Tag: Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge

Now is the time to join Girl Scouts in the Southern Appalachians region

Posted by admin – August 6, 2012

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – If you’ve ever thought of volunteering for or enrolling your daughter in the Girl Scouts organization, now is the perfect time to participate! Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians (GSCSA) is putting out a call to the community for both adult volunteers and girls to sign up.

Numerous recruitment events are planned for the Southern Appalachians region to introduce the community to Girl Scouts and recruit potential Girl Scouts, troop leaders, troop assistants and short term volunteers with special skills. Below is information about each event.

Girl Scout Recruitment Event
Friday, August 10, 7 p.m. 
Johnson City Cardinals Ballpark, 111 Legion Street, Johnson City, TN 37601
*Crafts and balloons will be available for participants.

Girl Scout Recruitment Event
Saturday, August 11, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Karing Fair at Winged Deer Park, 4137 Bristol Hwy, Johnson City, TN 37601
*The council will have a booth at the Karing Fair and will have crafts and balloons.

Girl Scout Recruitment Event
Saturday, August 11, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Getaway, 1 Heartwood Circle, Abingdon, VA 24210 (Just off Exit 14 on I-81)
*There will be two artist exhibits to enjoy during the recruitment event.

Girl Scout Recruitment Event
Saturday, August 11, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Knoxville Zoo, 3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive, Knoxville, TN 37914
*Girls and adults who register for Girl Scouts during the event time will be admitted free into the zoo with another paying adult.

Girl Scout Recruitment Event
Saturday, August 11, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge, 461 W. Outer Dr., Oak Ridge, TN 37830
*Girls (ages K-12) and adults who register for Girl Scouts during the event time will receive a free self-guided tour through the museum. Participants may also enjoy crafts and a bounce house.

Girl Scout Recruitment Event
Saturday, August 11, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Alcoa City Center, 245 Watt St. Alcoa, TN 37701
*Booths will also be set up by Titanic Museum Attraction, Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center, Tennessee Smokies and Wonderworks. Participants may also enjoy face painting and crafts.

Girl Scout Recruitment Event
Saturday, August 18, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
West Town Mall, 7600 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919 at the amphitheater near JCPenney.

Girl Scout Recruitment Event
Saturday, August 11, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Renaissance Park, Corner of Manufacturer’s Rd. and Cherokee Blvd., Chattanooga, TN 37405
*New York Life will provide free child identification cards. The following community partners will also attend and provide information or an activity: The Crash Pad, Hamilton County Water Quality Program, Wild Trails, Chattanooga Arboretum and Nature Center, North Shore Yoga, Children’s Hospital at Erlanger, University of Tennessee Chattanooga Athletic Department, Chattanooga River Boats’ Southern Belle, and more.

Girl Scout Recruitment Event
Saturday, August 11, 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Deer Park, Harel Ave. NW, Cleveland, TN 37311
*Participants may enjoy crafts, a bounce house and make a bookmark for the Cleveland Bradley County Public Library. Museum Center at 5ive Points will also set up an educational booth.

Girl Scout Recruitment Event
Saturday, August 11, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Joe Stock Memorial Park, 208-B N. Main St., LaFayette, GA 30728
*Participants may enjoy a performance by First Step Dance Studio, a beekeeping demonstration by Pigeon Mountain Trading Company, a demonstration by Raccoon Mountain Caverns, plus crafts, a bounce house, archery, games and education from local fire and police departments.
*Help local Girl Scouts help Austin Whitten’s family. Funds raised for this cause during the event will be used to help renovate a bathroom to make it wheelchair-accessible for Austin.

“There’s never been a more perfect time to join the Girl Scouts movement. We’re looking for both girls and adults to register,” said Booth Kammann, CEO of Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians (GSCSA). “Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, former Girl Scout or community member – we want you to volunteer! And there are many ways for girls to join the movement as well.”

The recruitment events are designed for potential Girl Scouts and volunteers to learn more about the organization, its mission, the time commitment and what it means to join Girl Scouts. Registration will be available for all interested parties. Staff members and current volunteers will be available to answer questions.

There are many different ways to join the organization as a Girl Scout. While joining a troop is still a very popular option for participation, girls may also follow a “Series Pathway,” a troop-style experience in which they participate once or twice a year in a series of programs with a particular theme. Another option is the “Outdoors Pathway” for the girl who loves everything outside and wishes to participate in camps, programs and adventures with an outdoor focus. Or, the “Events Pathway,” gives a girl local and council-wide opportunities for education and fun by attending one-time events all year long.

There are also countless ways to volunteer for Girl Scouts as an adult. Whether someone has a little or a lot of time to give, every attempt is made to place volunteers that meet both their needs and interests. Volunteer time commitments range from one or two events a year to a year-long commitment. Complete training is provided to all new volunteers and a local support group is available to assist.

Participating in the Girl Scout program has long-term benefits for girls. According to a new Girl Scout Research Institute report, Girl Scouting Works: The Alumnae Impact Study, women who were Girl Scouts as children display significantly more positive life outcomes than non-Girl Scout alumnae.

Of Girl Scout alumnae, 63% consider themselves competent and capable, compared to 55% of non-alumnae. Of Girl Scout alumnae, 77% vote regularly, compared to 63% of non-alumnae. Additionally, 38% of Girl Scout alumnae have attained college degrees, compared to 28% of non-alumnae. Girl Scout alumnae also a report a significantly higher household income ($51,700) than non-alumnae ($42,200).

To learn more about the GSCSA’s recruitment efforts or the organization in general, visit www.GirlScoutcsa.org or call 1-800-474-1912.

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About The Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians
The Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians has more than 20,000 girl and adult members stretching from North Georgia to Southwest Virginia. Service centers are located in Chattanooga, Knoxville and Johnson City. Its mission is to build girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place. The council offers financial assistance to ensure that every girl who wants to be a Girl Scout has the opportunity to join this vibrant organization.

Media Contact:
Sarah Malak Pope, Ackermann PR
(865) 584-0550
spope@ackermannpr.com

Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge, Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians team up to celebrate “100 Years of Girl Scouts”

Posted by admin – March 19, 2012

Current Girl Scouts in vintage uniforms

(Oak Ridge, Tenn.) – On Saturday, March 24, the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge (CMOR) and the Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians (GSCSA) will partner to host “Celebrate 100 Years of Girl Scouts” in recognition of the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting in America. The celebration will be held from 10:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge.

The March 24 event will include stage presentations, Girl Scout activities throughout the museum, lunch and viewing of the new Girl Scout exhibit. Kathryn D. Sullivan, renowned astronaut, former Girl Scout and current assistant secretary of commerce for environmental observation and prediction, and deputy administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), will be the guest speaker.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge to celebrate 100 years of Girl Scouts,” said Booth Kammann, the CEO of GSCSA. “We hope this event will strengthen our current Girl Scouts’ passions and educate them about Girl Scouting throughout history. And we hope our alumnae in attendance will reminisce about their meaningful, incomparable experiences as Girl Scouts.”

“The Children’s Museum is very happy to partner with the Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians for the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouting. Girl Scouting has long been an integral part of Children’s Museum, beginning with Senior Troop 69, which first started the museum,” said Mary Ann Damos, executive director of the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge. “I am also proud to include the unveiling of a Girl Scout exhibit during the celebration, which will be very special and close to the hearts of Girl Scouts of every age.”

The Girl Scout organization has a very special and unique history in Oak Ridge, the “Secret City.” The very first Oak Ridge Girl Scout troop was formed by Elsie Novy (Atkins) during WWII after she received permission from the United States Army. Decades later, Oak Ridger Joyce Maienschein’s Girl Scout Troop 69 founded the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge. The aforementioned exhibit of Maienschein’s Girl Scout collection will also include memorabilia from Elsie Novy (Atkins).

The schedule for the event is as follows:

  • 10:15 a.m.:
    Formal stage program in the CMOR gym area
  • 12-2:30 p.m.:
    Lunch available by pre-registration, or brown bag
  • Noon–3:45 p.m.:
    Girl Scout hands-on activities throughout the museum
  • 3:45 p.m.:
    Closing ceremony

Registration is full for the event, but the media is invited to attend. If you are interested in setting up interviews and/or attending the event, please contact Sarah Pope at spope@ackermannpr.com or (865) 584-0550.

Visit www.GirlScoutcsa.org to learn more about this event and the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouting.

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About Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians
The Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians serves nearly 20,000 girl and adult members stretching from North Georgia to Southwest Virginia. Service centers are located in Chattanooga, Knoxville and Johnson City. The organization’s mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. The council offers financial assistance to ensure that every girl who wants to be a Girl Scout has the opportunity to join this vibrant organization.

About the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge
Founded in 1973, the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge is a multi-faceted hands-on cultural center for children and adults, serving families and school systems in the city of Oak Ridge, the counties of Anderson, Roane, Morgan, Scott, Union, and the East Tennessee region. It is housed in a 54,000-square-foot renovated 1940s school building built during the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge and contains 20,000 artifacts in its collection. Young people of all ages and their families are introduced to history, the arts, environmental science and cultural studies through in-depth hands-on classes, interactive exhibitions, and the performing arts through music, storytelling and dance presented as special events throughout the year and at annual festivals.

Girl Scouts celebrate 100 years in 2012

Posted by admin – January 31, 2012

Juliette Gordon Low, Founder of Girl Scouts

Knoxville, Tenn. - On March 12, 1912, Juliette Gordon Low of Savannah, Ga. made a historic telephone call to a distant cousin saying, “I’ve got something for the girls of Savannah, and all of America, and all the world, and we’re going to start it tonight!”

That phone call was a precursor to the meeting that Low (affectionately called “Daisy” by family and friends) held that evening when 18 girls gathered to register the first troop of American Girl Guides. The name of the organization was changed to Girl Scouts the following year.

Girl Scouts of the USA now has a membership of more than 3.2 million girls and adults and more than 50 million women in the United States today are Girl Scout alumnae.

Today, Girl Scouts of the USA declared 2012 the “Year of the Girl” and launched the ToGetHerThere campaign. Girl Scouts is issuing an urgent call for all members of society to place girl leadership front and center on the national agenda. The ultimate ToGetHerThere goal is to break down barriers to female leadership. The details are posted here.

In addition to focusing on the ToGetHerThere goal, Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians (GSCSA) will produce several large events for the 100th Anniversary for Girl Scouts, volunteers and alumnae within its jurisdiction. A list of scheduled events along with descriptions is listed below.

Event: Cookies and Cocktails
Location: The Emporium Center (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Date/Time: Friday, March 16, 2012, 6-8 p.m.
Sample savory appetizers and the sweetest desserts – all inspired by Girl Scout Cookies. Chefs from area restaurants are asked to put a new spin on an old favorite. Sweet or savory, chefs may use any of the eight varieties of Girl Scout cookies to create and serve up their signature item of choice. Live music, cocktails and “celebrity judges.” Adults ages 21 and up only.

Event: Celebrate 100 Years of Girl Scouts
Location: Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge (Oak Ridge, Tenn.)
Date/Time: Saturday, March 24, 2012, 10:15 a.m. – 4 p.m.
A day to celebrate Girl Scouting throughout history. Features stage presentations featuring a special guest, lots of fun activities in rooms throughout the museum, lunch and viewing of the new Girl Scout exhibit.

Event: 100th Anniversary Knoxville Sing-Along
Location: World’s Fair Park (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Date/Time: Saturday, April 28, 2012, 12-4 p.m.
Girl Scout songstress, Melinda Caroll, will headline this event featuring thousands of Girl Scouts singing along to their favorite songs, plus performances, games, crafts and food. Caroll has been the inspirational creative force behind music for Girl Scouts since 1989 and has performed live before hundreds of thousands of Girl Scouts. Currently sponsored in part by B97.5.

Event: 100th Anniversary Chattanooga Bridgefest
Location: AT&T Field – Lookouts Stadium, Walnut Street Bridge, Coolidge Park (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
Date/Time: Saturday, June 2, 2012, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
A progressive event with Opening Ceremonies in AT&T Field – Lookouts Stadium at 9 a.m., follow by thousands of Girl Scouts crossing the Walnut Street Bridge to symbolically “bridge” to the second century of the Girl Scouting at 10 a.m. Ends with a party in Coolidge Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Lookouts will then host the Girl Scouts at their evening game and hold a camp out on the baseball field. Currently sponsored in part by Sunny 92.3.

Event: 100th Anniversary Rock the Mall Sing-Along Trip to Washington, D.C.
Location: Knoxville, Chattanooga, Johnson City
Date/Time: Thursday, June 7, 2012 – Sunday, June 10, 2012, 8 a.m. on June 7 (may vary)
More than 250 members of GSCSA and their families will travel to Washington, DC for the June 9 100th Anniversary Rock the Mall Sing-Along on the National Mall and spend a few days touring our nation’s capital. Busses are scheduled to leave from the Knoxville, Chattanooga and Johnson City Girl Scout Service Centers at 8 a.m. on June 7 and return late on June 10. This will be a great visual as the Girl Scouts will be extremely excited about attending this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Event: 100th Anniversary Bristol Motor Speedway Overnight
Location: Bristol Motor Speedway (Bristol, Tenn.)
Date/Time: Saturday, Sept. 29 – Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012 (time TBD)
Set to take place at both Earhart Campground and Bristol Motor Speedway. Event attendees will enjoy activities such as “Bling my Campsite,” in which Girl Scouts will compete to decorate their campsite in the most unique, creative and spectacular ways. Activities inside Bristol Motor Speedway include ride-alongs on the track, tours of the spacious suites, relay races, dinner on the “infield,” movies, popcorn and s’mores!

Event: Tennessee Statewide Camporee
Location: Camp Sycamore Hills (Ashland City, Tenn.)
Date/Time: Friday – Sunday, Oct. 12-14, 2012 (time varies by age level)
GSCSA, in conjunction with Girl Scouts Heart of the South and the Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee, will host the Tennessee Statewide Camporee at Camp Sycamore Hills in Ashland City, Tennessee. Girls and adults will spend the weekend enjoying Girl Scout activities, making new friends, and discovering new adventures. Activities include archery, canoeing, horse riding, rappelling, leather works, hiking, wagon rides, tie-dying jewelry making and much more.

Details for these events will continue to be confirmed in the coming months.

Visit www.GirlScoutcsa.org to learn more about each event and for more information on the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouting.

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About Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians
The Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians serves nearly 20,000 girl and adult members stretching from North Georgia to Southwest Virginia. Service centers are located in Chattanooga, Knoxville and Johnson City. The organization’s mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. The council offers financial assistance to ensure that every girl who wants to be a Girl Scout has the opportunity to join this vibrant organization.

Media Contact:
Sarah Pope, Ackermann PR
Phone: (865) 584-0550
Email: spope@ackermannpr.com