Almost 2,000 girls kicked off the Girl Scout Cookie Program on Jan. 5 at a mall near them. See more photos on our Facebook page!

It’s Cookie Time!
The 2013 Cookie Program kicked off on January 5, 2013 with our annual Cookie Rallies. About 1,900 girls statewide came out to learn the five skills that girls can acquire through the Cookie Program. Girls enjoyed the hands-on activities and were able to earn a patch for joining in the fun! You can see photos on our Facebook page from all the malls.

Girls have plenty of time to take orders from customers for their favorite cookies, which are sporting new boxes this year! The initial order period goes until February 3, 2013 and, after that, Goal Getter orders, and cookie booths.

Remind your girls that they can earn Honey, the adorable golden retriever (for selling 100 boxes), a Kindle e-Reader (1250 boxes), and a fun-filled trip to New York (1600 boxes) among other recognitions that we are offering this year!  

Did your troop just start? No problem! Email productsales@gsofct.org and we can get you started! It’s quick and easy to get your troop up and running with the Cookie Program, no matter when it starts! Registered Girl Scouts from Daisies up to Ambassadors can participate fully in the Cookie Program. If you are in need of Cookie materials for your troop, please contact your Service Unit Cookie Manager or productsales@gsofct.org.

So, what’s this Cookie Club that I’m hearing about?
Cookie Club is a safe and secure online way for girls to boost their sales and to reach their goals for the Cookie Program. Girls and their families can send eCards to friends and family to ask them to make promises to buy Girl Scout Cookies. Girls will earn a new Cookie Club Patch for sending 12 or more e-mails through Cookie Club. Sounds great, doesn’t it? All you need to do to make this happen is to set up the girls in your troop in Cookie Club and give the girls and their parents/guardians their user IDs and passwords. You can access Cookie Club through eBudde and you can even export your girls’ names directly from eBudde! Get instructions and to learn more about this valuable tool.  

National Girl Scout Cookie Day
February 8 is National Girl Scout Cookie Day. In honor of this special day, we encourage all girls to use their Goal Getter Order Cards to help them reach and exceed their personal and troop cookie goals. Watch for media coverage and excitement all around the nation. If you need more Goal Getter Order Cards, see your Service Unit Cookie Manager or the Cookie Connection page on the council website.

And the winners are…
We are pleased to announce that our QSP Penguin Encounter winner is Alexandra G. in Troop 60208 in Wallingford. Alexandra and an adult guest will be meeting a real live penguin at Mystic Aquarium! Have fun, Alexandra, and great job in the 2012 QSP Program!

Our QSP Coloring Contest was an overwhelming success.  We received so many great entries that it was tough to pick our winners.  Here are the winners!
- Natalie D., Daisy, Prospect (High Point SU) Troop 64621
- Hannah R., Daisy, New Milford Troop 40211
- Elena Victoria D., Brownie, Trumbull (Unity SU) Troop 36197
- Andreanna D., Brownie, Coventry Troop 65446
- Emily M., Junior, New Fairfield Troop 60704
- Riley S., Junior, Wallingford Troop 60483
- Bethany A., Cadette, Lisbon (Green Pines SU) Troop 63047
- Melissa L., Cadette, Winsted Troop 40129
- Lauren M., Senior, Salem (Massapaug SU) Troop 63340
- Ashley R., Senior, Berlin Troop 91006
- Deanna H., Ambassador, Norwich (Trails of Laurel SU) Troop 63606
- Rachel F., Ambassador, Naugatuck (Lone Tree) Troop 64118

Cookie Season Reminders
Please remember that all girls selling cookies must be current, registered Girl Scouts. Additionally, Troop Cookie Managers and any other volunteers who will be working directly with the Cookie Program and handling funds must go through the volunteer application process. Thank you for helping us to ensure that our girls have the best possible experience with the Cookie Program.

World Thinking Day patches are available in our shops and online.

World Thinking Day
Every February 22 on World Thinking Day, girls join their sister Girl Scouts and Girl Guides throughout the world to acknowledge their shared experiences and diversity and to raise awareness about global issues. The 2013 Girl Scout Thinking Day theme is girls worldwide say "together we can save children's lives." Find information on how your local troop or service unit can get involved. If you’ve already planned an event, please don’t forget to send pictures of your activities to general@gsofct.org!

Spring Troop Activities
With your Cookie Program goals set, this is the time to plan fun and exciting trips and activities with your girls for the spring!  Please be sure that the Troop Trip Application (also available in writable format) is completed and that any High Adventure Forms  are completed if they need to be. Going skiing? Make sure that the location you are going is an approved high adventure vendor if you are attending as a troop and using Girl Scout funds to pay for your trip.   

Girl Scout Sunday, Shabbat, and Sabbath patches are available in our shops and online.

Girl Scout Week
It’s not too soon to start planning activities for Girl Scout Week, which will run from Sunday, March 10 through Saturday, March 16 this year. Are you planning a rededication ceremony? Showcasing your pride in Girl Scout history in your community? Participating in Girl Scout Sunday? Your local Service Unit volunteers and Membership and Marketing Managers can help direct you to resources and ideas to support you with whatever activities your troop has planned.

Programs-in-a-Box
Programs-in-a-Box are an easy solution to your next troop activity! Contact Jacque Simpson-Gilson at jsimpson-gilson@gsofct.org to reserve your box. Please give a two week notice and return them within four weeks of your reservation.
This month we recommend...
Focus on Ability (All)
Increase girls’ awareness and understanding of “differently-abled” with a variety of interactive activities and resources.

Senses (B) BD
This box contains supplies for many of the activities in the senses badge, such as: Kim’s game, sound
boxes, scent games, magnifying lenses, and samples of braille.

We're Planning Next Year's Events and Need Your Input!
As we begin 2013, we are already thinking about 2014. The Program Department asks that you to take this short survey so that we can begin to plan together.

Upcoming Programs
Change of Dates! Explore, Design, Build, Teach and Engineering for Brownies
Dates have been changed for these two favorite engineering events at Pattagansett!  Explore, Design, Build,Teach for Seniors and Ambassadors is  now March 22-23, and Engineering for Brownies is now March 23.

It all Adds Up - Cadettes - April 17 - Hartford
Back by popular demand! Cadettes are invited to this fun event where you will calculate your expenses to figuring out how much time it will take to buy those jeans or purse you've been eyeing! Meet professional women who make sure "It All Adds Up!" at the Travelers Insurance Company in downtown Hartford. Join us and see how "Women in Actuarial and Analytics" put it all together. Program price includes lunch and patch. Register by April 3!

Girl Scout Global Action Award
Earning this award, which can be worn on the front of a sash or vest, is a fun and educational way to learn about serious issues affecting our sisters around the world- especially as we approach World Thinking Day! Consider working on this award prior to February 22, and giving the girls the award at your Thinking Day celebration. Or, include Global Action Award activity choices at your Thinking Day event! In order to earn the award girls choose and complete at least one activity. Get info on the grade-level options to earn the award. Please note: Review websites before using with the girls and if sensitive topics arise, please use the Sensitive Issues Form.

Map it!
Check out this interactive map for descriptions of service vs. take action projects, a map of take action projects done around the world, and a link to upload your own Journey, Forever Green, Bronze, Silver or Gold Award take action project.

In the Community
New! What’s in a Career? Join us as we partner with GE to introduce Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors to careers in finance, engineering, and more. This event will take place at three corporate locations: Stamford, Norwalk, and Danbury during the week of April 15-19. Lunch included. Fee for girls $2. Watch for details!  

Take a Hike!  
Join the CT Audubon Society for one of their two Badge Day Bonanzas - March 26 and April 27, 2013 from 9:00 a.m. – noon at the CAS Center at Fairfield, 2325 Burr Street, Fairfield, CT 06824.
CAS teacher-naturalists lead Girl Scouts on a hike through their beautiful sanctuary all while satisfying selected badge requirements from Junior Animal Habitats, Brownie Bugs, and Brownie Hiker.  For more information or to register contact Jane Guenther at jguenther@ctaudubon.org or 203-259-6305.

NBC Health & Wellness Expo
This is Connecticut’s largest Health and Wellness event. It will be held at the Convention Center in Hartford on Saturday and Sunday, March 16 and 17. Stop by the Girl Scout booth as we encourage the community to Live Healthy, Lead Healthy! Get more information here.

Museum Programs
The Springfield Museums offer Camp-Ins for Brownies, Juniors and Cadettes as well as Daisy Museum Adventure Days. Contact the museum directly at camp-in@springfieldmuseums.org for dates and prices.

Old Sturbridge Village offers hands-on studio programs designed for Daisy, Brownie, Junior, Cadette and Senior Girl Scouts. Each program provides the information and resources to earn badges; beginning in the Studio, followed by time within the Village and, finally, completing some at home. Girls will get their hands on history during activities led by a museum teacher in our dynamic education center or within the museum. Studios are 50-minutes unless otherwise noted. See details on their website.

How do I find and share upcoming events, like the ones listed below?
Most council-planned events are open to individual girls and their guardians. Give your girls the opportunity to expand their activities by telling them how to find these wonderful opportunities! We know everyone is busy so if your whole troop can't make it, it's not a problem! She can go on her own (Cadette, Senior, Ambassador only) or with her guardian!

Here's how...
- Log onto gsofct.org
- Under the Participate tab, click on Program and Training Registration Area
- Then click on View and Register for Events
- From here, they can browse all that we have to offer then select, log in, and register for any of the programs. For help with username and password, call or email the Registration Department at registration@gsofct.org or (203) 239-2922 ext. 500.

Or, share your Program Resource Guide with them at one of your meetings! It is also available on our website. Just look for the cover on the right hand side under Quick Links.

For registration instructions, click here.