The results of the council's latest delegate Open Space workshop are available for you to review. You are encouraged to read about the issues delegates thought were important to the council as well as the responses from council staff. The link also includes the results of previous open space sessions, allowing you to track the council's progress on various issues.

The Open Space approach helps groups create inspired meetings and events. The idea is simple. People often have great conversations during coffee breaks, but those discussions rarely take place with the same intensity during the meeting itself. Through the Open Space process, participants create and manage their own agenda of parallel working sessions around central themes of strategic importance. The end result is always improved communication, creative solutions, enhanced collaboration, and increased productivity.

Click here to go to the page with the latest open space information, as well as reports from previous sessions.

Can you think of someone who volunteers with Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore that deserves recognition? Now is the time to nominate a volunteer for a council award! Every nomination is reviewed by a recognition committee and considered for select awards. It is not necessary to know what previous recognitions an adult volunteer has received, just that you think they should be recognized. All nominations must come from you, the volunteers who receive support and guidance from the many council and regional volunteers.

Click here for the online nomination form and here to download the forms to honor your leader or another volunteer. If you have any questions concerning adult recognitions, or the various awards, contact Kelly McGraw, director of volunteer development, (732) 938-5454, ext. 131.

All nominations must be received by Wednesday, Feb. 1 to either service center (Monmouth Service Center/Ocean Service Center). This year's Council Awards will be held on Tuesday, April 24 at 6:30 pm at the Program Activity Center (127 Yellow Brook Road, Farmingdale).

If you were listening to Thunder 106 last week, you may have heard Jackie, Kathleen and Amanda, along with troop leader, Donna Tornich (pictured below left to right) on Thunder 106 live, on-air talking about the cookie sale with DJ Chris VanZant! Click the file below to listen to what the girls had to say. They also had a brief on-air appearance on B98.5. Great job, girls!

It sure is cold outside, but here’s something to warm you up – the annual Girl Scout cookie sale starts this Friday, January 20! Over the next three months, thousands of Girl Scouts across Monmouth and Ocean counties will sell these time-honored tasty treats throughout our community. In addition to the traditional favorites like Samoas and Thin Mints, a new cookie has been introduced this year in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting – the Savannah Smiles, a cool, crisp lemon wedge cookie.

We all know that Girl Scout cookies are delicious, but there’s so much more that a cookie can do. A Girl Scout cookie can help a family in need, comfort a soldier far from home or provide the financial means for a girl to reach her dreams. When you purchase a box of Girl Scout cookies, you’re not only helping the community, but also teaching that Girl Scout the skills she’ll need to be successful in the future.

If you have a policy influencing issue that you would like addressed at the Annual Delegate Meeting, you may submit a Proposal Application to Judy Hart and JoAnn McCann, (Board Liaisons, Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore, Inc., 242 Adelphia Rd, Farmingdale, NJ. 07727)by February 29, 2012. The purpose of submitting a proposal is to raise an issue that can be debated by all of the council’s constituencies thus providing input to the council’s Board of Directors and indirectly to staff. Our Board Liaisons and the CEO determine if the submitted proposals are policy influencing or operational. Instructions for submitting a proposal are outlined on the Proposal Application Form (click the file below to download a copy).