The 2012-2013 Girl Scout year begins on October 1, 2012.   Recruitment events are held late August, September and the beginning of October.  Click here find a recruitment event near you!  Feel free to refer back to this link as additional dates will be added. 

Membership

Girl Scouts provides incredible opportunities for girls to develop qualities that will serve them all their lives. Girls develop leadership skills, lifelong friendships and earn meaningful awards. Through Girl Scout programs girls learn the importance of responsibility, goal setting, team work and flourishing in a unique, all-girl environment. Girl Scouts help girls expand their knowledge to provide opportunities that excite them and enhance their lives.  These activities may include: troop/group meetings, council programs, sports, camping, arts and crafts, money management, preparing for college, travel and making a difference in their community and world! Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place.

Girl Scouting is open to every girl in grades Kindergarten through 12^th grade who accepts the Girl Scout Promise and Law and pays $12 in annual membership dues.

Through Girl Scouting and the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, girls grow and learn new skills in an environment where they feel safe and accepted. Adults are trained to put the needs of girls first, develop strong girl-adult partnerships, encourage girls to share their ideas and provide mentoring, encouragement and coaching. The girl-led activities focus on learning by doing and working together. As girls mature, their level of leadership responsibility expands.

It's never too late to join Girl Scouts. A girl can join at any time of the year and at any age level. If you have questions feel free to contact me, Linda Bear, Region 4 Membership Specialist at lbear@gslakesandpines.org.

Adults are also invited to become members and volunteers. To learn more about being a volunteer contact Marge Hanson, Region 4 Volunteer Specialist at mhanson@gslakesandpines.org.

Many Ways to be a Girl Scout

Girls participate in Girl Scouting in many ways. When a girl joins, she can choose one, two, or all of these ways to participate:

• Join a troop with a group of girls her age
• Become an independent Girl Scout member and enjoy a variety of activities outside traditional troop settings
• Travel to regional, national and international destinations
• Attend Girl Scout day or resident camp
• Join a series that focus on a particular topic – careers, engineering, sports, theater, etc. – with the same group of girls
• Come to single day events and meet different girls at every one
• Experience virtual programs delivered in a secure environment  

The Girl Scout Leadership Experience engages girls to discover themselves, connect with others and take action to make the world a better place.  To check out up-coming Council programs click here.