Rockford Girl Scouts Blog: [leaders] Fwd: Forever Green 2012 - Please share with troops and individually registered GS this month

Additional informaiton onthe green projet I just refered to. K

Kathleen Bell
mskbellure@aol.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Kim Dyer <KDyer@gsmists.org>
To: Kim Dyer <KDyer@gsmists.org>
Sent: Tue, Feb 7, 2012 4:45 pm
Subject: Forever Green 2012 - Please share with troops and individually registered GS this month

Dear Girl Scout Volunteers,

Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore has chosen to take on the issue of plastic waste for our 100th Anniversary Girl Scout Forever Green (GSFG) Project. Girl Scouts around the world are switching to reusable bags and bottles as they learn about how plastic waste affects the environment. Our project, to help accomplish this goal of raising awareness and working to reduce plastic waste in our environment, is crocheting plastic grocery bags into Mats for Haiti! This project will not only help keep plastic bags out of landfills but also teach the art of crocheting to anyone who wants to learn this useful skill. These mats are then used as packing insulation for medical supplies and other items being sent to Haiti. Once in Haiti, they will be distributed to schools, hospitals and orphanages to help provide a sterile barrier to dirt floors along with adding comfort from sitting on the ground. One important aspect to this project is getting the Girl Scouts and community members who want to join us in reducing/repurposing the plastic in our environment to sign up and take the pledge at www.gsmists.org/100. At this website you will also see the steps to completing our Mats for Haiti project and locations where you can learn all the steps to making plastic bag mats. If you have any questions about this project please contact Matt Witkowski, Volunteer Services Manager (Traverse City) at mwitkowski@gsmists.org.

These events will be a fun opportunity to learn a new skill, see girls and adults of all ages coming together for a common goal. It is also a wonderful way to kick off starting to make your mats! After these events you will have until April 21^st to work on and drop off mats at your regional locations. I have attached a flier and information sheet that can be copied to the back of the flier to help promote the Girl Scout Forever Green Project. Let's spread the word, get people to take the pledge (non-Girl Scouts can take the pledge too!) and learn a new skill that taps into your creative side. Each mat takes about 70 bags to make so start collecting bags (fold, don't scrunch if possible) in your community and let's get girls of all ages involved. People interested in making these mats will have to purchase size "N" crochet needles or see if you can borrow them from a friend. Instructions will be available at the events or posted online after the events for those who were unable to make it. This is an exciting time at Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore and we are excited to do our part with the National Forever Green Initiative 2012. We look forward to seeing you at one of the dates listed below or seeing your completed mat on April 21, 2012!

Regional Drop-off Locations & Dates

February 25, 2012, 2 - 4:30 PM Elmira Hudson Township Hall (07865 Reynolds Road, Elmira)

February 25, 2012, 9 AM - 12 PM Grand Rapids Aquinas College - Donnelly Center (1607 Robinson Road SE, Grand Rapids)

February 25, 2012, 9 AM - 12 PM Traverse City Traverse City Service Center (1820 Oak Hollow Drive, Traverse City)

March 3, 2012, 2 – 5 PM Ravenna Ravenna Baptist Church (3186 Blackmer Rd, Ravenna)

March 3, 2012, 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM Gaylord Peace Lutheran Church (3708 Old US Highway 27 S, Gaylord)

March 3, 2012, 9 AM - 12 PM Alpena District #4 Health Department (100 Woods Circle Suite 200, Alpena)

FAQs

Are the locations/dates for the Kick Off and the drop off? Both

Do the volunteers need to wait until Apr 21 to drop off or can they drop off any time at the locations listed? We are trying to secure a place inside each building to drop off before the Apr 21 date – more TBA

Do the volunteers/troops need to register for these events on eBiz or just show up? Just show up and go through the stations

Do the participants need to come at the beginning time listed and stay the whole time or is it open house format? Come and go anytime during the three hour span