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| Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast members are keeping our Girl Guide friends in Haiti in our thoughts. They and their families are dealing with the devastation that was created in their country by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck southern Haiti on January 12. In true Girl Scout fashion, there are already reports in the country of Girl Scout troops pitching in time and energy toward the relief efforts. Locally, we will be posting opportunities to help on our community service page. We ask that you report any service efforts to the Council. You may email marcyg@gsccc.org. |
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Community Service
Community service is a core quality of Girl Scouting. In the very first handbook, written by Girl Scout founder Juliette Gordon Low, Girl Scouts pledged to "do a good turn everyday." If by chance, a girl went through the entire day without doing a good deed, she was required to do two the next day to make up for it! Community service is an important element of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Girls of all ages are given opportunities as individuals
and as members in troops, groups and in service units. They learn important and valuable skills through community service which will help them develop into responsible citizens. Through community service, girls can see that their
involvement has the power to change the world.
Community
Service Project Ideas
Below is a list of community service projects your girls may want to consider. We do not endorse any one organization, this is only a list of opportunities. Leaders are expected to exercise good judgement when determining which ones work for theirs girls, following safety wise and membership level abilities.
If you are already providing service in the community and would like to share your project ideas with other troops, please contact Theresa Perry with details.
| Service
Project |
Description |
Location |
Membership
Level* |
Time
Frame |
Contact
Person |
Contact |
| Bag of
Love |
Provides new items for
infants and toddlers. |
Throughout
NC and
VA |
All |
Mar 14-26, 2010 |
Theresa Perry |
(757) 547-4405 ext
1241 |
| Bags for Foster Children |
Foster care children deserve to carry their belongings with dignity and sel-confidence. You can help by collecting and filling bags to benefit the foster care kids in your area. The suitcases you collect will give these troubled children a glimmer of hope during a difficult time in their lives.
Gather the following items; gently used suitcases, new duffle bags, and new back packs. AND/OR
Purchase the following items: toothbrushes, toothpaste, blankets, reading books for all ages, stuffed animals, underwear (all sizes, boys & girls), socks (all sizes, boys & girls), coloring book and crayons or journal and pen. |
All Areas |
All |
Aug - Sept |
Donna Farnham |
(757) 547-4405 ext 1251 |
Be A Santa
to A Senior |
Provides gifts to
seniors without visitors |
Throughout
NC and
VA |
All |
Nov - Dec |
Varies |
www.beasantatoasenior.com
Enter
your zip code to find nearest location. |
Community
Action Team |
A team of Girl Scouts
helping a variety of community events. |
Throughout
NC and
VA |
CD, SR, AB |
Year
Round |
Donna Farnham |
(757) 547-4405
ext
1251 |
| Educate Mommy and Me Learning Bundles |
We ask that each Learning Bundle include the following: The children's board book, "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown; The children's book, "Time for Bed" by Mem Fox; CD set for parents, "Gettin Your Baby to Sleep, Made Easy" by Terry Woodford, BS, MS |
All Areas |
All |
Year Round |
|
skane@physiciansforpeace.org |
GSCCC
Angel
Tree |
Provide gifts for a
family in need. |
A Place for
Girls |
All |
Nov - Dec |
Dale McClure |
(757) 547-4405
ext
1239 |
Helping
Hands
Food Drive |
One day food collection
to support local Food Banks |
NC & VA |
All |
October |
Service Unit
Food
Drive Coordinator |
Varies |
| Operation Homefront |
Operation Homefront provides
emergency assistance and morale to our troops, to the families they leave behind
and to wounded warriors when they return home. |
Newport News, VA |
All |
Year Round |
Carol H. Berg |
(757) 272-6122 |
| Operation
Snowball |
Provides needed
items
for Seniors |
Throughout
NC and
VA |
All |
Nov - Dec |
Donna Farnham |
(757) 547-4405
ext
1251 |
REACH
Reading Enriches
All Children |
Reorganizing,
alphabetizing books |
Norfolk, VA |
CD, SR, AB |
Year
Round |
Sarah
Sterzing |
(757)
627-4722 |
Ronald McDonald House
| Prepare meals for 2 - 25 people to be frozen and used at a later time. |
Norfolk, VA
|
JR - AB |
Year Round
| Vickie Kennedy
| (757) 627-5386
|
| YWCA of South Hampton
Roads |
Women In Crisis Domestic Violence
Shelters & Programs need donations of clothing and other items |
Norfolk, VA |
All |
Mon - Fri
10AM -
4PM |
|
(757) 625-4248
www.ywca-shr.org |
*
DS=Daisies, BR=Brownies, JR=Juniors, CD=Cadettes, SR=Seniors, AB= Ambassadors
Girl Scout Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors can earn the Community Volunteer Service Bars for providing service in the community.
Other Community Service Opportunities
Equi-Kids Riding that Benefits
The Body & Mind; a therapeutic riding program that serves over 70 adults and
children in its weekly riding program. An active School Partnership Program
allows special needs students from the area's public school systems to
participate in riding and theory classes once a week.
Hospitality for the Homeless (HFH), based in Norfolk, VA,
serves as a re-distribution agency for travel-size toiletries to those in need.
National inventory partners donate toiletries which are re-packaged by community
service partners into Care Kits and are distributed to recognized homeless
shelters and needs-based agencies. For more information, or to find out how your
Girl Scout(s) can volunteer, email info@hospitalityforthehomeless.org
or see their Web site at www.hospitalityforthehomeless.org.
Samaritan House Serving homeless families & victims of
domestic violence. Samaritan House helps families who are homeless or fleeing
domestic violence with emergency shelter, case management, safety planning,
legal services and support groups. More information can be found at their Web
site, www.samaritanhouseva.org or call (757) 631-0710.
Music and Arts Community Service Project Opportunities
Tidewater Arts Outreach matches artists and musicians
with opportunities to share their talents with special needs populations. Groups
can create and present a project, or they can be matched with an artist to help
execute a project with residents in area nursing homes and assisted living
facilities. For more information contact: Tidewater Arts Outreach at (757)
410-4010.
The Lou Henry Hoover Memorial Sanctuary Project is a living
memorial to a dedicated member of the Girl Scout movement. A Lou Henry Hoover
Memorial Sanctuary is any natural area designated by a council for the purpose
of providing a setting where Girl Scouts can gain an understanding of the
interrelationships of all forms of life.
To find out about community organizations that may need
volunteer help or may direct you to a community service project, visit the
following websites:
Community Awards
Many organizations in our
area offer opportunities to recognize shining stars in our community. There are
so many people involved with the Girl Scouts who are deserving of such an award.
Consider nominating a girl or volunteer today!
10 On Your Side
Shining Star: a WAVY TV 10 award given out weekly to a deserving Hampton
Roads resident by WAVY News 10's Alveta Ewell
Community
Star: a WTKR award given out weekly to a deserving Hampton Roads resident.
If you nominate someone, don't forget to let us know! |
