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Showing posts from October, 2016

What is a Troop Crest?

Did you know… the first Girl Scout Troops reportedly did not have Troop numbers, they had Troop crests to identify themselves? Today, Troop crests are used as a symbol of a Troop's goals or main interests. Once a Troop chooses a crest that has special meaning to them, it is used for the life of that Troop and can be placed on the uniform of each girl in the Troop. This is a good way to bring scouts together in a Troop around a common goal, particularly if the Troop is multi-level, or made up of girls from different schools, etc. Who can have a Troop Crest? All Brownie, Junior, Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador Troops. How do we choose which Troop Crest we should have? The girls in the Troop should vote on which crest meaning describes the Troop the best. We suggest to read the meanings of each crest out loud to your Troop, but don't tell them what the crest is or show them a picture of the crest. Where can I purchase the Troop Crest for my Troop? Once you...

Linking Girl Scouts and their Faiths

On my honor, I will try to serve God and my country… The foundation of Girl Scouting is the Girl Scout Promise and Law – which links to and reinforces many of the principles and values common to most faiths. While Girl Scouts is a secular organization, it encourages girls to grow stronger in their own spiritual beliefs while respecting the beliefs of others. Today there are a number of awards girls may earn that help them to do this. GSUSA My Promise, My Faith pin (Girl Scouts and Faith): Girl Scouts of all grade levels can earn this pin once each year (individually or with their Troop). It complements faith-specific recognitions (see below) and encourages girls to further strengthen the connection between their faith and Girl Scouting. Find requirements in The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting for all levels, or online (see GSUSA link below). Faith-specific religious recognitions are created/offered by national faith-based committees, and have been approved by GSUSA for w...

Camping at Blue Bay in the winter is crazy you say?

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Troop 1025 from West Hempstead/Franklin Square Association doesn’t think so. It is one of our most favorite activities every year. We have had pajama fashion shows, nail polish parties, and this year paint night. No outside activities you say? We take hikes, go to the beach, build snowmen and even have compass races for prizes. The wildlife is abundant and fun to watch. The activity building is a favorite hangout where we play volleyball and other sports. The cabins are warm and comfortable and the perfect venue for badge work and crafts. The kitchen is great for cooking our meals but we have been known to cook out on the campfire when the weather permits. We love making fires in the fireplace and of course sharing S’mores. We have been going for many years and hope to go many more! Whether earning badges, working on a Journey or just having fun, Girl Scout Troops have a blast when they go Troop Camping at Camp Blue Bay. Traditional Troop Camping is a unique experience plann...