Hello all! I am SUPER excited to introduce you to our newest guest blogger for “In the Loop,” Natasha. She’s one of our fabulous troop support specialists who’s got lots of great ideas for your troop’s next service project! Enjoy! – Brianna
Ah, November. The new school year is well underway, Halloween craziness is behind us (although the candy probably isn’t), and we all got an extra hour of sleep this weekend (thank you, Daylight Savings!). Now we finally have some time to get to what we all really want to be doing—which is planning fun meetings and activities with our Girl Scout troops, of course! And what better way to kick off your Girl Scout year and get girls into the Girl Scout Spirit than with a fall service project?
With the cold weather fast approaching, now is a great time to help organizations prepare for the long winter ahead. I’ve gone ahead and come up with some ideas to get you started, but as we all know, the best and most creative ideas come from our Girl Scouts themselves, so start a discussion about what kind of service projects interest your girls at your next meeting!
- If your troop loves animals, get in contact with your local animal shelter to see if they need any help preparing for the winter, perhaps by making some warm blankets or welcome baskets, or collecting food for the cats and dogs that will be passing through on their way to their new homes.
- If helping people is your troop’s mission, what about running a food drive for your local food shelf, or a hat and mitten drive for a homeless shelter, to make sure no one is left out in the cold this winter? And remember, volunteering at the soup kitchen is not just for Thanksgiving Day—these places provide warm meals to people in need 365 days a year, and are always looking for helpers!
- Another great way to get involved in the community is to reach out to those around you who might not otherwise get a chance to enjoy this wonderful season. What about leading a hot-apple-cider-and-crafting-social at the nursing home down the street? Or using our strong Girl Scout muscles to rake leaves for our elderly neighbors? Older girls might enjoy organizing a fall-themed party for the children at a local refugee center or homeless center.
Of course, make sure to get in touch with the organizations your girls hope to serve to before you start planning your project, to make sure you’re providing a service they actually need (and allow!).
If you want help coming up with more ideas or planning one of these service projects with your girls, you can always reach out to our Troop Support team, who would be happy to brainstorm with you! Happy fall!
Natasha Brownlee – Other than chatting with Troop Leaders and planning events, Natasha also works with Gold Awards and runs the In the Loop blog! Her background is in curriculum development, programming, and creative writing. She has bachelor’s degrees in Peace Studies and French and a Masters in Gender, Development & Globalization and has worked with various girl-centered organizations in the US and abroad. Natasha loves traveling around the world, practicing yoga, and hanging out with her dog, Rooney!