What I am thankful for this Thanksgiving

What are you thankful for this year? With Thanksgiving a distant memory (it was a whole 4 days ago), I would like to spread some gratefulness. For me, this Thanksgiving represents family. I am so blessed to have my immediate family all in town. There were 22 of us who ate, laughed and played games on Thanksgiving. I learned a new game this year- Hand and Foot. I lost but am vowing to practice up for a rematch at Christmas! I am thankful for family-- that all the people near to me were all under 1 roof- grandparents, parents, siblings, nieces & nephews. That, to me- is Thanksgiving.

I had a new experience this year- Black Friday shopping. Up until this year, I have been on the other side of retail. 1 of my sisters pulled an all nighter (note: I will NEVER do this!). She did score some amazing deals and it truly wass the thrill of the hunt for her. My other sister and I went to the mall from 8-9 AM and then out to eat for breakfast with our whole family to talk about all the fun we had. Some pulled all nighters- some went out at 4 or 6 AM.

I am thankful this year for health, for a new job and for the priviledge of getting to work with all of you--- a truly amazing group of volunteers! So, whatever you did this past weekend- I hope it was done with gratitude and with those people closest to your heart.

Happy post-Thanksgiving, everyone!

No Service Unit Product Manager in your Service Unit?

If your Service Unit does not have a Service Unit Product Manager, please attend one of these useful trainings. We switched these from SUPM trainings to Troop Product Managers since no one was signed up.

Cookie Training for Troop Product Managers
Tues., Dec. 7 7-9 pm
Ionia - Ionia Intermediate School Dist.- 2191 Harwood Rd

Thurs., Dec. 9 6-8 pm
Big Rapids - United Church -110 State Street
Gaylord - Gaylord Regional Airport, 1100 Aero Dr

Sat., Dec. 11, 10 am – 12 pm
Traverse City - Traverse City Service Center – 1820 Oak Hollow Dr.

Mon., Dec. 13, 6-8 PM
Alpena- Harborside Mall, East Chisholm St.

FUN Cookie Kickoff Parties ~ Mark your calendars

We have our Cookie Kickoff Parties set! This is a party for the Girls to come out and get all their cookie information. Last year it was held at the VanAndel Arena followed by a Griffins Hockey game. This year, I decided to try something a little different. You can go as a: troop or with your family. Open to girls in troops or other pathways~ basically, any girl who will be selling cookies. You won't want to miss these fun events!

You have 3 options to choose from- all of which are held on Saturday, January 15th.

Grand Rapids- Celebration Cinemas North (held in the Wave Room)
10 AM-noon. Come anytime between 10 and noon and go through all our stations. Afterward, you can pay just $5 to see a movie! (free popcorn provided!). We will also be raffling off some great movie packages!

Spring Lake- Craig's Cruisers
Come anytime between 11:00-1:00 and visit booths set up for our programming portion. We will provide Girl Scouts with tokens to play games!

Traverse City- Waters Edge Gymnastics
Come anytime between 11:30 AM-1:30 PM and go through our programming stations. After, go play! Waters Edge has: trampolines, balance beams, bars, and a big foam block pit. Water's Edge staff members are safety certified by USA Gymnastics and will be supervising the entire event.

You must RSVP to reserve your spot at one of these spectacular events! Email: tmyers@gsmists.org. Put Cookie Kickoff RSVP in the subject and let me know the following: A- which Cookie Kickoff you will be attending B-how many people

SNIFF SNIFF- cookie scented earrings!

I wanted to share with you an exciting new item coming soon to your local retail shop. We will have SCENTED cookie earrings! Yes, you heard that right- scented! What a riot! The samoa earrings are studs and we have dangley thin mints (with a bite taken out). I am super excited about the earrings and the cost---- only $10.00 for 2 pairs. Call your local retail shop for the specific date the earrings will be available.

Cookie dough expires in December. Come shop for the holidays. We have ornaments, bracelets, sweatshirts, water bottles, mugs, new pens & pencils & more! The shop is open Mondays 8:30-6:30,

Tuesdays-Thursdays 8:30-5:30, Fridays 8:30-12:30 and the 2nd

Saturday of each month, 10-1.

Enter to win!

How would you like to win a FABULOUS gift basket filled with delicious Fall Product? Become a fan on our GSMISTS facebook page! We are trying to reach 1,500 fans. The 1,500th fan will receive our yummy Fall Product Gift Basket! Will this be you?

One of my main goals as your Product Sales Director is to be out in the community- letting people know all about products our girls are selling. Yesterday I attended a Business Expo in Traverse City at the Grand Traverse Resort. Not only was this a great opportunity to meet people in the TC area, but also a wonderful time of hearing glowing reports about Girl Scouts! Just mentioning that I work for the Girl Scouts brought about plenty of 'oohs and ahhs' and 'I love Girl Scouts' and 'do you have any cookies?' I met plenty of people working at different radio and tv stations who can't wait to help spread the word about cookie season!

I do believe I have the best job around---- talking cookies all throughout our 30 counties!

Fall Product Sale Survey

It’s hard to believe our Fall Sale is wrapping up! A HUGE thank you to all girls and to you, our wonderful volunteers for executing this. We are in the midst of receiving & processing all the product orders on our end. A huge thank you to my wonderful team - Jered (Grand Rapids), Sally (Muskegon) and Deb (Traverse City). These 3 people have assisted many of you , being on the front lines at the council level. The longer I am here- I see what a team we have. The team is made up of many parts- paid workers, volunteers and of course- our girls! Without any of these parts, we would not function.

I am anxious to hear your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out the survey below and cut/copy it and email it to me. I cannot fix what I don’t know is broken so please take time to give your feedback- both things we are doing right and things we can improve on next year.

2010 Fall Product Sale Survey

1. Did your troop participate in the Fall Product Sale? If no, why not?
2. Was there enough variety in product?
3. Did your girls participate in the QSP online email program?
4. Did your girls fill out the QSP address booklets?
5. Did the Fall Product Instruction booklet easy to read and understand?
6. Did you receive sufficient communication concerning fall product?
7. Did you attend the Fall Product Training? If so, was the training beneficial?
8. What would you like to see different next year?

Email to: tmyers@gsmists.org

Thank you and have a great Thursday!

Life is meant to be FUN!

I am all about FUN! No, seriously..... I am not a fan of long, boring meetings (who is?)....or events that you have to be at that are l-o-n-g and monotonous. There is no reason not to have life SPARKLE! This is why our Cookie Kickoffs will be AWESOME! You will not want to miss the big party this year!

Our Cookie Kickoffs will be held on Saturday, January 15th. We will have 3 different locations/venues to choose from. Grand Rapids, Muskegon and Traverse City areas will offer a variety of fun activities for you, your troop and girls! So bring out the whole family for a few hours of pure fun! More details to follow but I can tell you as a teaser that the Grand Rapids Kickoff will be held at Celebration Cinemas North in the Wave Room. We will have booths set up for cookie sampling, prizes, games & more! It's an opportunity for your girls to pick up all cookie selling supplies while getting revved up and excited about our cookie season!

I am working out the details for cookie venues in Muskegon and Traverse City. If you live in either of those areas, feel free to email me or comment on this post any ideas you have on where to hold this giant party of an event.

So, mark your calendars in advance- for January 15th! More details to follow!

Service Unit Product Manager Meeting Locations set for Cookies

Our meeting locations are set! You can sign up in e-council to attend these meetings.

Service Unit Product Managers Meetings for Cookie Information

Dec. 4 10 am-12 pm @
Charlevoix Public Library - 220 W Clinton St, Charlevoix,
United Church -110 State Street, Big Rapids,
Ludington Little House- Ludington,
Ionia Intermediate School Dist.- 2191 Harwood Rd, Ionia

Dec. 7 7-9 pm @ Ionia Intermediate School Dist.- 2191 Harwood Rd, Ionia

Dec. 8 6-8 pm @ GRSC, MSC, TCSC

Dec. 9 6-8 pm @
Howard Miller Community Center- 14 S. Church St., Zeeland,
Charlevoix Public Library - 220 W Clinton St, Charlevoix,
United Church -110 State Street, Big Rapids,
Gaylord- confirming location I will let you know when I hear more.

Dec. 11 10 am- 12 pm @
GRSC, TCSC, MSC,
Atlanta Congregational Church- 12385 Jerome Street, Atlanta

Dec. 13 6-8 PM @
Alpena Girl Scouts Office

Fall Sale Ends November 8th!

Fall Sale Ends November 8th! Ok- I had a brainfreeze moment..... Fall Sale indeed ends November 8th, not November 10th. The orders are due to the Troop on November 10th so order taking officially ends on the 8th.

This means you officially have 7 days left to sell-sell-sell! I just bought a magazine subscription from a Girl Scout yesterday. Which reminds me- tell your girls to call or stop by one of our service centers and ask our staff to purchase. We are willing to help out your girls! First come, first serve! We at the council level are here to support your girls! This is why we work- because we believe in Girl Scouts, its mission and all of you.

I hope you are able to attend a Leadership Connection Meeting this week. I was at the Grand Rapids one last night. It was great meeting some of you and putting names with faces. If you are near the Grand Rapids Service Center, please pop by my office. I want to meet as many of you as I can! After all, you are the reason I am here! If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them. It has been 4 weeks since I started here. It has been a whirlwind in so many ways and I have enjoyed diving in and learning as much as I can. Every day I am learning many new things and have come to appreciate Girl Scouts and all the many volunteers!

Signing off for now......
I hope you have a great Tuesday!

Happy Belated Birthday, Juliette Gordon Low!

October 31st....Halloween and Juliette Low's Birthday! Juliette Magill Kinzie Gordon was born in Savannah, Georgia on October 31, 1860.

What was life like in 1860? Abraham Lincoln became President. The Civil War was about to begin. In Savannah, "needle women" were hired by the state to sew uniforms and tents for the Confederate cause. It was a hard, confusing time for quite a few; including women. Most women fell in 2 categories during this time. The poor experienced food shortages and were forced into factory work. The richer women formed clubs to provide soldiers with scarves, shirts and blankets.

It was during this time that Juliette was born. And you know the rest- she went on to school, traveled, was involved in writing and the arts and became the founder of Girl Scouts! During the hard times in history, Juliette courageously prevailed. What a testament to all of us. No matter what is happening now around the world---- the tough times, the times of feeling disouraged and moments of hope--- all of you have a voice and a purpose. That is 1 reason you are in Girl Scouts! Because after all.... Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place. Each one of you are here to make the world a better place--- just like Juliette Low.

Happy 150th Birthday, Juliette "Daisy" Low!!

A little post-Halloween treat!

Happy post-Halloween, everyone! I hope you all had a happy and safe Halloween. I went trick-or-treating with my nieces and nephews. We had quite a crew! They range in age from 6-week-old Parker (who went as a football)! To 4 month-old Jordyn as a 50s girl, 2 year old Sawyer as a bumble bee and MaKenna (2) and Sofie (5) as butterflies! Rounding out the pack is 6 year old Logan as a spider and Lilia (9) as a fairy. They were too cute! (Spoken as a proud Auntie, of course!)

Exciting Product News!

We have a special incentive for those girls selling Fall Product.

Enter your 12 online email addresses and receive 25% off one regularly priced item in our Retail Shop! (cannot be combined with other coupons/specials).

Just print out a copy of your Detailed Order Report and bring into any one of our Service Center Stores.

How to enter:
1. Go to http://www.gsmists.org/
2. Click on PRODUCT SALES (upper right hand corner)
3. Click on QSP ONLINE PROGRAM
4. Just register and enter those email addresses for your special 25% off discount!
5. It’s that simple!

*Fall Sale ends Wednesday, November 8th so hurry- time is running out!