Let’s Talk Travel



The streets of Venice- taken by me!



St. Augustine said, “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” I certainly agree. I could regale you with examples from my own life: how traveling to Italy made me feel more at home in my own skin, or how my trip to Germany showed me that plans change and flexibility was a skill I needed to improve. I could talk about the dangers of drinking the water in the Dominican Republic, how much I loved Venice (despite my initial thoughts to the contrary), or the way the best memories of my trips were random inside jokes with my siblings. But I would rather tell you about the benefits of travel and how, through Girl Scouting, you too can traverse the world.



What can a cookie do? More Than You See.

Defining the “MORE”

With the 2012 Cookie Program in full swing, it’s the perfect time to share with you all the wonderful accomplishments and adventures that a box of cookies can provide for girls of all ages.  The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led business in the world, and it helps girls develop five key business and leadership skills that will last them a lifetime: Goal Setting, Decision Making, Money Management, People Skills, and Business Ethics.

But that’s not all…

Camping With Critters

By: Grant Lewis, Outdoor Program Manager at Camp Ken-Jockety


Every Girl Scout who heads out with her troop to a council or state park campsite looks forward to hanging out with her friends, staying up late, and exploring nature. But sometimes there are more living creatures using the campsite than just your fellow Girl Scouts. Learning how to get along with our natural friends that often share your campsites, and  lodges,  is an important part of enjoying the camping experience. Some of the most common critters you are apt to meet at one of our campsites are mice, snakes, raccoons, spiders, and bats. Learning about the habits and needs of these animals will allow you to make the most of your trip without your whole troop getting a bad case of the willies!

Mice

Most of the mice you encounter at our camps are either white-footed mice or deer mice. Although difficult to eliminate completely from our buildings and lodges that are set in wooded settings, it is possible to keep them from being attracted to you. Keep your food sealed in plastic containers or in the refrigerator, and do not eat crumbly snacks in your sleeping bag.

A Scout’s Own Ceremony

According to The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting, a Scout’s Own is “a ceremony where Girl Scouts get together to share inspiration and celebrate a theme, like friendship, service, honor, or respect for the planet.” A Scout’s Own ceremony can take place anywhere you meet with your troop or other Girl Scouts. Maybe you’ll plan to have one at your next meeting or on a special day. You can have it at the usual meeting place, a local park, or a camp. The best part about a Scout’s Own is you own it! You get to choose how to make your ceremony special and meaningful. To help get you started, think about a theme and a setting.  

Outdoor Programs

One of the foundational program elements of Girl Scouting, beginning with Juliette Low, was the outdoors.  Through the years, outdoor programs have been some of the greatest experiences provided through Girl Scouts that girls did not have available to them elsewhere, and it’s no different today.  More important than ever, are those precious moments of wading in the creek, gazing at stars without the pollution of city lights, listening to the night sounds as you lie awake in your tent, and identifying the trees and flowers that make up the forest around us. 

Winter Weekend Blast

Calling all Girl Scouts Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors.

It’s a Girl Thing is back by popular demand.  You asked and we listened!

Do you know what time it is?

By Erin Rodgers, Product Program Manager

It's that time of year again! You know the time I speak of...

Time to clean out that special section of the freezer saved specifically for the ever coveted Girl Scout cookie! Time to decide how many boxes your pantry can store and where, oh where, will you hide that "extra" box of your favorite from everyone else in your house.

Natural Ways to Beat the Winter Blues

By Sarah Kafer, Outdoor Programs Manager

It’s official, winter is here! December 22 marked the first day of the winter solstice and the shortest day of the year for those of us in the Northern hemisphere. With it came holidays, breaks from school and work, and a brand new year. But, we also got blasts of cold, buckets of rain, and gloomy, gray skies. While the days will gradually get longer, us Ohioans know that winter can be cold, wet, and dreary. It seems to drag on forever.

Old Jeans to Hot Drinks

Do you need a cup of coffee to make it through the day? Do you rely on a toasty drink to help get you through the winter months? Nothing makes me happier on a cold day than a nice hot chocolate from my favorite coffee shop!