a postcard from Maine

(a picture of Maine State Capitol and the Blaine House, Augusta, Maine.)
"Hi from Brownie Troop 2497 in Belgrade, Maine USA. Our goal is to earn 15 try its this year. We are all 3rd graders and our ages are 8&9. We are doing a penny drive to help with fuel assistance. Maine can be warm and sunny in the Summer and cold and snowy in the winter. During the fall we have beautiful foliage. For our community project last year we made busy bags to hand out at a nursing home. Thanks for trading. Sarah, Alexis G, Kaytie, Alexis P., Libby"

rec'd swaps from Troop 41216 in Ipswich, SD

each bag has several corn kernels & this label...
"A Corny Swap from SD!
Did you know corn is used in:
fabric
feed for livestock
sweetening pop/candy
gasoline (ethanol)
tires
aspirin
shaving cream
latex paint
disposable diapers
penicillin
plastics
recycled paper
Now you know:)"

will pass out at the Xmas meeting, if I can ever find a time to have it that will be before Xmas & not conflict with the zillion other things going on around Xmas...

ordered Kelsie's replacement badges & sash

did the best I could, some of the badges couldn't be replaced, like the dated cookie sales & fall fund raiser ones, so I did some improvising. I think Koren & Kate both have the Mom & Me and My Dad is a Do Dad, if I find Koren's, will give one set to Kelsie, since they are really really cute & I couldn't find anything similiar.

Also left a message at M&M Apparel to have them make another t-shirt for Kelsie.

mailed our pen pal letters

2 Rochester today. also ordered 2 sets of badges to send with future letters...Missouri badges from Advantage, & Still A Girl Scout badges from go shop (they were clearanced...they may be out.) Next month will send them Cardinal ornaments if there are enough left...it should work out perfectly.

Flat Alice left for United Kingdom today

it's a little pricey doing international Flat Stacies, but I think it's worth it.

The Journeys Begin...

Mackenzie, Moriah, Katie, Kelsie, Morrisa, Dominique, Jazmine, Breanna, Cortney, & Lindsay seemed excited about the new Journey books...they wrote their names on them, started reading the stories & doing the activities...

we recieved a package of pen pal letters from Girl Scout Troop #067 in Rochester, NY. They sent NY patches & postcards.
Rochester is in the northern part of the state, population 1,039,029. They live in the Greece and Hilton suburbs, 14 5th grade juniors are in the troop. They meet in the school cafeteria twice a month. They do a lot of charity & service projects: helping clean up a local wetland bay & park, collected pajamas for a womens shelter, made a care package for a local soldier, working with a Brownie Troop to earn Junior Aide & Leadership awards.
They have earned several badges & patches already this year. They are a very active troop & get along great. They are working on their Bronze award & making Boa Scarves for needy kids & families. They'll make about 75 for Xmas. Their council had a Trunk or Treat night, where they decorated their van for Halloween & the troops came around to trick or treat! They also celebrated Juliette Low's birthday that night. We love to write letters to other troops & get letters & postcards to find out what they are doing. Mrs. Diane, Mrs. Gina, Mrs. Joanna, Alexa, Amanda, Brianna, Mary, Emma, Katherine, Kaycie, Kelly, Madison, Milanne, Taylor, Rochelle, Samanta, & Rebecca."
STATE SYMBOLS OF NEW YORK
fruit: apple
tree: sugar maple
flower: rose
bird: bluebird
gem:garnet
bush:lilac
famous: Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglas, George Eastman, Pamela McIroy, Abby Wambach
they sent pictures of their troop, too!
The girls were very pleased with the letters they rec'd & couldn't get started on their replies soon enough. We also took pictures of each girl to send with their penpal letters.

we started something new: everyone at the meeting wrote a page about what makes Kelsie special. We'll do one each meeting for a different girl until everyone has one. (I got the idea from Carly Cardinals Brag Book).

Breanna & Jazmine forgot to bring Carly back, they will bring her next meeting, then someone else will take her home for a visit. The plan is that after she has visited everyone, we'll record her journeys, then will have a drawing for someone to adopt her permantly.

Katie found this question in the Junior Journey Book: "Who Is Your Hero?"
Jazmine: my Grandma Barb
Kelsie: the fire department
Morrisa: my dad the fireman
Cortney: my puppy Boxer
Moriah: my dad
Dominique: my dog Lady
Breanna: my mom & dad
Zach: Uncle Tony
Katie: my sister
Mackenzie: my mom
Lindsay: my daddy
I was impressed that not one of the kids mentioned someone famous! Everyday people are heroes, too~

Each kid (our guest Zach included!) selected 2 of the All States Swaps we rec'd. There was definitely something for everyone! There are a handful left for Morgan & Kayla, will mix in the leftovers with the next shipment of All States Swaps we receive.

our next meeting will be Christmas!

it's in the mail...

sent 20 swaps to the GirlScoutSwapsStyle holiday exchange, & 12 swaps to another troop.

Kelsie's family lost everything in a house fire Saturday nite. Our troop needs to think of something nice to do for Kelsie to help her deal with all that's going on.
I plan on replacing her Brownie badges, sash, & her red Girl Scout shirt. Her mom was waiting to get into the house to see what was left, the girls room was still standing, but don't know if anything could escape the water & smoke damage.

meeting scheduled

for Saturday November 15th fromn 10 a.m.-noon here. We will read our penpal letters, write letters to our penpals, make holiday swaps for a swaps exchange, & start on our Journeys.

the last cookie sheet is handed out!

now Kelsie has her cookie stuff, too, & the sales can begin!