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issue no. 9
February 2013
Annual Meeting and Adult Recognition Ceremony - 2013     

Annual Meeting is just around the corner--March 23 to be exact. If you were recently elected to be your service unit delegate representative at Annual Meeting, don't forget to take the required online delegate training at girlscoutsmoheartland.org/deltrain. This is required before you can vote at Annual Meeting.

 

This year's event will take place in Cape Girardeau, MO at the Drury Lodge. An invitation which includes the registration form was mailed the first week of February to all GSMH members ages 14 and above. You can also register online at girlscoutsmoheartland.org/registration. We hope you will join us in person at Cape, but if you can't make it to Cape, you can join us for the Annual Meeting portion (only) at one of the conference call locations which include the Joplin Satellite Office, Springfield Service Center and the Jefferson City Service Center.

 

A few highlights of the morning include your vote on the new GSMH Board Members, a state of the council address by Board Chair Tina Stillwell, Treasurer's Report by Board Treasurer Mike Wolfe, and the fabulous annual silent basket auction. After a buffet lunch (Cape location only), volunteers who have been nominated by their peers and approved by a board recognition committee will be recognized for their dedication and service to GSMH.

 

We hope to see you there! 

2013-2014 Membership Dues Increase

For the 2013-2014 membership year, GSUSA has increased national dues to $15.00 per year. This increase will be effective for all 2013-2014 membership dues, including those that are processed as a result of "Early Bird" and are turned into the council prior to the official start of the new membership year on October 1, 2013. As always, Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland is committed to assisting girls and adults who want to participate in Girl Scouting, and we will grant financial assistance as needed.    

Help Us Get Input!

Over the next year our council will be going through a process called Strategic Learning. We will be using the proven best practices of Strategic Learning to gather and review a lot of information from girls and adults across our council. Girls and adults will have the opportunity to tell us what they like about Girl Scouts and what they would like to see happening in Girl Scouts. Girls, parents, and volunteers are encouraged to complete the online surveys listed below. The survey may be completed in more than one category, if applicable. Please encourage any girls, Girl Scout parents or Girl Scout volunteers that you know to complete the survey online no later than March 1, 2013. The more people that participate, the richer the pool of data we will have to use in our Strategic Learning process.

Thank you for helping us with this very important project. Your information will help lead Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland into the future.

Board Accepts FY12 Audited Financial Statements During January 18 Meeting
 
During its meeting on January 18 in Springfield, the GSMH Board of Directors heard the FY 2012 audit presentation by Amanda Kastler and Mike Pruett of Elliott, Robinson & Company, and accepted the fiscal year 2012 Audited Financial Statements. The council has been issued an unqualified opinion, which is the best opinion possible.

Highlights of the audit included the following: long-term pledges are up; council investments are doing well; fundraising revenue is up; more products and services are being donated; product program revenues are down slightly; and retail revenue is up. The council ended FY 2012 with $8,487,054 in total assets and experienced an increase in net assets of $45,442 compared to a decrease in net assets of $177,477 in FY 2011.

 

In other business:

  • The board approved the council's 2013 Grant Funding Proposals and 2014 United Way Proposals.
  • The board approved the Adult Recognition Committee's recommendations for Thanks Badge and Thanks Badge II recipients.

The Mission Moment was presented by Chief Communications Officer Brigitte Scott, who discussed the first-ever National Girl Scout Cookie Day scheduled for February 8. CEO Anne Soots reported that at the end of the first quarter the number of girl members and adult members is up, fall product program sales were down, public support is up, and retail sales are up slightly. She noted that Girl Scouts of the USA has divided the councils into five geographic regions; GSMH is in the Central Region.  

 

Board Development Chair Valerie Richardson led the discussion on the board's goal to increase the diversity of its members and to achieve full capacity. Interested people with varied backgrounds and talents who live in the Southeast and Central Regions of the council are needed to serve on the board.

 

The next GSMH board meeting will take place at 5:30 p.m. March 22 in Cape Girardeau. 

In This Issue
Annual Meeting and Adult Recognition Ceremony
2013-2014 Membership Dues Increase
Help Us Get Input!
Board Accepts FY12 Audited Financial Statements During January 18 Meeting
About GSMH

Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland provides the premier leadership experience for girls. 

 

Our outcomes-based program model empowers girls to develop life and leadership skills that they will use for the rest of their lives.

 

Our council serves more than 17,000 girls and 5,000 adults across 68 counties in southern and central Missouri, southeast Kansas, and northeast Oklahoma.

 

About Girl Scouting

 

Contact Us
Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland

Web: www.girlscoutsmoheartland.org

General e-mail: gscouts@ girlscoutsmoheartland.org

Delegate feedback e-mail:
delegatefeedback@ girlscoutsmoheartland.org

Phone: 877-312-GSMH (4764)
GSMH Social Media 

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Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest changes and information, read our blog for news and stories from around the council, and see great Girl Scouts-related videos on YouTube.

 

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