Category Archives: Lee

Girl Scouts Partner with Shy Wolf Sanctuary to Champion Animal Advocacy for Bronze Award Project

by Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida
Girls Scouts Mary, Juliana, Lizzy and Alisa from Troop 328 earned the Girl Scout Bronze Award by advocating for animal welfare and creating a garden space at Shy Wolf Sanctuary.
Girls Scouts Mary, Juliana, Lizzy and Alisa from Troop 328 earned the Girl Scout Bronze Award by advocating for animal welfare and creating a garden space at Shy Wolf Sanctuary.

A group of young Girl Scouts in Naples is taking a stand for misunderstood wildlife—and earning one of the organization’s highest honors in the process.

Girl Scout Juniors from Troop 328, who call themselves the “Wolf Pack,” are working toward their Bronze Award by partnering with Shy Wolf Sanctuary, a local nonprofit that rescues and rehabilitates wolves, wolfdogs, and other exotic animals. The Bronze Award is the highest award a Girl Scout Junior (grades 4–5) can earn, and it requires a minimum of 20 hours spent planning and executing a project that addresses a root cause of a community issue.

For their project, the girls are focused on dispelling common myths about wolves and raising awareness about the challenges they face due to habitat loss, pet abandonment, and illegal breeding. Their efforts included creating a community education display board titled “Wolves are Vital, Not Villains,” which is currently on view at the Naples Regional Library on Central Avenue. The display is expected to rotate through additional Collier County library branches in the coming months.

“I learned that wild animals need our help,” said sixth-grader Juliana G. “I also discovered the underlying reasons behind these issues, like the illegal wildlife trade.”

“My favorite part was when we made mosaic stepping stones. I learned cement skills! That’s so cool,” Lizzy said. “I learned how to collaborate better with others, and I learned how to use Google apps to stay organized.”

“This project means a lot to me,” said Alisa J. “I loved seeing the animals at Shy Wolf and I really hope that our Bronze Award Project can help them.” She also added that she learned a lot about teamwork and how to collaborate with others, and is excited to lead more projects in the future.

Mary said her favorite part was painting the flower boxes and planting the seeds. “I learned how to take notes at our meetings, as the secretary.”

In addition to the awareness campaign, the troop is volunteering on-site at Shy Wolf Sanctuary. They organized a stuffed animal drive to provide comfort items to the animals. Additionally, they are improving a garden area, designing mosaic stepping stones, and planting flowers.

The Girl Scout Bronze Award is designed to help girls develop leadership skills, explore community issues, and create sustainable solutions. More than a service project, it asks girls to identify root causes of a problem, build a team, connect with community partners, and make a lasting impact. Earning the Bronze Award empowers girls to see themselves as capable leaders and changemakers—even at a young age.

Girl Scout Juniors Alisa, Juliana, Lizzy, and Mary—will cap off their efforts with an educational session for the wider Girl Scout community later this summer, further expanding the project’s reach and sustainability.

Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, Inc.: Girl Scouts create the world they want to live in and strive to make it better every single day. They explore their strengths, take on new challenges, and can always be themselves, regardless of background or ability. Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida council has a membership of over 3,800 girls in grades K-12, and more than 1,500 adult members. GSGCF is chartered by Girl Scouts of the USA and serves girls in ten counties including: Manatee, Hardee, Highlands, Sarasota, DeSoto, Charlotte, Glades, Lee, Hendry, and Collier. The council is governed by a volunteer board of directors who represent the geographic, ethnic, and social demographics of the council’s jurisdiction. For more information about Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida visit www.gsgcf.org. 

Girl Scouts Take Action to Protect Local Wildlife on Don Pedro Island

by Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida

Girl Scout Cadettes Maya C. and Raina C. from Troop 655 have successfully completed their Silver Award project, leaving a lasting impact on the Don Pedro Island community by addressing the destruction of critical habitats for bats and gopher tortoises.

The sisters’ project, “Bat House and Educational Signs for Bats and Gopher Tortoises on Don Pedro Island,” tackled the root cause of habitat destruction caused by trimming dead palm fronds and a lack of community awareness. Bats, which shelter in dead palm fronds, are often left vulnerable when these fronds are cut. Similarly, gopher tortoises, a keystone species, face threats from habitat destruction and unintentional harm by residents.

The project required the sisters to conduct extensive research on bat species that live on the island, to raise funds to supply materials, and coordinate with local organizations to make the project successful.

Mary Anne Servian, CEO of Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, praised the Cadettes for their work. “Maya and Raina exemplify the leadership and commitment to community that Girl Scouts aim to inspire in every girl. Their innovative and impactful Silver Award project highlights how Girl Scouts make the world a better place by addressing local challenges with sustainable solutions.”

Maya and Raina partnered with the Bocilla Islands Conservancy and local residents to bring their vision to life. Their project included constructing bat houses, designing and installing educational signs, and advocating for wildlife preservation. The signs, featuring QR codes, direct residents and visitors to additional resources on protecting bats and gopher tortoises.

“This project taught us the importance of communication and perseverance,” said Maya. “We faced challenges, but through hard work and determination, we were able to complete a project that benefits both wildlife and the community.”

“Bats and gopher tortoises are vital to the ecosystem,” said Maya. “Our project ensures they have a safe environment while helping the community understand how their actions can impact these species.”

The project also has lasting sustainability, as the bat houses and signs will remain permanent fixtures on Don Pedro Island. By educating residents, the sisters hope to inspire continued wildlife conservation efforts.

“Our team made the project sustainable by leaving a lasting mark on the memories and habits of Don Pedro Island residents by raising awareness of how their actions can harm bats, as well as how to stop harming them and instead begin helping them; we will also put up informational signs which will be a permanent staple on Don Pedro Island for visiting people and residents alike to read and gain knowledge from.,” Raina said. “The bat houses we built and permanently put on the Island will also sustain bats’ habitats and protect them from predators.”

The Silver Award is the highest honor a Girl Scout Cadette can achieve, requiring girls to identify a community issue, take action to address it, and create a project with a sustainable impact. Maya and Raina’s project is a shining example of the values of leadership, innovation, and stewardship that Girl Scouts strive to instill.

Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, Inc.: Girl Scouts create the world they want to live in and strive to make it better every single day. They explore their strengths, take on new challenges, and can always be themselves, regardless of background or ability. Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida council has a membership of nearly 3,500 girls in grades K-12, and more than 1,500 adult members. GSGCF is chartered by Girl Scouts of the USA and serves girls in ten counties including: Manatee, Hardee, Highlands, Sarasota, DeSoto, Charlotte, Glades, Lee, Hendry, and Collier. The council is governed by a volunteer board of directors who represent the geographic, ethnic, and social demographics of the council’s jurisdiction. For more information about Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida visit www.gsgcf.org. 

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Camp Corner, Spring 2020 (Part 2)

by Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida

By Madeline Jackson

chipmunk-429699_1920Chippy is back with Part 2 of Camp Corner for Spring 2020! Here are projects that council staff has been overseeing at Camp Caloosa.

A complete property tree trim was completed to lift canopies, widen the back trails, eliminate dead landscape, and, most importantly, clear additional area for parking at the camp entrance. You won’t believe the big difference!

Parking lot clearing

Crushed shell has since been installed on the newly cleared additional parking area. We are hopeful that this will provide a drier parking area if the property floods in the summer, where cars can safely park without getting stuck. If you’ve visited Caloosa during the rainy season, you know how important this is!

Because it was in disrepair and presented a potential safety hazard, the old fishing dock was demolished and removed. Handrails were installed so the space can now serve as an observation area. Caloosa’s Volunteer Caretaker, Jason, repaired the ramp bridge that leads to the back trails.

Bridge stabalized

All touchpoint areas at camp, including bunk beds and camp mattresses, have been disinfected. And, the Chalet house has been equipped with a new water heater.

If you missed it, be sure to read Part 1 of the spring camp blog to catch up on happenings at Camp Honi Hanta.

CALOOSA CHAMP 2

Don’t forget, there is a Honi Hanta Hero and a Caloosa Champion patch that the girls can earn for doing a service project at each respective camp. We have painting projects, cleaning projects, signage projects, trail trimming, etc. There is always something to do to improve camp and leave it better than we found it. Contact Madeline Jackson (madelinej@gsgcf.org) to learn more!

Camp Reminders

  • VERIFICATION OF OUTDOOR SKILLS TRAINING— To ensure your troop/service unit will be meeting all the requirements of your desired camp experience, we are verifying certifications for all reservations made in the Double Knot system.
  • If you borrow a piece of equipment from another campsite, please return it to its original location so all of our equipment can be accounted for.
  • If for any reason, you are planning to visit one of our camps without a reservation, you must first get prior authorization. Please contact Kimberly at kimberlya@gsgcf.org, or 800-232-4475, so we can inform our volunteer caretakers that you will be visiting the property.

Madeline Jackson is the Property Manager for Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida

Camp Corner—Winter 2020, Part 1

by loritomlinson
By Madeline Jackson, GSGCF Property Manager, and Lori Tomlinson, Grants and Communications chipmunk-429699_1920Manager 

Chippy has been watching all the new developments at camp since October, and she is so excited to share what has been happening for the last few months!  She also has a few camp reminders. Today, we’ll focus on Camp  Caloosa. Read on to learn more! 

Highlights at Camp Caloosa 

Your Girl Scout Sisters from the Lee 11 service unit painted the bridge leading to Donut Island, along with the floor of the cabin bathhouse. Members of Troop 352 painted the floor of the Chalet bathhouse. Thanks for your hard work, ladies! It all looks wonderful. 

Thanks to a little paint and a lot of hard work, the Chalet Bathhouse floor looks great!

Adult volunteers from the southern region have completed a variety of projects. You’ll notice that the archery shed has been reorganized with color-coded bow and arrows, and measured rope markers for range set-up. The path leading to the cabin bathhouse has been enhanced with additional shell and stone base materials to cover the tree roots. Not only does it look better, but it’s safer, too! 

Have you met our new camp caretaker, Joshua Quaintance? He recently repaired the golf cart so it can be reserved by the service unit managers for use at any service unit event. Please say hello and give him a big “thank you” next time you’re there! 

Council staff has been hard at work, too! A replacement refrigerator was  installed at the Quail Run tent unit house. There are additional tables, chairs, and a microwave at the lodge, all of which were relocated from the Sebring House. And thanks to a grant from the Claiborne and Ned Foulds Foundation, you’ll soon enjoy a beautiful shade canopy on the archery range. 

The archery shed has never been so organized! Please do your part and return all items to their proper place. Your sister troops will thank you!

Don’t forget, there is a Caloosa Champion patch that girls can earn for doing a service project at camp. We have painting projects, signage projects, trimming trails, and more. There are many ways to improve camp and leave it better than we found it. 

Camp Reminders 

Please remember, the rules we have set up for camp are for everyone’s safety, protection, and consideration.  We expect all our adult leaders to set the example for their troops by observing all the Safety Activity Checkpoints and being a sister to every Girl Scout. 

  • GOLF CART USAGE–The golf cart may be used by service unit managers for service unit events only. Individual troops may not use the golf cart. 
  • VERIFICATION OF OUTDOOR SKILLS TRAINING–To ensure your troop or service unit will meet all the requirements of your desired program, we are now verifying certifications when a camp reservation is made through the Double Knot system. 
  • NO DRIVING AT CAMP–You may drive only ONE vehicle to your campsite to drop off your supplies. Vehicles may not be used to transport girls and their belongings to your campsite and/or to activity areas. There are wheelbarrows available for this use. Of course, there are exceptions for emergencies and those with physical limitations.  
  • NO SMOKING AT CAMP–Aside from the obvious fire hazard, our council does not permit smoking at our campsite locations. Smoking may only occur outside the gate of each camp and NEVER in the presence of any girls. 
  • MEN ARE ALLOWED TO BE AT CAMP–However, there are strict rules about their presence at a campout.  Please review our Camp Rules. 
  • TRASH REMOVAL IS ESSENTIAL–In addition to removing your own campsite trash, please have the girls walk the grounds around your campsite and pick up any stray items.  Make sure you are throwing only garbage in the dumpsters and recyclables in their respective bins. 
CALOOSA CHAMP 2
If your troop is interested in earning the Caloosa Champion patch, contact property manager Madeline Jackson at madelinej@gsgcf.org.

SAVE THE DATE:  We will be hosting Girl Scout Open Houses at all of our council facilities,  including Camp Caloosa, on Sunday, April 26 from 2-4pm.  Please plan to visit camp and see all our improvements yourself.  It will be a family-friendly event where volunteers and staff host activities on-site for everyone to enjoy. 

Check back next week for updates from Camp Honi Hanta! 

What’s New at Camp? (Fall 2019, part 1)

by Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida

By Madeline Jackson, GSGCF Property Manager

Image by Jorge Guillen from Pixabay
Chippy has some exciting updates to share!

Chippy, our new GSGCF camp mascot, has been all a chatter wanting to inform everyone about what’s been happening at our camps over the last few years, so she is going to give you quarterly updates to make sure you are in the know. These updates will include projects completed by council staff and volunteers, Girl Scout troops performing service projects, and Girl Scout members working on highest award projects. There will also be tips for troops to make their camp stays fun and safe, along with some potential service project ideas. Let’s start with a review of highlights from Camp Caloosa.

A number of Girl Scout troops and individual girl members worked with adult volunteers on a wide variety of needed projects, including:

  • Painting screen house picnic tables and fire circle stones
  • Building stable benches for fire circles at Pelican Perch and Flamingo Flats (Troops 133 & 153)
  • Assembling and placing new outdoor picnic tables and benches throughout the camp, thanks to a generous grant from the Claiborne and Ned Foulds Foundation (Troop 664)
  • Installing a solar light for the flag pole (Troop 495)
  • Deep cleaning and disinfecting the refrigerators
  • Cleaning and organizing the Equipment Depot (Troops 657, 658, & 659)
The Equipment Depot is looking awesome!
The Equipment Depot is looking awesome!
  • Painting the upstairs sleeping quarters in the Chalet (Troop 405)
  • Researching, creating, and installing informational posters about local plant and animal life in the unit screen houses (Troop 374)
  • Installing a sign at the Equipment Depot and creating a portable outdoor activity kit (Troop 427)
  • Installing owl boxes with informative literature (Troop 756)
  • Installing back trail signage with educational boards (Troop 354)
  • Clearing back paths for additional camp exploration
Our new outdoor furniture is low-maintence and will save on repair time and expenses for years to come.
Our new outdoor furniture is low-maintence and will save on repair time and expenses for years to come.

Volunteer Jason Hodson did an amazing job with projects including:

  • Scraping camp roadways and installing new shell for more stability
  • Widening the camp entrance to provide better traffic flow for large events
  • Elevating fire circles with shell to prevent flooding after minor rains
  • Installing a keypad gate entry to replace the combination lock and chain to provide greater security
  • Assembling a pergola outside the lodge for outdoor movies, skits, and other performances

In addition, our council staff has been hard at work to provide the following:

  • Dishwashing bins for the screen houses
  • New PFD vests at the boathouse (including larger sizes) for kayaking and canoeing
  • Additional kayaks and kayak paddles
  • Additional archery supplies to update aged equipment (supported by a grant from The Daniel R. and Anne M. Harper Foundation)
  • A new refrigerator at the Timberford House and new carpet for the sleeping quarters in the Chalet (with grant funding from Claiborne and Ned Foulds Foundation)
The new solar lighting provides proper illumination for Old Glory.
The new solar lighting provides proper illumination for Old Glory.

If you worked on a project not listed here, please let us know so we can give you a shout out next time! And don’t forget, there is a Caloosa Champion patch that girls can earn for doing a service project at camp. We need help with painting and signage projects, trimming trails, etc. There is always something to do to improve camp and leave it better than we found it!

Ask a Girl Scout: Mandi K.

by Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida

by Cathy Brown, guest blogger

Mandi K. is one of the GSGCF Shop’s newest Junior Sales Specialists (JSS). While she lives in Lee County, she has become an integral part of our traveling shop team and participates in many shop functions held at council headquarters. During our traveling shop this past November, I was able to spend time with Mandi and ask her about her experiences as a Girl Scout.

I was impressed by her responses and her sense of humor. She was very shy at the beginning of her JSS training, but by the end, she was right in the thick of things. When I asked why she liked being a Girl Scout, she responded, “I like being a Girl Scout because there are a lot of opportunities for girls, like me, to be heard and find a place to be welcomed for who I am.”

When asked how Girl Scouting has impacted her life she was quick to reply: “I have always been really shy around people. I think it is because I like to hang back and watch instead of being right in the middle of things… until I’m comfortable. But, in Girl Scouts, the girls and leaders will actually wait for me to BE comfortable.”

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Mandi with her Girl Scout sisters, Troop 673.

“That doesn’t happen in other groups or activities I’ve been involved in,” she continued. “A lot of times people expect me to feel or be a certain way. But Girl Scouts has actually let me be me. That makes it easier to open up and try new things on my own. Girl Scouts has given me that.”

Hands down, Mandi’s favorite thing she has done as a Girl Scout is lead as a Counselor in Training (CIT) during the Cadette Leadership Weekend. “I wanted to be a CIT since meeting Ms. Gina [Sauer]. It felt great, going through the program to learn how and then actually doing it! I was a little afraid that the girls in my group wouldn’t listen, but they were great!”

Some of Mandi’s many accolades are in part the result of her involvement in a variety of extracurricular, community, faith-based, and Girl Scout activities.  She feels “really lucky to be involved with different groups and learn different things.” “I am active in my church and youth group, school, animals, and community causes as well as being in Girl Scouts,” Mandi said.

“In 4th grade, I became a full-time home school student. This has given me so many opportunities! I was accepted into Disney/Pixar’s program for arts and development. I have [increased my] global awareness through a group called Girl Rising, furthering education for girls around the world. I have also been able to take classes from several universities around the country through edX.”

mandimom-matchymatch

Mandi with her proud mom, Tracylee.

“I created and have run my own not-for-profit charity #MandisBackpack that provides different items (based on time of the year) to those in need throughout the country…for right around four years now.” This includes back-to-school items in the late summer/early fall, pantry donations to food banks in late fall/early winter, toys during the holidays as well as care packages to our service men and women serving our country overseas, and shoes in the spring. The program operates on a voluntary basis with donations from the community.

“I also branched out to add #MandisBookbag to donate books to children that are in the hospital that could use a ‘staycation’ through reading a book,” said Mandi. “Taking both #MandisBackpack and #MandisBookbag to social media has made it possible for those across the country to get involved! You can find my CEO page on Facebook and Twitter.”

But Mandi hasn’t stopped there. “I have also been able to give back to my community by joining the Junior League to donate my time. I make ‘bags of hope’ to give to our homeless population. They contain anything from a toothbrush/toothpaste to a voucher for a free meal. I remain involved with our local animal shelters as well. I want to be a large cat vet in South Africa. I’m always looking for activities that get me closer to animals. I have been invited to submit my application to become a MobSTIR for the Ian Somerhalder Foundation and am biting my nails to see if I’ll be accepted. If so, Africa may not be too far off!”

Mandi has earned a number of formal Girl Scout recognitions. “Over the course of my Girl Scout years, I’ve completed both my Bronze and Silver Award; earned [my] PA pin, CIT II pin, Cadette Safety Cross, Cadette service bars, Silver Torch Award, and Summit Award; [and received] numerous accolades for cookie sales and magazine/fall fundraisers.”

Mandi firmly believes Girl Scouts prepares girl leaders. “I belong to a handful of groups that encourage girls to be leaders. But, Girl Scouts gives girls tools to help make them successful and become leaders. I also think Girl Scouts encourages girls to break through stereotypes.”

mandi-snorkel

Mandi knows that Girl Scouts is about more than just cookies and camping.

Mandi would definitely recommend Girl Scouts to other girls. “It is harder when girls are older. But, I’m the first one to say ‘So, yeah, I sell cookies. And I go camping. But I also learn how to kayak, paddle board, zip line, rock climb, do marathons, prepare business Powerpoint presentations, and a ton of other stuff.’”

Mandi has accomplished so much, and she is quick to remind me that she is only thirteen. I am amazed!  Mandi is “so looking forward to the future,” and based on all she has accomplished, truly the sky is the limit for her.

~Cathy Brown is the Shop Manager for Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, Inc.