The following councils announce their intention to align as
Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia:

Girl Scouts, Central Savannah River Council

Girl Scouts of Concharty Council

Girl Scouts of Middle Georgia

Girl Scouts of Northeast Georgia

The Girl Scout Council of Savannah, Georgia

Girl Scouts of Southwest Georgia

Realignment Messages
Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia

 The Girl Scout Mission Statement
Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place.

New Council Name
Our new council name is Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia! Councils participating in the realignment will announce the new name on the same day.

The Transformation
Realigning council boundaries prepares Girl Scouting for the future and builds new energy throughout the Girl Scout Movement. Realignment will make the most effective use of our collective resources, while enabling us to offer strong and enhanced membership and program opportunities to girls throughout “historic Georgia.”

Managing the Realignment
The national Council Realignment Committee (CRC) is composed of Girl Scout council CEOs and board members, national board members, and national staff members. Our local CRC includes the CEO, the board chair, and one board member from each of the six merging councils:

• Girl Scouts, Central Savannah River Council, Inc. (Augusta)
• Girl Scouts of Concharty Council, Inc. (Columbus)
• Girl Scouts of Middle Georgia, Inc.  (Macon)
• Girl Scouts of Northeast Georgia, Inc. (Athens)
• The Girl Scout Council of Savannah, Georgia, Inc.
• Girl Scouts of Southwest Georgia, Inc. (Albany)

There are six subcommittees in our CRC consisting of members of the CRC, board members, staff, and volunteers from each of the six councils that will become Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia.

Membership and Volunteers
Our new council will provide both girls and adults with the same high quality Girl Scout experience to which they have become accustomed, and it will be a consistent experience throughout the council. To enable the largest number of girls and volunteers to participate, we will be making two key changes. First, we are revitalizing the Girl Scout program age levels, redefining what leadership means for girls, and updating some activity options. Second, we are offering more impactful experiences and flexible time commitment options for volunteers. Our goal during the transition from six to one council is to provide all of the support and information needed to continue your important work with our Girl Scouts.

Staff
When the merger is completed, we anticipate maximization of administrative and program efficiencies. We will continue to need qualified staff to serve our girls and to support our adult volunteers. Our future growth will necessitate an ongoing strong cadre of staff and volunteers to continue providing quality Girl Scout leadership development programming for girls. Your dedication and skills are appreciated and will be vital to the success of the new council.

Donors
Our realignment is about combining our current local resources to create a premium, revitalized council. Continued support from current individual and corporate donors is essential in enabling us to continue to serve girls and adults through quality programs throughout the new council. Your important contributions will, as always, be used with the same good stewardship you have come to expect from Girl Scouts.

Community
Good citizenship, service, and involvement in our communities has been, and will always be, central to Girl Scouts. New opportunities added to current community resources will enrich girl and leadership activities. A strong communication plan and high community visibility will ensure that every girl, everywhere, knows Girl Scouting is available to her.

Girl Scout Properties
Our properties are important program assets. The new council encompasses eight camp properties that have enormous potential. The new board of directors with the new CEO will evaluate and make the decisions regarding modernizing some facilities as well as offering more events, in more locations, to give girls the opportunity to fully enjoy the outdoor environment throughout Georgia.

Girl Scout Cookie Sale Program
The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the nation’s premier Business and Economic Literacy Program. Through their participation, girls develop skills they will use their entire lives, such as ethical decision-making, learning presentation skills and team work, and money management. The Cookie Program will continue to offer the highest quality experience for girls and be managed with increased efficiency, while still offering your favorite cookies!

All proceeds from the Girl Scout Cookie Program will stay within our new council. Girls will continue to benefit directly through a portion of the proceeds retained by their troop/group, and indirectly by sharing a portion of the proceeds to support the cost of providing the Girl Scout program in our area.

Realignment Timeline
Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia will open its doors on May 1, 2008. Changes will continue to be implemented as the new council gains it footing. As new information becomes available, it will be released via our new website, www.gshg.org,  and council publications.

Questions
If the media, donors, foundations, etc. ask additional questions about the transformation process, please direct them to:
*Cheryl Legette, Girl Scouts of Northeast Georgia CEO and co-chair of the CRC, at
706-548-7297, ext. 15, or clegette@gsneg.org

*Tom Feldman, board chair of Girl Scouts of Savannah Georgia Council and co-chair of the CRC, at 912-231-6916, or tom.feldman@wachovia.com

*The CEO or board chair of your local council

© 2006, Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, Inc. All Rights Reserved
The GIRL SCOUTS name, mark and all associated trademarks and logotypes,
including the Trefoil Design, are owned by GSUSA.

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