Cookie Booths 2012

Register for the Thin Mint Sprint!

Support our Girl Scouts!
FOGS Donations: $1,440 with a total of 26 families participating. That's 48% of our $3,000 goal.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Thinking Day Celebration
Saturday, February 25th, 10am-12pm
REGISTRATION CLOSED for girls
Event Flyer

Thin Mint Sprint
Saturday, March 24th, 8am
REGISTRATION OPENING SOON

100th Anniversary Camporee
Friday, April 20th - Sunday, April 22nd
Saturday only registration is now open on e-council on the GSCTX website. Overnight registration is still available; contact your service unit to register. If you are interested in hosting a booth that day, please contact Kate Lipinski.

Bat Adventure
Friday, April 27th - Sunday, April 29th
MORE INFO TO COME

Carlsbad Caverns Trip
Wednesday, July 25th - Sunday, July 29th
Event Flyer

Welcome to the Monarch Service Unit! What's New? January, 2012 Latest News:

Service Unit Meeting on January 24th
For all the latest information for your troop, please plan to attend our monthly service unit meetings.

• If you have already signed up for the Service Unit Thinking Day event on February 25th, bring registration information and payment. More information on the event can be found in this flyer.
• A limited number of Cookie T-shirts are still available. Bring payment if you would to buy one. More information can be found in this flyer.
• Troop 351 is collecting Christmas cards for St Jude's Hospital. They will be collected at the meeting.

Thin Mint Sprint - March 24, 2012
Put on your running shoes and join us for a 5K Run and 1 mile Fun Run/Walk for your favorite Girl Scout cookies.

• 5K Run begins and ends at Cedar Park Center, Home of the Stars hockey team. Cost $25; $30 after 3/1/12.
• 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk included so the whole family can participate in a healthy activity. Cost $15; $20 after 3/1/12.
• Trail of Girl Scout History is free to race participants as we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouting in the United States of America. Cost to walk down the historic trail is $1 for non-racing participants.

All runners receive a race t-shirt, a box of Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies, and free admission to the Trail of Girl Scout History. Registered Girl Scouts will receive a race day patch.

Race will be timed by Lone Star Timing.
Refreshments provided at the end of the run.
Trophies presented to winners in the gender/age classifications listed on the registration form (in progress).

Friday, March 23, 2012
4:00 PM - 7:00 PM - Packet pickup at Girl Scouts of Central Texas Council; 12012 Park Thirty-Five Circle; Austin 78753 (off IH35 on South-bound service road

Saturday, March 24, 2012
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM - Packet pickup and on-site registration at Cedar Park Center; Hwy 183; Cedar Park 78613.

8:00 AM - Opening ceremonies
8:30 AM - One-mile Fun Run/Walk begins
9:00 AM - Thin Mint Sprint 5K begins!
10:00 AM - Awards Ceremony

• Directions (in progress)
• Parking Directions (in progress)
• Online Registration (in progress)
• Race Map (in progress)

No dogs are allowed.

Recycle Your Holiday Cards
Troop #351 is collecting greeting cards for St. Jude's Childrens Ranch as on ongoing troop project. The project will be kicked off on 1/1/12. Batches of cards will be mailed to to St. Jude quarterly.

This program benefits the children at St. Jude’s Ranch to learn entrepreneurship skills. The children participate in making the new cards by removing the front and attaching a new back. The result is a beautiful new card made by the children and volunteers. The benefits are two-fold: customers receive "green" holiday cards for use and learn the benefits and importance of "going green". http://www.stjudesranch.org/shop/recycled-card-program/

All types of greeting cards are accepted, all occasions, not just Christmas. Only the card front can be used (please check to be sure the back side is clear of any writing, etc.)

Volunteer Opportunities at Bastrop State Park
Volunteer at Bastrop State Park in the areas of Houston toad pond work and erosion control. There are four volunteer days for the winter to work on erosion control in those areas. These projects involve spreading mulch along Houston toad pond edges and installing straw logs/wattles on hillsides. This work is considered easy to moderate and may involve bending, carrying buckets of mulch and walking long distances.

Work Days: December 10, January 14, January 28, February 11

See the Monarch Service Projects page for more information.

New Banking Fees
View this document for information on the latest changes to banking fees. Monthly charges have been added for exceeding a maximum number of deposits and debits. See what new rules your bank may be imposing on you. These changes can be felt during Cookie Season so be sure to review the list of fees.

Carlsbad, NM trip - Driving Me Batty! July 25-29
Trip to Carlsbad, NM. Girls in the Monarch SU who are Cadettes and older can participate. The first meeting for girls to get together and plan this trip will be November 15th. It will be conducted simultaneously with the SU meeting at the same place. Trip will be the last week in July (exact dates have not been firmed up yet). It will be five days and four nights and will cost approximately $400.

Event involves learning how to plan an extended trip (all girls will participate in planning); tent camping; horseback riding; spelunking; bats. Girls will plan routes, make transportation decisions, make reservations, and create a detailed itinerary.

An event that is associated with the trip, but not a requirement, is the Bat Adventure to be held the weekend of April 27th at the Girl Scout House in Fredericksburg. More information will be sent out on that later. Girls will watch bats fly from an old railroad tunnel; make bat houses; and have an adventure at Enchanted Rock. Trip information can be found in this flyer.

100th Anniversary Camporee
Girl Scouts of Central Texas is celebrating the 100th year of Girl Scouts next year by having a council-wide campout. If you'd like to take your troop for the overnight camporee, submit all registration and paperwork through Sarah VanDyke, our Service Unit Event Coordinator. You will NOT be able to sign up online or through Possibilities. If you ONLY want to go to the fair on Saturday, you'll register for that in January through the council directly.

To register for the camporee, follow these steps please:

1. Review the packet with all the details and instructions.
2. Distribute and collect the permission slips for your girls. There is a letter in the packet you can give your parents as well if they are considering going with you.
3. Complete all the paperwork and turn in the following to Sarah by November 15th:
- Troop registration checklist/form
- Troop activity submission form
- Emergency Information form
- Payment ($20/person)
4. If your troop is selected, you'll need to submit your troop trip approval per GSCTX procedures.

After Dec. 2 they will use a lottery system to select who will be given the 1500 overnight spots. By Dec. 15, we should find out which troops will be able to attend. (I will check how they are going to do refunds for those that are not selected). This packet provides registration forms, details about the camping facilities available and what you will need to bring.

Support our Girl Scouts
The Friends of Girl Scouting (FOGS) campaign is an annual event to support Girl Scouts and its programs. Read more in this letter from our FOGS Coordinator that explains the purpose and goals for our service unit. Donations are accepted throughout the year, but to get the custom FOGS patch, donations are due at the December 13th meeting. The Monarch Service Unit goal this year is $3000 with at least 10% participation. Pledge cards are available for troops to pass out to your girls. Contact the FOGS Coordinator to get yours. To understand the leader's role better, read this letter from our council.
Donate to FOGS and earn this custom patch. The more you give, the more you get. Patches are awarded in increments.

QUICK LINKS

Learn more about us! The Monarch Service Unit is a member of the Central Texas Council. Our service unit encompasses schools in the Leander, Cedar Park and Avery Ranch Area. Go here to find out more.

Interested in joining Girl Scouts?...Find out how.

Troop Trip or Outing?...Approval forms must be submitted at least 2 weeks prior to the event. See instructions on how to complete forms and additional information required. The Troop Travel Application and Travel Participant Roster are to be submitted to your school coordinator.

Troop Forms...Girl Scout forms can be found here on the Central Texas Council website.

Training Information...For class registration information, class descriptions and upcoming classes, go here for more information.

New Leader Information...New leader guidelines have been consolidated into one document. View the Leader Jumpstart Packet for a resource to get you started.

Need Translation for Spanish Speaking Parents?...Our Service Unit Madrina is available for communicating with Spanish speaking parents. Find more information in English or Español.

Resources for Loan...Various books and maps are available for loan through the Monarch Service Unit. View the Service Unit Library for a list. Items can be requested by contacting the Service Unit Librarian.

Service Projects...Troops who complete 3 service projects are eligible for a Community Service patch. Email your service project information including date, project description, # of participating girls and # of participating adults to the Service Project Coordinator.

Online Volunteer Application... Complete your CBC volunteer application online. Password: gscentral