Jennifer Meader, the Director of Education at Stonehurst (the Robert Treat Paine Estate), hosted a Brownie Try-it workshop on Sept 15 and according to the handful of girls and leaders who were there, it was a lot of fun. The workshop began outdoors on "Whale Rock" (or "Glacier Rock") with Jennifer pointing out characteristics of the landscape and how that was incorporated into the design of the house. The girls then had a tour of the inside of the mansion, studied a floor plan, and created a truss similar to the iron truss that holds up a major part of the house. The workshop concluded with a trip up the servants' staircase all the way to the attic! 

Click here for a link to their website: Stonehurst, the Robert Treat Paine Estate or contact Jennifer Meader (781-314-3290) for more information. Click on Locations on the menu at left for a map. Click on Photo Albums to see pictures from the workshop.

All experienced leaders are required to take the Leadership Essentials training this year. This training program will get everyone up to date on the new "Girl Scout Leadership Experience" that is being rolled out by GSUSA and GSEM. A list of training dates for Leadership Essentials is available at the GSEM website (see Links on the menu) or by clicking here for the Catalog of Volunteer Training Opportunities. 

• Float My Boat: Make a tinfoil boat with pennies as cargo
• Eat Like a Bird: How do birds' beaks affect what they eat?
• Stack 'em Up: Make a tall, strong tower of cups
• Set It Straight: Balance a simple seesaw on a fulcrum with pennies as weights
• Acids and Bases: Test simple liquids 
• I'm All Thumbs: Fun without using opposable thumbs

• Pink Slip: When our area Council consolidated, it changed its umbrella Bank of America bank account.  You must deposit your early bird dues into the NEW bank account.  The deposit slip in your envelope is for this new account.  Please discard any old deposit slips you may have. 
• Purple Spring Registration Instruction Sheets: This is a step-by-step explanation of how you should complete early bird registration.  There is also a helpful check list on the back of these sheets to ensure you've filed all the necessary paperwork.  If you have ANY questions about what you need to do, please email me at zenakahlo@aol.com or call me at 781.647.3310. 
• Yellow Early Bird Sheet: This sheet outlines the incentives to registering girls early.  It also has a section that you should complete indicating the number of girls you are registering. The deadline for this has passed.
• Orange Bank Account Policy Sheet: Due to consolidation of several Girl Scout Councils into the new Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts (GSEM) , Troop bank accounts need to be opened or changed to be affiliated with the new umbrella account.  The orange sheet goes into detail about how you should open a new account or change your old account to the new system.  If you have any questions about Troop bank accounts, please call Jessica Numann at the Waltham GSEM office at 781.893.6113 X237.
• White Certificate of Exemption Sheet: This documentation is necessary to open or change your bank account.  Please bring it to the bank with you. 
• Bank of America Deposit Slip: Registration dues and Family Partnership contributions should be deposited into the umbrella Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts account using the enclosed deposit slip.  Some Troops prefer to deposit the money they receive into their own accounts and then write one Troop check for the total amount received to be deposited into the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts account.  Either way works, but please return the deposit slip to me showing you have deposited all monies received.  Remember, the deposit should equal the number of girl and adult registrations at $10 each plus any Family Partnership donations.
• Green Family Meeting Outline Sheet: Some Troop leaders like to hold a Family Meeting at the end of the scouting year to go over with parents what is expected of them and the girls for the next scouting season and how they can participate in Early Bird registration. 
• Membership dues summary: This is a cover form for the girl and adult registration forms you return.  Please fill out this form completely.  Your numbers should match -- if for instance you had 5 girls register early there should be a deposit slip showing $50 was deposited into the Eastern Massachusetts Girl Scout account (plus any donations to Family Partnership).  This information on where and what day of the week you will be meeting is very helpful to me when trying to register new girls in the fall. 
• Prepinted Girl and Adult Registration Forms: Any parent or girl who was registered as of February should have a preprinted form in your Troop's packet.  Parents should review these forms for any changes or corrections and return them to you immediately.  If you need blank forms, please let me know and I will put them in the bin on my front steps.