, but service projects performed within their communities which otherwise might have been left out. Please feel free to add to this list, or give a brief testimonial on the actions of your troop or the people you have helped along the way. A special thanks to these major list contributors - Shawn N., Terri I., Kylin, Sarah S., Debbie D., Laura M., Karen B., Beck, Fern, Lilly, Mary, and Carol M, Linda M. - your help is appreciated. Easter baskets - Make Easter baskets for a children's home, or your local Headstart centers. Caroling - anywhere - in your neighborhoods knocking on doors; at a senior citizen's/retirement complex, some hospitals welcome this as well. Donated books - to your school or public library Collect winter clothing - for and donate to school children, local Salvation Army, homeless shelter, your local battered and abuse shelters. Collect food pantry items - donate to school children, local salvation army, homeless shelter, your local battered and abuse shelters. Collect toiletry items - for the women's shelter, the teen shelter Collect markers, pencils... and send to Children Centers Make cards - "get well" - "hope you feel better" - for the local hospice center. Create cards - to send to -- service members overseas -- veterans in the hospital -- senior citizens Decorated placemats - for the Senior Center for any special holiday. May Day baskets - for the women's abuse shelter (soap, shampoo and lotion) Book, games, clothing drives - for shelters or for a children's hospital Make craft gifts -for residents at a nursing home or to give to a "Angel" at Christmas. Collect food -for the Humane Society. Pack boxes of food - collected for the local food bank. Work with residents - of the local Veterans Administration hospital. Safe Kids Day - fingerprinting, art projects, story reading, etc. Collect "birthday boxes" - from neighborhood troops in your service unit and deliver to children's shelters or local food banks (boxes include items such as balloons, candles, plates, napkins, cups, party favors, a small present or gift certificate, noisemakers, confetti, cake mix, canned frosting, etc). Organize -a clean up for all the school playgrounds in your area. Plant - flowers, shrubs, trees where needed locally. Adopt - a family for Christmas and or birthdays (check with churches or outreach agencies near you) Make "busy kits" - for kids in the hospital or for hospital waiting rooms. In a gallon zip lock bag, place some crayons (ask local restaurants for donations) and coloring book pages. Puzzles are good too. Make "care kits" - for seniors in assisted living or nursing homes (include items such as lotions, toiletry items, nail clippers, comb, brush, etc) Help with local non-profit organizations -(e.g. help hand out info for MADD, walk for the diabetes foundation, help the local school with events or projects, etc) Create a display - of girl scout "stuff" for the showcases at school or library display case. Promoting Girl Scouts! Adopt - a wild animal at your local nature center. This usually helps them feed and take care of the animal for one year. Volunteer - for your council-owned camps, there were service opportunities offered every time, age-adjusted, and we usually did whatever they needed. Shoe Box kits I - Filling shoe boxes with soap, shampoo, shave cream & razor, wash cloth, nonperishable food & water, etc., and handing them out to the homeless men and women on our street corners. Shoe Box kits II - Filling a shoe box with a cake mix, icing, candles, napkins, plates, hats, party favors, and a gift for a Birthday Party in a box for our migrant families. Loaded Book bag - I had all the girls bring in school supplies and new or like new book bags we put them in a box and donated them to our teachers for any children that might need them. We are going to make this a standing project for every year. School Planting - plant mums in the planters in front of the school. They will come back every year and are low maintenance. The girls really enjoy going to school in the fall and seeing their flowers there. Loaded Baskets - Another good one is for the Nursing Homes or Senior Citizen Center is to collect things such as Stationary, Envelopes, Stamps, Lotions, any skin softening products and making up small baskets. You can get the baskets at yard sales or the salvation army, spray paint them and fill them. We also have put small bags of candy in them for the Seniors to give to their guests when they visit. Gloves for the Needy -We have also collected mittens and gloves to give to the needy. So many kids don't have these or even hats to keep them warm. Gifts to your local Crisis Pregnancy Center - Our SU collected baby items (baby wipes, blankets, socks, bottles, toiletries, etc) at our Christmas Party and donated them to the local Crisis Pregnancy Center. Goodie Bags - for the Senior Center's Walk-a-thon. They were having a walk-a-thon and needed 300 goodie bags put together. They supplied the items and we put them together and gave them out to the senior's at the walk-a-thon. Pet Food - collection for town's animal shelter Contacted the Senior Center - and found senior's that were shut-ins and sent them monthly letters, pictures etc. Make ABC Books - for the children' s hospital: Get a photo album but a upper and lower case letter on each page. Have each girl cut out pictures to represent the letters and put them in the photo album. Joke Book - make a kids and one for the adults of all clean jokes, comics and put them in photo albums and send to the Ronald McDonald House or Children's Hospital, Nursing homes etc. Make Adult Puzzle Bags - with adult type word search, paper, pens, pencils, writing paper, crossword puzzles, comics and send to the VA hospital. Collect Lost Pennies - for a month and donate to a local charity. Collect Coupons - and send to the local food pantry, shelters etc... Baby Shower - hold one for your local shelter. Our SU collected baby items (baby wipes, blankets, socks, bottles, toiletries, etc) at our Christmas Party and donated them to the local Crisis Pregnancy Center. We have also collected mittens and gloves to give to the needy. So many kids don't have these or even hats to keep them warm. Thomas Contento -- taccon@worldnet.att.net Troop 1006 Leader-Buckeye Trails-Ohio * * * * * * * * * * 1- Year long food drive (2 cans a month)* 2- Animal Shelter* 3- Adopt a family at Christmas* 4- Hospital Goody bags 5- Goody bags 6- Quilt squares 7- 12/13 Candle ceremony* 8- Holiday Parade* 9- Santaland 10- Planting flowers at park 11- Caroling at Seniors 12- Monthly favors & decorations for Seniors 13- Letters, etc to servicemen* 14- *Color A Smile* * 15- Project Linus 16- Green Hand Project 17- Placemats for Seniors 18- Alum. tabs from cans 19- Birthday Boxes (new this year) 20- Service for Warmth (WAGGGS 1999) 21- Service (with flowers) (WAGGGS 1998) 22- Community Awareness * 23- Planting dogwood trees 24-*You Make A Difference* * 25- Bridging Brownie workshops 26- HERO Badges 27- Pictures to Kosovo schools 28- Butterflies for remembering Judi Augustine -- Judi.Augustine@juno.com Cadette Troop #828 Junior Troop #574 Junior Troop #1339 Brownie Troop #601 Recruiter/Organizer Delaware-Raritan GSC, Edison,NJ * * * * * * * * * * Prepared sack lunches for Midnight Run for the Homeless in NY City (We did this several times as we really liked it) Made Valentine and Christmas favors for Meals on Wheels Made Valentines for Veterans Delivered weekend Meals on Wheels Cleaned and cleared camp trails Participated in a camp winterizing weekend--stacked and covered wood, cleaned buildings, removed mouse nests, washed windows, inventoried supplies, closed up buildings, etc. Recycled glass and aluminum as part of a SU project to erect a gazebo on a town park. Nasty at times, esp. when people don't rinse out the beer bottles, but raised lots of money! After the gazebo was built, this became an on-going fundraiser for older girl troops in that town Ran two SU crafts tables at the town youth Halloween party Ran the haunted house for at least two years at the same event Planted flowers at an elder day care center Baked goodies for the Ronald McDonald House Had a blanket and linen drive and canned goods drive for the Ronald McDonald House Brought program to younger troops, including talking about Wider Ops, doing camp preparation, teaching songs, games, crafts Created a SU web page Adopted a family for Christmas Had a "baby shower" for infants born to poor families at local charity hospital Participated in a sock and mitten drive Had several leadership service projects including leading the nature hike at Brownie Outdoor Skills Day, leading the closing campfire at the Brownie Campout, organizing and running the Service Unit campout two years Deborah Gaudier -- dgaudier@houston.ssa.slb.com Houston TX * * * * * * * * * * Our Service Unit service project this year was done by about 20 troops...We made birthday boxes.....in it was everything for a birthday! Some were for kids (invitations, goodies, goodie bags, cake mix, frosting, juice boxes, candles, table cloth, hats, napkins, noise makers, etc.) and some were for adults (hats, cake mix, candles, etc.)---we decorated the boxes with the theme inside (Batman, Barbie, Disney, etc.) and put the age appropriateness on them....we then took the girls over to the local food bank and gave them 54 birthday boxes! A lot of the items inside the boxes were donated by grocery stores and the local Wal-Mart.....People who frequent the food bank have birthdays too!!! Some of our girls had heard from kids at school that they never get to have a birthday party...so....voila! The ladies at the food bank (and most of the leaders, too) were crying when we were done.....kids had a great time that Saturday morning putting the boxes together and decorating them......the boxes were works of art, too! That afternoon we decorated Christmas stockings.....a group of leaders sewed them up....Joann Fabrics donated 50 yards of red, green and white felt.....we decorated with sequins, buttons, floss, charms, etc......these were donated to our County's Spirit of Christmas drive (kind of like a Christmas Angel project for underprivileged kids)......we decorated 75 stockings---the stockings also had small toys and items donated by local shops, kids who were tired of their happy meal toys. We also purchased by the Service Unit toothbrushes, toothpaste, and combs to include in the stockings. Marie Evans Troop 797 (Juniors!!) * * * * * * * * * * Donated paper products to the REM home Collected canned goods for a food drive Wrote letters to service members stationed overseas Made Halloween treat bags for children of single parents at Job Corp Decorated cookies with residents at NCF Baked Cookies for the MAFB Day of Love Tied red ribbons around the community for drug awareness week Picking up litter Performing flag ceremonies Sang at the nursing home Raked leaves for the elderly Played games and made crafts with the residents at Trinity Nursing Home Distributed reading materials at Target for National Reading Day Sent Christmas Cards to the nursing home Adopted a Grandparent Wrote letters to injured farmers Made an angel craft for Edgewood Vista Dyed eggs at Manor Care Collected toys for a toy drive Ringing bells for the Salvation Army Participating in the city parade Kept the recyclable separate for our Recycling Center Made placemats and played bingo with nursing home residents Helped with Christmas party for nursing home residents Provided child care at service unit meetings Donated rummage sale leftovers to Salvation Army Made valentines and sang for residents at the Haaland Home Served at the Rugby Home & Garden Home Collected teddy bears for the Highway Patrol Made centerpieces for MAFB dining hall Thanksgiving Assembled Red Cross friendship boxes Made Valentines for Vets Worked a pancake breakfast for a cancer patient fundraiser Distributed flyers for a benefit Decorated windows for Home Coming Held a health fair Created a community birthday calendar Helped with Meals on Wheels Made Valentine cookies for teachers Wrote anniversary cards to a couple married 76 years Planted trees Collected coats to donate to KMOT Coats for Kids Collected Christmas cards for St. Jude?s Hospital Collected books for Domestic Violence Center and Salvation Army Collected pop tabs for Ronald McDonald House Assembled baskets for college students living near our school Made gifts and cards for the homebound Cleaned the service center and the vans inside and out Made cookies and decorated for Christmas at the Zoo Monthly visits to the Dunseith Nursing Home ? provided piano music, songs, Easter baskets, planting flowers & visiting Planted flowers in the park Made tray favors for nursing home residents Helped with community Halloween party Made dog biscuits for the Humane Society Participated in Ragtop Festival Visit the Souris Valley Care Center once a month Made Christmas ornaments for patients at Trinity Made suncatchers for pediatrics Made & distributed ?Oscar the Grouch? to Unimed patients Planned and assisted with Haunted Island Prepared & donated Thanksgiving food basket Made & distributed gift ?boxes of love? Participated in Thinking Day Made Easter eggs for Job Corp Center Magazine drive Donated videos to hospital Helped Jaycees with their Valentine carnival Light up Lansford Clean up after Lansford Threshing show Created an alphabet book for the church Helped with the Chrysler PTA drive Threw a baby shower for the first baby girl born on Girl Scout week Served passengers on the BN Train trip adults@girlscouts.minot.com Pam Stroklund, Membership & Marketing Director Northwest North Dakota Girl Scouts * * * * * * * * * * Our troop has helped out the local Humane Society with their fundraisers. We have donated part of our cookie $ profits, we have folded and placed stamps on their mailings, we've helped with their pet parade and Santa Paws Photos...Most kids love animals! Rex Perschnick" Wanda - Troop 577 (were Juniors and changed to Cadettes this year) * * * * * * * * * * maintaining a memorial garden... lots of times memorial gardens are planted... and then ignored. It's an ongoing-type project. Get flowers (donations, lots of places will give you flowers at the end of the planting-season, when they'll be unsaleable) in the spring, rake leaves in the fall... It is a LOT of fun, though, and can contain badge-work. teaching English as a Second Language to younger troops or other groups... in an area where there's a large Spanish-speaking or other-language-speaking population. Also, if you have an ambitious & talented group... teaching basic Spanish to emergency personnel who have to interact with a large number of Spanish-speaking people (I keep saying Spanish because I am in SC where there are a lot of migrant workers... I mean any other-than-English-language where many of the people speak it but few of the emergency personnel do... that would be more like Russian than Spanish at home (I'm from Cleveland, OH) (Girl Scouts of Lake Erie Council - yay!). Providing information-on-tape for visually impaired or other scouts who have difficulty reading standard handbooks/pamphlets/other written material. I have a friend who did that for his Eagle Scout for the BS merit badge books. I'm not sure how much GS material is available on take from GSUSA. Repairing/maintaining outdoor facilities. Benches, trails, a strip of beach, a playground... Again, another Eagle Scout project I saw was fixing up a trail and installing a bench... and 3 mos. later, it was like he was never there (well, the bench was there... overgrown and surrounded by mud :) ). Projects like that would be an excellent 1x/month-type deal. I have little appreciation for Gold Award and Eagle Scout projects that have such little lasting impact... Organizing an easy, simple service project... for/with a younger troop... would be leadership and service... Mentoring, for the HS-aged girls. I dunno if there are any specific GS activities (well, bridging activities) that involve mentoring w/ an older girl and younger girl... but that would be cool anyway. working with people in a nursing or assisted-living place to do something fun, like plant a garden or something working at camp to improve an area... such as a ropes course... under the auspices (oh jeez, I need to use only words that I can define... sheesh. well, I'm using that word anyway) of the camp's or council's ropes specialist/facilitator. (that one can be part of the High Adventure IPP) I'm all about intertroop activities... because you increase the diversity of the group, be it experience, age, race, language, ability... working w/ a BS troop (maybe on facilities both troops use) or a Boys and Girls Club (maybe on Club improvements... probably some kids are members of both, if you got both in your area) on a service project would be cool, too, depending on the groups, the organizations, and the adult leaders. Hm lots of logistics there. Well, anyway, it's an idea :) painting signs on ground "DUMP NO WASTE, DRAINS TO LAKE" to remind people not to dump chemicals down storm sewers. I dunno if other communities do that, but at home (by Lake Erie) they do it to try to reduce pollutions... obviously there are safety issues and stuff w/ that, but at home they get elementary or middle-school kids doing it during classtime. Other public-service-type signs (on trails etc.) could be made and installed... blazes repainted or reinstalled (esp. if trees are growing around old nailed-on-blazes... I don't know how parks work that) Oh and also helping increase accessibility! For campsites (platform tents, ground-camping-sites, cabins, and on and on) or other places. Just remember... on a platform tent... a wheelchair will NOT go through the central support pole!!! Hayley joy Kosmatka --hkosmat0@alan.coastal.edu * * * * * * * * * * This is something that I have done with my Guides ( girls aged 10 to 15 years) here in the UK. We held a sponsored litter collection around "the Heath " here in Petersfield . This is a local beauty spot popular with all people in our town. Family and friends of the girls sponsored them a certain amount for each bag of litter that they picked up. Obviously they wore gloves. This in itself was an act of service, but then we used the money that we raised to sponsor a dog that was unsuitable for rehoming at the local National Canine Defense League Kennells. Jane Pannell Guider-- Jane@32princesroad.freeserve.co.uk 2nd Sheet Guides Petersfield Hants UK * * * * * * * * * * Service to Girl Scouts help younger troops, Volunteer for your council, mailings, large events etc. Volunteer for you service unit, do they have a newsletter, if not start one for them. if they have one write articles on the older girl program in your area. Service to community. clean ups, volunteer for a local committee, help plan community days, or anything special that is coming up in your area. Service to others. Contact local hospitals, nursing homes and charities. They all need help with behind the scenes events. mailings, making tray favors with the theme for the month. Brenda Murtha -- BREEZEGS@aol.com GSCNC * * * * * * * * * * A group of volunteers came up with the idea for "WhY2Kare." Troops agree to do 2000 of something- hours, items, etc. They sign an agreement and contact local organizations. Some service units are doing it as a group, but mostly troops have their own plans. A patch was developed to be purchased when their 2000 is complete. Using this method, the service idea is up to the girls, but we get information on what people are doing, and can implement an outcome based evaluation to look at overall effectiveness. I have print material on it if you are interested. Anna Moore - AMOORE@GRGSC.ORG Girl Scouts- Great Rivers Council, Inc. amoore@grgsc.org * * * * * * * * * * · Collect clothing or personal items, books, and games to and donate them to a local homeless shelter, a hospice unit, shelters for battered women and their children. Collect simple hygiene kits--toothbrush and paste, a bar of soap, a washcloth and towel, some shampoo and creme rinse, combs, skin creams, shower caps and a sweet treat in a bag or box for a shelter (a lot of the stuff can be donated from area businesses or ask troop families to donate personal care items which they had collected.) · Collect used outgrown clothes from home and donate to Goodwill/Salvation Army (older girls could be in charge of washing/ironing/sewing on buttons, mending holes) · Contact a foodshelf, see what they need. We collected personal care items at Town elections and then delivered them and helped stock the shelves. · Make tray favors for a special occasion to donate to a local hospital or convalescent home or for Meals-on-Wheels recipients. [Leader's Landing] · Litter chase of local ball park/church grounds/meeting place/school grounds. · Kid Keep Busy bags - Collect several unused pages from coloring books. Place with a few crayons in a ziplock baggie for children who have to wait in hospital waiting rooms or Emergency rooms. (Check other floors also.) Make up labels for the bags that say "we hope you feel better, from brownie troop #4021" for the kids that have to the emergency room. Also consider books, small toys, cards etc. Even make a few pictures on our own (on the computer or by hand) and donate a few outgrown/used jigsaw puzzles as well (again, in ziploc bags). Also consider older kids - puzzles and blank pages and a pencil (golfing pencils gotten cheap at a local supply store). · Make mobiles for the nursery/ICU · Make small craft packages for local hospital children's ward. · Make craft kits to be used by hospitalized children or adults or shelters. · We're making play dough for the Head Start program · Made books on tape for children at a local day care for children with AIDS. Each girl donated a book from home. She recorded the book on cassette (donated from a parent) and dinged a bell when the pages turned and then the book and tape were placed in a ziploc bag with a label that said "Readers are Leaders from Troop #XXXX". · Make permanent placemats for Meals- On-Wheels clients. · Make fabric bags to be used by patients using wheel chairs or walkers to carry their 'needs'. · Contact the local Humane Society/ASPCA/ Animal Shelter/Animal Hospital. Do they need donations of food, small toys and used towels and blankets to put in the cages? Everything from dish towels and washcloths to bath and beach towels. Also, we are making cat toys (yarn pom pom balls with a yarn string to hang the toy with, feather ticklers, small stuffed pillows with a little catnip in each along with the polyfil) and dog biscuits (some soft style dog cookies and some hard crunchy ones). We checked with the shelter before deciding what to give. · Contact the local kindergarten and first grade teachers and made name tags for field trips · Can you serve cookies at you local Red Cross blood drive? · Project Linus: Make a blanket and donate it to your local chapter of Project Linus. They will take it to a facility where it will be given to a deserving child permanently. Ideal blanket: We need all sizes of blankets, as we deal with children ranging from neonatal to young adults. Blankets can be made from any pattern, in child friendly colors, and they must be washable. Similar Idea: Construct some baby and child quilts to work on and donate to local battered women and children's shelter. (The quilts are very easy to do. A print fabric and a solid fabric with batting in between is stitched together and 'tied' every 6 to 8 inches.) · Instead of visiting a nursing home, try Retirement home or day care for little kids. · Stuffed animals for surrounding area Police, Fire & EMS Departments to aid in comforting a child during and emergency. (We had drop off locations around all around town. The girls sent e-mail to the local newspaper, TV and radio stations. Response was incredible.) · My troop collected clothes hangers to distribute to nursing homes, homeless shelters, shelters for runaways, and our hospital. · Donate paper and plastic grocery bags to food pantries. · I encourage the girls to shovel the snow of their elderly neighbors in winter. (Along the same line, in fall rake leaves, in spring clean out trash from gardens.) · birthday in a box project · "breakfast in a box". Many shelters serve a basic breakfast. Cereal and Milk, but the kids (don't they all) get really excited when someone brings in poptarts. So she is asking us to round up poptarts, cereal bars, juice boxes, and now that school will be back in session some things for an after school snack for the kids to get when they get "home" from school. · Have families that have left over party ware - plastic knives, spoons, forks and napkins - donate them to troop for this project. Take napkin - roll fork, spoon and knife into it - tape it closed or some other creative method. Donate to local soup kitchen or nursing home. Where to get freebies: Locally try your Family Physicians and Dentists. Call the hospital, especially the Labor & Delivery ward. On line go to companies such as Kotex & Proctor & Gamble and call or email them and let them know of your service project. It might also help to call your local advertising company and ask them to point you in the right direction. They should know of who near by might be giving away some "freebies" such as bags with company logo's, T-shirts, teddy bears, etc. A lot of people bring home sample sized toiletry items from hotels and airplanes when they travel. This may help you with some of the items you're looking for. Mary -- Mtboehmke@aol.com Girl Scouts of the South Jersey Pines * * * * * * * * * * visit http://www.earthdaybags.org the girls passed the bags out at school and collected them at the end of the day. the girls were also required to visit the individual classrooms and explain what was happening and why. collected stuffed animals for love and caring. l & c is a program dedicated to giving children in hospitals (mostly AIDS/HIV) children a stuffed animal to keep with them. most are from extremely poor families that cannot afford the luxury of having someone there when m & d can't. Jennifer Geisbert * * * * * * * * * * Collect stuffed animals for emergency personnel to give to children in emergency situations Senior citizens prom Talent show for a nursing home Working with Habitat for Humanity or similar community organizations -- even if there are minimum age restrictions perhaps you can make box lunches, collect tools or materials, or provide baby-sitting services for workers Collect old blankets and towels for the humane shelter Provide educational materials on the importance of spaying and neutering Pets Organize a blood drive KWales01@aol.com * * * * * * * * * * We have done a neighborhood food drive (service unit wide) collection of baby items (new & gently used) for a local battered women's shelter weekly set up for PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter) - where the homeless are sheltered at a church each night. The girls never come in contact with the 'clients" - they lay out mattresses, roll silverware, & make table centerpieces decorations to hang in isolettes of premature babies at the hospital (the babies can't go home & it touches the parents' hearts when the isolettes have a "special" touch - or so we've been told by moms who have been there) the decorations can't have glitter or loose parts that could fall off (glitter can clog tubes) toys for tots red cross Christmas stockings donations of underwear & socks to shelters & PADS collect soda tabs for Ronald McDonald House Elaine Masciale" * * * * * * * * * * 1. Hero badges (we just did these this week) 2. Birthday boxes 3. Blood drive 4. collecting (food, clothes, baby things, aluminum, books, etc.) 5. Activity bags for children 6. Bird count 7. Improve wetlands, natural animal habitats, hiking trails, water ways 8. Juliette Low World Friendship Fund 9. Disaster relief (see web sites below) 10. Help other local agencies that are non profit 11. Making books on tape for the library or visually impaired school 12. Running a program about: (bike safety, health and fitness, sports clinic, etc.) that is open to the community 13. Nickelodeon channel has done "The Big Help" campaign and I got a copy of their calendars several years ago and it listed many service ideas and places and organizations that needed help. It listed the GSUSA as a resource for service projects. I wonder why...... ;-) Web sites: http://www.jbu.edu/ABCQuilts/">ABC Quilts Project http://www.lhmint.org/christmas/countries.html">Christmas Site-International Lutheran Hour Ministries http://www.disasterrelief.org/">Disaster Relief from DisasterRelief.org http://adforce.imgis.com/?adiframe|2.0|25|11616|1|1|key=ADFORCE;misc=38457985;loc=600;target=top">”HELP AMERICA'S BABIES! http://www.thehungersite.com/">Hunger Site Home - Donate Food for Free t... http://www.keikicards.org/">Keiki Cards http://www.missingkids.com/">National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's Home Page http://www.samaritan.org/">Operation Christmas Child http://www.pollyklaas.org/">Polly Klaas® Foundation - missing children, child abduction, prevent http://www.projectlinus.org/">Project Linus Home Page http://puffin.bird.audubon.org/">Project Puffin http://www.nea.org/readacross/celebrate.html">Read Across America: Celebrate http://www.e-cology.net/index.html"> SaveRainforest.net - Thank You! http://www.geocities.com/heartland/ridge/1089/ ">Service Project compilation http://members.aol.com/GSLdrKay/serviceideas.html">Service Project Ideas http://www.stjudesranch.org/">St. Jude's Ranch for Children http://metalab.unc.edu/~ephesus/quilt.html">Virtual Quilt http://www.youthweek.org/">International Youth Week 2000 Theresa Rose -- Primr0z@aol.com * * * * * * * * * * One of the neatest ones I've heard of was a Gold Award project. The girl organized a collection of new and gently used teddy bears. These were distributed to local police departments, fire departments, and ambulance companies. Whenever a child had to be transported, a teddy bear accompanied him/her, and stayed with the child through whatever trauma came afterward. The teddy then (hopefully) went home with the child. Carol Levy- Memphis, Tennessee, USA Girl Scout Council of the Mid-South mailto:lorac5@mindspring.com * * * * * * * * * * One of our Cadettes obtained backpacks and school supplies to be given to a local homeless shelter. Work needs to be done in the summer to have everything ready for the start of school. Maria Chernicoff, SUM, Brownie leader FVGSC, PA maria@cgroup.com * * * * * * * * * * Food Drive: This is a very easy and worthwhile project for any troop to do. You can collect the food in several different ways. Have the girls bring in a food item for each meeting during one month. You could make flyers and set up a collections booth at a local supermarket or in any heavy traffic area. Once the food has been collected have the girls put in into boxes and deliver. Places that you can donate the food to are, Food banks, homeless shelters or safe houses. Your donations are always welcomed and appreciated at these places. Another version of this is to collect food needed to prepare a holiday meal and make up you own boxes to donate to needy families. Or donate the food to a church or organization that makes these boxes for needy families. Birthday Boxes: This is fun and easy project to do. Get a cardboard box and decorate it in a birthday theme. Make sure that it is decorated for the age and gender of recipient. Things to include are cake mix, icing, candles, party favors, napkins, hats etc., soda or drink mix and a small gift or two. Donate these to your local food bank, homeless shelter, or safe house. Book Drive: A very worthwhile project for Juniors and up to do. You would collect books, make sure they are in good shape and then distribute them. When we did ours we collected preschool books. Most were books from the girls in our troop. We then donated them to our local Head Start Program. They were very grateful for the donation as most do not get enough funding to have a lending library. You can do this with all age levels. They can be donated to Youth Centers, Senior Citizen Centers or homeless shelters. Just keep in mind the age level of the people that will be using your donation. Baby Bundles: Gather up items such as T-shirts, newborn outfits, bottles, disposable diapers, baby powder, bibs, diaper rash ointment, rattles or other items needed for a new baby. You can make these as fancy or plain as you like. A good suggestion is to get baby bathtubs and place all items into it. Cover with colored clear plastic wrap tied with a bow. Make your bundles gender specific. Many stores will donate items to help with your project. These can be donated to your local Planned Parenthood or any other organization who deals with expectant mothers. Place mats and tray favors: A great project for any age level. All girls enjoy doing crafts. You can make these with holiday themes or for with no theme at all. You can use white place mats, construction paper or just plain large paper. Let the girls use their imagination to decorate them. If you want to make them reusable laminate them with clear contact paper. For tray favors you can use all types of craft items and your imagination. A few examples are watering can made from paper towel roll cover with construction paper, make a spout and attach fill with mints, nuts, M&M's, clothes pin bunnies made with clothes pins with bases decorated with eyes, pompom for tail or use markers to draw face. These stand up and are very cute. A good place to donate these would be Meals on Wheels, senior meal centers, day care centers or nursing homes. Baby-sitting Service: This is a great project for older girls. Contact your local PTA and make arrangements to watch the children while the parents are in the meeting. Make sure that you take some small craft project, books, games and other things to amuse the children in your care. You could also set up a date during the Winter Holiday season, find a place to hold a day of free baby-sitting so parents can go shopping without the children. Make sure you plan activities that will be fun for all age levels. Adopt a Grandparent: This can be done by contacting your local nursing homes or by adopting a senior citizen in your area that has no family and very few visitors. You should at least visit with them once a week, remember their birthday and holidays. If they are able to travel invite them to your ceremonies. Older people are a wonderful source of information and both the girls and grandparent will benefit by this experience. If you have a large troop set up a rotating schedule for visits. Clean up a park: This is a good project for Brownies and up. You clean up all the papers, bottles, cans any type of debris that is laying around. If there are flower beds there weed them. You could also paint fences or equipment. Make sure that you contact the agency that controls the park before you do any painting or planting of flowers or trees. If there is a picnic area at the park when everything is done you can celebrate by having a picnic. Do a service project that will benefit your Girl Scout Council: You can pick a project to do that is appropriate for the age level of your troop. Volunteer to assemble updates to manuals, spend a weekend at camp cleaning up the grounds, have a fund raiser and purchase a CPR baby or other items needed by the council for training. For more ideas contact your local council. Make little personal hygiene boxes: You can use small boxes or small cloth bags. Put these items into box or bag. Toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, soap deodorant, shampoo, conditioner. For ladies add disposable razor, sanitary pads and small mirror, for children add a coloring book and crayons, for men add shaving supplies. Ask girls or local businesses to donate the supplies. Once you have your boxes/bags assembled donate to the Red Cross, a homeless shelter, or another agency that assist people in need. Dog Bite Clinic: This is a great project for either cadettes or seniors. Gather information from The Humane Society or a veterinarian on how to prevent dog bites. Compile all your information and set up your format for the clinic. Some of the things that you could do during the clinic are live demonstration on the correct and incorrect ways to approach dog, how to handle the approach of a dog, and what to do when a dog looks like it is going to attack you. Cover things like eye contact, walking away slowly not running a getting a description of the dog if it bites you. You could set up booths so that the younger children could practice what you have taught them. Make up an informational flyer about Dog Bite Prevention to send home with every child. Remember April is Dog Bite Prevention Month. Hats and Mittens: This is a good project for a large troop or service unit. Have each girl bring in a hat and/or a pair of mittens/gloves. Donate these to Social Services, pre-schools, churches or other orgainzations that are making Holiday boxes. Another way of doing this is to teach your troop to knit or crochet and make the hats and mittens. Birthplace Troop Corner project:: Have your girls make a craft item that you think other scouts would be interested in buying. When completed mail to the Birthplace. These items will be placed in the troop corner for sale. The proceeds will go to help with the upkeep of the Birthplace. Mary Behrer - jmjbeh@dmcom.net Girl Scouts Indian Hills Council * * * * * * * * * * Our troop of 13 girls (4 Seniors, 9 Cadettes) work LOTS of Walk/Runs. Like the Race for the Cure, Focus 5K (against domestic violence), Trans Mountain Challenge (Heart Association - 12 miles), Walk the Canyon (benefits Children?s Miracle Network), etc. We've been water girls (handing water to the runners - sounds easy but is the very hardest job), trash picker-uppers, parking lot attendants, registration booth, prize drawing attendants - we do 3 or 4 of these a year. Probably the hardest part is being at the volunteer check-in around 6 a.m.! We usually have an early lights out sleepover at my house the night before. We also have an ongoing, monthly project. We visit with the children at our Child Crisis Center for a couple of hours. We play games, do crafts, help with homework, whatever. The children are already bathed (ages from newborn to 12 years) and we help put them to bed and read bedtime stories. The girls REALLY love this one! As we all have experienced, it's hard to get the girls together on a regular basis. Well, regular meetings are tough, but almost every girl goes to visit with the kids! Deb -- Msdeby73@aol.com - Rio Grande Council * * * * * * * * * * We are participating in PROJECT LINUS. Named after Charlie Brown's friend "Linus" with the security blanket. The non-profit org. has chapters in all states. Your troop can make a security blanket for a seriously ill infant or child in the hospital. Any size quilt or blanket from very small for preemies to larger one for older children will do. We are making a small child's blanket for our first try. The girls will put their hand prints on each square. They cut it out and pin it together and I will sew it together. Then they will put the quilt knots in it. Hopefully we will get to deliver it to the children's Hospital here in Atlanta.Our Troop picked this project because they all still have their own security blankies that they use now and then and don't all children need some security to hug. Check out their web site: http://projectlinus.org Deb Elliott- Atlanta, Troop 6381 janddelliot@mindspring.com http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/River/4735 * * * * * * * * * * We collected items for a homeless shelter in our area at Christmas. We collected beauty supplies (shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, etc.) and cleaning supplies. The shelter we adopted deals with families and has 6 kitchenettes that they allow families to stay in for 6 months while they get on their feet. We visit a local Retirement Center and sing, pass out crafts and cookies and just talk with them. Our girls are going to make blankets and afghans for the homeless. Trying to organize a used book drive at our school and donate some of the books to a local Children's hospital and with the money from the books we sale after the drive we will buy books or software for the school library. Jodi Spunkymil -- Spunkymil@aol.com * * * * * * * * * * We have learned to knit and made coats for the local coats for kids program, we have made bookmarks for the reading literacy program, we have done canned food drives, collected toys for the group that comforts children within the school system after a loss, That last post should have read learned to knit and made scarves. LOL Peggy Sauvie" PeggySauvie@hotmail.com * * * * * * * * * * ~ yellow fish road program ~ tabs for tots (collecting pop tabs for children - goes towards diabetic supplies, or wheelchairs) ~ painted park poles and tables as a service for having camp there ~ planted flowers for the seniors at care homes ~ made tray favors for meals on wheels ~ made reindeer pins for all the patients in the hospital ~ made a quilt and donated it to day hospital ~ planting trees ~ made butterfly pins for "compassionate friends" - symbol is the butterfly - group of people who have lost their children ~ helped in day cares for a day ~ made up packages to go to women's shelter's (travel size shampoo's, soaps, hand cream etc.) ~ provided cupcakes to hot lunch programs in one of the schools ~ for us to stay in our meeting place we have to wash the windows and blinds as a service to the hall. The girls actually loved it last year, as long as they got the bottle of Windex ~ older girls prepared vegetables in our local soup kitchen ~ gathered teddy bears at the teddy bear toss during local hockey game. Teddy bears were going to Christmas cheer ~ girls have worked at Samaritan house for World Food Day ~ also did gift wrapping at Samaritan house before Christmas ~ our unit is just completing a crest collection - selling them and donating all money to World Friendship Fun. ~ heard of a community garden that guiding takes care of...everything grown in it is donated to the community they live. ~ we take care of a flower garden in one of our parks ~ my favorite that I did as a girl member was gravelling a trail, building small bridges over the stream, and building stairs up the side of a water fall. We did this in a park in Nova Scotia and the trail is now dedicated to us! We had one day to work on our service project, different groups went out each day. The park people were there to show us what to do. I have great pictures of us busily working. We even broke the hammer in half! Carla Paddock, Brown Owl Assiniboine Area PR Adviser, Brandon, Manitoba paddy4@mb.sympatico.ca * * * * * * * * * * My Daisy Troop & our Sister Troop have been working on a WONDERFUL project & I thought I'd share it with you all. We "Adopted" some of the residents at the Nursing Home & have made some projects for them & visited with them. A few of the projects we made are: Door hangers Halloween wreaths Hearts w/ tails greeting cards Christmas Angels sunshine suncatchers to hang in their windows Plus we've sang Christmas Carols with them & shared in their stories from the past. It's always a great pleasure to go visit with the residents & the Girls can't seems to get enough. They are already bugging me when we can go back & we just went! If you can. I encourage you to carry the children. regardless of age -whether they are your scout troop or your children....let's teach them to respect their elders, to appreciate the ones that paved the way for us all. http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/FamiliesofSoldiers http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/armyngntcfamilysupportchat I am putting together a community service project & would appreciate any ideas you might have. We are going to the Civil War Cemetery to do some renovating & cleaning up. The place has been neglected for many years & needs a bit of work. Most people around here aren't even aware of it's existence. I am trying to combine the Girl Scouts with the Boy scouts. When I was a Scout --the 2 groups did alot of work together & it was alot of fun! I think the kids would benefit alot from a project where we all worked together. PLUS--it would get BOTH groups some good publicity! Let the world see us out there--working side by side to better our community. Of course we are going to cut the grass & do some weed eating. We are also going to plant flowers around EACH headstone & wash them & fix the ones broken. The fence needs a bit of work, holes in the driveway filled in....such as that. Pick up trash--naturally...get up tree limbs...rake leaves.... I was thinking of maybe building a big sign w/ the name of the cemetery on it & let each scout sign it . What do ya think ? The girl scouts are going to prepare lunch for the day--we are having a picnic... The greatest part is that the parents are coming to help, too. So, we'll have Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts AND family members . I'm trying to think of a way to get other people in the community involved. Things are really coming together! This is planned for April 22, by the way. The day before Easter. I thought that would be a problem..but so far--everyone loves it! Any ideas to make this an even better day ??? I'm all ears. DeAnna Terry http://ladysarge.freeservers.com * * * * * * * * * * Although my girls have not done face painting as a "service project", we did do some on each other at a camping trip a few years ago. As I recall, they were working on the Art to Wear Brownie try-it. Another troop in our service unit suggested this and it worked quite well: Crayola makes colored "watercolor" pencils. Dip the colored pencils in water before applying. They come off very easily with soap and water and are not messy at all going on. Some of the service projects our troop and service unit have participated in include: Working a water stop for the Race for the Cure, making valentines for Senior Citizens and cards to go in Thanksgiving baskets for the poor, preparing emergency bags for children going into foster care which include toiletries as well as small toys, visiting a nursing home and singing songs as well as performing skits, (Next time, we'll skip the skits), cleaning up shorelines at our Girl Scout Camp--all that trash could not have come from Scouts!, contributing to food drives, and making bird feeders. Mary Willett, Jr. Leader Troop 715 http://www.geocities.com/enchantedforest/fountain/7512 - Mnwillett@AOL.COM co-SUM, Gaithersburg, MD * * * * * * * * * * Below are suggestions for Leadership Projects (service projects) that Council put in the Leaders Handbook a few years back..... Service projects can provide leadership experiences for girls who think up projects and/or get others motivated to work on projects. The skills of planning, executing and evaluating are required for the success of any project. Take the leader-in-training workshop offered by the local Girl Scout Council and utilize the leadership skills you acquire with a troop of younger girls. Become a Counselor-in-training and demonstrate your leadership abilities as a camp counselor for your council. Become a First Aider and teach first aid skills to a group of younger children. Become active in your Girl Scout Service Unit by assisting a troop leader or the troop organizer. Plan and implement a thank you activity for your leader or leaders in the Service Unit. Set up and run extended-day activities at a council day camp. Plan and carry out the entertainment for a leader's dinner. Become a recruiter for you council and organize other girls to help form new troops. Volunteer your services to help train others in the council in specific skills you possess, such as campcraft skills, song leading, handicrafts, etc. Organize a baby sitting service for leaders attending Girl Scout training events. Organize a group of girls to become service unit song leaders. Organize and run a Girl Scout Council library. Lead an environmental awareness campaign in your community. Compile a book on the accomplishments of women in your community that may be used in a women?s history seminar. Organize a historical restoration. Develop a bicycle safety course. Organize a group of girls to run a story hour at the local library or mall. Work with a community agency to establish a hot line for teens (YMCA would be a good outlet for this one) Work with a local school to organize a group or peer tutors. Develop and carry out a fitness program. Organize self-defense classes for senior citizens. Organize and run a baby sitter training program. Record an oral history of your community as seen through the eyes of senior citizens....(we are doing this one at a workshop for the leaders) Set up a poetry reading series at the local library or mall. Take responsibility for a cleaner environment. Organize an ethnic fair for your Girl Scout Council Work with a wellness clinic to encourage good health habits in the community in which you live. Design and carry out a welcome for girls new to the community. (could expand this into families new in the area) Conduct a fire preparedness workshop for community residents. Work with a community group to organize a workshop to teach homesteading skills (churning butter, weaving cloth, etc) -there are reenactors of the "War between the States" in your area that could possibly help with information) Organize and run after school activities for latchkey children Work with a community group to promote voter registration Set up and run an exploratorium in science Work with a hospital to set up recreational music therapy activities for children. Organize a Special Olympics for children with disabilities. Plan and carry out a no smoking program Organize a block association Organize pet care training for younger children Motivate a group to take CPR training and organize a class Design and conduct home safety activities for a local tenants' association Set up a career internship with an industrial company Teach basic water skills to non-swimmers Motivate a friend to learn a new skill Accept the responsibility for cooking for your family for one week. Develop and carry out sports activities for a resident camp Develop a pamphlet or videotape of activities available to teenagers for newcomers to your community Work with your local library or council office to record library or Girl Scout books onto cassette tapes for blind and visually limited individuals Help teach English to non-English speaking children in your community Produce a play for your community. Travel to schools, senior citizen centers or hospitals to put on this entertainment. Run for an office in school or in your troop Aletta - aletta@INFORMATION4U.COM * * * * * * * * * * PROJECT LINUS WEB SITE http://www.projectlinus.org Deb Elliott, Atlanta - Troop 6381 janddelliot@mindspring.com * * * * * * * * * * A Senior Troop in our Service Unit is working with Project Linus. Instead of MAKING the blankets, they're just collecting yarn for a group that can knit them into blankets. If your Brownies are interested in the project, they can get involved without actually have to MAKE the blankets. Kathy Giessuebel, Leader Junior Troop 788, Carrowood Service Unit, Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast - giessuebel@vabch.com www.geocities.com/Heartland/Shores/1914 * * * * * * * * * * Our troop works with "Life Connections? by providing transportation once a month for someone who is blind (Ron). A registered adult drives with 2-3 girls and Ron. When we get to the store (or library, or dry cleaners, etc.), the adult stays in the car, while the girls go in with Ron. It has been great and given some much-needed publicity to both Girl Scouts and Life Connections. Our troop was on the front page of the Life section of the local city paper and they recently made a PR video for Life Connections. We've been doing this a couple of years, so Ron has practically become one of our troop -- attending our holiday parties and going to concerts that the girls are in. It is quite a commitment for the adults though, as we have to do all the driving. Karen - mathisgreat@aol.com * * * * * * * * * * We donated time to a crisis center for teen pregnancy by folding and helping do laundry. We took books to the children?s ward at the local hospital. We make Easter baskets out of milk jugs and put candy in them and took them to rest home and with the assistance of the director gave them to residence. We have a program here with the humane society where you can take your troop and walk the dogs on a regular basis. also adopt a grandparent from one of the assisted living facilities. Sandy, ghenry@citlink.net * * * * * * * * * * In reading everyone else's service project ideas, I really feel like my troop needs to do more service projects. I usually start with good intentions, but then other activities get in the way. We did a meager food drive last year, and did Clean the Bay in June. But that was it. This year, I had the girls vote on what they'd rather do: adopt a spot or adopt a grandparent, and they voted for the adopt a grandparent. They are ready willing and able, but it's my fault we haven't done it. I'm not sure where to start. I've got a good sized troop, (13 active girls) so that seemed to be too many girls to impose on one grandparent at a time. I talked to someone else in my service unit who's done adopt-a-grandparent, and she explained to me that you don't all adopt one grandparent, and you don't match up girl scout to elderly person one-to-one. She said that if it was done that way, the elderly person whose girl scout didn't show up that day would feel left out, and the girl whose elderly person passed away would be sad. She said it's better to have a group of girl scouts visit a group of elderly people. I guess I could find us a nursing home that has grandparents in need of adopting, but I've asked the church where we've just started meeting if there are any service projects we can do for them. They aren't affiliated with a nursing home, but they've got several shut-ins. How should I approach this? I could assign a patrol to each shut-in, but then, to I have to go with each patrol when it's their turn to visit their shut-in? Would we have the same problem of one-to-one if one of the shut ins passed away? Should I forget the shut-ins and go with a nursing home? Kathy Giessuebel, Leader Junior Troop 788, Carrowood Service Unit, Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast - giessuebel@vabch.com www.geocities.com/Heartland/Shores/1914 * * * * * * * * * * Since our troop is new (Dec.) and wear Daisies, we have done two service projects so far. One we adopted an owl and two we joined the Arbor Day Society and the girls will be getting trees of their own to plant. Looking forward to more service projects!!!---Jana - mist829430@mindspring.com * * * * * * * * * * * * Adopt a Grandparent You might incorporate a service project of making cards at your meetings for those that are in the nursing homes or assisted living facilities from the church. Then maybe on one or two holidays during the year (not Christmas since everyone does that) take the girls to one of the facilities to hold a tea or party for the residents. That way you are not committed to a continual trip to the facility but are remembering those that are lonely and ill monthly. Nana Bev" * * * * * * * * * * Adopt a Grandparent That reminds me, once we went "caroling" to a nursing home on Memorial Day and sang all patriotic songs. The residents loved it and sang along quite a bit. But practice first -- you'd be surprised what the girls don't know (that we all did at their age). Sing the old songs that the residents will know. One guy was so happy when we sang the Marine's Hymn, he showed us his Marines tattoo! - mathisgreat@aol.com * * * * * * * * * * Our association this year adopted the Native American children in South Dakota. Alot of these children go from foster home to foster home. Girls from all troops bought in: August..items to use for school for the grade level GS was at Sept, Oct.. Used but in good shape winter coats, Nov...Holiday toy, Jan..underwear, Feb, make-up, ass't hair things,, March will be socks, and in April each troop will donate a duffel bag and backpack for a child. Patti Jr troop # 3312 - Patscake@aol.com Nassau County Council * * * * * * * * * * Every year I try to think of a Service Project for our whole community/service unit to work on because service projects are needed at all levels. Some that we have done: We collected children's books and sent them to a Indian reservation school that I got off the Internet. BAD. The books weighed so much that postage was outrageous. We collected four books but only mailed two. I never heard back from the reservation school - did they get the books; did they like/need them, etc. This year we are collecting the tabs from the top of soda cans. These will be given to our local McDonald's for the Ronald McDonald house. Lee W-S, GSCM Community 44 LeeW0520@aol.com * * * * * * * * * * * * The following are provided by Thomas Contento, Troop 1006 Leader-Buckeye Trails-Ohio, email: taccon@worldnet.att.net http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Grove/6610/index.html http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Flats/8501/ Easter baskets - Make Easter baskets for a privately held children's home, or your local Headstart centers. Caroling - anywhere - in your neighborhoods knocking on doors; at a senior citizen's/retirement complex, some hospitals welcome this as well. Donated books - to your school or public library Collect winter clothing - for and donate to school children, local salvation army, homeless shelter, your local battered and abuse shelters. Collect food pantry items - donate to school children, local salvation army, homeless shelter, your local battered and abuse shelters. Collect toiletry items - for the women's shelter, the teen shelter Collect markers, pencils... and send to Children Centers Make cards - "get well" - "hope you feel better" - for the local hospice center. Create cards - to send to -- service members overseas -- veterans in the hospital -- senior citizens Decorated placemats - for the Senior Center for any special holiday. May Day baskets - for the women's abuse shelter (soap, shampoo and lotion) Book, games, clothing drives - for shelters or for a children's hospital Make craft gifts -for residents at a nursing home or to give to a "Angel" at Christmas. Collect food -for the Humane Society. Pack boxes of food - collected for the local food bank. Work with residents - of the local Veterans Administration hospital. Safe Kids Day - fingerprinting, art projects, story reading, etc. Collect "birthday boxes" - from neighborhood troops in your service unit and deliver to children's shelters or local food banks (boxes include items such as balloons, candles, plates, napkins, cups, party favors, a small present or gift certificate, noisemakers, confetti, cake mix, canned frosting, etc). Organize -a clean up for all the school playgrounds in your area. Plant - flowers, shrubs, trees where needed locally. Adopt - a family for Christmas and or birthdays (check with churches or outreach agencies near you) Make "busy kits" - for kids in the hospital or for hospital waiting rooms. In a gallon zip lock bag, place some crayons(ask local restaurants for donations) and coloring book pages. Puzzles are good too. Make "care kits" - for seniors in assisted living or nursing homes (include items such as lotions, toiletry items, nail clippers, comb, brush, etc) Help with local non-profit organizations -(e.g. help hand out info for MADD, walk for the diabetes foundation, help thelocal school with events or projects, etc) Create a display - of girl scout "stuff" for the showcases at school or library display case. Promoting Girl Scouts! Adopt - a wild animal at your local nature center. This usually helps them feed and take care of the animal for one year. Volunteer - for your council-owned camps, there were service opportunities offered every time, age-adjusted, and we usually did whatever they needed. Shoe Box kits I - Filling shoe boxes with soap, shampoo, shave cream & razor, wash cloth, nonperishable food & water, etc., and handing them out to the homeless men and women on our street corners. Shoe Box kits II - Filling a shoe box with a cake mix, icing, candles, napkins, plates, hats, party favors, and a gift for a Birthday Party in a box for our migrant families. Loaded Book bag - I had all the girls bring in school supplies and new or like new book bags we put them in a box and donated them to our teachers for any children that might need them. We are going to make this a standing project for every year. School Planting - plant mums in the planters in front of the school. They will come back every year and are low maintenance. The girls really enjoy going to school in the fall and seeing their flowers there. Loaded Baskets - Another good one is for the Nursing Homes or Senior Citizen Center is to collect things such as Stationary, Envelopes, Stamps, Lotions, any skin softening products and making up small baskets. You can get the baskets at yard sales or the Salvation Army, spray paint them and fill them. We also have put small bags of candy in them for the Seniors to give to their guests when they visit. Gloves for the Needy -We have also collected mittens and gloves to give to the needy. So many kids don't have these or even hats to keep them warm. Gifts to your local Crisis Pregnancy Center - Our SU collected baby items (baby wipes, blankets, socks, bottles, toiletries, etc) at our Christmas Party and donated them to the local Crisis Pregnancy Center. Goodie Bags - for the Senior Center's Walk-a-thon. They were having a walk-a-thon and needed 300 goodie bags put together. They supplied the items and we put them together and gave them out to the senior's at the walk-a-thon. Pet Food - collection for town's animal shelter Adopted a Children's Shelter - and each month do something: Donated toothbrushes/toothpaste, hair brushes, socks, bibs, new clothing. Each girl used $1.00 from their dues to purchase teddy bears for the children. so when they get placed there they are given a new friend. Craft kits: Put easy craft kits together--e.g. puzzle, puppet, coloring items. Contacted the Senior Center - and found senior's that were shut-ins and sent them monthly letters, pictures etc. Make ABC Books - for the children' s hospital: Get a photo album but a upper and lower case letter on each page. Have each girl cut out pictures to represent the letters and put them in the photo album. Joke Book - make a kids and one for the adults of all clean jokes, comics and put them in photo albums and send to the Ronald McDonald House or Children's Hospital, Nursing homes etc. Make Adult Puzzle Bags - with adult type word search, paper, pens, pencils, writing paper, crossword puzzles, comics and send to the VA hospital. Collect Lost Pennies - for a month and donate to a local charity. Collect Coupons - and send to the local food pantry, shelters etc... Baby Shower - hold one for your local shelter. My Junior troop did "binky patrol" - we made receiving blankets and bought bottles and a small item (pacifier, teething ring, rattle, etc.) We had a workshop on a Sunday afternoon and the girls made the blankets themselves with the help of those of us who sew. Check your local health center or young parents organizations, they except all kinds of donations. Landscaping - the building where we hold our meetings and maintain it, neighborhood or park. Built a bluebird trail - around our school grounds and maintain it Purchased Girl Scout signs - which we put up under our town signs Make Thank You notes - for our Girl Scout council to use. Caroling - at nursing homes, around the neighborhood Planting trees - at local centers / Collect donations - and purchased over 50 gifts for the area Christmas Party served punch and cookies, handed out hats at the Christmas Party Volunteered -help for the 'Friends of the Library' with their book sale Many organizations -(nature center, hospital, shelters, etc) have a wish list - call and get ideas Yard or house cleanup - or shopping service for elderly people or other shut-ins Reading project - produce story hours at local libraries Developed - a "Brownie Bridging Program" in Service Unit. The four components to the program are: skill training, troop training, bridging Camporee, and the bridging ceremony (Bridging is the process of moving from one level of Scouting to another. There are specific steps to complete and a badge to be earned) Have a dinner - for the leaders on Leader's Day or during Girl Scout Week. Design and make puppets for a day care center. Making - alphabet books for pre-schoolers in Head Start (this is a program for disadvantaged preschoolers). Plan and implement - a Try-It (Try-its are Brownie badges) day for Brownies. Educational displays -for the general public on a local matter (environmental, etc). Making laminated placemats - for a special group (Blind school, handicapped school, etc.) Plan - the annual Service Unit campout, a Brownie campout for all troops. After-school homework helpers - for younger kids. Organize - a 1-day hiking/outdoor adventure day for disabled youth. Organize - a Seniors Prom (formal dance for the elderly based on the formal dances held each year in the spring for the oldest High School students). Prepare - an illustrated what-to-do book for the area that includes kids activities, walking tours, annual events, fun things to do and see, local history, etc. A Library Day!!! - Reading to little ones in town at library making story related crafts and games! Organize - a Park Clean up and Planting Day. Check with city or greenhouses for donations. Service - to community organizations that provide services to families: homeless shelters, shelters for battered women and their children, etc. Coordinate - and organize a "Father-Daughter" or a "Mother-Daughter" event Develop - an equipment lending/donation system for her Service Unit and created a craft booklet that complemented the materials available through the lending/donation system. Develop - a camping and outdoor education skill training for the Girl Scout Leaders. They also created several outdoor skills activity boxes for leaders use. Develop - 30 craft projects designed for a wide range of age groups, and created a "How-to" book that she donated to her Service Unit. Each project included a full set of instructions, a list of potential suppliers and a reference photograph illustrating each craft. Develop - (group of Service Units)newsletter -- working with 5 SU managers, the Assoc. team, etc. Designed the SU web site -- getting a free sponsor, securing the certificate, working with our council on things that could and could not be included, training leaders in managing the webpage, etc.; Quilts - for AIDS babies (very good project for my girl who was hospitalized with anorexia and could not get out of bed.) or make, collect, or donate "blankies" to babies/toddlers in need. Books to tapes - Have the girls in the troop read books on to tapes and donate the books and tapes to the local pediatric unit, shelter, or school for the blind Host an Astronomy night - contact your local astronomy clubs (if you have one) and get them to help - most will. Make packages - to mail to servicemen overseas (contact the Red Cross on how to distribute). Include items such as books, videos, hot chocolate and hot cider packets, microwave popcorn, hard candy, greeting cards that they can use to send home, small games, magazines, etc. Bake - pies for the community Thanksgiving Dinner. Designing - and planting a butterfly garden at GS camp or in an area where others can enjoy the flowers and butterflies. Decorate - the Senior Center with snowflakes for winter, leaves for fall, flowers for spring. Karen Cromer * * * * * * * * * * Window painting - our community has done window paintings for local merchants for several years. Last year, my SU did it on our own, coordinating with a shopping strip center in our "jurisdiction" It made it a lot easier because we didn't have to go through the big lottery and disappoint a lot of girls. We'll probably do it again this year - the people are young and very kid oriented. Tie balloon animals at our school carnival (over 400 balloons in 3 hours!) make balloon animals at Ronald McDonald House (where families of critically ill children can stay while there child receives treatment) For service projects...our Service Unit has been involved with a local mine (we mine gold here in Nevada), It has been very good for all involved to help with the mine reclamation. Girls collaborated on a training video for troops to use in Outdoor Skills (cooking, cleanup, firebuilding mainly). Each girl had a specific part (director, props, script, soundtrack, all were actors, etc.). We 'filmed' it in slide format. The local cable station worked with us to transfer it to videotape (using 1/2" master tape) as well as to do the voiceovers in their sound studio. A grant from Chevron allowed us to make about 80 co pies which we distributed all over the Council (San Francisco Bay). Made the tape 6 years ago and it's still in use and I still get the occasional compliment. This project was shared by two girls. They planned, organized and ran a Teddy Bear Picnic! Had all brownies bring their teddy bears! Had contests! Best dressed, biggest, smallest etc! ribbons for all! made a paper teddy bear, played games and had a snack. Also a parade of teddies! Also a small hospital area for bears that needed mending!! A Winter Celebration Day for Daisies. They came and learned how other cultures celebrate the holiday of Christmas! The made crafts and played games of the different cultures. Leading a brownie troop in learning the promise in Spanish and showing it at a Girl Scout gathering! Also information was learned about Mexico for thinking day. My troop (4 girls in all) were all top students and had all earned the Reading IPP(badge). Our Service Unit (SU) had "adopted" a local charity's efforts at providing a "safe place" for children after school and on weekends in some of our worst neighborhoods. They were getting old HUD (government agency for housing) type houses and fixing them up for educational and fun places for kids to go. My troop decided to build a library for one of the new centers. We solicited book donations from all of the troops in our SU as well as anyone we knew and our own personal collections of children's books. Each book was sorted and catalogued according to our old friend, the Dewey Decimal system. With the proceeds of a garage sale they purchased a build-it-yourself cabinet specifically designed for this project to hold many of the books. They built the cabinet (all by themselves-it's not like I could help) and shelved the over 800 books that they collected. They collected posters, etc for decoration of the room. They made several sit-upons (waterproof)pads for sitting on the ground) for use in the room and developed a simple check out system that required little maintenance for the volunteers running the center. They donated rubber stamps that stated "property of safe house" and stamped it in each book. Girls in a troop lived in a neighborhood where a creek ran through the back of several homes. The erosion problems were so bad that the city wanted to just fill the creek up. With the help of the Army Corp of Engineers, the girls received a grant and a donation from the local homeowner's assoc. to organize a clean up day using volunteers from the neighborhood, the neighborhood middle school, etc to come in make a lovely path with railroad ties, gravel, etc., and generally cleaned up the area and helped to prevent further erosion. They saved a greenbelt in the city. One girl ran the Earth Matters patch program for Junior Girl Scouts (8-12 yrs) in our SU -- she secured a place (the National Wildlife Center), found consultants, trained helpers, purchased supplies, kept registration and health and safety information on each girl, etc. They are doing a program called THE PLAY'S THE THING! it is for brownies and is going to introduce them to different types of play. Each girl has her own responsibility; so they're doing theater, origami, sport and 19th century crafts that young girls did. Two years ago I had 5 girls and the did Ready - Set - Camp! each girl took a part of camping and introduced it to girls who had never been camping so they would be ready to go on the encampment a few weeks later. Jungle Fever Campout - Our Cadette troop is planning a one-night camp session for Junior GS as our Silver Project. The theme is "Jungle Fever" because all of our activities will have something to do with the jungle or rain forest. So far we have planned a guided hike with "planted" items relating to the jungle (the girls will find them and then we'll tell them something about that item and how it fits in the jungle), and a food activity taste testing hot chocolate and making a banana shake. We will make a SWAP (items made and then traded) to give each Junior when they complete each station in our wide game. Wacky Olympics - They held a Wacky Olympics day for Junior scouts complete with opening ceremonies, a medal ceremony (gold, silver, and bronze), the "lighting of the torch", and a parade of "nations". We have a program called adopt a spot in our community that any person or group can adopt a public space and clean/beautify it. My community itself is big on service. There's the "Stream Team" that cleans up an area stream or creek that troops volunteer with. When my troop met in a branch library, and I was filling out forms and they asked about safety, I showed them my battered copy of Safety-Wise (I'm sure you must have a similar compilation of safety policies) which they admired. We bought a copy for their shelves. (They returned the favor by putting up a plaque!) We collected night clothes and soft toys for a shelter for women and children, who often run from an abusive home just when they can, and don't bring these things. The shelter sent someone to accept the donations (since their exact location is kept secret) (They returned the favor by telling us how you can tell before he hits you that your date might be into abuse!) Two girls working on their Silver Award (for girls of about grade 7-9) during Desert Storm wanted to do something to help bring peace to the world. It seems idealism comes in big pieces! They held a Peace Corps Evening, with returned Peace Corps Volunteers sharing their experiences (and how to apply) with Cadettes and Seniors (grades 6-12) The RPCV's were all former GS, and 2 were current adults members. The Brownies sang and gave lots of hugs to lonely seniors in a retirement home. It was really special because some of the seniors were immigrants and so were some of the girls; they were lonely for their grandchildren and their grandparents respectively. At the December Leader's Meeting for our Service Unit, we have a Leader - Daughter Christmas Party. Each Leader & Daughter brings a Christmas snack and the Service Unit provides beverages. Each "team" is also requested to bring an unwrapped gift for a boy or girl, along with wrapping paper, tape, etc. As we party, the girls wrap the gifts (and what a great job they do!) and mark the gifts with the appropriate gender and age range. Last year, we donated the majority of the gifts to a homeless shelter (a privately run shelter through a network of local churches staffed mostly by volunteers). The girls are given credit for service time for wrapping the gifts. When I delivered the gifts to the agency, I was told that they had only been able to budget $40 for Christmas gifts. They were about to hold their annual Christmas Party not only for the families currently in the program, but also for the families that had "graduated" from the program during the previous year. Imagine the surprised look on their faces when I brought in numerous boxes and shopping bags full of gifts (which filled the trunk of my large mini-van) and completely filled the desks of their rather small office (located in one of the network of participating churches). The girls had a great time wrapping the gifts, making new friends with the daughters of leaders from troops outside of our town and had the satisfaction of knowing that lots of kids (currently and previously homeless) were going to have a wonderful Christmas. This year, I am taking over the position of Service Project Manager for our Service Unit, and I intend to continue this project. This year, I hope to be able to have some of the troops assist in delivering the gifts which will provide them with even more service time. We all had warm, fuzzy feelings last Christmas, and received a wonderful letter of thanks which was provided to all the Leaders to share with their daughters. Janice Goodfriend -- goodfriendj@earthlink.net