GirlFest update: Register before 10/26 for the early registration pricing discount!

Have you registered for GirlFest yet? Make sure to register by October 26 to get the pre-registration pricing. 

Here are a few updates for the event! For more information, visit girlscoutsosw.org/girlfest.

Lodging options

If you and your troop or group are traveling to the event, GSOSW has a few lodging options that are available:

• Mountaindale Outdoor Program Center has beds available for $8 per person, per night. You must register for this separately in Personify (available Monday, 10/14). 
• Best Western Inn at The Meadows is offering a Girl Scout discount to traveling troops for $79 with two adults and $85 with up to four adults. The hotel also offers free parking and a shuttle to the expo. To take advantage of the discount, you must contact the hotel directly at 503-286-9600.

Are you, or is someone in your troop a “Mompreneur”? 

GSOSW has a few booth spaces left at GirlFest and we want to invite any of our members with businesses who might be interested in promoting their product at Girlfest to contact us for more information. 

We do ask that you provide a hands-on activity for girls at your booth, which we are happy to help you develop if needed. We have a reduced fee for our moms and it’s great exposure for your product to lots of girls and their parents. Some limitations do apply and we will ensure that there is only one of each vendor on site. For all the details, contact Minda at events@girlscoutsosw.org.

We have some potential money earning opportunities at GirlFest for troops with Cadettes - Ambassadors at GirlFest! 

We have a few spaces left at Girl Fest for entrepreneurial troops to do money earning activities. If your troop wants to host a booth like face painting, body art, jewelry creation, photo booth, etc, or, want to do a booth but need some ideas, we would love to hear from you. Contact Jennifer Akins at jakins@girlscoutsosw.org. All money earning rules apply.

Calling all mompreneurs!

Are you, or is someone in your troop a “Mompreneur”? 

GSOSW has a few booth spaces left at GirlFest and we want to invite any of our members with businesses who might be interested in promoting their product at Girlfest to contact us for more information. 

We do ask that you provide a hands-on activity for girls at your booth, which we are happy to help you develop if needed. We have a reduced fee for our moms and it’s great exposure for your product to lots of girls and their parents. Some limitations do apply and we will ensure that there is only one of each vendor on site. For all the details, contact Minda at events@girlscoutsosw.org. See you at GirlFest!

Girl Scout Cadettes in Oregon City clean up Filbert Run Park

Thanks to Shawnda Horn for sending in this photo and piece from the Oregon City news this summer!

The Girl Scout Cadettes and leaders of Troops 42143 & 42448 in Oregon City planned and implemented a "Clean Up the Park Day" at Filbert Run Park on August 10. With assistance from additional volunteers from the Hazelgrove Westling Farms Neighborhood Association, the girls were able to achieve their goal of removing fifty wheelbarrow loads of debris from the Oregon City park. This was one of the girls' community volunteer projects.

The participants in the Filbert Run Park Cleanup Day were, from left to right: Front: Ashylnn Lucas, Ciara Fritcher, Madisyn Montgomery, Amanda Lee, Kelsey Horn and Angelyca Strand.

Back: Beth Strand, Shawnda Horn, Pam Lee and Kristie Bacon

New GSUSA destinations announced, plus local travel trainings and workshops!

GSOSW's Troop 11380 traveled to London in 2013!

Ever wanted to go to London, Morocco, Japan or Scotland? Those amazing places and more have just been announced on Girl Scouts of the USA's list of amazing destinations! You can find the list on the Travel section of the GSUSA site. 

If you're planning on applying for one of these trips, have already been accepted or want to take your older girls for a similarly big trip, don't miss these upcoming travel workshops!

Travel Discovery Workshop

Elks Lodge, Bend OR

If you have been accepted or are ready to apply for a destination, council sponsored trip or patrol, this workshop is for you!  You will learn about council expectations, earning money for your trip, forms, packing, passports, financial aid, travel safety and much more!

Bring a sack lunch.

October 5, 2013

10am - 4pm

$10/girl

Extended Travel Training

Elks Lodge, Bend OR

Want to take your Older Girls to the coast for a week, up to Canada, back East or even to Europe? This training is designed for leaders/advisors to learn how to plan a successful Girl Scout trip.  Discussion items include: Girl Scout requirements, transportation, lodging, eating, progression in travel, resources and more.  All the logistical details of how to plan and execute a trip will be discussed….and how to make a trip a girl led and girl decision process.

Bring a sack lunch.

October 5, 2013

11 am - 3pm

$5/person

Rock stars for a day: Girl Scouts perform at Latino Night Celebration

Thanks to Lorraine Navarro, a volunteer with Girl Scout Troop 20504, for contributing this blog post!

Last October, we were approached by Centro Latino Americano to perform in their 40th Anniversary and Latino Night celebration. After speaking with the girls and their parents at our next meeting, we all agreed that it sounded like a fun idea! We had had so much success at the girls' first show at Solvang Retirement Center that we decided to keep up with the community performances. After much practicing and picking out our outfits, the Girl Scouts in Hispanic Initiative were ready to go on stage again!

We all met at the Valley River Inn on a cold and rainy Friday night. Some of the girls had their troop vests over their traditional Mexican folk dance outfits. It was an unspoken tradition that we had adopted at our first show. After getting a little lost in the lobby, we made our way to the “Dressing Room.” Much to our surprise, it was catered by Cinnabon and other delicious looking food! In over 20 years dancing, I have never even had a catered dressing room! They really made the girls feel like stars.

After much excitement and a little bit of exploring around the inn, a representative came to our room to inform us that we were going on soon. Everyone seemed a little nervous but we giggled and gave pep talks to reassure the girls. We made our way down the stairs and were stopped by many guests and staff who wanted to compliment our outfits. We stopped near the Centro Latino banquet hall and waited for our names to be called.

There had much practice before the show for our dances and choreography but we didn't really know what our entrance would look like. Once our names were called, we walked in to a very large banquet hall with cameras and lights flashing. It was very much like being super stars. We made our way to the stage and began our dances: La Botella, Los Machetes, La Raspa and Jarabe Tapatio.

We finished up to an enormous applause! Back out in the lobby, we took many pictures, congratulated each other and thanked the Centro Latino coordinators for inviting us to such a fabulous event! We were very proud of the girls. They really pulled together and improvised. We had been missing a dancer and they worked their way around it. It was a show that all of us will definitely never forget!

Girl Scout Daisies from Troop 45741 help at Oregon Food Bank

Girl Scout Daisies from Troop 45741 (SU15) had the pleasure of donating an afternoon of their time to help repackage bins of carrots for the Oregon Food Bank earlier this year. They had no idea what their assignment would be prior to arrival, but were willing to help out wherever they were needed. Along with other volunteers that afternoon, their efforts helped to provide 11,557 meals to those less fortunate, which equated to 13,868 pounds of carrots that were packaged into family-sized bags. The girls had a wonderful time knowing that they played a part in helping our community, and are anxious to return again. The Oregon Food Bank can accept volunteers as young as 6 years old, so this was an excellent opportunity for our Daisies to learn what community service is all about.

End-of-year ceremony a fun family occasion for troops in Eugene/Springfield

Special thanks to Megan Bassett for sharing this story from a special recognitions ceremony earlier this spring!

Daisy, Brownie, Junior and Cadette girls from Spanish-speaking troops in the Eugene/Springfield area had a wonderful end of year recognition ceremony and celebration at the Eugene Service Center on April 19^th.  This was an occasion for the whole family as new Girl Scouts received their pins and the girls who participated in the cookie program received their patches and earned incentives. After the candle lighting ceremony and receipt of recognitions, everyone enjoyed a potluck dinner. About 30 people attended.