Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois

Staff of Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois have been on the radio across the region to promote our Girl Scout Cookie Sale under way.

Hailey Workman, a regional membership manager in the Burlington Area Service Center, appeared on KBUR in Burlington this morning and talked about the sale and variety of cookies available, as well as the importance of the sale not only for girls but also the council.

Jenny Graeser, development manager in our Waterloo Area Service Center, appeared on KWAY-FM in Waverly, Iowa, on Friday and talked about the Cookie Sale and the types of cookies available this year.

Chuck Gysi, vice president of marketing and communications, appeared Sunday morning on Waterloo, Cedar Falls and Oelwein radio stations KOEL-AM, KOEL-FM, KKHQ (Q92.3) and KCRR. News director Roger King asked about the cookie sale and the Girl Scouts in the region.

Chuck also was interviewed by Cedar Falls radio station KCNZ about the peanut butter salmonella outbreak and how it doesn't affect the sales of Girl Scout Cookies. Quad Cities station KWQC Channel 6 also interviewed Chuck on the subject and KWWL Channel 7 in Waterloo also carried a story.

Labels: radio TV Girl Scout Cookies

If you are in the Waterloo area, tune in to KOKZ-FM, Cool 105.7, each morning this week and if you are caller number eight with the correct trivia answer, you win three boxes of Girl Scout Cookies from Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois!

Youth in grades K-3 can enter the 15th annual Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest. Original work--fact, fiction, prose, poetry--must be submitted by April 3 to WQPT, 6600 34th Ave., Moline, IL 61265. Workshops will be held to give writing and illustrating tips; details are available by clicking the linked title above.

Four winners will be selected from each grade level; first place winners compete for national prizes. Last year, Girl Scout Daisy Jayda Brunkan of Eldridge, Iowa, won third place nationally.

The news media is picking up stories on how our peanut butter cookies are safe in light of the recent outbreak of salmonella. Here are a few links from stories appearing this afternoon:

The Gazette of Cedar Rapids:
http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090120/NEWS/701209884/1006

Iowa City Press-Citizen:
http://www.press-citizen.com/article/20090120/NEWS01/90120014/1079/news01

It’s safe to order Girl Scout Cookies: Girl Scouts say their cookies are not affected by the recent nationwide salmonella outbreak in peanut butter.

Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois say that none of the eight varieties of Girl Scout Cookies are part of the current peanut butter recall. Only Girl Scout Peanut Butter Patties and Girl Scout Peanut Butter Sandwiches contain peanut butter. Girl Scouts launched their annual Cookie Sale on Friday, Jan. 16.

The local Girl Scouts say that their cookie baker, ABC Bakers-Interbake Foods, does not use peanut butter from sources that have been linked to salmonella. While the outbreak has been associated with peanut products produced by Peanut Corp. of America, ABC Bakers-Interbake Foods uses Hampton Farms for peanut butter. Peanut Corp. of America is the only peanut butter manufacturer linked by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to the salmonella contamination.

The FDA’s suggestion that consumers avoid all peanut butter products for the time being reflects the fact that many consumers do not know the source of the peanut butter in the products they consume. However, ABC Bakers-Interbake Foods has issued a statement assuring volunteers, parents, girls and customers of Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois that the peanut butter used in Girl Scout Cookies currently being sold is not linked to salmonella.

The FDA also has audited ABC Bakers-Interbake Foods’ peanut butter supplier, Hampton Farms, in the past week and the audit revealed no issues. Samples taken showed no contamination and the records supported Hampton Farms’ reports that they have not shipped to and have not received peanut butter from Peanut Corp. of America.

Consumers who still have concerns may freeze or refrigerate peanut butter cookies they purchase until the FDA has definitely identified the specific products to be avoided. That effort should be completed soon, at which time consumers can enjoy the Girl Scouts’ two popular varieties of peanut butter cookies.

Girl Scouts will continue going door to door selling Girl Scout Cookies until Sunday, Feb. 1 and cookie booths will be set up in public areas during March and April for additional cookie sales.

Girl Scout Cookies have long been a major fund-raiser for girls and their troops across the region, and is an integral part of Girl Scouting’s business and economic literacy initiative for girls ages 5-17. The program provides finance, marketing and public speaking skills as well as valuable experiences that develop girls’ personal leadership style.

Through the Girl Scout Cookie Sale Program, girls manage inventory, set goals, learn money management and develop marketing skills. For more information on Girl Scout Cookies, check the Web at www.GSEIWI.org or call Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois at 800-798-0833.

Check out videos on Facebook. We will continue to add to the collection. Do you have a video to share? Let Chuck know at ChuckG@GSEIWI.org. Enjoy!

Labels: Facebook videos

Come join us at your local Town Hall meeting to hear about GSEIWI’s progress over the last year, share your ideas and input for the upcoming year and chat with Diane Nelson, CEO. Choose from six convenient locations. All Town Halls will be from 6-8 p.m.

NEW THIS YEAR – we will have a short GIRLS ONLY break out session with Diane Nelson for girls 14 and older. Girls will participate in activities, sharing time and much more. A light dinner will be served.

Agenda topics and dates/locations are available by clicking the title above.

Here's a link to the story in Friday's Quad-City Times of Davenport on Girl Scouts getting ready to sell cookies and how Girl Scout Daisies will be participating this year:

http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2009/01/15/news/local/doc496fee3105e80674879716.txt?sPos=1

The Iowa City Press-Citizen just posted a story on our Cookie Sale that kicks off Friday:

http://www.press-citizen.com/article/20090115/NEWS01/90115013/1079/news01

Labels: Iowa City cookies

The staff of our Dubuque office got in the real spirit of this year's Girl Scout Cookie Sale and dressed up as Girl Scout Cookies! Check out these photos!

Labels: cookies Dubuque

Did you see the cookie-eating contest on KWWL Channel 7 in Waterloo on Sunday between the KWWL and Q92.3 personalities? If not, you can view it on KWWL's Web site:

http://www.kwwl.com/Global/story.asp?S=9653098

Girl Scout Cookies are featured in this week's food column in The Gazette of Cedar Rapids. The column is a fun read, so enjoy!

http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090113/FOOD/701139994

Check out Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois new fan page on Facebook at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Girl-Scouts-of-Eastern-Iowa-Western-Illinois/47460910915

While it's just a start for us to venture out into the social networks, we invite you to join in and talk about Girl Scouting on Facebook. We hope to have events posted on our Facebook page and this year's Girl Scout Cookie sale page can be reached from our fan page. Talk about your favorite cookies!

Become a fan of GSEIWI on Facebook today!

Labels: GSEIWI Facebook

Moline Dispatch/Rock Island Argus columnist John Marx discusses in his Jan. 1 column his personal thoughts about Girl Scout Cookies!

http://qconline.com/archives/qco/print_display.php?id=419838

Labels: cookies column

We hope the new year finds you and yours in good health, with all the blessings of your friends and family around you.

The beginning of the year always is a great time for Girl Scouts as our girls start another successful year of selling in our Cookie Sale Program. It’s an exciting time for Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois as all our neighbors, friends, family and co-workers are exposed to Girl Scouts once again during the sale, whether through door-to-door contact, phone calls or cookie booth sales.

The winter time also is when resident camp is on the mind of our staff, our camp directors, our counselors and – of course – our girls! With the addition of a new outdoor program director to our staff in recent months, we are excited about the lineup of camp offerings that we will be presenting to our girls for the summer. Keep an eye in your mailbox and on our Web site at www.GSEIWI.org for details.

Thank you for all you do for girls. We know you agree that Girl Scouts is one of the soundest investments you can make in girls for their future.

Best regards,

Diane T. Nelson

CEO, Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois

Labels: CEO holiday 2009

Labels: Girl Scouts troop service area

If you have the opportunity to visit Sandburg Mall in Galesburg, Ill., during the holiday shopping season, check out the display for Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois.

Your council has set up a display in a cart near the Bergner's department store in the mall. The display offers the following:

-- Volunteer opportunities information
-- Cookie sales information
-- Items from the Girl Scout Shop
-- Information on upcoming local events for Girl Scouts in Knox, Henry and Mercer counties
-- Information on Girl Scout gift memberships for the holidays
-- General council and Girl Scout information

We're also interested to know what you think of our display if you have the chance to drop by and check it out.

Tell your friends and families, too!

Labels: display cookies mall Galesburg

LET THE JOURNEY BEGIN!
Six visually impactful modules explain all you need to know about the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

Click the title above for a full explanation of the key features and benefits of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience including: journeys, pathways, three keys to leadership, three processes and outcomes.

Over the last several months, the GSEIWI Adult Development Department has been busy introducing the new Girl Scout Leadership Experience and the leadership journeys to volunteers at Kickoff meetings, volunteer trainings and Super Saturday events throughout the council.

We hope that you'll send us a "postcard" (post a comment by clicking the link below or send an e-mail to AdultLearning @GSEIWI.org) to share how you and your girls have enjoyed your travels along this new Girl Scout journey.

Here are a few questions that would be helpful to our council and GSUSA in shaping future resources and trainings.

• If you attended Leadership Essentials training, how helpful has it been to you as a leader? What could be improved?
• Are your girls using the leadership journeys? What do they like best? What improvements wold they suggest? (Please include the grade level for your girls.)
• Are you using the adult guide for the leadership journeys? What do you like best? What improvements would you suggest? (Please include the grade level for your girls.)
• How has your troop incorporated other Girl Scout awards, events or field trips into the journey curriculum?
• What are your girls planning for their Take Action project?
• What other topics/activities would your girls like to see in future journeys?

All of your suggestions and ideas will provide greatly-appreciated feedback for program and adult development staff at both the council level and the national level. Thank you for sharing your voice!

Labels: Girl Scout Leadership Experience, Girl Scouts, journeys

Each Service Center throughout the council had a Halloween costume and best pumpkin contest. And the winners were...

Cedar Rapids Service Center
It is a tight race in Cedar Rapids. With a total entry pool of zero pumpkins and two costumes, it is unclear who our winner would be. Kirk Watson as “Dog” or Jenn Ritch as “Gypsy/Renaissance Wench”? Only effective use of the democratic system will tell. The race was too close to call. Both win!




Rock Island Service Center


Costume contest winner goes to Claudia Reich, TITANIC SURVIVOR. Pumpkin contest winner goes to Kim Kirby with her Harley Girl Pumpkin.







Waterloo Service Center


Best Pumpkin goes to Val and her Mummy. And best costume goes to Nicole for her Toga Fairy costume, see the group shot of all of us too!

Dubuque Service Center
Michael Capek won the prize for Best Costume! He was a wounded Boy Scout. He even had some staff convinced that he was actually hurt. Sorry, no picture.

West Burlington Service Center
Ann Hulett won best pumpkin.