Happy New Year!

I hope this update finds everyone's 2013 off to a great start!  January promises to be an eventful month for our troop, so please read and sync up your calendars!

PANERA BREAD TRIP - THIS THURSDAY (1/10/13) AFTER SCHOOL
LAST CALL for permission slips!  We'd really like to provide the final list to Panera, so if you haven't already submitted your slips or confirmed if your daughter is coming, PLEASE let us know ASAP.
We'll be leaving from School One after school and traveling to Panera in Watchung on Route 22E.  Pickup will be at Panera Bread around 5:00pm (maybe sooner).  If your daughter needs to return to aftercare, please let us know so we can make proper arrangements.

COOKIES!  It's that time again!  We'll begin distributing cookie sales packets after the Panera trip.  (HOWEVER, the cookie sales don't officially begin until 1/14/13.)
Remember to make sure of the following:
- Your daughter must be registered for 2012-2013 year to sell cookies.
- Please sign and return the accompanying permission slip included in the cookie packet before starting  sales.  Everyone actually completed a permission slip earlier in the year with our Fall Nut Sale, so no other permission slip is necessary.
- Sale Goal: We would like for each girl to at least receive a cookie patch (25 boxes).

Troop Meeting Next Thursday, 1/17/13  1/24/13
We'll be meeting after school from 3:15pm - 4:45pm.  Please remember to include any notes for teachers and aftercare personnel.  (I'll send out another reminder that week.)

DANCING WITH THE HONEYBEE EVENT - SATURDAY AFTERNOON, 1/19/13
This will be a bug-badge-earning event without any sting!  Please submit your permission slips and $20 payment if you haven't done so already.  We need to submit final payment to guarantee our spots.  
Unfortunately, the event has been CANCELLED.  We will refund everyone's payments this Thursday.

FRIENDLY REQUEST:  When making a payment for events, activities, or cookie sales, we'd greatly appreciate it if payment is made in the form of a check (rather than cash) if possible.  This helps ensure the fees/monies will be allocated toward the appropriate activity and prevents it from getting into the wrong hands in case it gets lost in transit.  Checks are always made out to "Troop 40982."

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:  Me and My Guy Dance / Masquerade Ball will be held on Friday, March 1st.  Please return slips and fee to Maila no later than January 26, 2013!

December Update!

A BIG THANK YOU for all those who braved the cold weather last Thursday during our Tiny Tim Caroling event last week.  Who knew spreading holiday cheer through fun singing could make such a difference?  We were able to collect a total of $185.85 to to contribute to the Tiny Tim Fund, which provides financial assistance to children in Fanwood and Scotch Plains who are in need of medical care and cannot afford it.

Troop Meeting - THIS THURSDAY, 12/13 at 3:15pm - 4:45pm

We'll be doing a special holiday craft this Thursday, so be sure to include a note for your daughters' teachers and aftercare personnel.  Pick up will be in the front of the school.  Be sure to drop us a note if anyone will need to return to aftercare.

And a big and special thanks to everyone's participation in our fall nut sale.  Through the sales, we were able to raise nearly $300!  Our top magazine seller was Mackenzie followed by Olivia.  Our top nut seller was Melania followed by Riley and Sarah.  And our top "thank you" nut and magazine donor was Sarah.  Our troop was the 4th highest seller in the council, so thanks again for your efforts and support!!!

TD Bank Trip

Post-Sandy Update!

Wow!  What a wild and crazy few weeks it's been.  I hope this post finds you all safe, healthy, and warm.  We have our next troop meeting this THURSDAY, 11/15 after school.  It will definitely be nice to see everyone's smiley faces to help bring back a sense of "normal" after our long "hurrication" and all the disruption we have all experienced.

Our fall nut sale orders are IN!  The council is asking for volunteers to help sort all the orders WEDNESDAY, 11/14 (TOMORROW) from 8:00am-12:00pm.  We will be meeting at the LaGrande Park Building in Fanwood.  If you can help even just a part of the time, I know it will be of great help.

We will be distributing our nut orders after our meeting this Thursday.  If you are not able to receive your orders at this time, please let us know so we can make other arrangements.  If you have not submitted the pink permission slip that accompanied your nut packet, please do so by this Thursday.  There is still a remaining balance on a few of the orders, so if you know you still need to submit payments, please also do so by Thursday.  If this applies to you, Maila will be contacting you individually in a separate e-mail.

And just a friendly reminder to include a note for your daughter's teacher and aftercare personnel and the brown sash!  On Thursday, please meet us at the front of the building from 4:45pm-5:00pm to pick up your daughter along with your nut orders.  If your daughter needs to return to aftercare, please also drop one of us a text or e-mail just so we know.

Fall Nut Sale Due Back THIS MONDAY!

Just a reminder that fall nut sale orders, payments and permissions slips (pink) are due back on Monday, October 22nd.  Maila will be outside of School One Monday morning at drop off if you'd like to hand it to her then.  Otherwise, please make arrangements to drop it off at her home before then!  Any checks should be made out to Troop 40982.

October News

Hello!

I hope everyone is healthy and well with the change of seasons. I really feel like the flu/cold season has made an early entrance this year. I'm just recovering from the flu and bronchitis, and it's barely October!

I just want to send few notes and reminders before the holiday weekend is over:

We will be welcoming a new Brownie to our troop, Bianca Valente, who will be joining us for our first troop meeting on...

Thursday, October 11th - Troop Meeting, 3:15pm-4:45pm
Please remember to include a note for your daughter's teacher and aftercare staff to inform them of our Brownie meeting and that she will be dismissed with Maila Acampora and Erica Kang. Please also drop us a note on Thursday via e-mail or text to let us know if your daughter will need to return to aftercare or if someone will be picking her up at the end of our meeting. We will dismiss the troop in the front of the school.

Fall Nut/Magazine Sale is in full swing! This is a great way to get an early start on those Christmas teacher gifts! Please have all orders, payments, and permission slip returned by Monday, October 22. This is a great way to help our troop raise money to help offset the start-up fees for each girl scout, which we use throughout the year for patches, pins, craft supplies and snacks.

On Thursday, October 25th, we will be having our trip to the Scotch Plains TD Bank. We will meet the girls in the School One lobby. The girls will need to bring the bank we crafted together in June with coins they may have saved up or any jar of coins to use in the penny arcade. We will be having a snack in the bank. Parents can pick up the girls in the bank at approximately 5:30pm. If there are any girls that need to return to aftercare, we will arrange to have them back at School One. If anyone is available to chaperone or provide transportation to and from this event, please let us know. If your daughter is attending this trip, please sign and return the permission slip by our next troop meeting on Thursday, October 11. (You will need to be signed into your e-mail account for the link to work properly. You should also be receiving a separate e-mail with a link to view and print the permission slip. Let me know if you have any trouble!)

Officially Brownies!

Thanks so much to everyone who attended and helped to make the Bridging Ceremony such a success.    It was so nice to see the you all there.  It's hard to believe how much the girls have grown.  The Brownie sashes somehow magically make them them look so much older and more mature!

Photo Credit:  Gina Berry