Category Archives: Gulfcoast Footprint

Girl Scout Goes Full Circle: From Daisy to GSGCF Intern

by Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida

By guest blogger Samantha Hyatt

Cookie Exchange-1 (1)For the past 15 years, Girl Scouts has played a huge role in my life. I joined Girl Scouts as a Daisy in kindergarten, earned my Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards over the years, and I am now the Corporate Communications Intern for Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida.

When I joined Girl Scouts in 2002, I did not know the profound impact it would have on my life. I learned to sew, pitch a tent, become an entrepreneur, and I gained immeasurable leadership skills. Along the way, I made friends who have withstood the test of time. Some of my best memories growing up are from camping, horseback riding, and going on adventures with my troop and Cookies (2)my mom as my leader.

Throughout my time as a Girl Scout, my troop had an impact on so many people in our community. We sang Christmas carols at assisted living homes, were buddies with the athletes for Special Olympics bowling, purchased Christmas gifts for less fortunate children, and so much more. For our Bronze Award, we collected donated items for a family close to our troop who lost their home in a fire. To earn our Silver Award, we made cooling neckties to send to troops overseas.

In 2015, I began competing in Miss America Organization scholarship pageants where each contestant is required to have a personal service platform. Girl Scouts was an easy pick for my platform. As Miss DeSoto Heritage, I encourage girls to join Girl Scouts and remain active in their troops throughout high school. I got so much out of being a Girl Scout in high school and I want other girls to have the same opportunities. Over the past two years, I have had the opportunity to speak with 110 Girl Scouts about dreaming big, going for their Gold Awards, and graduating high school as Girl Scouts. I proudly wear my Girl Scout membership pin on my Miss DeSoto Heritage sash everywhere I go.

My senior year of high school, I started a prom dress recycling program at Lakewood Ranch High School, titled Primping for Prom and Pageants, for my Gold Award. Students and alumnae donated their prom dresses so girls who could not afford prom dresses could borrow them free of charge for prom and return them the following week. In just two years, over 30 prom gowns have been donated to my program, and girls benefit from it every year. The community support I have received, and continue to receive, for my program is incredible.

I was also a recipiedsc_1248.jpgnt of the Dr. Elinor Crawford Girl Scout College Scholarship my senior year of high school, which helped pay for my college expenses at the University of Florida the following year. Being able to state that I had been a Girl Scout for 13 years on my college applications was a great feeling, and I believe it contributed greatly to the fact that I was accepted to every college I applied. After my high school graduation, I became a lifetime member of Girl Scouts.

To fulfill my public relations internship requirement for graduation at the University of Florida, I knew I wanted to intern with Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida. I wanted to give back to the organization that has given me so much throughout my life. As the Corporate Communications Intern for Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, I get to see behind the scenes of what it takes to make this organization so impactful for girls of all ages. Now I get to help plan the events I used to look forward to attending when I was younger.

I hope to have a daughter in Girl Scouts one day so I can encourage her to pursue her goals and go on adventures out of her comfort zone the same way my mom did for me. I have had so many special opportunities through this organization and I hope to inspire young girls to take advantage of all the benefits being Girl Scouts can give them.

Girl Scouts gave me the mindset that with hard work, persistence, and faith in myself, I can achieve anything, and that is a lesson I will carry with me for life.

 

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.”

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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.”

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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.

Girl Scouts Ensure a Happy Birthday for Local Foster Children

by loritomlinson

Birthday parties can be easily taken for granted. Most of us can count on family and friends to come together with gifts, balloons, decorations, and of course, a birthday cake complete with candles! But for children in the foster care system, a traditional birthday party isn’t always a given.

Thanks to the generosity of Girl Scouts in the Manatee 4 Service Unit, a number of local children will have everything they need to celebrate their next birthday. The girls collected and donated supplies to create “birthday kits” to be distributed to children in Manatee, DeSoto, and Sarasota Counties via the Safe Children Coalition.

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The birthday kits include such items as cake mix, frosting, and candles; baking pans; party hats, decorations, and favors; plates, cups, and plastic utensils; goody bags; party invitations; gift wrap; and gifts.

Girl Scout troop leader Karey Papin, who works as a Registered Nurse Case Manager for the Safe Children Coalition, said that there are currently about 1,450 children in foster care or living with a relative caregiver or in facility care. “We unfortunately had a severe spike in [the number of] children this year,” she explained.

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With so many children and families in need, the birthday kits couldn’t have come at a better time. When the project was completed, approximately 45 kits were ready to go. That’s a lot of celebrating!

“Every single person can impact the joy of children going through this experience,” Papin added. “We need and welcome more outreach projects on every level to support these families and children.” If your troop would like to learn more about the many ways they can help, contact the Safe Children Coalition at 866-661-5656.

~Lori Tomlinson is the Manager of Communications and Marketing for Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, Inc.

Grants in Action: Community Troops

by loritomlinson

Since 2011, Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida has reached out to girls living in under-served areas through fully funded Community Troops. Five years after its official launch, the Community Troop program is stronger than ever, thanks to generous community supporters and volunteers.

Troop 1042 Palmetto Elementary

The Wilson-Wood Foundation was one of the first to support Community Troops in Sarasota and Manatee Counties. Their 2015-16 grant of $15,000 has made possible a variety of programs and experiences for Community Troops from Gocio and Tuttle Elementary Schools, Booker Elementary and Middle Schools, Greater Hurst AME Chapel, and the Laurel Civic Association, as well as Palmetto Elementary School and the DeSoto Boys and Girls Club.

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So, what does a Community Troop do? Everything! From field trips in the community to outdoor programs, service projects, earning badges, and more, girls in Community Troops enjoy all that Girl Scouting has to offer. A few highlights from this year include visits with the Sarasota Garden Club and Sarasota Police Department, a special camp day at Honi Hanta, and end-of-year troop celebrations.

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The Community Troop program is also thriving in Lee and Collier Counties. All told, there are 32 Community Troops with 532 girls council-wide. Support for Community Troops in 2015-16 has come from a variety of sources, including The Wilson-Wood Foundation, Schulze Family Foundation, Suncoast Credit Union, Jerome and Mildred Paddock Foundation, the League Club, Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key, Collier County Bar Foundation, and United Ways of Suncoast, South Sarasota, Collier County, and Lee/Hendry/Glades Counties.

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~Lori Tomlinson is the Manager of Communications and Marketing for Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, Inc.

Honoring PFC Anthony

by Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida

Jennifer Pierre cropTroop 1083, led by Helen Sundgren, meets at Anthony Park in Naples.  When they learned the park was named in honor of PFC Charlie P. Anthony, they wanted to find out more.  They discovered that PFC Anthony had grown up on the very street where the park is located, and that he had served in Vietnam, where he lost his life in 1969.

Wanting to share this piece of history with others, the girls made posters about Anthony to display at the park. They recognized him on Veterans Day and his birthday.  When one of the Brownies in the troop told her grandmother about Charlie Anthony, the grandmother told her she had known him and she came to speak to the girls at a troop meeting.

After learning more about this local hero, the girls thought the whole community should know about Charlie Anthony and his service to our country.  After talking with Anthony’s family and showing pictures of the posters they had made to the City of Naples Community Services Department, Parks and Recreation staff, and the City Council, it was agreed that a plaque should be placed at the park in his honor.

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A ceremony to unveil the plaque was held on Saturday, March 12, 2016.  City of Naples Mayor John F. Sorey III led the program.  Cadette Girl Scout Jennifer P. of Troop 1083 spoke about their troop’s involvement in the project.  The Macedonia Baptist Church youth choir, including several Girl Scouts, performed for the crowd.  And members of the Anthony family traveled from around the country to participate in the celebration.

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Members of Troop 1083 with leader Helen Sundgren and co-leader Anna Gil.

What started as a simple history lesson grew into a community-wide project, spearheaded by Girl Scouts. Thanks to the girls in Troop 1083, we are now much more aware of PFC Charlie P. Anthony’s legacy and his place in the history of Anthony Park.

–Barbara VanEssen is Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida’s Community Development Manager for Collier County

Guest Blog: A Silver Award with Wings

by Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida

Bradenton Girl Scouts Plant Butterfly Garden

by Olivia, guest blogger

Hi, I am Olivia, a member of Girl Scout Troop 16 in Bradenton.crowley4 crop

As our Girl Scout Silver Award project, my troop restored the butterfly garden at the Crowley Museum and Nature Center.

The Silver Award has very specific qualifications and is one of the highest honors a Cadette Troop can earn. One of the main qualifications is to pick a project that has a lasting impact on the community with a commitment of at least 50 hours of service time.

At one time or another, all my troop members assisted in the project. In December 2014, we began with a trip to Selby Gardens for a private tour. We met with the caretaker of their butterfly garden to learn the basics of maintaining a healthy butterfly garden, and to get an idea of what Florida native plants we could use. We learned to use plants that sustained the larvae population. Selby provided us with a list of butterflies and butterfly-friendly plants, and the list was very useful in deciding what plants we wanted to use and what was native to Florida.

We designated a portion of our cookie booth proceeds to fund the project and in March 2015, we started clearing the area with only gloves, a shovel, and two spades. With our modest amount, we purchased the few plants we could and planted them, but there was still much more work to be done. That is when I applied for a grant from the Serenoa Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society. Because of the generous grant we received, we were able to purchase more tools and many more plants so that we could complete the project before the heat of summer kicked in.

Some of the plants we planted were Prostrate Porter weed (Strachytarpheta jamaicentis), Tropical Sage (Salvia coccina), Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), Firebush (Hamelia patens), Wild Coffee (Psychotria nervosa), and Giant Ironweed (Vernonia gigantea). We purchased our plants from both Florida Native Plants and Crowley nurseries.

Cadettes from Troop 16 (left to right): Olivia, Emily, Sydney, and Delaney.

Cadettes from Troop 16 (left to right): Olivia, Emily, Sydney, and Delaney.

We are proud of the work we accomplished and are committed to maintaining the butterfly garden throughout the years. We could not have accomplished this without the help of the Serenoa Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society and all the people we met along the way who took the time to educate us. Most of all, we thank our parents and our leaders, Antoinette Yagy, Suzanne McLauchlin, and our mentors, Gerald Yagy and Mike Amado.

Be sure to check out all the pictures we posted on the Serenoa Chapter’s Facebook page! We encourage everyone to come out to Crowley Museum and Nature Center and enjoy the peacefulness of the gardens and the beauty of nature!

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Editor’s note: This article first appeared in the Sept. 2015 newsletter of the Serenoa Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society, and is shared here with their permission.