Girl Scouts: Woo-hoo! Here we go! (Meeting Schedule)

Hi everyone,

So, getting a room for meetings isn't nearly as easy as it was last year!  But, I THINK we're set.  

Based on school schedules, and conversations I've had with parents, meetings are going to alternate a bit between Wednesdays and Thursdays. My request is for room 151 at GMS, and I was (so far) able to reserve the room from 3:30-5:00.  Here are the dates that we should be meeting (There's still a step left in the process, but I wanted to get this out there for everyone.)

10/25 (W)

11/30 (Th)

12/21 (Th)

1/24 (W)

2/22 (Th)

3/28 (W)

4/26 (Th)

5/31 (W)

Also, I got the final details for Milwaukee Wave Girl Scout Night.  Information and Sign Up here:  http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0a4fa5ad22a13-milwaukee  

AND, our annual Halloween trip to Old World Wisconsin is coming up soon (10/28).  The girls love it (and quite frankly so do I--best Halloween celebration out there.)

Sign up here for that one:  http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0a4fa5ad22a13-halloween

Finally, two service opportunities for scouts:

1)  Discover Girl Scout Night at Highland View is tomorrow (10/11) at 6:00 in the library.  If a couple girls are available from 6:00-7:45 to help do crafts and projects with the younger scouts, that would be awesome.

2)  Help out at the Step Up To Better Health Fun Run and Walk for our schools (10/22 in the morning.)  Traditionally Middle School scouts have helped hold signs and point out where runners and walkers go.  Sign up here:  http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0a4fa5ad22a13-funrun

Thanks a million,

Aleks

Girl Scouts: Getting going! A few things now, and more tomorrow!

Hi everyone,

Just a quick note to let you know that you're not forgotten!  After getting out to a running start with the campout, and horseback riding trips the first couple of weeks of September, things slowed down a bit, but we're back into it now!

First:  I'll be talking to GMS staff about meeting times tomorrow, so hopefully I'll have that schedule and location by the end of the day tomorrow.

Second:  I'm trying to figure out how to logistically best keep our amazing 5th grade scouts fully involved.  On the 11th, we're having a "Discover Girl Scouts" night at Highland View, so we'll have to see what numbers and volunteers look like after that.  Once we have that information, I'll put together a plan to keep this great group of Girl Scouts moving together into the future!  So please bear with me as I arrange meetings, etc. in a way that can be sure to have everyone participate.

Third:  Speaking of the "Discover Girl Scouts" night at Highland View, one thing that always makes it special is to have a few of our "Big Kid" scouts helping out and teaching the new scouts some of what we've done through the years.  Are any of our scouts available from 6:15-7:45 on 10/11 to go to the Highland View library?

Fourth:  A couple events to stick in the calendar already!  

A)  The girls made me promise we'd go back to Old World Wisconsin for their "Legends and Lore" Halloween Event again this year.  So, here we go!  Saturday October 28th, we'll leave from our house at 4:00 and be back to our house around 10:00.  We'll need some extra drivers, I'm sure, but it really is fun for all ages!  

Sign Up here if your scout wants to go:  http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0a4fa5ad22a13-halloween

Visit the link here for more information:  https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/calendar/event/5457/halloween-legends-and-lore

B)  February 17th is Girl Scout Night with the Milwaukee Wave Professional Soccer Team.  This is another one the girls made me promise to put on the calendar.  As always, you'll be able to just watch the game, or stay after the game and watch a movie on the jumbo-tron, OR even set up a tent and sleep over on the Wave's field after the movie that night!  Exact details aren't available yet, but if your scout is interested, that's the date to block off.

C)  October 22nd is the Step Up To Better Health Fun Run and Walk.  Now that the girls are (generally) in Middle School, they can help volunteer to be direction givers and helpers with the run.  Traditionally a good chunk of our volunteers for the run have been Girl Scouts, so I hope our troop can keep that tradition alive.  The run is in the morning, anticipate being there from 9:30-11:30AM.  Please let me know if your scout can be there and help their school, and their community "Step Up" to better health!

Fifth:  Girl Scout Candy and Nut Sale!  The candy and nut sale start this week Friday.  I have the order forms in hand, and can get them to you before school any day this week.  Just like last year, you'll be able to enter your sales totals online yourself, which should actually make it easier for everyone!  (Instructions in the packet.)  PLEASE let me know the best way to get a packet to you.  I can meet you at school, leave it on my porch for you to pick up, or drop it at your house, whichever you prefer.  The nut sale helps the troop do a lot of the things we do (nut/candy and cookie sale proceeds paid for the sashes for the girls, registration renewals, the campout in September, support for families who need assistance paying for troop outings, and meeting supplies/snacks, and that's just in the last couple months!) 

Thanks everyone!  Cross your fingers for good luck getting a meeting schedule tomorrow!

Aleks

Girl Scouts: Horse riding--Last Call and Information

Hi everyone,

Camp was awesome last weekend, and we'll just keep on moving with horseback riding this Sunday.  The stables need a head count today, so it's really really last call if you're interested.

Here's the link with the pertinent information and sign up spots:

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0a4fa5ad22a13-girl2

The details (make sure you have all the appropriate info filled out and with your scout on Sunday!)

Trip to Sun Fire Stables (33822A Hwy 20, East Troy)

Sunday, September 17th, 2017

Enjoy a day at Sun Fire Stables where we will be entertained with a fun equine educational experience!  No previous training with horses necessary.  The girls will get hands-on experience with handling, feeding, grooming, saddling, and riding horses as well as earn their first Cadettes Girl Scout badge in the process.  Weather permitting, our trip will also include a hayride.  SFS has been approved by the Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast.  

Price per Girl Scout is $35 (As always, if that would be a burden, let me know and the troop can cover some or all of the cost, no questions.).

We will meet at the Skibicki house between 12:30-1:00, and will leave at 1:00 SHARP by carpool to SFS.   

The girls will be dropped off at home after the event; approximately 6:00-6:30 PM.

Adult chaperones are welcome and may join the girls riding horses for $35.  If you don't want to ride a horse, but want to join us, the cost is only $5.

IMPORTANT INFO:

1)  Please fill out the Girl Scout waiver and permission slip.  And bring it with you at drop off.  MANDATORY https://www.gswise.org/content/dam/girlscouts-gswise/documents/Horseback%20Riding%20Guidelines.pdf

2)  SFS requires an Indemnity Form for each participant which must be signed and returned to Troop prior to the event. ALSO MANDATORY   http://www.sunfirestables.com/images/PDF_Files/SFS_IndemnityForm.pdf

3)  All participants must wear a helmet (you may bring your bike helmet).  You may also borrow a helmet from SFS.

4)  All horse riding participants must wear closed-toed shoes with a minimum of a ½ heel.  You may also borrow a pair of boots from SFS.

5)  All participants must wear long pants.

6)  Dress for the weather – wear warm but comfortable clothing.   A warm sweatshirt or jacket is mandatory as the stables and fields can be cold.

7)  Indoor riding arena will be used in the case of inclement weather.

8)  Bring a water bottle, drawstring bag, and a second pair of shoes to change into for the trip home (as your shoes may get muddy).

Girl Scouts: Horse riding, registration renewal, and planning this school year's scoutingl!

Hi everyone!

OK, the school year has started, and so has scouting.  Woohoo!!

1)  I'm locking in registration renewals for next year, and before I click "submit order" I just wanted to make sure I had everything right.  

Here's the list of scouts I have marked as interested in continuing with scouts as Cadettes:

Kendra P.

Ellen W.

Kahen W.

Lauren P.

Megha M.

Teagan A.

Sophia V.

Katie B.

Carrie J.

Lia S.

Samantha S.

Portia P.

Jesialis P.

Liliana K.

Lara E.

Dea S.

Evangeline M.

Quinn S.

Adrhia F-M

Carrie J. 

Hannah S.

Evie S.

If your scout wants to keep scouting, and isn't on the list, let me know!  If your scout is on that list but does NOT want to keep scouting, let me know too-it'll save the troop $25!

2)  Horseback riding.  We can keep taking sign ups for our Horseback Adventure up through this week.  There are 17 riders on the sign up list, and we can fit (and the place would LOVE for us to have) up to 10 more.  Details and sign up are here:  http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0a4fa5ad22a13-girl2

3)  Planning for this year.  As usual, we'll have 1 meeting and 1 event per month.  We're kind of off to a busy start with the campout this weekend and horseback riding next weekend, so we may not do a September meeting.  I also want to coordinate with the other Greendale Middle School Troops to see how closely we want to work together.  They're much smaller than us, but always manage to do a lot of cool stuff--like the Father Daughter Dance for example.  Also, there's been talk about our GMS Girl Scout Troops hosting the area's World Thinking Day celebration, like the ones we went to for several years in Hales Corners/Whitnall schools.  Also, I want to coordinate with our 5th grade scouts and make sure we have a meeting plan that will work for them to stay involved too.  Finally, I have to work with the school staff at GMS (or maybe even the library) to figure out meeting times and places that are even available to us.  

All that's the long way of saying:  I'm working on the schedule, I promise!  We have some October events coming up the pipeline already that we might be interested in--UWM and Marquette both have Girl Scouts + Sports days for soccer and Volleyball that we want to look into, and a BUNCH of girls have already asked me about Halloween at Old World Wisconsin.  Those events, plus the events we'll put on this year will fill in a lot of the schedule, but if anyone knows a good opportunity for our scouts, please let me know!  That's how we ended up Horseback riding this year--a mom had a connection and an idea, and now we're doing it!

Happy Scouting everyone, enjoy this first week of school!

Aleks

Girl Scouts: Girls on Horses!

Hi everyone!

Remember when I mentioned we had a horseback riding trip coming up September 17th?  I hope you saved the date, because here it is!  (And don't forget the campout at Silverbrook the weekend of the 9-10th for those of you that signed up for it before!)  Here's the link to the sign up page for horseback riding, and following are some important details and things to bring with and complete beforehand.

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0a4fa5ad22a13-girl2

Girl Scout Troop 8035

Trip to Sun Fire Stables (33822A Hwy 20, East Troy)

Sunday, September 17^th, 2017

Enjoy a day at Sun Fire Stables where we will be entertained with a fun equine educational experience!  No previous training with horses necessary.  The girls will get hands-on experience with handling, feeding, grooming, saddling, and riding horses as well as earn their first Cadettes Girl Scout badge in the process.  Weather permitting, our trip will also include a hayride.  SFS has been approved by the Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast.  

Price per Girl Scout is $35 (As always, if that would be a burden, let me know and the troop can cover some or all of the cost, no questions.)

Please RSVP by Sunday August 27th.

We will meet at the Skibicki house between 12:30-1:00, and will leave at 1:00 SHARP by carpool to SFS.   

The girls will return to the Skibicki house after the event; approximately 6:00-6:30 PM.

Adult chaperones are welcome and may join the girls riding horses for $35.  If you don't want to ride a horse, but want to join us, the cost is only $5.

IMPORTANT INFO:

1.      Please fill out the Girl Scout waiver and permission slip.  And bring it with you at drop off.  MANDATORY https://www.gswise.org/content/dam/girlscouts-gswise/documents/Horseback%20Riding%20Guidelines.pdf

2.      SFS requires an Indemnity Form for each participant which must be signed and returned to Troop prior to the event. ALSO MANDATORY   http://www.sunfirestables.com/images/PDF_Files/SFS_IndemnityForm.pdf

3.      All participants must wear a helmet (you may bring your bike helmet).  You may also borrow a helmet from SFS.

4.      All horse riding participants must wear closed-toed shoes with a minimum of a ½ heel.  You may also borrow a pair of boots from SFS.

5.      All participants must wear long pants.

6.      Dress for the weather – wear warm but comfortable clothing.   A warm sweatshirt or jacket is mandatory as the stables and fields can be cold.

7.      Indoor riding arena will be used in the case of inclement weather.

8.      Bring a water bottle, drawstring bag, and a second pair of shoes to change into for the trip home (as your shoes may get muddy). 

Happy Scouting!

Aleks Skibicki 

Girl Scouts: Cool Waters Point of Contact

Hi again everyone,

Just a quick heads up that Bonnie, Portia's mom, will be the person to find and converge on before the Cool Waters event.  Make sure to check in with her and stick with the group so you all go in together.

Have a great time!

Aleks

Girl Scouts: Pool Party and Horseback Adventure!

Hi everyone!

I hope summer is going great for everyone!  Our Girl Scout adventures are rocking and rolling--Old World Wisconsin had new fun for us, and we all got to do and learn a TON!  (The candy stick prize at the end was a nice bonus too!)

We have some more coming up too--This Saturday is the Cool Waters Girl Scout Pool Party.  Please be there at 6:45PM.  The pool will close to us at 9:00PM, if you're coming to pick someone up.  The list of who signed up is below, but before that, the most important thing is that I need someone to be in charge of gathering everyone together and getting everyone into Cool Waters on Saturday, since our family can't be there.

So, who'll step up?  All you need is to print up a copy of the list below, and check the names off as they arrive on Saturday, then make sure everyone enters as one big group.  

Sophia V + 1 Family member

Jesialis P + 4

Lauren P + 4

Kendra P + 3

Kahlen W + 3

Adrhia F

Carrie J + 2

Samantha S

Madison M 

Eva M +1 

Portia P + 4

Thalia & Elytze D +1

Liliana K + 2

Next:  Horseback riding!  Save the date 2PM September 17th.  We have reservations for our troop at Sun Fire Stables.  I'll get a sign up genius out soon, and have more detailed information about pricing, etc.  But if your scout would be interested in some horseback riding, keep that afternoon free!

Happy scouting, and happy summer!

Aleks