This fall brought GSWNY’s 46th Annual Skills and Chills event at Camp Seven Hills/Goodyear. Girl Scout Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors explored and challenged their leadership, teamwork, and outdoor skills. Girls participated in activities such as tent building, knots & lashing, compass reading, first aid / emergency prepared-ness, fire building, canoeing, archery, and so much more at this fun event! Stay tuned for next year’s Skill and Chills. Also, for all of our outdoor enthusiasts, we now have information on our GSWNY website about outdoor program vendors, outdoor program badges, GSWNY Camp Adventure Club and Venture Out.  Visit gswny.org/program-resources to learn more and enjoy the great outdoors!

Girl Scouts Sharpen Leadership Skills at the 46th Annual Skills and Chills Event

Thank you to everyone who made Women of Distinction a successful event. For the first time in history the event sold out and exceeded its goal raising more than $76,000 to support girls across our beautiful nine county region. Save the date for WOD 2016, September 15, 2016.

Thank You for making Women of Distinction 2015 a huge success

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Buffalo Service Center, Headquarters 3332 Walden Avenue, Suite 106

Buffalo, NY 14043gswny.org | 1.888.837.6410

SAVE THE DATES2015 GSWNY-USaturday, November 14 & November 21, 2015 2016 Cookie Kick Off, Order Taking, & CoCo MobileSaturday, January 9, 2016 2016 Ingredients to Success with Fredonia Enactus  Saturday, January 16, 2016

2016 Winter Recruitment StartsSaturday, January 23, 2016

Thanksgiving Holiday Week – Note the change of hours for our Shops – Wednesday, November 25, All Shops OPEN 8:30 a.m. — 12:30 p.m. 

GSWNY Service Centers and Shops will be closed:• Thursday, November 26 -

Saturday, November 29, 2015• Friday, December 11, 2015• Thursday, December 24, 2015 –

Saturday, January 2, 2016

Check out the Program Guide at gswny.org for details and more upcoming programs!

Visit gswny.org for details.

GIRL TALKG I L LTFALL 2015

Did you know that you can rent GSWNY properties? Weddings, camp adventures, retreats, meetings, and so much more - just imagine how much fun your next event would be at a GSWNY property. With multiple options to choose from you can book a beautiful, spacious, and serene setting for your next event by visiting www.gswny.org/property-rental. Look out for the new virtual tours of GSWNY’s properties, coming soon to gswny.org.

GSWNY’s Robyn & Marijayne in the national spotlight The 2015 Be a Reader Activity Poster — a national promotional piece for Girl Scouts QSP Product Program featured two familiar faces, GSWNY’S very own Robyn B. and Marijayne S. The two Girl Scouts entered the contest to be featured in the promotions for QSP and won out of many contestants from councils nationwide. As part of the contest both girls had to state why being a Girl Scout inspires them and here’s what they had to say: “Being a Girl Scout inspires me to be the best I can be. To set goals and learn new things and to look around my community and find ways to make it better. To live by the Girl Scout law with integrity. We are girls on a mission to really make this world a better place. Girl Scouts has opened many doors to opportunities. My favorite things are the friends I have made, helping others, and the trips we take,” said Robyn B., Girl Scout in the GSWNY — Chadwick Bay Service Unit, Troop#: 20158. “Being a Girl Scout inspires me to be me. This is my 10th year being a Girl Scout. I believe that my involvement with Girl Scouts has helped me to succeed in everything I do. I am #2 in my freshman class and a scholar athlete. Through QSP, I think I have become more confident being around people and by meeting new people I can talk to everyone easier. By going door to door or making phone calls to family and friends, I find it very easy to sell my products which in turn helps the troop so we can help others. Besides everything I have learned, I have made friendships, which will last forever, “said Marijayne S., Girl Scout in the GSWNY— Cattaraugus County West, Troop#: 10135. Congratulations to Robyn and Marijayne, when girls succeed, we all do!

Fall is a wonderful time of year. It is the start of a new troop sea-son; girls are back to school and it’s a time for reflection. I want to thank every girl, volun teer, staff member, donor, and all friends of GSWNY for your support. It is because of you that we have the opportunity to positively impact

the lives of girls and help them to blossom into the great leaders that we know they are presently and will continue to be in the future. With a new school year comes a new fiscal year. I am proud to report that we have some exciting news about reinvestments in our properties council-wide to provide more opportunities to girls. These re-in vestments include the creation of a primitive unit at Camp Piperwood and the addition of at least five tent cabins, an outdoor shelter and a latrine. We know these enhancements were requested by our girls and volunteers.

GSWNY’s Robyn & Marijayne in national spotlight ......................................................................... 1CEO Remarks ............................................................................1-2GSWNY Properties are the place to be! .......................... 2Welcome Back Alison ............................................................... 2Volunteer Spotlight .................................................................... 2GSWNY Staff Spotlight ............................................................. 2Girl Scouts helps girls and volunteers with higher education goals! ................................................. 3Meet a GSWNY Board Member ........................................... 3

Remember When? .................................................................... 3Girl Scouts Sharpen Leadership Skills at the 46th Annual Skills and Chills Event ....................... 4Save the Dates ............................................................................. 4

CEO REMARKS

IN THIS ISSUEcontinued on page 2

GSWNY Properties Are The Place To Be!

Robyn B. Marijayne S.

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Judy Cranston, GSWNY CEO

Construction of Wettlaufer Lodge at Camp Seven Hills, circa 1930’s.

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: Volunteers are critical to our mission at GSWNY. We would like to give a huge thank you to volunteers from Erie County Government and University at Buffalo for sprucing up our Camp Seven Hills location during the 2015 United Way of Buffalo & Erie County Day of Caring.

CEO Remarks — continued from cover page

At Camp Seven Hills we will replace two tent platforms with tent cabins in the Wood-land Way Unit and add one tent cabin to the CIT Unit. We will also add a registration shel ter in the Goodyear parking lot. Finally, we will also replace the porch and deck at Hammond House. At Camp Timbercrest we will replace three tent platforms with new tent cabins in the Sunset Unit. We will replace twenty-one dining hall ta bles and sixty-five benches with new hardwood tables and benches. We are also purchasing and installing a new waterpark water element which has a slide and jungle gym. These addi tions will help make camp even more special for girls. Not only am I committed to the goals of enhancing our physical properties, but I am also committed to us creating innovative ways for both our girls and volunteers to reach their goals in life. If higher education is the path you choose, GSWNY is proud to offer the Sage Tu ition Rewards program where girls and volun teers can earn points toward college tuition (read more on page 2). I encourage everyone to sign-up and tell a friend; it’s a wonderful benefit and more information can be found at gswny.org. Congratulations again to our two Girl Scouts Robyn and Marijayne for winning the “Be a Reader” competition and putting GSWNY’s girl leadership on a national platform. I’m looking forward to a fantastic 2015-16 Girl Scout Year!

Welcome Back AlisonWe welcome back Alison Wilcox to Girl Scouts of Western New York! Alison is the new Chief Operating Officer for Girl Scouts of Western New York, overseeing membership, program, volunteer, camp, properties, IT and registration, for the five service centers and nine counties of the WNY council. Alison’s prior Girl Scout experience includes serving as Council Specialty Advisor for Chief Operating Officers and Membership for Girl Scouts of the USA, providing membership support to 112 councils nationwide, and serving as the Senior Vice President of Program and Membership for

the Girl Scouts of Western New York. During Alison’s tenure with Girl Scouts, she has worked to focus on aligning services and support to meet the changing needs of girls. In particular, Alison’s work has focused on enhancing programming opportunities in STEM and the outdoors, building a strong organizational culture, improving recruitment and sales acumen, data tracking and reporting, increasing community support and fund development to reach underserved girls and enhancing support and services for volunteers. Alison is based at the Buffalo Service Center and GSWNY is glad to have her back on the team.

Alison Wilcox, GSWNY COO

GSWNY STAFF SPOTLIGHT: Meet Your Senior Vice President of Asset Management: Bob MannLength of Service: 40 years

Favorite color: Blue

Hobbies: Snowshoe racing, hiking, Civil War History, and outdoor activities

Best about working at GSWNY: I love going to work every day and getting to do what I do. I care about the camps, the cause and like seeing the girls and troops reach their goals. If I had gone somewhere else  - say a large profitable organization – I wouldn’t have had the same assignments, would have had less autonomy and certainly wouldn’t have had as much fun.  Know what makes you happy and stick with it.

Motto: “Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later” (Og Mandino –American Author)

Girl Scouts helps girls and volunteers with higher education goals!

Girl Scouts of Western New York (GSWNY) is excited to an nounce a new and very special benefit for girls and families who participate in the Recruitment & Retention Program! Girls and adult volunteers who enroll in Girl Scouts for the 2016-17 mem-bership year can be eligi ble for combined Sage Tuition Rewards totaling up to 6,000 points each membership year between a girl member and adult volunteer(s) — please note that only one leader and one assistant leader can qualify per troop. Girl Scouts prepares girls

for 21st century leadership,

Remember when? Camp Seven Hills is 85 years old. Do you remember sitting by the camp fire, singing Girl Scout songs, and creating special bonds with fellow Girl Scout sisters that grew into lifelong friendships? We invite you to rekindle some of your fondest Girl Scout camp memories and view the 85th Camp Seven Hills Anniversary Video: https://vimeo.com/142202519

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Girl Scouts of Western New York is fortunate to have a team of board members who truly believe in the mission of Girl Scouting. We’re happy to share what they have to say about their own personal interests and about why they support Girl Scouts.

Favorite Hobbies: Fishing, sports, spending time with family and friends

Favorite Book: DaVinci Code by Dan Brown Favorite Movie: Top Gun

Favorite Quote: “Once in a while you get shown the light, in the strangest places if you look at it right.”

Are you a former Girl Scout? Eagle Scout in Boy Scouts of America

Why do you volunteer with Girl Scouts of Western New York? I have four daughters aged 2-11 who I want to be a positive influence on. I felt as though I could help be a positive influence in other girls lives too.

What would you want people to know about GSWNY? I want them to know, that besides the great cookies there’s more to it. It’s about developing courage, character, and the ability to do/be what they want.

Why do you support GSWNY with your time, talent, and treasure? Because I feel I can contribute to make a difference in the girls’ lives too – that it is my responsibility to give where I can, with what I can.

Meet the GSWNY Board MembersChuck Lovejoy

advocates for girls, and strives to provide them with a well-rounded experience that combines critical life-skill development with activities that support academic success, all mixed together with their favorite part—tons of fun and friendship! Girls and volunteers who participate in the Sage Tuition Rewards program through Girl Scouts have amazing experiences all while earning college scholarship points to benefit their short and long-term goals. Tuition Rewards Points are similar to frequent flyer points. In this case, the points can be used for Tuition/Scholarship at almost 350 affiliated private colleges and universities across the U.S. There are 21 affiliated private colleges in New York State. Each point is equivalent to $1 in guaranteed Tuition/Scholarship at the participating colleges and uni versities. For example: St. Bonaventure, Clarkson, RPI, RIT, St. Lawrence, Union, Drexel, Duquesne, and more. Go www.tuitionrewards.com for a complete listing of colleges.Together, Girl Scouts, educators, and parents can help set girls up for ultimate suc cess and happiness. And remember, when girls succeed, we all do. According to the Girl Scout Research Institute, 97 percent of parents say Girl Scouts has been a positive activity for their daughter. At Girl Scouts, girls can be themselves while discovering what they love to do. Here girls will always be safe, encouraged, and nurtured so that they blossom into the awesome young women they were always meant to be. Girl and adult volunteers who enroll for the 2016-17 membership year can be eligible for tuition points. To start earning points today, visit: gswny.org/girls or call: 1.888.837.6410.