To contact us, please call Customer Care at (209) 377-2011
Or email customercare@girlscouts-ssc.org

GSSSC Offices & Store

Store  Hours
The Girl Scouts Leadership Center is open Monday through Friday, 9:00AM-5:00PM.  The retail store is open during those hours, with extended hours on Thursdays until 7:00PM and on the second Saturday of each month 10:00AM-2:00PM.
Upcoming Closures:  
All council offices will be closed until 2:00PM on Wednesday, February 12th for a staff meeting
All council offices will be closed on Monday, February 17th, in observance of Presidents' Day
The Boise Leadership Center will close early at 2:30PM on Thursday, March 5 to make a big  impact at Kindergarten 
Bling Your Booth
We have everything you need to get your cookie booth in tip top shape! Shop early for the best selection! We have table cloths, signs, buttons, costumes and all sorts of cookie booth gear. New Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pins and patches are available, too. Shop our Cookie Time selection HERE  
Please Shop Local
Your purchases from our council's  retail store (in person, by e-mail and online) help support everything we do. Visit our retail store at 8948 W. Barnes Street in Boise or shop online  here .
Do you shop at Target?
Do you shop at Target? Now through March 31st, you can vote for Girl Scouts of Silver Sage through the Target Circle program to help direct Target's giving to benefit Girl Scout programs.
Sign up in store or at target.com/circle
 
Idaho Falls Zoo
The Idaho Falls Zoo is offering new, exciting badge workshops. Register here
Other events include:
Zoorific Family Fun Day
Have fun learning science through interactive and hands-on science activities.
Mad Scientist: Saturday February 1st from 11-noon
Adults-only event
Valentine's Day Murder Mystery- Til Death Do We Part fundraiser hosted by the Tautphaus Park Zoological Society.  Must be 18 or over to attend. Sign-up on Eventbrite here
Idaho Women 100 
Think  ahead to 2020 and be part of the Idaho Women 100, which commemorates the national centennial of women's right to vote in the United States. Developed by a non-partisan coalition of Idaho arts, history, cultural and education organizations, Idaho Women 100 advances and celebrates women's leadership throughout our state. 
Did you know that women in Idaho have had the right to vote since 1896, 24 years before the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution? 
  How can Girl Scouts be involved in Idaho Women 100? Since Girl Scouts foundation in 1912 by our visionary founder Juliette Gordon Low, Girl Scouts have been leaders in opportunity for girls and women. For Idaho Women 100, we are invited to create events, presentations and programs celebrating 100 years of women and girl's contributions to political, cultural, economic, academic, social and other fields. To find out how to get involved, click here
Link your "Amazon Smiles" Account!
It's super easy to do and doesn't cost anything.  Go to smile.amazon.com to sign up.  When prompted for a charity you would like to benefit, choose Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Council Inc. (EIN: #82-0259644).  Now you can shop and support Girl Scouts at the same time!  When you want to shop, be sure to log into smile.amazon.com.
Sign up for the Fred Meyer Community Reward Program
Link your Fred Meyer Rewards card to Girl Scouts of Silver Sage, ID #Hr913. Click  here  and choose"Link Your Rewards Card now".  Follow the quick steps to create an account and you're on your way. 
Accepting "No" for an Answer
It isn't easy for a child to hear a "no" when they want something, but it can be even harder for parents to say. Teach your children that there is positive value in not having everything we want, even when we can afford it.
Here are some questions to get you started:
  • Why do you think Mom and Dad sometimes tell you "no" when you ask for something?
  • Why can having everything you want still make you feel bad?
  • Can you think of some things that Mom and Dad want (and can afford) but don't buy?
  • If you were a parent, how would you act towards a child who always asks for new toys?
  • Do you know anyone who has a hard time taking "no" for an answer?"

Also check out the "Investing in My Future" Patch  Program! 
February 2020
Central and Eastern Idaho
Free STEM Programming for You!
Thanks to generous funding from the Idaho National Laboratory and Idaho STEM Action Center, we are delighted to offer free STEM Programming to you and your Girl Scouts!
With your help, we know that we can increase girls' interest in STEM, build new connections in the community, and welcome more girls into Girl Scouts.
Your Girl Scouts will have fun engaging in different hands-on STEM activities such as designing mazes for Sphero robots to navigate, teaching Ozobot how to have a dance party, and constructing Cubelet robots to meet different challenges.
The STEM Outreach Program for Service Units and Troops consists of two, 2-hour STEM workshops for Girl Scout levels Daisy/Brownie, or Junior/Cadette.  During this time, Girl Scouts will explore STEM concepts to earn their Mechanical Engineering or Robotics Badges!
If you are interested in a FREE STEM workshop for your girls in your local community, please contact stetzloff@girlscouts-ssc.org. 
Teton Science School
Inspire curiosity, engagement and leadership through transformative place-based education this March at Teton Science School! Girl Scout Cadettes will be awestruck by the inspiring landscapes around them while receiving outstanding lessons on nature provided by educators at Teton Science School on this 4-day, 3-night trip to Jackson, WY. Teton Science School is one of the top ten environmental education organizations in the United States. We are excited for our girls from Girl Scouts of Silver Sage to participate in such an amazing program at a prestigious organization. 
here!
Happy 80th Birthday Camp Alice Pittenger!
On February 14th, 1940, Mrs. Alice Pittenger donated land for a new Girl Scout camp as a surprise Valentine gift. She felt the picturesque setting on Payette Lake would be a place where girls from all over the state would be able to camp and call their own. 80 years later, Camp Alice Pittenger is still going strong.
To celebrate this special milestone, Girl Scouts of Silver Sage will be launching a council wide movement to honor Camp Alice Pittenger and the thousands of campers she has welcomed. Our goal is to celebrate camp, encourage more young women to attend, and increase funding to preserve camp for generations to come.
Join us in celebrating 80 years of CAP! Do you have an awesome memory about your camp experience that you want to share with our community?
Watch for continued updates on how you can be involved in celebrating Camp Alice Pittenger!
2020 Summer Camp 
The 2020 Summer Camp season is coming soon! View camp sessions at Camp Alice Pittenger and Camp Ta-Man-A-Wis on our website. Register today!
Girl Scout Cookie Championship Premiering February 3!
The Food Network and GSUSA are teaming up to bring television viewers a four-part series, Girl Scout Cookie Championship, which premieres on The Food Network Monday, February 3, at 8:00 p.m. ET, and runs the three following Mondays (February 10, 17, 24). On the show, professional bakers are challenged to transform Girl Scout Cookies into delicious desserts. Host and Girl Scout alum Alyson Hannigan (How I Met Your Mother ) is joined each week by current Girl Scouts, and the series emphasizes Girl Scout programming, including our badges.  Host your own Watch Party to celebrate the Girl Scout Cookie Program!
Annual Conference
Save the Date: April 24-25, 2020 At The Riverside Hotel in Boise
To book your hotel room call 208-343-1871
For more information, visit our website  here
Jump into Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts is always more fun with friends! Below is a fun way to invite NEW girls into your troop, by inviting them to a "Jump" Event when they join Girl Scouts. With Girl, Troop, and Service Unit Rewards, now is the time to "Jump into Girl Scouts!"
Jump into Girl Scouts runs February 5 through February 20. Please watch for more information through website updates and email. Registration links and materials coming soon.
See here for rules and rewards.

2020 Cookie Season is coming up!
Order Cards - January 17 to February 2
Girl Scouts will start the sale with their Order Cards, or Initial Order Sale, and use them to sell to friends, family, and anyone who likes to pre-order their favorite Girl Scout Cookies.
When girls sell using their Order Cards, they simply take the customer's contact information - name, address, and phone number - and the quantities and varieties they would like to purchase on the Order Card. We also ask that girls collect money up-front when possible to help save time when delivering items. NEVER DELIVER ITEMS WITHOUT RECEIVING PAYMENT FIRST!
Goal Getter Card - February 3 to February 27
Once Girl Scouts turn in their Order Card for the Initial Order, they can continue selling using their Goal Getter Card - to help them reach their GOALS! Any  girl that can sell an additional 30+ boxes during this time will earn the 2020 Goal Getter Diva Patch.
Walk-A-Bout - From when cookies are available to March 22
Cookies will be delivered February 21 - 27. Once Girl Scout Cookies have arrived, girls should make every effort to deliver all Initial Order boxes to customers first, but they can also continue selling by canvassing their neighborhoods with extra boxes - ask your troop leader how to get extra boxes of cookies.
Booth Sales - February 28 to March 22
Girl Scouts have two ways they can participate in a Booth Sale (selling directly to customers in a public area): as a Troop Booth Sale or as a Mom and Me Booth Sale!
Troop Booth Sales are scheduled with the troop and give girls an opportunity to work together and sell as a team - ask how you as a parent can support your Girl Scout's Troop by being a Booth Volunteer.
Mom and Me Booth Sales are booth sales that allow girls to continue selling individually. Please contact your troop leader for more information on how you can participate!
Digital Cookie - January 10 to March 22
GSUSA and Little Brownie Baker have teamed up to provide a safe
and fun way to sell Girl Scout Cookies online through the Digital Cookie Program!
Girls will be invited to join Digital Cookie Program through an email sent to their primary guardian. Once a girl is signed up she will be able to set goals, work on her financial literacy badges, customize her own Online Store, and begin selling anywhere in the United States! Ask your troop leader for more information on this exciting way to sell!
February 17 - Pebble Creek Scout Ski Day
April 11 - Daisy Outdoor Art Maker with Idaho Falls Zoo
April 11 - Senior Eco Explorer with Idaho Falls Zoo

February 10 - Gold Award Training
March 9 - Gold Award Training
March 23 - Junior/Cadette Book Artist Spring Break Day Camp
March 23 - Junior/Cadette Jeweler Spring Break Day Camp
April 13 - Cadette Program Aide Training
April 18 - Paint a Pot Pottery Workshop with ISU Craft Shop
April 29 - Cadette Program Aide Training
May 5 - Tie Dye T-shirt Workshop with ISU Craft Shop
May - 7 Senior/Ambassador Volunteer in Training
Teen Advisory Committee
Calling Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors! Our first Teen Advisory Committee meeting is coming soon.  We encourage any Girl Scout interested in mentorship, working with younger girls,and improving the older Girl Scout experience to apply.  Applications can be found here.  
Destinations
For Girl Scouts 13+ there's still time to apply for a Destination. Submit your Destinations applications by February 15th! Learn more here.
Mark Your Calendar Now!
Applications for both Adult and Girl delegates are due February 15, 2020Travel expenses for delegates are paid for by Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Council. Click on the applications below. 
For more information visit here.  
G.I.R.L. 2020 October 21-25, 2020
$295 per girl
$345 per adult
$425 per delegate
  • 55th National Council Session
  • G.I.R.L. 2020 Weekend Program
  • Signature and Breakout Sessions
  • Leadership and Take Action
  • Global Roundtable
  • G.I.R.L. EXPO--A Hall of Experiences
  • Suffrage Centennial

Application Deadline: Monday, March 2, 2020
Service Unit Delegate Nominations for Annual Meeting
Delegates serve a very important function representing all volunteers and girls in our Council. As required by Silver Sage by-laws, every service unit is encouraged to send delegate(s) to the Annual Conference and Business Meeting on Saturday, April 25, 2020, at the Riverside Hotel in Boise. 
 
Interested in Aviation?
The year is 1929, and on the eve of America's Great Depression, nineteen gutsy and passionate pilots soared above the glass ceiling in the very first female cross-country air race. Armed with grit and determination, they crossed thousands of miles in propeller-driven airplanes to defy the naysayers who would say it cannot be done.
From the indomitable Pancho Barnes to the infamous Amelia Earhart, Sky Girls chronicles a defining and previously forgotten moment when some of the first women pilots took their rightful place in the open skies.
Thanks to a generous donation by history-making pilot and Girl Scout, Gene Nora Jessen, you can read a free copy of her book, "Sky Girls: The True Story of the First Women's Cross-Country Air Race."
Pick up a free copy of "Sky Girls" at the Girl Scouts Leadership Center in Boise. Copies will also be distributed to the Idaho Falls and Pocatello Girl Scout offices. Be sure to write down your questions and ideas because we hope to arrange a program soon with Gene Nora, who was also the founder of Boise Air Service (now Jacksons Jet Center) and a member of Mercury 13 (see Netflix for this amazing documentary). The reading level best fits Juniors and up.  
Human Rights Art and Poetry  Contest
"Human rights and the arts go together because of the expressive nature of both subjects." (The University of Alabama - Institute for Human Rights)
Encourage your Girl Scout to enter an original art piece in the Center's 20th annual Human Rights Art Contest (K-12) or an original poem to the annual Human Rights Poetry Contest (Grades 6-12). To participate, students must reflect on any or all aspects of the Spiral of Injustice and explore these concepts in an original work of art or poetry. Students might consider how one of the following quotes etched in the stone of the Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial relates to interrupting the Spiral of Injustice.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
(Margaret Mead)
"Be the change you want to see in the world." (Mahatma Gandhi)
Entries must be submitted online or onsite no later than Friday, April 24.
For more detail, visit here.
Girl Scout Gold Award Training
Gold Award Training is open to all girls, 9th grade and older, parents, and advisers, who are interested in learning more about this prestigious award. Requirements and policies will be reviewed, step by step, with plenty of time for questions.
This workshop is mandatory for all girls who wish to submit a Gold Award Proposal Application. Registration is required for training.  
Next Gold Award Training:  February 10, March 9, April 13
Not in the Boise area?  Not a problem!  We have the ability to Skype girls into the training.
 
Winter Fun Challenge!
Girl Scouts of Silver Sage challenges you and your family to get outdoors this winters!  Girls who do 50 or more activities (out of 100) will receive a free Winter Fun patch. Get your form here!
Camp Alice Pittenger Troop Camping
Troop leaders and Service Unit leaders, we have set aside some special times at Camp Alice Pittenger that are strictly saved for you to bring up your Troops.  This doesn't mean that you can't request other dates it just means these dates are saved for you.
Dates for Troop Camping
  • January 17 - 26
  • February 14 - 17
  • March 25 - 29
  • May 1 - 3 This is for CAP Service projects
  • August 3 - 9
Please call customer care at (209) 377-2011 or email customercare@girlscouts-ssc.org to reserve your spot now.