Girl Scout Day at the Pittsburgh Zoo—Can you 'bear' the excitement?

It's 'giraffing' us wild!

The Girl Scouts are taking over the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium on September 16! GSWPA and zoo staff have planned a day packed full of fun activities with your favorite animals and special Girl Scout-only experiences.

Important notes:

• All Girl Scouts will receive 10% off merchandise in all Zoo gift shops. Please wear your Girl Scout uniform or shirt! This discount does not apply to already discounted items, rentals or media.
• Are you a member of the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium? If so, you are eligible for a discounted rate of $1 per person for Girl Scout Day at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. You must submit this form in advance!

Schedule of  Events

Admissions Plaza:

10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Registration

Village Plaza:

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Girl Scout Travel Shop

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Girl Scout displays and SWAPS table

10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Zoo Education activity station

TOUCH TABLES

Red Panda Overlook:
10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Celebrate International Red Panda Day and try your hand at the prize wheel.

Gorilla Overlook:
11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Stop by the gorilla overlook for an up-close look at gorilla biofacts. See the newest member of the gorilla troop, a male infant born on May 25, 2018.

PPG Aquarium:
10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Take the plastic pledge and find out how to use less plastic in your everyday life.
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Meet the shark mascot and some of our aquatic animal friends.
11:30 a.m. Diver in the large open ocean tank with a special message for Girl Scouts

GIRL SCOUT ONLY EVENTS:

Giraffe Overlook: 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Special giraffe photos (Must be in line by 12:15 p.m.)

Education Complex: 11 a.m. - Noon & 1-2 p.m.
Monarch Madness · Learn about the monarch butterfly, tag a monarch, and meet animal ambassadors. Bring your cameras! (Tagging activity is for Girl Scouts only, while supplies last)

SPECIAL FEEDINGS:

Water’s Edge:
11 a.m. Polar bear feeding (in the water)
12:30 p.m. Sea otter feeding
1 p.m. Northern elephant seal feeding

Kids Kingdom:
1:30 p.m. Beaver feeding · See the six beaver kits (born June 27) swimming in their exhibit

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY (Treats and toys for the animals)

African Savanna:
11:30am Elephant enrichment

Gorilla Overlook:
Noon Gorilla enrichment

The Islands
1:30 p.m. Visayan warty pigs enrichment

Annual Camp Creepy fall festivals return

Fall is just around the corner, and that means our favorite Halloween happening will be here soon!

Camp Creepy is an annual festival that occurs at three GSWPA camps through the month of October.

Girl Scouts and their families will enjoy Halloween-themed games, crafts, and activity stations created and staffed by sister Girl Scouts. There will also be trick-or-treating, glow-in-the-dark games, a haunted hike, and s'mores and stories over the campfire. Children will receive a Camp Creepy patch, a Halloween bag, a glow necklace, candy, prizes, and crafts they make at the craft area.

The Girl Scout Shop will be open at each event from 5-8 p.m. for you to stock up on gear for the new school year.

Camp Creepy has three haunts this year:

• Camp Redwing in Butler County on October 6, 5-9 p.m.
• Camp Hawthorne Ridge in Erie County on October 13, 5-9 p.m.
• Camp Conshatawba in Cambria County on October 20, 5-9 p.m.

All three camps offer family-friendly frights suitable for children in grades K-12. Come as a troop or with family! Chaperoned siblings are also welcome. Plan to spend at least two to three hours to see everything. Registration is $20 per girl and $4 per adult. A meal of a hot dog, chips, cookie, and drink is included in each ticket price. (Children ages 3 and under are free and do not need to register for the event.)

Volunteers needed

We need your help to make Camp Creepy spook-tacular! We're looking for adult volunteers and Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador troops to help at our three Camp Creepy events.

Troops in grades 6-12 can plan and host an activity or station, and adults are also needed to help with registration, food, and more. As a "thank you" for all of your help, volunteers will receive a free dinner and free lodging for Saturday evening after the Camp Creepy event.

Interested? Contact us at customercare@gswpa.org or 800-248-3355.

Girl Scout perks for upcoming PPG Paints Arena Events

There are great Girl Scout discounts available for upcoming events at the PPG Paints Arena!

Shrine Circus

Saturday, September 15 at 7 p.m.
Don't miss this fun-filled family extravaganza featuring The Amazing Spiderman, spectacular thrill acts, elephants, tigers, camels, and even a singing pig! The special Girl Scout price is $15 and is available to anyone attending with the Girl Scout, including friends and family. There is no minimum number of tickets needed to order or attend, but groups who wish to sit together should place a single order. The seats are in the 100 level. A one-time handling fee will be applied to your grand total—$6 for 1-9 tickets and $10 for 10 or more tickets.

The deadline to receive the discount is September 7. Buy tickets online or by phone at 412-804-7904.

Marvel Universe LIVE! Age of Heroes

Friday, October 26 at 7 p.m.
Marvel fans, assemble for this live, action-packed, legendary battle to defend the universe from evil. Spider-Man, the Avengers, and the Guardians of the Galaxy join forces with Doctor Strange, master of the mystic arts, in a race against time to recover the Wand of Watoomb before it falls into Loki's hands. All Girl Scouts in attendance will receive a free Marvel Universe LIVE patch. The special Girl Scout price is $15.75 per ticket for groups of 15 or more. Groups of less than 15 will pay normal prices of $25-$80 per ticket. This offer expires on October 19 and is subject to availability, restrictions, and exclusions. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 412-804-7904 or email groupsales@ppgpaintsarena.com.

GSWPA Ambassador from Evans City participates in a West Coast project crew

We are excited to announce that GSWPA Ambassador Lyndsey Butler, 17, has begun her journey as part of the all-Girl Scout crew with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) in the Olympic National Forest in Washington State.

Lyndsey attends Seneca Valley High School, and she is currently in her eleventh year of Girl Scouting.

The project crew traveled to the Olympic National Forest on July 29 and will be staying through August 11. The crew will complete environmental service projects and learn about ecology and preserving habitats. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these Girl Scouts to expand leadership skills and practical knowledge of the environment.

Entering her senior year at Seneca Valley High School, Lyndsey is an active hiker and backpacker. She aspires to hike the Appalachian Trail in its entirety and has hiked trails across the United States. She enjoys all aspects of the outdoors, from the ocean to the mountains. Lyndsey hopes to follow this path throughout her adult life, and is committed to pursuing a career devoted to conservation, research, and study in environmental science or marine science.

"Lyndsey has always had a passion for the outdoors," says Dennis Butler, Lyndsey's father. "From a very early age, she was always fascinated with the natural world around us and spent many hours and days exploring forests and trails around our home."

“I strive to promote conservation and appreciation of nature,” Lyndsey says. “The Girl Scouts have given me many chances to explore and pursue my love of nature.”

Dennis adds, "The Girl Scout organization fit into this evolution from a very young age. Camp Redwing in Renfrew PA, just a mile down the road, presented many amazing adventures and experiences with other Girl Scouts from around the world."

This crew and Lyndsey’s participation have been made possible by a generous grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation.