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Welcome to the family of Girl
Scouting!
Girls
have many choices in today's world, and because your daughter has
chosen Girl Scouts, we want her experience to be the best it can be.
We have found that parents who are well informed about our
organization help to make that happen. Please review the following
information and if you have any questions or concerns, contact your
daughter's leader or the Girl Scouts of Maine Service Center.
What
does Girl Scouts cost and how is it funded?
What can I expect as a
parent?
What is expected of me
as a parent?
Who leads my daughter's
troop?
Is my daughter safe in
Girl Scouts?
What forms will
I be required to fill out?
Where can I
get all the cool Girl Scout stuff?
How is the Girl
Scout council structured?
The Cost - All members pay a $10
national registration fee to join Girl Scouting, all of which is
sent to Girl Scouts of the USA. These dues help cover the cost of
insurance, producing materials, as well as GSUSA's general operating
expenses. Girl Scouts of Maine does not receive any portion of the
$10 fee.
Troop dues - Troop dues help
cover the cost of troop activities. Dues vary by troop; check with
your daughter’s leader to find out the amount of her dues.
Funding
Cookies - Our famous cookie
activity program
is the primary source of funding, as it is for most councils. All
proceeds remain here in our council to benefit local girls, and a
portion of the proceeds go directly to the troops to fund their
activities. Our goal is to reduce dependency on the cookie sale and
increase our adult-generated funding.
Individual and corporate support
- A volunteer fund development committee and the council's
development director work to secure donations from individuals and
corporations.
Fundraising events - The council
puts on several events throughout the year in various locations to
raise funds.
United Way - Girl Scouts of Maine receives
donations to its annual
operating budget from several United Ways.
Family Partnership - Family
Partnership is designed to give parents the opportunity to help
cover the costs of delivering the Girl Scout program to their
daughters. With the financial support of parents and community
members the council can provide quality programming and leadership
to today’s girls.
Planned Giving - The council can
help donors designate Girl Scouts as part of their estates.
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What can I expect as a parent?
Programming - Girl Scouts of
Maine designs programs and materials based on the four goals of Girl
Scouting: To help your daughter (1) develop to her full potential,
(2) develop sound values for decision- making, (3) work with and
relate to others, and (4) contribute to society. Your daughter will
be offered many outstanding events and programs, and will have the
opportunity to attend summer camps.
Communication - In order to
assure that parents are kept informed and up-to-date, you can expect
to receive important information about your daughter’s activities.
You will be informed of council news through our Girl Scouts of
Maine Newsletter which is sent out in the fall and spring.
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What is expected of me
as a parent?
Take an active role - As a Girl
Scout parent you will want to take an active role in your daughter’s
Girl Scout experience. You can help with refreshments or
transportation, make phone calls, or assist with troop meetings. Ask
your daughter’s leaders how you can best assist the troop!
Support activities - Along with
troop activities, your active role can include supporting product
sales. As a parent you can show your support for your daughter and
the council by learning about the sale and following all guidelines
and procedures.
Respect leader’s time - Girl
Scouts would not be what it is if it were not for the dedicated
volunteers. However, your daughter’s troop leader cannot be
responsible for girls beyond the time of the actual Girl Scout
activity. Please respect the leader’s time by having a responsible
person drop your daughter off at the appropriate time and pick her
up immediately after the activity.
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Who
leads my daughter's troop?
Trained volunteer leaders - Girl
Scout leaders are volunteers who give of their time so girls can
have a quality experience in Girl Scouts. Without the many wonderful
female and male volunteers the program would not be available to the
girls. You can be assured that qualified, responsible people leading
your daughter’s troop.
Becoming a volunteer -
Individuals wanting to become a Girl Scout volunteer must submit an
application and three personal references. Criminal background
checks are performed at random for leaders. The applications,
background checks and references are thoroughly checked before a
person is permitted to work with Girl Scouts.
Volunteer training and evaluations
- All volunteers are required to take basic training and any other
training appropriate to their positions. Resource material is
provided. Training records are kept at the council Girl Scout
Service Center. All volunteers are evaluated annually to determine
if they are fulfilling the requirements of the position.
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Is my daughter safe in
Girl Scouts?
Safety-Wise - The safety of the
girls is our primary concern. Girl Scouts of Maine is guided by
security and safety standards documented in a manual titled
Safety-Wise. Leaders review this guide in their training and
strictly follow the procedures.
Insurance - All registered Girl
Scouts receive basic accident insurance coverage for Girl Scout
activities through national membership dues. This insurance covers
up to $100 in medical expenses regardless of other coverage.
Additional expenses are only covered if personal family insurance
does not cover them.
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What forms will
I be required to fill out?
Membership Registration - Gives
girl permission to be a member of Girl Scouts of the USA. This form
also collects race and ethnicity data to help Girl Scouts of the USA
track how well we are serving all populations.
Health History - Provides
accurate and current health information about your daughter.
Permission Slip - Required for
all activities that are not held at the regular troop meeting time
or site.
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Where can I
get all the cool Girl Scout stuff?
Uniforms - Although no girl is
required to wear a uniform, the council shops in Brewer and South
Portland and online offer numerous uniform pieces for all age levels
and adults. Your daughter is encouraged to wear something that shows
her pride and identifies her as a Girl Scout.
Other items - Check out the
catalog or shop for other items with the Girl Scout insignia We
carry everything from water bottles, to hair scrunchies, to mess
kits. You can call in, fax or e-mail your order as well as visiting
our online shop at
www.girlscoutshopmaine.org/.
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How is the Girl
Scout council structured?
Girl Scouts of the USA - Girl
Scouts of Maine is one of more than 300 councils in the country
chartered by the national organization, Girl Scouts of the USA. Each
council operates as a totally separate entity, responsible for its
own activities and obtaining its own funding.
Girl Scouts of Maine - Within
the council there is a volunteer board of directors, a small paid
staff and about 4,500 registered volunteers. The council is divided
into neighborhoods and within each neighborhood are the local
troops. Decisions are made through the democratic process. Delegates
from each area vote at the annual meeting in the spring.
Channels of communication - As
parents, you are welcome to communicate with any council person at
any time. However, standard channels of communication would be to
contact your daughter’s troop leader first, then, if necessary, you
or the leader can go to the neighborhood coordinator. The
neighborhood coordinator, in turn, communicates with the council
staff through membership managers (MMs) assigned to specific areas.
MMs are accountable to the Directors of Membership who are
accountable to the Senior Director of Volunteer Services, who
reports to the CEO, who is accountable to the board of directors.
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