At Girl Scouts of Central Maryland we know that finding just the right service project can be difficult – an opportunity that attracts one girl may not interest another. Here you can find listings of some on-going service opportunities that are available council-wide for girls of all ages. The list will be periodically updated and there are plenty of choices for everyone.
This list includes opportunities for girls to do that are general service projects and potential projects for awards. Check our lists out – you may find just the right opportunity!
If you need more help, please call the Program Department, GSCM, 410.358.9711, or send email to: sdowdell@gscm.org. We’ve got lots of ideas to help you, and if you’ve got an idea for a service project that isn’t listed but you’d like to see let us know!
GREAT AMERICAN CLEANUP™
Keep America Beautiful's Great American Cleanup, the nation's largest community improvement program, takes place annually from March 1 through May 31, involving an estimated 2.8 million volunteers and attendees. The hardworking volunteers donated more than 7.7 million hours in 2007 to clean, beautify and improve more than 17,000 communities during more than 30,000 events in all 50 states and beyond. Activities included beautifying parks and recreation areas, cleaning seashores and waterways, handling recycling collections, picking up litter, planting trees and flowers, and conducting educational programs and litter-free events.
In 2007, Great American Cleanup volunteers collected 200 million pounds of litter and debris; planted 4.6 million trees, flowers and bulbs; cleaned 178,000 miles or roads, streets and highways; and diverted more than 70.6 million plastic (PET) bottles and more than 2.2 million scrap tires from the waste stream.
How to Volunteer for a Great American Cleanup ... or Organize Your Own
We invite you to join us in Keep America Beautiful's 2008 Great American Cleanup. Please consider volunteering in a participating community near you! Click here to find a GAC participating organization in your Maryland: http://www.kab.org/site/PageServer?pagename=GACPartOrg_State_Maryland
Don't have a Great American Cleanup participating organization near you? Click here to get ideas on how to start your own GAC activity: http://www.kab.org/site/PageServer?pagename=gac_organizeyourown
In addition, if your troop would be interested in recycling cell phones, you can go to this page and download a label for shipping used cell phones, etc.: http://www.kab.org/site/PageServer?pagename=GAC_Sprint_WOWW
Check out the way cool Clean Sweep U.S.A. site, which provides recycling, litter prevention, and other information for families. It’s a fun, interactive way to learn about issues pertaining to waste. http://www.cleansweepusa.org/
Journal topic:
Why is it important to Keep America Beautiful and what does that mean to you?
Project Clean Stream, an annual stream and shoreline clean-up, takes place Saturday, April 5, 2008, 9am to Noon. Site range across Central Maryland and the Eastern Shore. Volunteers are needed to lead clean-ups as Site Captains and to help as general crew.
The Volunteer Center Serving Howard County 2008 Teen Guide is now available!
The 2008 Teen Guide is now online. It includes almost 40 organizations with opportunities for Teens. Click here to access the guide.
February 23 is International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day
Have you ever thought about making homemade banana biscotti or gingerbread hermits to honor your favorite furry friend?
You can honor Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day by making some biscuits for the animals that help others or that need some love and attention. You can complete activities from Spread the Biscuits and then purchase a Spread the Biscuit patch from Spread the Bread. To earn your Spread the Biscuit patch, download this starter kit and visit Spread the Biscuits to get going!
Hello,
My name is Tara Martin. I am a veterinary technician working at the Humane Society of Baltimore County (HSBC). We are currently trying to start a craft group at the HSBC. The group will be open to crafters of all ages. Our focus is to make beds, toys, blankets, and other things to make the animals' stay at the shelter more comfortable and enriching. We may also make crafts to sell to raise money for the HSBC. We will be holding meetings at the shelter once per month. Currently, we have a Yahoo group where members of the craft group can discuss projects, hear about upcoming events and meetings, and find craft ideas.
If any local girl scout troops would be interested in joining our craft group, please contact me at 410-833-8848. If you are interested, you may join our Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HSBC_Crafters/
Thanks so much!
Sincerely,
Tara Martin
LET'S SAY THANKS
This is something every Girl Scout can do to tell our military troops overseas that we care about them. Let's really show our support!
The mission of Let's Say Thanks is to provide a way for individuals across the country to recognize U.S. troops stationed overseas. By submitting a message through this special site sponsored by Xerox, you have the opportunity to send a free personalized postcard greeting to deployed servicemen and women.
The postcards, depicting patriotic scenes and hometown images, were selected from a pool of entries from children across the country.
All you have to do is click on your favorite design and either select the message that best expresses your sentiment or draft a personal note.
The Semester of Service
The Semester of Service is a new, public-private strategy to help young people find their voice, take action, and have impact on the most critical problems facing the world, such as climate change, hunger, homelessness, malaria, water scarcity, disaster preparation, aging, violence, and literacy.
In January 2008, Youth Service America and the Corporation for National and Community Service are encouraging students, ages 5-25, to develop a 14 week service-learning project that launches on the Martin Luther King Day of Service (January 21, 2008) and culminates on the weekend of Global Youth Service Day (April 25-27, 2008).
The Semester of Service will link each event's existing partnerships, create a quantum leap in the number of children and youth engaged in service, and advance bold quantitative goals that the Corporation and YSA have both set to expand the American youth service movement.
Projects will take place in classrooms as part of the academic curriculum; in schools as part of the extra-curricular activities of student councils, honor societies, student clubs, and sports teams; in congregations of faith; and in youth development groups in neighborhoods across the United States.
"Recent research has shown that projects must be of sufficient duration, typically at least a semester of 70 hours long to have an impact on students.Fewer hours simply do not give the students enough time to grapple with difficult issues or to have a deep enough experience to make the learning endure." --Dr. Shelley Billig, Unpacking What Works in Service Learning
"Martin Luther King was interested in big results not the short-term. So, the idea of King Day being the signal for a long-term commitment by millions of youth, during or after-school, over a semester would have warmed his heart. Martin always asked us to do more than we were doing because the Road ahead was still so long.the Mountain to climb was still so tall. The Semester of Service is just that opportunity to do more." --Senator Harris Wofford, Colleague and Lawyer for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
HELP SPRINGFIELD HOSPITAL CENTER!
Springfield Hospital Center can use your help in different ways:
- You can organize a drive for all of the things on the hospital's Wish List. You can collect fun things like books, magazines, games, puzzles, clothes, or toiletries such as shampoo, shaving gel, lotion, washcloths, toothpaste and toothbrushes. Download this Wish List to get more ideas. Then, take your items to the Volunteer Services portion of Springfield Hospital (the address is below).
- You can also continue helping with the “Cookie & Candy” tradition. Girl Scout Troops are encouraged to bake cookies, make candy, and assemble their goodies in plastic bags for delivery to the patients at Springfield Hospital throughout the year. The plastic bags have to be a maximum 6”x7”, a normal sandwich bag, and it has to have a zip or press together seal; no foldovers are allowed. Four or five cookies should be placed in each bag with perhaps a piece of soft candy and secured. Troops may put little cards on the bag naming the troop making the donation. EACH TROOP SHOULD BOX THEIR BAGS WITH THE LEADER’S NAME AND ADDRESS AND THE NUMBER OF BAGS OF DONATED.
Please make all deliveries directly to the Springfield hospital to the Volunteer Department. If you live or travel closer to the hospital, please feel free to drop them off at the Volunteer Services office. They are available weekdays 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.; you can also call them to make arrangements at 410-970-7250. Thank you for your donations!
For more information, please contact Betty Jean Maus at |
Volunteer Services Staff Cottage One Sykesville, MD 21784 410-970-7250, 410-970-7251 |
Teens for Planet Earth
Check out the Take Action! section of the Teens for Planet Earth website at www.teensforplanetearth.org. There is an interactive guide called "Choosing a Conservation Project" that is fun and very kid-friendly. There is also a list of service projects organized by topic that you can browse for ideas.
OPERATION WELCOME HOME (MARYLAND) is a non-profit, non-political group that assembles at the airport to welcome returning troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. Each service man/woman is provided a goodie bag with snacks, bottled water, etc. to carry along with them on the next leg of their journey, in addition to the warmest welcome we citizens can muster! You can see the official website at www.operationwelcomehomemd.org.
We have been told that including a handwritten "thank you" note or card is MOST meaningful to them, and they especially enjoy the ones from children. If your Girl Scout troop would be interested in participating in, please call (410-296-3123) or email (BBranning@aol.com) me to let me know whether this is something that is a possibility.
Thanks in advance for your consideration.
Best regards,
Beth Branning
P.S. I was a Brownie and Girl Scout, many moons ago. Still love the cookies :)
SPREAD THE SHARING
This has some great stories of things that other people have done to help those in need. Additionally, for every story you share, they donate a meal to a family in need through America's Second Harvest. You might get some inspiration there, and you can share your own stories as well!
PAY IT FORWARD
Helping our children recognize the impact they can have on the lives of others is, in our minds, one of the most important lessons we can offer our students. The Pay It Forward Foundation has been established to educate and inspire youth to realize that they can change the world and provides opportunities, suggestions and a forum for sharing this possibility. The Pay It Forward concept, doing unselfish acts of kindness, a service for someone, and asking them to pay the kindness forward instead of paying it back, is a powerful idea. The primary and simple lessons that one person can make a difference and the power of exponential math as illustrated in the story can capture our hearts and imagination.
A Pay It Forward Project is appropriate for any age or group. By using the materials contained in the website you can introduce the concept to the girls group, monitor the results, and integrate it into your activities. You can also apply for mini-grants for funding projects developed by your group or by individuals working on a GS Bronze, Silver or Gold Award. Through the website you will be able to communicate and share ideas with other groups. The foundation is meant to be a vehicle for ideas, suggestions and good educational practice. These examples are suggested in order for you to gain ideas to help the girls.
MINI-GRANT APPLICATIONS
http://www.payitforwardfoundation.com/educators/grant.html
Pay It Forward Mini-Grants are designed to fund one-time-only service-oriented projects identified by youth as activities they would like to perform to benefit their school, neighborhood, or greater community. Projects must contain a "pay it forward" focus - that is, they must be based on the concept of one person doing a favor for others, who in turn do favors for others, with the results growing exponentially - to be considered in the grant making process. Grant applications are reviewed and considered by a Selection Committee three times a year.
When completing an application, you should:
a. explain the project thoroughly;
b. include specific details about its educational value;
c. attach a clear and concise budget.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Application deadlines are January 15, April 15 and October 15 of each year. Selection Committee members will score the applications based on:
a. adherence to the Pay It Forward concept (explaining how the project's benefits will multiply exponentially);
b. educational benefit to students/teachers;
c. integration of proposed project with school curriculum;
d. number of people impacted.
FUNDING
Mini-Grants of up to $500 are available for projects on a one-time-only basis. Because funding is limited, projects requesting smaller amounts will be given priority. Applicants should avoid asking for funds that could be found through other sources or that require a continuing commitment of funds beyond the original proposal. Please document any other current pending source(s) approached for funding of the project.
SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION
Download the application from the website and complete it following all guidelines. Include a copy of the proposed budget. Proposals, including application and budget, must not exceed three pages. Limit one application per project. Applicants will be notified of a decision within 60 days of the application deadline. If approved, applicants should receive funds within 30 days.
THE PRUDENTIAL SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY AWARDS
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards honor young people in middle level and high school grades for outstanding volunteer service to their communities. Created in 1995 by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), the awards constitute the United States' largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteering. Over the past 12 years, the program has honored more than 75,000 young volunteers at the local, state, and national level.
HOW DOES THE PROGRAM WORK?
Applications are solicited each fall through more than 40,000 public and private middle-level and high schools, and through officially designated local organizations across the country. These organizations include Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs, and member volunteer centers of the Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network. Local Honorees are selected at participating schools and organizations in November, and from these winners, two State Honorees are chosen in each state and the District of Columbia. Finally, 10 National Honorees are picked by a panel of prominent judges, and announced at a special ceremony in Washington, D.C., in May.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Any young person who:
a. Is in grades 5-12 as of the last weekday in October during the applying year, in any state or the District of Columbia.
b. Has engaged in a volunteer activity that occurred at least partly during the 12 months prior to the date of application.
c. Completes an application form following all directions carefully, and submits it to a school principal or the head of an officially designated local organization by the last weekday in October.
WHAT QUALIFICATIONS MUST BE MET?
The application:
a. Must describe an individual community service activity or an individual's significant leadership in a group activity that has taken place during the previous year.
b. Must be completed and submitted to a school principal or the head of an officially designated organization by the last weekday in October.
c. Must be certified by the principal of a middle-level or high school or the head of an officially designated local organization. These individuals should review implementation instructions carefully.
WHAT DO HONOREES WIN?
a. Local Honorees receive a Certificate of Achievement from their schools or organizations. Those who qualify (50 hours of service for age 14 and younger, 100 hours for those older) also receive the President's Volunteer Service Award.
b. State Honorees receive an award of $1,000, an engraved silver medallion, and an all-expenses-paid trip with a parent or guardian to Washington, D.C., for national recognition events.
c. National Honorees receive additional awards of $5,000, engraved gold medallions, crystal trophies for their schools or organizations, and $5,000 grants from The Prudential Foundation for nonprofit, charitable organizations of their choice.
You can apply online for the 2008 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards!
ETHIOPIA READS
Besides being a meaningful service project for any level troop, I see a wonderful Bronze, Silver or Gold Award project here. However, the project must demonstrate leadership..not simply taking up a collection. Learn about Ethiopia and share with others, set up a reading program in your area, etc.
Ethiopia Reads Book Donation Guidelines
1. Books must be new or very gently used. Spines must be intact. No writing or highlighting. No torn or worn covers or pages.
2. Fiction
Can be a variety of genres, including classic, but should not reflect gender, ethnic or racial stereotypes. Donors should also be aware of different cultural approaches to sensitive topics.
a. Children's picture books with text or wordless
b. Children's novels (chapter books)
c. Young adult novels
d. Adult novels
3. Nonfiction
Must be current, published since 2000. Particularly in the subject areas of science, technology and history/geography, care must be taken to avoid outdated information.
a. Written for children
b. Plentiful, attractive illustrations
c. Clearly written, spare text
d. Information finding tools such as table of contents, index, charts and graphs, etc.
e. Not specific to the United States, such as US history or civics, or written from an obvious US point of view
4. Reference
Must be current, published since 2000, especially encyclopedias or other frequently-updated materials.
a. Written for children, or accessible to children
b. Plentiful, attractive illustrations
c. Clear, easily-accessible organization of information
d. Not specific to the United States, or written from an obvious US point of view
e. Most useful reference materials include: children's dictionaries (particularly visual dictionaries), children's encyclopedias (one volume or multiple volumes), atlases, maps.
5. Other materials
a. Posters, particularly those having to do with children's books and reading
b. Classroom supplies such as construction paper, lined paper, pencils and pens, markers, glue sticks, notebooks
WISH LIST
The most urgently needed books are new or gently used:
a. Current reference books, e.g. Dorling Kindersley Children's Illustrated Dictionary (ISBN 1 564586251 @ $19.95) and Dorling Kindersley First Encyclopedia (ISBN 07894 8580X @ $15.99)
b. Leveled Readers, e.g. School Days Around the World, Catherine Chambers, DK Readers Step 3 (ISBN 978 0 7566 2549 8 @ $14.99)
c. Picture books, including wordless books
d. Children's and young adult novels (paperback acceptable)
e. Current nonfiction.
It is essential that these books contain up-to-date information, particularly in science, technology and other rapidly-developing subject areas. There should be no books published prior to 2000.
Books may be shipped directly to:
EBCEF
P.O. Box 2677
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Books may also be shipped to:
Ethiopia Reads
8829 W. Dutch Avenue
Hesston, KS
67062
Please consider making a financial donation to cover the cost of storing and shipping each book you donate. We suggest a donation amount of $1 per book. Shipping costs and the fair market resale value of donated books are tax-deductible.
Ethiopia Reads' Tax ID # is 94-3283038.
Ethiopia Reads is the sole determinant of the appropriateness of donated books and other materials and reserves the right to refuse or redistribute any gift.
2008 WORLD THINKING DAY THEME
Start planning now...
The WAGGGS theme for 2008 World Thinking Day 2008 will be "Water"
with a focus on how water affects the health of girls and young women.
To learn more about the impact of water on women, go to:
Women's Human Rights
http://www.whrnet.org/docs/issue-water.html
Women and Water: Let's Begin http://www.womenoftheelca.org/getinvolved/water5.html
Women and Water, an Ethical Issue
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001363/136357e.pdf
Red Scarf Project
The Red Scarf Project, a project of the Orphan Foundation of America, or Orphan.org, collects red (and other unisex-colored) scarves to send in Valentine's Day care packages to college students who have aged out of foster care. These brave young people are going it on their own and trying to improve their lives and the community by attending college. The care packages are welcome tokens of encouragement to young people who otherwise receive little to no mail. Your scarf should be soft (any material), unisex design, and approximately 60 inches long by 5 to 8 inches wide. Machine washable is a plus, but it is not absolutely necessary.
Note: The Red Scarf Project has strict its guidelines.
The scarves should be either knit or crocheted and must be unisex. They will not accept stockinette stitch knit scarves because they curl. Only 5 scarves per troop can be sent. Here's a link to the site with the particulars:
http://www.orphan.org/index.php?id=40
PROJECT IDEAS
A Sampling of Types of Service
Browse through a list of service learning topics and choose the type of service learning activity that is right for you: direct, indirect, or action.
Direct
Students interact directly with those they serve
a. Tutor younger students in a subject you excel in
b. Coach physically disabled students in a team sport
c. Assist second-language speakers in enrolling their children in school
d. Tutor non-English speaking students in English
e. Participate in a local Habitat for Humanity home construction project
f. Befriend a student struggling with mental illness
g. Spend time with the elderly at a nursing home by visiting and listening to their stories
h. Clean-up a local river, stream or lake
i. Sing and play games with children suffering from HIV/AIDS
j. Help to prepare and serve food in a soup kitchen or homeless shelter
k. Plant a community garden with community members
Indirect
Youth perform a service without firsthand contact with the recipients.
a. Organize a Read-a-Thon in your school or neighborhood.
b. Offer your clerical skills to a local Special Olympics office.
c. Create fliers to announce that there are volunteers to assist non-native English speaking parents enroll their children in school.
d. Research and fundraise for ESL books and supplies for ESL students' use.
e. Organize a donated materials drive to assist a local Habitat for Humanity or housing project.
f. Organize a Mental Illness Awareness Week in your school-invite outreach coordinators and medical professionals to present and role-play particular topics.
g. Organize an Intergenerational activity day in a local nursing home for fellow students.
h. Increase local environmental awareness and support by writing a newspaper article about the local river, stream or lake clean up.
i. Create and perform a puppet show for children suffering from HIV/AIDS.
j. Contact local restaurants and bakeries and arrange for them to donate their leftover and day-old bread to the local homeless shelter.
k. Ask local nurseries to sponsor the community garden project by donating plants, seeds, or potting soil to the venture
Action
Youth take civic action by educating the public about particular issues in order to change or eliminate misunderstandings about culture/differences. They can take action by researching an issue, becoming an expert, or staking out a position.
a. Join an online discussion about the topic
b. Organize a letter or e-mail campaign for the particular topic
c. Organize an awareness raising assembly in your local school or community center
Annoucement For Students
Want to make a difference in the lives of the world’s poor? Think we can do more to tackle problems like HIV/AIDS and hunger?
Join the NetAid Global Citizen Corps, a national network of high school students working to rally their peers to fight global poverty.
Applying is easy. Learn more and apply online at www.netaid.org/go/apply. Top
WHO: Kernan Hospital
WHAT: Walker Bags
CONTACT: Cindy Miller, Volunteer Services, 410.448.6748
WHEN: On-going need
AGE OF GIRL(S): This project is for girls from ages 6 – 18.
NEED: Kernan Hospital offers rehabilitative and occupational therapy and assistance to patients in recovery. There is a continuing need to provide “Walker Bags” to help patients carry around important personal items.
Sewing – The hospital and the patients need a minimum of 10 walker bags per week! That’s a big need! And plenty of opportunities for many girls to work on service projects. The hospital has the pattern which uses cotton material. If you design better bag – make them – and let us know!
Make a service project yours by personalizing it. First, find out what the need in your community is and then create the right project for it. You’ll meet interesting people, discover new things about yourself and others and make someone else’s day brighter! Top
WHO: Youth Service America
WHAT: National and Global Youth Service Day
WHEN: Friday, April 20, Saturday, April 21 and Sunday, April 22, 2007.
Check out their Web site for service opportunities in your area Top
ELLIOTT WILDLIFE VALUES PROJECT
Web site
The activities in this project are designed to give Girl Scouts the opportunity to:
Learn the importance of wildlife, nature, and the environment.
- Have hands-on, field experiences.
- Practice science and stewardship skills.
- Investigate careers.
- Do community service through activities that benefit the environment and earth's resources. Top
LINKING GIRL WITH THE LAND
Linking Girls to the Land is an interagency partnership between the Girl Scouts of the USA's Elliott Wildlife Values Project and federal natural resource agencies. This initiative encourages girls to become involved in conservation and natural resource issues on a national and local level by providing opportunities for career exploration, outdoor recreation, environmental education and volunteer service programs.