1/6 Update – Applications are now open! The links to the guidelines providing eligibility criteria for the 2023 award year and the application for the Dr. Elinor Crawford College Scholarship Fund of Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, Inc. are available below:  

The completed application, including required attachments and letters of recommendation, must be received by February 28, 2023 as stated on the application.

Scholarship recipients will be honored at the Young Women of Distinction celebration on May 21, 2023. For assistance, contact Marie Graziosi at marieg@gsgcf.org or 941.921.5358 ext. 338/800.232.4475.

The Dr. Elinor Crawford Girl Scout College Scholarship Fund was established to recognize and celebrate graduating high school Girl Scouts who demonstrate the characteristics of the Girl Scout Mission, Promise, and Law; leadership to self and the community; and outstanding academic success. 

It is named for the late Dr. Elinor Crawford, a former Gulfcoast board member.  In 1987 she was a member of the Girl Scout Scholarship Committee which was subsequently renamed The Dr. Elinor Crawford Girl Scout College Scholarship Fund, in her honor.  She served on the committee up through her death in 2016, and was proud to read each application and girl story.  

As a professor of physical education at the University of Northern Iowa for thirty years, she served as a member of the committee that contributed to the writing and passage of Title IX, the most significant piece of federal legislation impacting girls and women in education.  Dr. Crawford was fiercely committed to lifting up Girl Scouts in support of their education. 

The application will be available January 6 and is due no later than February 28.  Scholarship recipients will be recognized at the Young Women of Distinction celebration in May. 

Eligibility requirements and applications and will be available here, January 6, 2023. 

Over the years, individual donors have also given generously to the college scholarship fund, to increase opportunities for Girl Scout graduating seniors. Dr. Crawford believed, as do we, that when girls succeed through education, so does society. Today, we are proud to continue her legacy. Please join us in continuing her legacy and providing more opportunities for girls by donating.

Property Update 10/19/22 – We are happy to share, except for the Collier Girl Scout House which remains closed for the foreseeable future , council properties have been assessed and are beginning to reopen.  If a location is available, the property reservation system will allow booking through the standard process.  Anyone who had an existing reservation has been contacted by customer care with updates.  We appreciate the patience and understanding of our members as we ensured that properties were safe and ready for use.

10/13 Council Update: We are still currently in the process of assessing our Girl Scout properties to determine damages caused by Hurricane Ian. GSGCF will be closing our properties for the foreseeable future to facilitate repairs caused by the storm. It is unsafe to be on property until we complete these repairs. Thank you for your patience as our property management team works to get you back to camp safely. Contact has been completed by Customer Care to all with reserved usage and follow up communication will continue as updates are known. If you have any further questions, please contact our Customer Care team at customercare@gsgcf.org.

10/6 Council Update: All of us at Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida wish to express our gratitude to GSUSA and the GSUSA Board of Directors who have lifted fundraising restrictions which enables councils to raise money for members and communities directly impacted by Hurricane Ian. 

As of October 6, 2022, through the end of December 2022 Girl Scout councils, troops, and members can assist as follows:

Financial Support: Council members can make financial donations directly to an affected council. All money will be allocated to council scholarship funds at the affected council(s) to assist girls with current membership year dues and replacement uniforms, credentials, and materials, or future opportunities.

Troop-to-Troop Support: Troops can allocate part of their own funds to an impacted council scholarship fund or to support a remote sister troop doing a service project or a sister troop in direct need.

Direct Work with Relief Projects: If girls are able to safely travel to an affected area or relocation areas and permitted to do so, consider helping with on-site relief activities or local activities that benefit the impacted areas.

In response to this news, a Facebook Group has been established to connect sister Girl Scouts from across the movement who wish to support the efforts of local Girl Scouts and our council. See below about how to join the Hurricane Ian Action Team.

The rebuilding process for some will take much longer than for others, however with this support from GSUSA and our sister Girl Scouts, Girl Scouting in Gulfcoast Florida will continue for those who need the support our program provides now more than ever.

10/4 Council Update:  Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida is currently open, with staff working remotely and office hours by appointment only. We will update this page as necessary for the operations of Girl Scout camps, activities, and facilities. For any immediate inquiries, please contact our customer care team at customercare@gsgcf.org.

Camp Update – We are currently in the process of assessing our Girl Scout properties to determine damages caused by Hurricane Ian. Thank you for your patience as our property management team works to get you back to camp safely. Contact has been completed by Customer Care to all with reserved usage and follow up communication will continue as updates are known. 

Ways To Help

This category 4 hurricane came ashore along the southwest coast of Florida and has greatly impacted Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida families and council staff.  We appreciate the outpouring of offers for support and compassion from our sister Girl Scout councils, troops, and community. However, we are still assessing the impact and will share updates and information about how you can support recovery efforts as they become available.  Donations towards recovery can be made at made via our website. For any additional questions or inquiries, please contact us at customercare@gsgcf.org.   

Girl Scouts Can Help

We will have more information in the near future about how you can help sister Girl Scout troops within our council who have experienced the most devastating impact from the hurricane. Stay tuned.

Join the Hurricane Ian Action Team

Earn a Hurricane Ian Action Team Patch. Take action with the recovery from Hurricane Ian and then fill out the Hurricane Ian Action Team Story Form to share the impact you made for others. Include photos or video that we can use to highlight your efforts. Within a month of submitting your story, you will receive a 2022 Hurricane Ian Action Team Patch at no cost to you or your Girl Scouts.

Here are some age-appropriate ideas for your Girl Scout to consider: 

Highlight Our Hurricane Ian Action Team

Every time you see GSGCF highlight one of our Hurricane Ian Action Team members, share the post and spread the word that Girl Scouts makes a transformative difference in the lives of girls.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Thank You!

During a natural disaster like Hurricane Ian, Girl Scouts courageously step up to help others in their community and beyond. Everything that Girl Scouts teaches and stands for, prepares us for moments like these. Through unimaginable hardships, Girl Scouts strive to make a difference and make the world a better place.

In March of 2020, we stood by our television screens in awe as the nation believed with hesitancy that they would only be spending two weeks at home. Here we are about two years later, still dealing with the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, while striving to bring ourselves back to what we once knew as normal.

Girl Scouts, as well as many other non-profits, took a hard hit when our usual in-person fundraisers, events, meetings, and programs came to a screeching halt. Even our iconic Girl Scout Cookie program was cut short, resulting in unsold inventory. Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida took challenging pivots to re-strategize what the Girl Scout experience looked like in this new world of uncertainty.

Staff, caregivers, volunteers, and board members rose to the occasion to provide creative virtual programming, at-home projects, and scheduled online meetings to keeps girls engaged and hopeful during a time when hope was hard to come by.

While the world around us continually changed, one thing remained the same – The Giving Challenge. Once again, this biennial event, presented by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, with giving strengthened by the Patterson Foundation, showcased the power of people determined to help their community.

This unwavering commitment to community and well-being of others was never more evident than demonstrated by our frontline workers. Their heroism is what inspired our 2020 Giving Challenge theme, “#BeTheOne To Honor.” Our girls and volunteers welcomed the opportunity to personally deliver excess inventory to our Hometown Heroes in hopes of raising their spirits.

Also, early on in the pandemic, Girl Scouts recognized the stress and loneliness that seniors were facing, especially those in assisted living facilities. Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida launched a council-wide service project, “Across The Generations.” Girls and their families honored seniors by sending them cards, pictures, and letters connecting them to the outside world. This program was a success and as a result #AcrossTheGenerations has been implemented at a national level within our Girl Scout organization and continues to brighten the days of seniors across the country.

Building on this effort, Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida’s Giving Challenge virtual event, “Across the Generations Virtual Singalong,” was presented in partnership with local senior living facilities delivering smiles and the joy of music, benefitting not only the residents but the frontline workers caring for them.

In the two years since the 2020 Giving Challenge, the long term effects on mental health across all generations due to the pandemic has become more apparent. Scrolling on social media platforms increased significantly. This easily becomes an endless, vicious cycle that can be taxing on one’s body image and self-worth and results in heightened stress and anxiety.

In recognition of this issue, our 2022 Giving Challenge theme is “#BeTheOne to be Resilient, Courageous and Strong.” With a focus on mental health, we want to discover new ways to help girls strengthen their well-being, while providing them with skills to assist others in our community.

We are pleased to announce our partnership with Prospect Riding Center, who share our common values and strive to create a nurturing and safe environment for those in which they serve. This partnership with Prospect became seamless and a perfect match as they serve a community for therapeutic and recreational riding. Their therapeutic equine activities help individuals improve strength and balance, build confidence, and reduce anxiety.

Together, we can encourage the young women of our community to become the future philanthropists, change makers, and leaders. Because of the Giving Challenge, our donors and supporters are able to help us make an impact with 1:1 matches up to $100 per unique donor gift from The Patterson Foundation, and additional cash prizes in a variety of categories.

Mark your calendars from noon to noon on April 26-27, the challenge is on. #BeTheOne to support us in our mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. 

It’s National Volunteer Month, and there’s no doubt that our amazing Girl Scout volunteers deserve a standing ovation. Yes, the Girl Scout experience may have looked a bit different last year, but from finding new ways to connect online to being in touch through phone calls and texting to coming up with safe ways to meet in person while following local guidelines, our troop leaders, cookie captains, and other volunteers have risen to the challenge and done their absolute best in trying times.

For all they are and all they do, we hope you’ll join us in saying thank you. Let them know their actions, both big and small, matter to you personally and make a difference in your community. 

Whether you’re short on time or want to make a whole project of it with your troop, check out these simple ways to show your appreciation.

• Personalize one of our super cute (and free!) thank-you cards designed just for this purpose.
  •  Daisies | Brownies | Juniors (PDF)
  • Cadettes | Seniors | Ambassadors (PDF)

• Bake a special treat to brighten their day.
• Give them a shoutout with a special social media post.
• Send a quick video thanking them for all they’ve helped your troop accomplish.
• Choose a project from Girl Scouts at Home to make and give to your volunteer. 
• Team up with other troop families to purchase a token of appreciation for your volunteer from the Girl Scout Shop—plus, when you use code VOLUNTEER2021, you’ll get a sweet 10% off!* 


 When it comes to showing gratitude, we’ve got this!
*The code is active April 1 through April 30, 2021, for a 10% discount at girlscoutshop.com. The code is for one-time use per customer, online-only, at girlscoutshop.com. The discount is not taken on any applicable shipping, handling, or taxes for each order.

Source: Let’s Celebrate Girl Scout Volunteers!

Chippy is anxiously awaiting all of you to return to camp this holiday season! She did not anticipate everyone being gone for so long due to the coronavirus, so she is so excited to have you back soon. Here are some of the things Chippy noticed since the last time she updated you in spring.

Highlights at Camp Honi Hanta

Council staff organized the following:

• Key Builders installed new bathhouse doors at Eagles Perch so they can be locked for additional safety.
• Our handyman, Tom, painted all the interior doors in the lodge so everything looks fresh as you walk in and out.
• Some camp signs were repainted and installed.

• The pool company was able to fix some major leaks, so we should not see as much reduction in the water level as we have had in the past.
• Shell has now replaced all the pine park mulch in the pool area landscape beds so the area will stay much cleaner.

Adult volunteers and staff assisted with the following:

• The boat ramp was pressure washed and treated.
• A small window unit air conditioner was installed in the lodge kitchen to help keep that area cooler during service unit encampments.
• The rickety ramp to the Armadillo Cabin #3 was demolished.
• Archery and kayak/canoe program area equipment was inspected and repaired.

Troop/service unit members worked on the following projects:

• A fun and playful mural entitled “SPLASH ZONE,” was designed and painted by artist Amber Hill, one of our volunteer leaders of troop 7.

Highlights at Camp Caloosa

Our Girl Scout dad, Jason, was busy mowing camp regularly to keep the trails cleared every month. Plus, he was able to complete the following:

• Installed a new railing by the lake edge where the old pier was taken out

• Installed a rope swing near the rain forest on the north side of the property

• Repaired the front access gate
• Installed a partitioned area of the Equipment Depot for low ropes equipment
• Painted the stairs to the Chalet

Adult volunteers and staff assisted with the following:

• Organizing the portable low ropes equipment in the secured area of the Equipment Depot and providing directions for use. Only leaders who have been certified/trained for this skill will have access to this area. 
• Both floors of the bathhouses were cleaned and freshly painted.

Don’t forget—there’s a Honi Hanta Hero and a Caloosa Champion patch that girls can earn for doing a service project at each respective camp! We have painting projects, cleaning projects, signage projects, trimming trails, and much more. There’s always something to do to improve camp and leave it better than we found it.

Camp Reminders

• VERIFICATION OF OUTDOOR SKILLS TRAINING – We are now verifying certifications when a reservation in our system takes place to ensure your troop/service unit will be meeting all the requirements of your desired camp out.
• If you borrow a piece of equipment from another campsite while you are at camp, please return it to its original location so all of our equipment can be accounted for.
• You must have authorization to visit any of our camps while NOT during a reservation. Please make sure you are calling to get approval to be on site so we can inform our volunteer caretakers that you will be visiting the property.
• You are responsible to adhere to all new COVID-19 guidelines and requirements during camp activities.
• You must leave a Camp Check Out form in the mailbox by the camp front gate. We need this to ensure all of the Kapers are completed to leave the camp better than you found it, but more importantly to find out if there are any repairs that are needed. You should print a form BEFORE you come to camp, but if you forget, there are typically forms by the mailboxes just in case you need an extra.

The best tool any girl has for changing the world—and creating an equal future—is her voice. As a society, we can help girls use their voices for change by ensuring they have the tools and confidence to speak up and speak out, actively listening to what they say, and amplifying their messages.

At Girl Scouts, we are proud to celebrate the International Day of the Girl by introducing ten of the most amazing world changers in our Movement—the 2020 National Gold Award Girl Scouts. Keep it locked on our social media platforms for this big announcement and more! Here’s everything you, your troop, and your girls need to know to get in on all things International Day of the Girl 2020!

1. Learn about International Day of the Girl: Learn about the issues girls face around the world and learn why we celebrate International Day of the Girl.

2. Spread the word and lend your voice on October 8: Invite your troops to spread the word and lend their voices by sharing stories with pictures of how they’re changing the world! Be sure to use hashtags: #worldchanger #IDG2020

3. Attend the United Nations Girls’ Rights Town Hall: On October 9, 2020, 10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m. EDT, secure a front-row view to the Girls’ Rights Town Hall as a National Gold Award Scout and girl activists take the UN floor. This virtual event gives young leaders access to global decision-makers and a space to discuss justice, human rights, and equity for girls. Learn how to participate.

4. Celebrate with girls all around the world: On October 11, 2020, 2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m. EDT., celebrate International Day of the Girl by hosting a Girls Speak Out watch party. The hour-long program showcases girls’ poems, creative performances, and art about what girls’ equity means in their communities. After the event, use the debrief questions in the debrief guide to reflect on and discuss what you’ve just seen. The prerecorded event featuring a live chat will be hosted on YouTube Prime across five different time zones and in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. Visit the website to learn how to join.

(Please note: due to the potential for sensitive topics that could arise during these events, we strongly suggest you have troop members complete sensitive issues forms.)

Source: International Day of the Girl: Four (or more) Ways to Get Involved

Start with the basics

While many may think that the first step is creating your online storefront, it’s actually setting clear goals for what you want to achieve during your Mags & Munchies program.

How do you set goals?

In a product program there are usually two pieces to goals: Individual Goals and Troop Goals.

Troops should work together to decide what they want to do with the money they raise during Mags & Munchies. Do you want to go to the zoo to see the program’s mascot? Do you want to buy matching Girl Scout masks for everyone in the troop? Do you want to fund a community service project?

Whatever the goal is, the troop should work to calculate the cost and figure out what that looks like.

For example: Your troop decides you want to go to the zoo. It’s going to cost $150 for the 10 girls in your troop to visit the zoo, so you’re going to collectively sell $1,000 worth of items to get there. That means to meet your troop goal, you’ll each need to sell $150 worth of product.

Now that you know what you need to do to meet your troop goal, review your order card and circle all of the rewards you want to earn. Are you going to earn them by selling $150? Or do you need to sell more to earn those rewards?

Even when your troop does not have a joint goal, you should still set your own.

Whatever your goal is, be sure to write it down so you can track it.

Make a plan for meeting your goals

Now that you have a goal, you need to make a plan for reaching it. For instance, you might see that if you sell 10 of any of the $10 collectible tins and 5 of the $5 donation items, you will have met your goal of $150 and earned two patches!

Setting up your storefront

With your goal set, it’s now time to establish your online storefront and create a marketing plan.

You’ll visit http://www.gsnutsandmags.com/gsgcf and answer some questions to create your account. The website will prompt you to answer some questions about your goals and will generate a nice paragraph for your storefront based on your answers.

The system is going to ask you enter email addresses. You should send at least 15 emails – and not just to random email addresses. Our statistics shows that on average, a single email generates $7.21 in sales. So while sending 15 emails will earn you a patch, sending  to 15 people who will buy from you can average over $100 in products sold.

Make it personal

While the easiest path may be to simply send emails and share your link on social media, girls who take the time to make it personal are more likely to increase their sales.

Your online storefront has an easy way for you to upload a picture and record a message to your customers. A picture is worth a thousand words, but adding a voice message or even a video is worth a lot more!

Channel your inner director

A quick video can go a long way. Wear a Girl Scout uniform or shirt, introduce yourself, and share what your goals are. Include a call to action to give customers a clear path to supporting you. If you set a goal in your previous step, you already know what you need to ask customers to buy so that you can meet it. Use that to create your call to action.

“Hi, my name is Sally with Girl Scout Troop 999. I am selling nuts, candy, and magazines to raise money for my troop so that we can visit the zoo to learn more about our mascot–the pygmy toed sloth–and how to save it. I’m also trying to earn a custom avatar patch that looks just like me.You can help me earn it by visiting my website and purchasing an item or magazine subscription today! If 10 people buy a collectible Girl Scout tin from me, I’ll meet my goal!”

Friends and family will love seeing a more personal ask and providing a call to action will let them know exactly what they need to do to help you reach your goals.

That isn’t to say that you can’t put your creative muscles to the test. Girl Scout Cookie season always brings some really creative videos for girls selling (think about the viral Cardi B Cookie Remix!) but that’s not the only time it can be done. With so many free video editing apps available, it can be easy to put together a fun video encouraging customers to support you in this program as well.

Create an ongoing marketing plan

Your initial launch should not be the end of your tasks. Create a schedule that lasts through the end of the program. The system will send out reminder emails to customers who haven’t purchased yet, but what about those who you didn’t email?

When building your plan, consider how you want to reach out to customers. Will you use social media, texts, phone calls, in-person asks, or a combination?

How often do you want to share reminders? Every other day? Weekly? As you keep track of your sales and goals, think about leaving room to announce benchmarks.

“I am half way to my goal! Can you spend $5 to support our Hometown Heroes program and help me reach my goal?”

An appreciated customer is a repeat customer

Once you’ve made the sale your work isn’t over. Take the time to thank anyone who has supported you in some way. Think about what you can do to show your customers that you appreciate them and want their continued business in your future product programs! This could be a hand-written note when you’re delivering product, an email, or even a video thanking everyone for their support. They will remember it the next time you ask. As you wrap up your fall business, take some time to think ahead to your cookie business. What can you do now that will make you successful then? What lessons have you learned that you can take with you to the cookie program?