December 2009

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I know I did because our Council has a great deal to be thankful for – our wonderful volunteers being at the top of the list – but right behind them would be our many generous donors. We have recently been awarded more than $50,000 in support from our friends at IBM ($21,000), the Carolina Hurricanes ($20,000), Carolina Meadows ($5,000), Time Warner Cable ($5,000) and Wachovia ($1,000). In addition, our staff campaign has raised more than $12,000 in less than a month. These gifts will help us in our mission to build girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place – and we are grateful for the support of all our friends.

We have a new Hispanic recruitment video, and it can be found on the new EN ESPAÑOL page: http://www.nccoastalpines.org/home/espanol.aspx. Our thanks to volunteer Teresa Macchi, who voiced the video and helped us write it.

This year’s Fall Product Sale was up almost 30% over last year’s and we’re grateful to all the girls and troops who worked so hard to make it such a success. More than half of the troops who participated earned $100 or more – and one troop earned more than $300. Our top three sellers were Jasmine Bazinet ($1,085; Troop 588, Robeson County), Caraline Malloy ($1,032; Troop 604, Harnett County), and Zoe Gonzalez ($783; Troop 764, Craven/Havelock). Congratulations!

I hope everyone is ready for our Girl Scout Cookie Sale because it begins Saturday, January 9. New this year is the exciting possibility of online marketing: All girls can use GSUSA-approved vendor e-mail tools to inform friends, family and former customers in the Council Zip codes that they are selling cookies. Please go to our Council Web site to find more information about how best to safely use online marketing: http://www.nccoastalpines.org/BPWC/Documents/411%20on%20Online%20Product%20Marketing.pdf.

In their continuing effort to promote good health and safety, the Board has recently voted to make our Council and its properties a tobacco-free zone. As a result, there will be no smoking or use of tobacco products in the presence of girls or in areas where girls can be exposed to second-hand smoke. Smoking and other tobacco use are prohibited at all Council properties as well as all Council buildings, vehicles and premises. This includes all Council service centers, offices and council camp properties. The Volunteer Policies were updated in November, and can be found on the Web at http://www.nccoastalpines.org/BPWC/Documents/CP107%20Volunteer%20Policies%2011-2009.pdf.

The holidays are just around the corner – and a new computer makes a great gift. Be sure to visit