Save the Date for Erie Gives!

Please remember Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania on Tuesday, August 8 during Erie Gives Day. 

Your donation to GSWPA at www.eriegives.org will help keep Camp Hawthorne Ridge's buildings and grounds safe, maintained, and affordable for Girl Scouts and community members to enjoy all year-round.

Plus, every donation will receive a generous partial match from the Erie Community Foundation!



Camp and outdoor programming is not only fun, it:

• provides real-world STEM experience; 
• fosters an appreciation and respect for our environmental resources; and 
• enables Girl Scouts to grow their confidence as they learn new skills. 

Can't wait? Click here to support Camp Hawthorne Ridge now.

Thank you for your support!

Enter our Council SWAPS Contest for G.I.R.L. 2017 National Convention

Here's your chance to create the official GSWPA SWAP to share at G.I.R.L. 2017!

Enter your SWAP design for a chance to be used as the official council SWAP for the G.I.R.L. 2017, our Girl Scout National Convention, held Oct. 4-8 in Columbus, OH. 

Submission Guidelines: 

• SWAP submissions should be made with normal household/crafting material that other Girl Scouts can access to replicate your SWAP.
• How does your SWAP represent GSWPA?  National Convention brings girls from all over, so make your SWAP something that represents our entire council.  Make sure to add a tag or note saying GSWPA or Western Pennsylvania -- or incorporate it into your design.
• Build a SWAP and take a picture to show it off! Submit your entries through this simple form. Be sure to include your instructions on how you made this awesome creation. If your SWAP is selected, we’ll send out those instructions so everyone knows how to make it.
• SWAP submissions must be completed by midnight on Aug. 14. (Deadline extended!)
• Five finalists will be selected and posted on our Facebook page on Aug. 23 so you can vote for the winning SWAP to represent GSWPA at G.I.R.L. 2017! Voting closes Sept. 6. The finalists and winner will each receive a GSWPA prize, and the winner will receive a 2017 GSWPA National Convention T-shirt and a GS prize pack!

Wait! What's a SWAP?

Girl Scouts often make small tokens of friendship to exchange with the Girl Scouts they meet while traveling. These little gifts are called SWAPS, which stands for Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere.

Need some inspiration?

Check out our SWAPS Pinterest board for lots of ideas to help get your creative juices flowing. 

Adventure Squad event now open to Juniors!

We're happy to announce that Geocaching & Mine Magic at Wingfield Pines, Sunday, July 16, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., is now open to Girl Scouts entering fourth and fifth grade!

Through this joint program with GSWPA and Allegheny Land Trust, girls will geocache for a patch and enjoy a picnic lunch. Then they'll take a walk to watch the drainage from a former strip mine transition from murky orange to clean, clear water flowing into Chartiers Creek, thanks to the magic of a passive treatment system.

Trust us, it's super cool stuff!

This exciting program is part of the GSWPA Adventure Squad series, and is jam-packed with fun! 

Here are 10 reasons to sign up today!

1. It's a one-day deal! Tons of adventure wrapped up in 7 fun-filled hours.
2. Wingfield Pines is a top spot for hikers, so get ready for some great scenery!
3. Geocaching. Enough said.
4. Geocaching fun patch. Even better.
5. Free gift. You'll get a Girl Scouts water bottle, perfect for your next hike!
6. A former strip mine from the 1940s is now a fabulous green space. Yessss!
7. It's a bargain. Thanks to a generous grant from the RK Mellon Foundation, this awesome event is only $20.
8. Inspiration. Whether you're thinking Bronze, Silver or Gold Award, you'll get plenty of ideas if you want to Take Action for conservation.
9. You'll check more boxes off for the Get Outdoors Challenge!
10. Friends, of course! Every Girl Scouts activity is an opportunity to make new connections, and forge lasting friendships!

Register now! This awesome adventure is open to Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors. Hope to see you there!

Gear up for a year of excitement at Fall Kickoffs!

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 our Fall Kickoffs happening in August and September!

Registration is now open! Sign up today!

• Aug. 24 - West View Presbyterian Church, 146 Cornell St., Pittsburgh

• Aug. 28 - Johnsonburg Borough Building, 100 Main St., Johnsonburg

• Aug. 28 - Calvin Presbyterian Church, 615 Crescent Ave., Ellwood City

• Aug. 29 - Camp Hawthorne Ridge, Thompson Hall, 7755 Hawthorne Ridge Rd, Girard

• Aug. 29 - Coudersport Elementary, 802 Vine St., Coudersport

• Aug. 29 - First United Methodist Church, 200 Market St., Warren

• Aug. 30 - Plum Creek Church, 550 Center New Texas Rd., Pittsburgh

• Aug. 30 - Pleasant Hills Borough Building, 410 E. Bruceton Rd., Pleasant Hills

• Aug. 31 - Fayette County Chamber of Commerce, 65 W. Main St. #107, Uniontown

• Sept. 5 - Stone United Methodist Church, 956 S. Main St., Meadville

• Sept. 6 - Trinity Point Church of God, 180 W. Trinity Dr., Clarion

• Sept. 6 - GSWPA Greensburg Office, 126 Otterman St., Greensburg

• Sept. 6 - Glade Run Church, 1091 Pittsburgh Rd., Valencia

• Sept. 6 - Christ Lutheran Church, 875 Sunflower Dr., DuBois

• Sept. 7 - Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Mercer

• Sept. 7 - GSWPA Johnstown Office, 612 Locust St., Johnstown

• Sept. 7 - Range Resources, 3000 Town Center Blvd., Canonsburg

• Sept. 9 - Hollidaysburg Library Community Room, 1 Furnace Rd., Hollidaysburg

Celebrate National S'mores Day on Aug. 10

S'mores have long been a staple around the campfire, but did you know this delicious treat is rooted in Girl Scout history? That's right! The recipe for s'mores dates back to the 1925 Girl Scout Leader magazine and the 1927 Girl Scouts of the USA handbook, “Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts,” which featured a "Some More" recipe.

Aug. 10 is National S’mores Day, and to celebrate, all K-12 girls and their families are invited to make their own tasty s'mores during our special events in Edinboro, Clearfield, Johnstown and Pittsburgh from 5-7 p.m. At these open events, which are FREE to the public, girls, and their families, you can also enjoy hot dogs, fun activities, and learn more about Girl Scouts and our mission of building courage, confidence, and character in girls.

Know someone who is interested in joining Girl Scouts?  Girls can bring friends to National S’mores Day to show her all the fun she can have as a Girl Scout. Your Girl Scout will receive a special Invite-a-Friend reward if her friend signs up at the event.

Plus, girls will get a free National S'mores Day patch if they're registered for the 2017-18 Girl Scout year or if they register to join Girl Scouts at the event! Council staff will be on hand at the National S’mores Day events to help girls renew or sign up. Those interested in becoming a volunteer are also invited to attend.

Free National S'mores Day events:

• Edinboro: GSWPA Office, 5681 Rt. 6N, Edinboro
• Clearfield: VFW Picnic Grounds, 1102 Industrial Park Rd.
• Johnstown: 1889 Park, Pavilion 3, 132 Park Road, South Fork
• Pittsburgh: North Park, Harmar Pavilion, S. Ridge Dr., Allison Park
• Venetia: Peterswood Park, 750 Bebout Rd, Venetia (Get more info on this event only)

Due to an overwhelming response, RSVPs are now closed.