Dabi grinds the rail

Dabi can’t help but learn something new, and snowboarding was at the top of Dabi’s list of things to try. After dressing for the weather, she joined Girl Scouts from Montana City and Missoula to hit the slopes of Snowbowl Ski Area outside of Missoula in early January..

Dabi was happy to discover that the ski shop had a equipment in her size. She was fitted with a snowboard and helmet, and headed outside with the rest of the girls for her very first snowboarding lesson!

Dabi is a quick learner! She rapidly moved onto steeper slopes, the terrain park, and entertained the girls with her flurry of tricks. Needless to say, she didn’t quite land them all. All in all, they had an awesome day and plan to try “kite snowboarding” next!

In total, 25 Girl Scouts traveled to attend this beginner snowboarding lesson at Montana Snowbowl. Girl Scouts took to the slopes, many for the first time ever, and challenged themselves with this fun and difficult sport.

Special thanks to sponsor Ursula Johnson, who awarded four snowboards outfitted with bindings and boots to four lucky girls!  Congratulations to Claire L, Coryn R, Kylee M, and Abbie S for being selected as the snowboard recipients! We hope that this experience will encourage girls to continue to challenge themselves and pursue active winter sports.

Has your Dabi duck gone somewhere fun? Send photos to Dabi@gsmw.org to be featured on the blog!

Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming invite Troop Leaders and Service Unit Team Members to a 2012 Cookie Training Webinar.

The Cookie Training webinars will discuss the new 2012 theme, introduce the new cookie, Savannah Smiles, explain Cookie Club Usage and the Cookie Locator, Incentives and a brief overview of the program.

e-Budde for beginners will help new leaders sign on to our on-line ordering system and explain the different tabs and the functionality of the program.

e-Budde Refresher will explain the new updates for 2012 and briefly review the individual tabs.

Webinar Dates

Cookie Training Webinar Schedule is as follows:

• February 1st – e-Budde for Beginners
  
• February 7th – Cookie Training
• February 9th – e-Budde Refresher
• February 21st – e-Budde Refresher
• February 23rd – e-Budde for Beginners

All Webinar training times will be at 6:30 pm

To access the webinar, click this link, and enter the passcode 954432752.

Or, for audio over the phone, dial 1-800-582-3014, and enter the passcode 954432752

Ready to work in the field!

Cadettes in Troop 3537 of Dillon are suggesting a new category for the Duckcathlon: “Best dressed duck”. The troop held a “dress your duck party” at their last meeting and voted to proclaim Dec. 29th as official “Dabi Duck Day in Dillon.”

Besides clothing, the girls will be making fabric origami “duck boxes,” so each Dabi have homes of her own!

Have you done something exciting with your Dabi duck? Send photos to Dabi@gsmw.org to be featured on the blog!

Girl Scout troop 3020 in Great Falls hangs with their Dabi Ducks!

Dabi Ducks practice their flying!

Thirteen Dabi Ducks attended a meeting of Troop 3020 in Great Falls.

After hanging with the girls as they discussed plans for World Thinking Day, played games and sang songs, the ducks decided to get in on the action by showing off their flying skills.

Have you done something with your Dabi duck? Send photos to Dabi@gsmw.org to be featured on the blog!

Dabi & Friends

Dabi spent time in Gillette with the Francis family for the holidays. Shortly after arriving in Gillette, Dabi made friends with the other local ducks and had fun hiding in the Christmas Tree and ringing in the New Year with the Francis family!

Where has your Dabi duck traveled? Send photos to Dabi@gsmw.org to be featured on the blog!

Girls Scouts of Montana and Wyoming invite all Troop Leaders and Service Unit Team Members to the 2012 Cookie Trainings. These informative meetings held throughout the council will include new e-Budde updates, a look at the incentives, and of course, cookie sampling!

Cookie Training Dates

Girl Scout Cookie Training dates in Wyoming are as follows:

• January 10 in Cheyenne at the Laramie County Community College
• January 11 in Casper at the Hilton Garden Inn
• January 12 in Gillette at the Best Western Tower Lodge

All Wyoming cookie training times will be at 6:00 pm.

The Montana dates are as follows:

• January 17 in Billings at the Mansfield Center (St. Vincent’s Hospital)
• January 18 in Bozeman at Johnny Carino’s
• January 19 in Missoula at Johnny Carino’s
• January 20 in Helena at Perkins
• January 21 in Great Falls at On the Border

All Montana training times will be at 6:00 pm except for the Great Falls training which will be held at 1:00 pm.

At each training a light meal will be served. To participate, an RSVP must be received at headquarters by Wednesday, January 4 for the Wyoming sessions or Wednesday, January 11 for the Montana sessions.

Each attendee must submit a the following information to the council (currently registered leaders, service unit managers and service unit product managers will also receive an RSVP card in the mail at the end of the month):

• Name:
• Training location:
• Address:
• City:
• State:
• Zip:
• Service Unit:
• Troop Number:
• Service Unit Team Position:

This information can be mailed on the RSVP card to 2303 Grand Ave., Billings, MT 59102, faxed to 406-252-4063 or emailed to info@gsmw.org.

Girl Scouts celebrated 100 years of Girl Scouting at the Kleffner Ranch in Helena.

Though the weather outside was frightful, Girl Scouts gathered at the Kleffner Ranch in Helena to celebrate 100 years of Girl Scouting, and kicked off GSMW’s 100th anniversary events. This first “Journey Through Girl Scouting” event took place November 19 and featured activities girls took part in nearly a century ago. From archery to branding to leather tooling to candle making, girls experienced first-hand the activities many Girl Scouts did nearly 100 years ago!

Celebrations continue through 2012 in Casper (Jan 28 – 29, focused on the years 1932 – 1951), Billings (March 30 – 31, featuring a 100 year birthday bash), Cody (April 21- 22, focused on the years 1952 – 1971), Missoula (July 13 – 15, focused on the years 1972 – 1991), and end in Cheyenne for a closing sing-along at the Wyoming State Capitol (dates TBA, focused on the years 1992 – 2012).

Visit gsmw.org/100th-anniversary/events for details as they are announced for each event.

Check out photos from the sing-along earlier that day at the Montana State Capitol.

Girl Scouts from across Montana and Wyoming come together at the Montana State Captiol to kick off Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming's 100th Annviersary celebrations.

For nearly a century, Girl Scouts have sung to celebrate life, bridge cultural boundaries, and affirm our guiding principles.

We have sung to tell stories, to unite us as a community, to teach, and to bring every one of us joy through the power of pure silliness.

On Friday, November 19, Girl Scouts from across Montana and Wyoming gathered at the Montana State Capitol in Helena to kick off the council’s 100 year celebrations! Songs filled the capitol and honored Girl Scout founder Juliette Gordon Low and the work she began for us all.

Download a PDF of the collectable songbook that was provided.

Celebrations continue through 2012 in Casper (Jan 28 – 29), Billings (March 30 – 31), Cody (April 21- 22), Missoula (July 13 – 15), and end in Cheyenne for a closing sing-along at the Wyoming State Capitol (dates TBA).

Check out photos from the Journey Through Girl Scouting: 1912 – 1931, which took place later that day at the Kleffner Ranch just outside of Helena.

Dabi Duck visited the Montana State Capitol to kick of 100 years of Girl Scouting!

Dabi Duck made her first appearance in Helena on November 19, and was greeted with plenty of snow! That didn’t stop her travels, nor did it keep several hundred Girl Scouts from attending kickoff celebrations in honor of Girl Scouts 100th Anniversary, which begins in 2012, at the Montana State Capitol.

In the rotunda of the Montana State Capitol, Girl Scouts from Montana and Wyoming, their friends and family, and Girl Scout alumnae came together to sing loud and sing proud. Through the power of song, Girl Scouts honored founder Juliette Gordon Low and the work she began for girls.

The sing-along officially marked Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming’s celebrations moving into 2012–the Year of the Girl.

The weather will look much different for the final Journey Through Girl Scouting, taking place at the Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne at the close of summer. Girl Scouts, Girl Scout alumnae, supporters, and their families are all invited to attend the sing-along on the Wyoming State Capitol.

Watch gsmw.org/100 for details to be announced.

Have you traveled with your Dabi duck? Send photos to Dabi@gsmw.org to be featured on the blog!

This commemorative 100th anniversary duckie makes the perfect traveling companion, as well as the perfect companion to join girls in the Great Girl Scout Duckcathlon!

The contest is ends on September 31, 2012.

Girls can participate as individuals or with their troop! Prizes are awarded for the top achiever in each category (troop and individual), and a grand prize will be awarded to the top achiever overall (awarded to the highest achiever in the most number of categories for both troop and individual).

In the case of a tie, the most creative photograph as determined by a panel of judges will be awarded as the top achiever.

How to participate

Are you traveling to a new place? Visiting a foreign country? Gathering with other Girl Scouts? Take a photo with Dabi – either as a troop or individual, and submit the photo to GSMW to share on Dabi’s blog.

Each submission must be accompanied with a brief paragraph explaining the event and how it applies to the following category:

• #1. Duckie(s) that travel the furthest from home
• #2. Duckie(s) that travel to the most states
• #3. Duckie(s) that visit the most continents
• #4. Duckie(s) that swam in the largest body of water
• #5. Duckie(s) in the deepest snow
• #6. Duckie(s) in the hottest climate
• #7. Duckie(s) at the highest elevation
• #8. Duckie(s) in the biggest city
• #9. Duckie(s) in the smallest town
• #10. Most duckies together in one spot
• Bonus! Make up your own categories and submit it to share with others! What marvelous adventures will you have?

Email photo(s) and description to dabi@gsmw.org.

How do I get my own Dabi Duck?

Girls can get their FREE Dabi Duck when they attend any of the council-sponsored Journey Through Girl Scouting events. Duckies are also available for purchase through any GSMW store for $2 (available for purchase in mid-December).