April 2010 SUM Minutes                      Back to Service Unit Calendar & Meeting Minutes



Minutes of Service Unit Meeting, Apr. 15, 2010

Deb Knapp conducted the meeting in Carmela's absence.

Diane Marino (Field Executive from GSHNJ) reported on council news. She would like everyone to know that summer camp registration is now open. The Oval in Maplewood will be used for day-camp this year, and there will be an Open House held next week. Please see the GSHNJ website for details.

Diane also explained the details of the required VMS form, which all leaders received e-mails about last week. This form allows GSHNJ to do background checks on all adult volunteers who come into contact with the girls; therefore, anyone in your troop who interacts with the children or handles money must complete this. Included are the troop leader, co-leader(s), treasurer, registrar, cookie-mom, etc. Anyone who has taken New Leader Training this year will have already done this, but those who were trained earlier have to complete it ASAP. The form is on the GSHNJ website, if you did not receive it via e-mail.

The girls from Troop 419 gave us a presentation about their Silver Award project. They are working with Project Sunshine to create craft kits for children in hospitals. The girls are requesting donations of non-toxic craft items (glue, crayons, scissors, etc.) to include in their kits. A complete list, as well as a flier they created, are on the Berkeley Heights Girls Scouts website. The Someone Special and Me dance has 5 spots still open, which will be available until April 18th only. If you are interested in signing up, please send an e-mail to Carmela Arale.

Our Service Unit (Berkeley Heights) has some openings in the Service Team for next year. Although many of our volunteers are staying, some are switching positions. We need a Secretary, Registrar, Sweatshirt/T-shirt sales manager, and an Encampment Director. Encampment can be planned and run by an older troop as a Silver Award project, with the troop leader as the advisor. The encampment dates for 2011 are April 15-17, and we will be using both cabins and tents. We will have use of the waterfront for boating, and the ropes challenge course. We need some adults to be trained in ropes and in managing the dining hall before our encampment date. This is a great way to get some of your troop moms involved, especially if they would like to attend the camping trips. Adults with camping, ropes, waterfront, or dining hall training are always needed, and having that training would allow extra moms from your troop to attend. Space is always an issue, so this might be something your mom's would consider. Please pass the request on to them.

The end-of-year troop leader's party will be held on June 3rd, at Kim Spellman's house on Klein Blvd. Invitations will be e-mailed. If you plan to attend, please indicate in your response what type of food you can bring to share.

Susan O'Donnell updated us on the Mommy and Me event being held on April 30th. The program is only half-full, and so may be revised to eliminate the overnight plan. An e-mail will go out to the leaders of troops eligible to attend explaining any changes that occur.

There is a Daisy Day being held at Camp Hoover on May 8th, and Relay for Life will be held at Governor Livingston H.S. on June 5-6th.

Our last SUM of the year is May 5, 2010, at 7:30 pm in the Columbia Middle School library.


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