West Service Unit

Meeting Minutes/Newsletter

November 13, 2003

• This year Susitna Council has had a decrease in participation and enrollment. But, two factors that have a huge part in this are:
• People have delayed registering. Please make sure that all who are participating in Girl Scouts have registered and paid their dues. Dues are $10. Forms are available at the council on Turnagain Blvd off of Spenard. In fact, you can fill it out and pay right there at the counter.
• There are girls out there who would like to be part of a troop, but the troops that are accessible (L.W.)  to them are too large to take on more scouts. If you are aware of any girls who aren’t able to get into a troop but who would like to be, direct them towards council, or a member of the West Service Unit Team, and STRONGLY ENCOURAGE their parents to take on leadership roles. Tracie summed this up very succinctly, no parents=no leaders=no troops.
• A concern that was raised at the meeting was that troops going to different places may not have sufficient adult supervision. Please be vigilant watching over your scouts, even if there seems to be other adult supervision around. Always leave a place better than you find it.
• URGENT: If your troop is traveling in cars, a vehicle form must be filled out. These forms are available at council. If you do not fill out the vehicle form, your troop and the drivers will not be covered by the Girl Scout insurance policy.
• The West Service Unit won the President’s Award for its outstanding work last year! To win the President’s Award, a service unit has to increase its prior registrations, provide a certain number of community service projects, and have all end-of-year reports turned in, amongst other requirements. The plaque is on display at Council, and the team members received certificates. Margaret Sharpe, Darcel McGee, and Dianna Hawn received appreciation pins and certificates for their dedication and participation as well. Way to go ladies! J
• The Mom and Me Tea went very well, with big thanks to Margaret for spear-heading the event, as well as big thanks to all others who assisted before, during and after the tea. If you’d like me, the secretary, to put your pictures from the tea on the website, please send them to me in .jpg format, or contact me to arrange to have them scanned. Names will not be published online for privacy concerns.
• Just a note: If your troop plans to sell any products, such as hand made crafts or decorations, it needs to have a specific viable goal for the profits’ use before going ahead with the plans.

Future events:

• Caroling will be on December 19^th at 7pm, hosted by Barb Jones-Bradbury. It will also include a boxed-food drive, so please bring a boxed, non-perishable food item to be donated. Lyrics to the carols will be provided by Margaret’s troop, and they will be in .pdf format (for the free Adobe Acrobat program) for easy printing.
• Ice fishing will be in January, courtesy of Tracie’s husband’s ice auger. More details to come!

Next meeting:

• Our TEAM MEETING will be on Thursday December 4, 5:30pm, please contact the webmaster for location and directions.
• Our REGULARLY SCHEDULED LEADER MEETING will be our Leader Holiday Party and Ornament Exchange at the Fly by Night Club for the 8pm show on December 11.
• COOKIE TRAINING will be on Thursday December 18 at 7pm. Please contact the webmaster for location and directions. Anyone who will be involved with cookies this year MUST train, even parents who have done it before. Tracie will be working with people who have previous experience with cookies, Barb will be presenting to all new leaders and people who have no experience with cookies. If your troop plans to sell cookies, COOKIE TRAINING IS MANDATORY. If you are not able to make it on that date, please contact me, the secretary. 677-2527.

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