Buck Harris Award

The Buck Harris Award was established upon the retirement of Buck Harris, a former executive director of the Virginia Tidewater Girl Scout Council. Buck dedicated her life to providing the finest in camping and outdoor camping education programs, and her friends felt that this award would be an appropriate way to honor her. The award is presented at Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast's Annual Awards Celebration and consists of a framed certificate and a certificate towards attending a GSCCC-sponsored summer camp. One Girl Scout will be selected and honored in this manner. All other nominees will receive a nominee certificate.

Complete the nomination packet and submit to the Council at customercare@gsccc.org by January 15, 2020.

Formal Award Appreciation

Our volunteers do amazing things making a difference in the lives of girls throughout the year. Take a moment and recognize those special volunteers who made a significant impact during the 2018-2019 membership year by nominating them for a GSUSA award.

You may know a volunteer who qualifies for the Volunteer of Excellence Award, Appreciation Pin, Honor Pin, Thanks Badge, or Thanks Badge II. Visit the Recognitions and Awards page on our website to find out which award is the best for your nominee. Learn about each award and how to submit the nominations by viewing the Awards Webinar recording.

In addition, if you have been an adult member registered with Girl Scouts of the USA for years of active volunteer service for 20 years or more (in five-year intervals), complete the Volunteer Years of Service Pin Application and submit to the Council by January 15, 2020.

Completed nomination packets must be submitted to customercare@gsccc.org by January 15, 2020.

Upcoming Holiday Closings

All GSCCC Offices and Shops will be closed Tuesday, December 24, 2019, through Wednesday, January 1, 2020, and will resume regular hours Thursday, January 2, 2020.

Refer to our website for regular office and shop hours.

Go for Gold in 2020!

Do you have an older girl troop?

Do they want to get started on their Gold Award Project?

Do they have questions about Gold Award Projects?

Did you know that the Gold Award Committee is offering mini mentoring Q&A sessions with Gold Award Committee members? These sessions will be set up before or after our regularly scheduled interview/review dates. Girls can sign up to request a slot via the Gold Award Committee's direct email at gsgoldaward.gsccc@gmail.com. These sessions are for girls to come and discuss project ideas, get answers to their questions, to receive assistance in finding a project idea if she is struggling, or just to get the extra support she may need.

The first step in Going for Gold is for the Girl Scout to create an account on the Go Gold App. Once the Girl Scout has created her account, she will login and begin going through the steps. The new 2.0 Gold Award App is extremely user-friendly and will walk girls going for Gold through everything to complete her Gold Award Proposal. GSUSA has a full resource page that contains guides for girls, families and educators/leaders. In addition, girls can view the first Gold Award App tutorial video, The Five Elements of a Successful Girl Scout Gold Award.

Questions? Contact the Gold Award Committee at gsgoldaward.gsccc@gmail.com.

For more information about the Girl Scout Gold Award, visit our website.

Volunteer Positions Are Open

We are looking for volunteers to fill the positions of Recruitment Champion, School Liaison and Placement Coordinator. Click here to read full volunteer position descriptions. If you're interested in becoming a volunteer, contact Anne Barclay at anneb@gsccc.org.

Summer Camp Registration is Live!

It's cold outside, so why not start thinking about something warm like Girl Scout camp?! We have so many awesome opportunities for your girl to have some fun, try new things, explore and make new friends. We've built up our leadership opportunities for Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors, continued girl favorites like horse camp, and added some brand new themes like "On Target", "DIY By Design", "Tree Top Adventures", and "Around the World". Check out the Summer Camp Guide for details and then register here.

All registrations and camp forms are due to Council by May 15, 2020. Get your registration in by February 1, 2020, for an Early Bird discount. We can't wait to see your girls at camp!

New for Summer 2020, Camp Fury Counselors Needed

Looking for a camp experience but not for the whole summer? Consider becoming a Camp Fury counselor. Choose to work one, two or all three sessions. Click here to learn more about this great opportunity. Please note you must use the online Camp Fury Application to apply for this position.

Spend Your Summer with Us Having Fun and Get Paid!

Do what you love, love what you do. You love the outdoors. You love hiking, boating and camp fires. And, your friends say you're great with kids. Does this describe you? If so, the perfect job is waiting for you at Girl Scout camp! We offer invaluable skill-building, leadership, training and enrichment opportunities that can't be found anywhere else. If you are looking for a summer of fun, excitement and out of the ordinary experiences, click here to learn more and see what you could be doing this summer.

Effectively Facilitating Adult Learning Class

Do you like to share your Girl Scout knowledge with others?

Do you like to have fun?

Are you interested in becoming an adult learning facilitator?

If you answered "yes" to any of the questions above, the adult learning facilitator volunteer position might be for you! You may be wondering what a facilitator does... a facilitator delivers already-written courses to individuals and/or groups of volunteers. Your first step would be to attend the Effectively Facilitating Adult Learning class on February 9, 2020.

Sunday, February 9, 2020

A Place for Girls

Chesapeake, VA

Noon-6 p.m.

If you cannot make the class on February 9th, you can start observing and assisting with classes now. Find out how by emailing customercare@gsccc.org.

Register by February 3, 2020.

Upcoming Holiday Closings

All GSCCC Offices and Shops will be closed Tuesday, December 24, 2019, through Wednesday, January 1, 2020, and will resume regular hours Thursday, January 2, 2020.

Refer to our website for regular office and shop hours.

Be Prepared!

The Girl Scout motto is "Be Prepared," and now is the time to ask volunteers from your service unit to get trained in one of the outdoor adventure programs to make sure you have instructors for your spring encampments. Outdoor adventure programs include archery, axe throwing, canoeing (occurs during the summer), challenge course/low ropes, climbing wall, and high ropes. Upon completion of the outdoor adventure instructor course, volunteers must complete a background check and be appointed.

Register for one of the following upcoming outdoor adventure trainings today!

Climbing Wall Instructor Course
Camp Skimino, Williamsburg
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Cost: $20

High Ropes Instructor Course
Camp Skimino, Williamsburg
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Cost: $20

Axe Throwing Instructor Course
Camp Darden, Courtland
Sunday, January 26, 2020; Sunday, February 9, 2020; and Sunday, February 16, 2020
Cost: $15

Archery Instructor Course
Camp Skimino, Williamsburg
Sunday, February 2, 2020
Cost: $45

New classes are added frequently. Check the Learning Opportunities webpage to find out what classes are offered and how to register for classes.

Update: GSCCC Destinations Trip to Iceland Cancelled

GSCCC Destinations trip to Iceland is cancelled, however, plans are still full steam ahead for the trip to Galapagos Islands in July 2021! For questions or to register, contact Eileen Livick at gscccdestinations@gmail.com.

Camp Training

Camping is a great way for girls to explore leadership, build skills and develop a deep appreciation for nature. Whether for a day, a week or longer, Girl Scout camp gives girls an opportunity to grow, explore and have fun under the guidance of caring, trained volunteers.

Are your girls ready to go camping, but you are not sure what training you need to go? GSCCC offers four levels of camp training: Outdoor I, II, II and IV. As with all things in Girl Scouts, camp training is completed in a progression - start with Outdoor I and work your way up to Outdoor IV (review the Outdoor Progression Webinar recording).

Below you will find the camp trainings that we offer and what you will be able to do after successfully completing each one:

Axe Throwing Instructor Course

Girl Scout Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors can now participate in Axe Throwing at Camp Darden with trained instructors.

Attend one of the Axe Throwing Instructor courses and you will be able to instruct girls in axe throwing.

Choose a date: Sunday, January 26, 2020, or Sunday, February 16, 2020
Camp Darden
Courtland, VA
Noon-4 p.m.
Cost: $15

Register on eBiz.