Happy Anniversary, Girl Scouts!

In 2012 Girl Scouts of the USA will mark 100 years of inspiring girls and young women with the ideals of courage, confidence and character. Millions of active Girl Scouts, volunteers and alumnae will come together to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting. Will you be one of them?

Join us on either Saturday, Feb. 11 at the PAC or Saturday, June 2 at the Ocean Service Center to follow Juliette Gordon Low’s footsteps through time (1912 to 2012) while exploring her life and how her dream, 'something for all the girls,' came alive. You will be able to hear Juliette talk about herself and her passion, the Girl Scouts. Iced tea will be served. What will be on display? Stories of Daisy, fashion show of old uniforms, photo shoot (please bring your own camera), a historical exhibit featuring the history of the Girl Scouts and the history of Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore from 1912 to 2012. Use our map to follow Juliette’s footsteps, see Girl Scout uniforms/paper dolls, display cases of old badges, pins and much more. You will also view the silent film, The Golden Eaglet, made in 1918. You will also complete the Tea Party, Traditions, and the History DVD segments of the council  100th Anniversary patch. The cost is $5 per person (maximum of 60 participants). Click the 'read more' button below for dates, times, locations and registration information. You can also register for this program online by clicking here.

Girl Scouts has been building girls of courage, confidence and character for 100 years. That's a century of history! Click the 'read more' button below to view the Girl Scouts 100 Year History Timeline. Keep checking back for new information.

How can you celebrate 100 years of Girl Scouting without a fantastic Patch to go along with it?  Well, Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore is proud of our 100th Anniversary Council Patch. 

This fun patch can be purchased and worn on the back of the Girl Scout vest or sash by any member at anytime during the 100th year. 

You will notice the 10 tabs in green along the outside of the patch.  These are participation tabs and girls can apply a dab of gold glitter glue to each tab when she participates in that activity.  Throughout the year, girls can participate in the following:

Celebrate our 100th birthday with all of your sister Girl Scouts from Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore!

Mark your calendars for March 10th, 2012 when all of our 15,000 girls will celebrate our birthday in over twenty locations across the jurisdiction. 

Here are just a few of the fun activities you can participate in at our birthday party:

What better way to learn about all of the years of our Girl Scout History than earning the 'Traditions" tab of the 100th Anniversary Council Patch.

After compiling a hundred years of Girl Scout programming, we've put together a fun and educational walk through the evolution of Girl Scouting.

When girls have completed all of the requirements, they apply a dab of gold glitter glue to the "traditions" tab of the patch.

Click the file below to download the traditions tab instructions.

The 100th Anniversary Year is such an exciting time to be a Girl Scout.  Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore has put together a collection of resources for Girl Scout leaders to share with the girls all year long.

Take a look at all of the reference materials we have made available for you...you might find something old or new to do with the girls.

Girl Scout Sunday and Girl Scout Sabbath give girls an opportunity to attend their place of worship and be recognized as a Girl Scout. If a place of worship is the group sponsor, girls may perform a service, such as greeting, ushering, or doing a flag ceremony. These days can also be a time when girls explore other faiths.

Many places of worship within our council jurisdiction offer services for Girl Scout Sunday and Girl Scout Sabbath.

When girls attend the Girl Scout Sunday Services at their place of worship, whether with their troop or withtheir family, they can update the "worship" tab of the GSJS 100th anniversary Patch by applying a dab of gold glitter glue to the "worship" tab of the patch.

We are working on compiling a list of all known participating places of worship.  If you know that your place of worship participates, please contact Kelly McGraw.

Click the file below for a list of participating places of worship.

If you are interested in talking with your place of worship about holding a Girl Scout Service during the week of March 11-17th, 2012, click the file below for a list of service instructions.

Girl Scouts are always finding ways to give service and give back to the community that supports us.  Well, our 100th year is no different.  In fact, we have come up with an additional way for girls to participate in community service.

When girls give 100 hours of service during the 100th year of Girl Scouting, girls have completed the "100 Hours" tab of the GSJS 100th Anniversary Patch.  By completing the 100 hours, they can apply a dab of gold glitter glue to the "SERVICE" tab of their patch.

We have compiled a few lists of ideas.  take a look at both to find what will work best for you!

Keep in mind, these hours can be completed by girls individually, as a troop, or as a group of girls who wish to earn the bead.

Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore is compiling a DVD about our history.  Girls are welcome to submit stories and information about our council that can be included in the DVD.

By doing an audit of Girl Scout adults that they know, they can collect stories, interview adult females in their lives that were Girl Scouts in our council, or even ask for donations of Girl Scout items used by women in their community when they were girl members.

We are looking for specific items/information to fit into our timeline from these former council names:

Girl Scouts Forever Green (GSFG), Girl Scouts’ 100th Anniversary Take Action Project, is a national effort of girls leading their families, schools, and communities in improving the environment and protecting natural resources.

GSFG invites girls to Take Action on these three month-long projects taking place in February, March, or April:

• Reduce Plastic Waste
• Earth Hour
• Rain Gardens

GSUSA Forever Green Take Action Project

for the 100th Anniversary

Across the United States and around the world, Girl Scouts is leading families, schools and communities to improve our environment and protect our natural resources. Become part of the action by:

• Reducing Plastic Waste
• Planting a Rain Garden
• Saving Energy with Earth Hour
• Taking the Girl Scouts Forever Green Pledge

Our council is sponsoring activities that will help girls, leaders and families connect to this Take Action Project. Stickers will be available at all events.

To highlight the issues connected with plastic waste the council will host its second Earth Day Art Contest at Monmouth Mall on April 22, 2012. Once again, the challenge will be to create a sculpture using recyclable materials that highlights the issue.

Also in Spring 2012, a Rain Garden Day. In addition, the council will provide Flip the Switch and Earth Hour stickers for anyone who participates in the Earth Hour, March 31, 2012, by turning off the lights from 8:30 -9:30pm

Personal/Group action projects can be submitted directly to GSUSA by visiting girlscouts.org/gsforevergreen. Take the Girl Scouts Forever Green Pledge on line and encourage your friends, family and community to do the same!

When girls participate in these activities, they can apply a dab of gold glitter glue to the "FOREVER GREEN" tab of their GSJS 100th Anniversary Patch.

As we celebrate our 100th anniversary on March 12, we are looking to connect with all Girl Scout alumnae, ages 18 and older, who wish to tell their Girl Scout stories. If you're one of these alumnae, you are invited to attend the Girl Scout Reunion 2012. This exciting event will take place Sunday, July 8, from 4:00-7:00 p.m.

Meet up with old friends, make some new friends and sahre your wonderful Girl Scout memories.

Activities will include

• Campfire
• Camp Tours
• Sharing Memories
• Sing-A-Long
• Other Fun Activities

If you are one of the 50 million women who were Girl Scouts as a girl, or if you were a volunteer or a staff member who worked at the national or local level to help Girl Scouts become leaders at home and in their communities, this event is for you because you are forever connected to a rich and vibrant movement.

It's not just Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore celebrating Girl Scouts' 100th anniversary. This is a national and international event. And many events across the country are open for your participation. The following list contains only a handful of the largest activities. Shaded events are sponsored by the Girl Scout Councils of New Jersey