Working Together To Make Our GSWISE Community Healthy
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Working Together To Make Our GSWISE Community Healthy

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Last updated on May 28, 2020

Dear Girl Scout Families and Volunteers,

At Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast (GSWISE), there is nothing we take more seriously than the safety and well-being of our girls, volunteers, and council staff. GSWISE will continue to take all possible and appropriate measures to ensure girls have a safe, fun, one-of-a-kind experience at Girl Scouts – including opportunities like our new Girl Scouts at Home virtual leadership experience!

While there are still many details to finalize, we thank our members and supporters for your continued patience while our council has worked to take important steps necessary to minimize exposure to COVID-19 and its spread while doing our best to continue to provide a quality Girl Scout experience.

 

We strongly encourage our Girl Scout community to follow all official Girl Scout, local, county, state, and federal guidance, including the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for safe and healthy practices. For the most up to date information and guidance relevant to GSWISE during this rapidly evolving public health crisis, please visit us here at gswise.org or contact our Customer Care Team at 800-565-4475 or customercare@gswise.org to learn more. 

For the most up to date information and guidance during this rapidly evolving community health crisis, please see the recent developments listed below. All updates are subject to change.

 

GSWISE Business Operations

Last updated on May 22, 2020

GSWISE is taking the following steps to minimize exposure to COVID-19 and its spread while doing our best to continue to provide a quality Girl Scout experience. 

  • All school recruitment and program activities are suspended. This includes activities like cookie booths, troop camping, in-person troop meetings, travel, in-person trainings and service unit meetings, activities, and events.
  • All meetings with external visitors at our Service Centers and Program Centers are suspended. 
  • Our staff will begin to work remotely and will be available to support you by phone, email or virtual means from Monday, March 23 until at least Monday, June 15.
  • We are suspending all Girl Scout facility rentals through June 30.  
  • GSWISE Retail Shops remain closed to external visitors (beginning Monday, March 16) and Customers will be able to continue placing orders by phone (800-565-4475) or email (customercare@gswise.org). We are now available for curbside pick-up on Wednesdays (1:00-4:00 pm) and Friday's (9:00 am - noon) at our Milwaukee location, 131 S. 69th St. 
  • If you or your girl(s) are registered for a council-sponsored program, refunds will be processed by the council. If you registered for a service unit-sponsored program, you must contact the service unit leader. If you have further questions, please contact our Customer Care team at 800-565-4475.
  • This does not mean that Girl Scouting stops. We encourage you to use webinars, teleconferences and other technologies to engage girls and adults. GSWISE will create “surprise and delight” moments to keep our Girl Scouts engaged by designing program activities that can be completed at home or online.

We continue to encourage all girls and volunteers to exercise discretion and follow all Girl Scout, federal, state, county and local municipality, and CDC safety protocols.

GSWISE Family Updates
Camp Information

Last updated on May 22, 2020

It is with an abundance of caution given the current and expected impact of COVID-19 on our community, that we inform you of the difficult but necessary decision made by GSWISE to cancel all GSWISE overnight and day camps for the summer of 2020, effective April 24. We recognize that this decision may be disappointing. The importance of outdoor experiences as a part of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE) cannot be overstated. However, our top priorities remain the safety and well-being of our girls, volunteers, and staff. 

Camp is something our GSWISE staff proudly prepares for and truly looks forward to all year long. We are currently exploring additional options for outdoor programming that can be done at home during this time of social distancing; as well as potential in-person opportunities (in adherence with all government agencies) after the immediate health and safety concern has passed. 

We want every girl to have the opportunity to experience outdoor adventure and develop a lifelong appreciation for nature and the world around her, whether that be at camp, with her troop, or with family. We thank you for your continued patience while our council has worked to take important steps necessary to minimize exposure to COVID-19 and its spread while doing our best to continue to provide a quality Girl Scout Leadership Experience–and we look forward to sharing another summer of exploring nature, diving into new skills, and building friendships with our camp family in 2021.

For further information, please view our Camp Cancelation 2020 FAQ.

Girl Scout Cookie Program

Last Updated May 22, 2020

At Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast (GSWISE), there is nothing we take more seriously than the safety and well-being of our girls, volunteers, and council staff. 

GSWISE remains committed to taking all possible and appropriate measures to ensure girls have a safe, fun, one-of-a-kind experience at Girl Scouts – and this includes our beloved Girl Scout Cookie Program! Effective March 18, GSWISE has extended indefinitely its suspension of ALL Girl Scout in-person activities including Girl Scout cookie booths.   

We want to thank our members and customers for your continued patience while our council has worked to take important steps to minimize exposure to COVID-19 and its spread while doing our best to continue to provide a quality Girl Scout experience. GSWISE continues our commitment to ensuring that no troop will be in financial difficulty due to this public health emergency and the subsequent inability to hold Girl Scout cookie booths.

While troops with unsold cookies are still prohibited from direct-contact delivery of cookies during this public health emergency, they can be credited by the council for any overstock cases they commit to donating to Girl Scout Cookie Share opportunities. At this time, cookie shares can be pledged to any organization in the community that might be lifted by a Girl Scout cookie donation. Examples might include first responders, hospital staff, food pantries, shelters, and more.

The GSWISE Cookie Program will conclude on June 10. For additional information on how we are working together to help our girls have a safe and successful Girl Scout Cookie Program experience during this uncertain, unprecedented, and rapidly evolving time – we ask that you reach out to your troop Cookie Captain and/or Co-Leader to learn more.  If you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Care Team at 800-565-4475 or customercare@gswise.org. 

We continue to encourage all girls and volunteers to exercise discretion and follow all Girl Scout, federal, state, county and local municipalities, and CDC safety guidelines.

Helpful Links

We will continue to closely monitor official local, county, state, and federal guidance, and will be prepared to disseminate new, relevant information to our members and their families as it becomes available.

Please remember that the best protection is self-protection and self-monitoring, especially in this flu season. The CDC has also put together this helpful handout on what you can do to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

For additional information, including resources for how you can talk to your girl about COVID-19, please visit the links below:

Girl Scouts at Home

When girls take the lead, great things happen! Even though your girl’s daily routine may have changed, there are many ways she can still participate in Girl Scout activities and earn awards, even at home! We're offering resources and ideas for Girl Scouts of all levels to help you get started. Check out "Girl Scouts at Home" weekly for Girl Scout programming, curriculum, and other surprise and delight activities.

Questions

 You can call us at 800-565-4475 or email CustomerCare@gswise.org. Customer Care regular hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

 

 

Keep her engaged and inspired. Renew When You're Ready.
Keep her engaged and inspired. Renew When You're Ready.
Hiking Today. Trailblazing Tomorrow. Become a Girl Scout. Join Now
Hiking Today. Trailblazing Tomorrow. Become a Girl Scout. Join Now
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