Troop Leaders: A few to-dos to kick off an awesome Girl Scout year!

The summer is winding down and school is back in session, which means another year of Girl Scout fun is ahead! Here are a few things you need to do as a troop leader to make sure you're ready for all the awesome adventures that await.

Make sure you’ve renewed your membership. Keep the Girl Scout party going! If you haven't already, take a few minutes renew your membership so you can get started on your plans for the upcoming Girl Scout year! And please be sure all girls in your troop are also renewed before Oct. 1.

Get fired up at a Fall Kickoff. Learn about the resources available to help you plan an awesome Girl Scout year, ask questions, and exchange ideas with other troop leaders and volunteers at these events happening in September and October. Find one near you.

Update your troop information. Please help us make sure our troop opportunity catalog information is up-to-date, so that we can help connect more girls to Girl Scouting! Whether you have open spots in your troop, or are no longer accepting new members, please fill out the Troop Opportunity Catalog andInformation Update Form with your current troop information. 

Set up your Volunteer Toolkit. If you aren’t currently using the Volunteer Toolkit (VTK) to plan your Girl Scout activities, you’re missing out on this super helpful tool! This web app, which is accessible from any device, makes it easy for troop leaders to get the most out of every troop or group meeting and places everything you need in one easy to access place. 

Already using the VTK? Just a reminder that last year’s plans have been moved to the new VTK Archive, so they are viewable but no longer editable. If you’ve renewed your membership and Troop Leader role for next year, a brand new 2017 Year Plan will be pushed to the main screen you see when you open the toolkit.

Gear up to head out. Planning any outdoor activities this year? Be sure to check out the newly updated Safety Activity Checkpoints, and register for an upcoming Outdoor Skills Training if you haven’t yet completed one. 

And, be sure to check out this new collection of online videos to help you introduce girls to the joys of the great outdoors, covering everything from campsite setup to camp cookery. 

Fund the fun with MagNut. The Cookie Program is still a few months away, and there’s a lot of fun stuff to do right now! Build up your troop’s funds at the beginning of the year through the MagNut Program. Find out how the MagNut Program can help your troop shine!

As always, we're here to support you! Reach out by calling 800-248-3355 or email customercare@gswpa.org.

Have a great Girl Scout year!