Ontario Guider E-News
Monday, October 1st, 2007

Would you like to feature something in next month's issue of Ontario Guider E-news? If yes, please send your article to our Communications Coordinator no later than Monday, October 22nd for consideration.


Messages from Marnie!
Get Connected
Members-At-Large - Finding Your Place
Camperships - Camper Financial Assistance Program
Events Calendar On-Line

Safe Guide UPDATE

Cookies
Meet Our Cookie Guru
Your Cookie Questions Answered
Planning a Blitz? Here's how...

Program
Sparks Ablaze - Units Around Ontario to Light Up Fire Halls in November!
Outdoor Games for Autumn
2008 Thinking Day Postcard Exchange - Sign Up Now!

International – Click It … Explore It … Discover It … Do It!
Dominica Adopt-A-Unit Project
Asia-Pacific Challenge (5 Region Challenge)
Sponsored Travel Opportunities for Summer 2008
Looking for International Pen Pals?
International Specialty Community Opportunities

Learning & Development

Environment
Bag-A-Cork Adopt-A-Bin Challenge

Community Chatter

Guiders & Girls In the News!

Ontario Guider E-News Feedback Request

Messages from Marnie

Get Connected
Guiding is about getting connected - about girls connecting with new experiences, about women connecting with communities to make a difference, about women connecting with other women. This first issue of Guider E-News is a new way for Ontario Guiding to stay connected! We know that Guiders want information that is current, that answers their questions and that is in a format that is quick and easy to access. We hope this will meet your needs and that you will enjoy this first issue.
Marnie, Ontario Provincial Commissioner

Members - At - Large - Finding Your Place
As you are very much aware, Ontario Guiding has begun to operate under the community model. The Administrative Communities have been established to support the Unit Guider and her girls. The Unit Administrator - UA (employee) - and the Administrative Community Leader - ACL (volunteer) - work in partnership to ensure that the supports such as iMIS entry, screening, Guider and girl placement in Units are provided. Adult groups such as Trefoil Guilds, Link Members and Trainers are all supported by the Provincial Advisers and staff. Thus, these Guiders and Members - at - Large are not directly connected with an Administrative Community. They become members of specialty communities either through membership category (e.g. Trefoil) or through an activity that they are involved in (e.g. property specialty community, an event community of your design). Support comes provincially. The ACL and the UA are not there to support you but are hoping that you will offer your time and talents to support Guiding in your vicinity.

Members - at - Large is a category of membership that has been given to all previous commissioners and advisers who did not hold other positions. Although you are welcome to maintain this membership category, many wish to be more active in supporting our girls and Guiders directly. Your experience is much too valuable to be lost! In August, a letter was sent to all new Members - at - Large indicating many ways that you could support the Unit Guiders. Visit the Volunteer page on the Ontario Council website and look for the section on Unit Support. Perhaps you will choose to share your time and talents by providing a program to the Units in your vicinity. Or perhaps you enjoy working with adults. All of the Administrative Community Leaders are looking for support in screening new members. There have been many, many women eager to join but as always we need experienced Guiders to assist with screening and helping Guiders to connect with Units. Let's get these women working with our girls! The contact information for the ACLs and the Unit Administrators is found on the Ontario page in MemberZone on the national website or call 1-877-323-4545 to be connected.

There will continue to be new volunteer opportunities posted on the web. We have just added descriptions for positions on the Nominating/Search Community and also on the Provincial Annual 2008 planning team.

Check the web. Pick up the phone. There are lots and lots of new places to be found!

'CAMPERSHIPS' - Camper Financial Assistance Program

Ontario Council has developed guidelines to provide for camperships for girl Members participating in overnight camping experiences at Ontario Girl Guide owned/leased sites. Camping financial assistance is based on need. Provision has been made for 2 types of camping experiences as summarized below:

1. Camping Financial Assistance (not OCA summer camp) is available for registered girl Members of Ontario Guiding. Assistance will be up to a maximum of 50% of the camp fee. This will apply to a total maximum of five camping nights per Guiding year (September 1-August 31). The 5 nights can be any combination of camping experiences at an Ontario Guiding owned/leased facility.

2. Summer Camp Financial Assistance is available for registered girl Members of Ontario Guiding attending OCA summer camp at Ontario Girl Guide owned/leased facilities. The maximum amount of funding per girl will be set at 75% of the camp fee or $350.00 per week whichever is less. A girl Member will be eligible for subsidy for a maximum of 2 weeks of summer camp per Guiding year.

Camping Financial Assistance Application and full details found here.

Events Calendar Now On-Line
Looking to attend an event this fall with your girls or take a training for yourself? Check out the Events page on the Ontario Council website. More details will follow soon on how to plan and register girl events that can be offered province-wide. If you wish to plan a training session, please contact learning.coord@guidesontario.org to find out more

Safe Guide UPDATE

With units back up and running across the province, we have identified some Safe Guide processes regarding forms and activity approvals that require clarification. Please click here for the one-page update. Should you have questions about the approval process, please contact our Provincial Safe Guide Coordinator, Lori Prospero at lori.prospero@rogers.com

Cookies!

Meet Our Cookie Guru!
Let me take a moment to introduce myself as your new Provincial Cookie Adviser. I am Lynda Chapple, from Hamilton, Ontario. I have been in Guiding for the past fifteen years, where I have worked with Sparks, Brownies and Guides, and have served as a District, Division, and Area cookie adviser. I also served as District Commissioner of Norwood District. Some of you may recognize my name associated with the Escarpment Cookie Machine, which I was instrumental in creating as a fun cookie marketing tool for Escarpment Area. This cookie machine has been featured in the Canadian Guider as the 2007 Classic Cookie Contest Winner and can be viewed on the Girl Guides of Canada website.

Georgina Turnbull, the Cookie Coordinator at the Provincial Office and I have developed the cookie sections of the Procedures Manuals which will serve as a foundation for providing consistent information to all Guiders. We have had the pleasure of discussing many cookie related topics with a large number of Guiders in the Province, and are working very hard to ensure that the fall 2007 Mint Cookie is a success. We understand that as Guiding continues to work through its transition towards the Community Model of Guiding, that there have been, and will continue to be little obstacles that need to be overcome. We are both confident that with the continued support of the tremendous people that make up this wonderful organization, we will succeed in reaching our goals.

We ask that Guiders continue to work with us as we all grow into our new positions as members of Girl Guides of Canada in the Province of Ontario. We will endeavour to answer any questions you may have, and provide any assistance that you may need with your cookie sales. We are as close as the telephone, (905-388-5185 or 905-385-1116) or emai. (cookie.adviser@guidesontario.org)
Lynda Chapple, Provincial Cookie Adviser

Cookie Crumbs - Your Cookie Questions Answered
Now that the Fall 2007 Mint Cookie Campaign is under way, there are a few questions that keep repeating themselves. Many of these questions are covered in the Cookie Procedures Manual for Guiders; however we would like to cover the areas that are receiving the most inquiries here.

  • The Fall 2007 Mint cookie price is $4.00 per box.
  • The Units retain $11.00 per case for their units.
  • When Guiders pick up their cookies from the cookie receiver, they should be given a cookie invoice receipt. This receipt should indicate the number of cases of cookies you received, and the total amount owing for these cookies. Payment should be made by cheque payable to Girl Guides of Canada - Ontario Council and forwarded to the Provincial Office at 14 Birch Avenue, Toronto, Ontario. The cookie money is due to Province by November 19, 2007. If your unit is already on the centralized banking system, then payment will be electronic.
  • Units that obtain additional cookies from the Provincial Cookie Cupboards will be invoiced directly for these additional cookies. Payment should be forwarded to the provincial office in the same manner as above.
  • Units wishing additional mint cookies to sell can first contact their cookie receiver to see if there are any additional cookies available close to them. If there are no additional cookies there, then the Guiders should contact the Cookie Coordinator at cookie.coord@guidesontario.org to find the location of the cookie cupboard closest to their unit and to make arrangements.

We hope you have a very successful cookie campaign and wish you all happy selling!

 

Planning a Blitz? Here’s how…

1. See if other units in your community would like to participate in your blitz. This will help to avoid a large number of units approaching the same location, requesting to sell.

2. Complete the necessary Safe Guide Forms for your unit(s) for the blitz.

3. Contact the location you wish to use for blitz and arrange for the date and time you wish for your blitz. If the location requires insurance certificates, signed contracts, etc. please forward to Lynn Manning, User Space Coordinator, Girl Guides of Canada, Ontario Council, at 14 Birch Ave., Toronto, Ontario M4V 1C8 or email at userspace.coord@guidesontario.org

4. Notify the Event Coordinator at the Provincial Office at event.coord@guidesontario.org of your blitz event so that it can be advertised on the web to gain publicity

5. If you require additional cookies for your cookie blitz, please contact the cookie coordinator at cookie.coord@guidesontario.org to arrange for cookies from the provincial cookie cupboard.

6. Advertise your cookie blitz using word of mouth in your city or town.

7. Be creative, create amazing displays and most of all, ensure your girls are safe and have fun selling cookies.

8. Create memories by bringing a camera.

Program

Sparks Ablaze - Units Around Ontario to Light Up Fire Halls in November!
In partnership with the Ontario Fire Marshall's office, Guiding has designed a fabulous program for Sparks. Throughout the month of November 2007, Spark units across the province will be visiting their local fire halls. Unit Guiders can access three "instant meetings" based on fire safety, emergency planning and local fire hall visits. Each meeting has games, crafts, program activities and even snack suggestions. All of the meeting materials are available on-line. Visit our Sparks Ablaze website or download the complete Guider toolkit here.

If you take photographs of your Sparks Ablaze meetings, we would love to post them on our website. Send photos along with your unit name and the names of the girls/Guiders/firefighters in the photos to: program.coord@guidesontario.org

Participating units can order complimentary "Sparks Ablaze" tattoos from Ontario Guide House by e-mailing: program.coord@guidesontario.org

Outside Games for Autumn
Do you remember playing hopscotch, skipping and four square? Where are the games of our youth?  Consider planning your meetings to include an outside game this fall.  Here are three simple ideas:

Switch!

  • 5 players begin the game with the remaining players standing in a line just outside of the playing area. 
  • 4 players stand in the "corners" of the playing area. These "corners" should be identifiable; you can mark them with hats, pylons, chairs or even skipping ropes. 
  • Player #5 stands in the centre, which also needs to be marked. The person in the centre yells, "Switch!" and all players run to a new "corner". 
  • The player left in the centre is "out" and exits the circle.  She joins the end of the waiting line while the first person waiting now goes to the centre to yell, "Switch!" 

Hospital Tag

  • 2 players are "it" and use a pool noodle, feather duster or other soft "wand" to tag players (wands are used to avoid direct contact, hitting, slapping, pushing etc.).
  • Players must be tagged on either their lower legs or lower arms.
  • If a leg is tagged the player may then only hop on their remaining "good" leg.
  • If both legs are tagged the player is frozen until they are healed by another player.
  • If an arm is tagged the player may not heal anyone with that hand.
  • If both arms are tagged the player is frozen until they are healed by another player.

Rock, Paper, Scissors, Train

  • Partners face off in a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors (RPS).
  • The winner becomes the train engine with the loser lightly holding their shoulders/waist to become the caboose.
  • This mini-train faces off in a game of RPS against another mini-train.
  • The winning train takes the engine position with the losing train becoming the caboose.
  • Trains continue to play RPS until only one long train remains; the RPS Grand Engineer is at the front of the line - undefeated!

2008 Thinking Day Postcard Exchange
It's time to start creating the list for the 2008 Thinking Day Postcard Exchange! Please spread the word to all your Guiding friends to help make this project a huge success as we come together to celebrate the birthdays of both Lord Baden-Powell and Lady Baden-Powell on February 22nd. Guides all over the world celebrate this day in international friendship and world peace. In this project you will exchange postcards with other troops and units to learn more about them and what they do. In 2007, over 43 countries participated. This is a wonderful way to network with girls around the world.

To sign up or to learn more about the program, please visit www.mythinkingday.com and click on the Where are you? link and fill out the registration form.

International - Click It...Discover It...Do It!

Dominica Adopt-A-Unit Project
The goal of the GGC Dominica Twinning Project is to help expand and strengthen the Guiding movement in Dominica. By taking part in this project, members of Girl Guides of Canada will learn about the country of Dominica, its culture, customs, language as well as many other interesting facts. They will also learn about Girl Guiding in Dominica and the similarities and differences with Guiding in Canada. To access the project, click here.

Asia-Pacific Challenge Launches Soon
The Five Region Challenge is a chance to learn about the 146 countries where Guides live. Each year you will learn about one of the WAGGGS five regions and earn a diamond-shaped crest. Earn all five to form a brightly-coloured star radiating from a map of the world. In 2006 we began with the Africa Region; in 2007 we were introduced to the Western Hemisphere Region. Crests are available from the provincial Guide stores. It's not too late to start and continue through the years with all five challenges!

2008 marks the third year of this five-year challenge with Guiders and girls exploring music, drama, crafts and games from the 26 countries of the Asia Pacific Region such as Japan, Malaysia, Korea and New Zealand to name a few.

For some wonderful Asian-inspired ideas to get you started, click here.

Sponsored Travel Opportunities for Summer 2008
Amazing travel opportunities in 2008 await you! The deadline for application submission is fast approaching, but it's not too late...apply now!!! Applications for the following Sponsored Events are currently being accepted:

Provincial Sponsored Events
OAT Ecuador: June 27 - July 12, 2008
OAT Scotland-Ayrwaves 2008: July 25 - August 6, 2008

National Sponsored Events:
Footsteps of the Founders - Pax Lodge, England: July 21-August 3, 2008
Friendship Session - Our Cabana, Mexico: July 31-August 13, 2008
Discover Your Potential - Our Chalet, Switzerland: August 6-17, 2008
Discover Dominica Camp 2008 - Commonwealth of Dominica: July 25-August 10, 2008

Deadline for application submission is Friday, October 26, 2007. Applications are to be submitted to the Provincial Office:

Attention: International Coordinator
Girl Guides of Canada, Ontario Council
14 Birch Avenue
Toronto, ON M4V 1C8

The Fact Sheets can be downloaded from the Trips page on the Ontario website. Those interested in applying are encouraged to download "Applying for Provincial and National Sponsored International Events" brochure, located on the same webpage. This resource will assist applicants in completing the required application forms. A link to the National website is provided on the webpage for members to obtain the current forms as specified on the Fact Sheets. Members who do not have access to the Internet can obtain the required forms from their Unit Administrator. These trips are subsidized and the Ontario Financial Policy is posted on the webpage as well as on the Fact Sheet.

Looking for International Pen Pals?
Girl Guides of Canada, National Council receives pen pal requests from Guiding Members in other countries. Requests received and forwarded to Ontario Council are posted on the Ontario Zone section of MemberZone. If interested in becoming an International pen pal, please contact the listed member directly. These postings will be updated as requests are received and will remain on the website for 1 month.

Please remember, if Guiders choose to have girls in their unit write letters to the unit requesting pen pals, we advise them to be diligent with the sharing of the girls' personal information and/or photos. Guiders are also advised to inform the girls' parents/guardians of the risks and to seek permission before participating in a pen pal exchange. It is preferable that letters from girls are sent by their Guider (under her address) to the Guider in the other country. This will help to maximize safety for our girls.

International Specialty Community Opportunities
To apply to be part of either of these opportunities, please contact the International Coordinator at international.coordinator@guidesontario.org.

1. Adopt-A-Unit Package Coordinators:
We are looking for Guiders who are interested in helping package the Dominica Adopt-A-Unit packages to send to our Guiding sisters there. If you live near your Community office and would be able and willing to help package the items collected by the communities in that office and coordinate shipping, we need you! Your assistance would only be required at the beginning of the month that your community office is assigned to sponsor the Adopt-A-Unit program. Please see the schedule in the Dominica Twinning Project article of this E-News publication for the months you would be needed over the next two Guiding years.

2. International Education team:
We are looking for Guiders who are interested in building and maintaining relationships with outside organizations such as Red Cross, UNICEF, World Vision and Canada World Youth to develop partnerships and acquire resources. This would be an ongoing project where Guiders would also develop ways to incorporate these resources and partnerships into our Ontario Guiding communities and unit activities.

Learning & Development

The new National Training Program

  • In June 2007 the new National training program was rolled out to the Trainers in Ontario.
  • Training and Enrichment for Adult Members (also known as TEAM) is a stream-based training with stream related modules as well as Enrichment modules.
  • With the exception of the Trainer Stream, all streams are open to all adult members of Guiding. A Guider wishing to participate in the Trainer stream must contact the Provincial Learning & Development team.

Reminder to current Ontario Trainers

Trainer Transition and Re-Appointment Forms along with one (1) Training Session Evaluation form are due into the Provincial office by December 31, 2007 - if you require these forms please contact the Learning & Development Coordinator by email or phone:
Email: learning.coord@guidesontario.org
Phone: 416-926-2351 ext 2486 or 1-877-323-4545 ext 2486

E-Learning:

  • Reminder for those Guiders who do not have the time to participate in face to face trainings or prefer online training - Girl Guides of Canada does offer an E-Learning option through MemberZone including the following modules:
    • Safe Guide (Mandatory Training)
    • Orientation to Guiding (Mandatory Training)
    • Unit Guider Stream
      • About the Girl
      • Programming for the Girl
      • Quick Start
      • Putting the Pieces Together
Ontario Council funds E-Learning for our members. If you are interested in receiving a PIN number for E-Learning sessions noted above, please download the E-Learning PIN request form or contact Adult Specialty Administrative Assistant at adult.admin@guidesontario.org subject E-Learning or fax at 416-920-1440. Call 416-926-2351 or 1-877-323-4545 ext 2488.

Looking to take a face to face training??
If you are interested in taking a face to face training near you, check out the Events Calendar on the Ontario Council website. Details on what events and trainings are happening throughout all communities along with how to register for the event/training are all posted on the site.

Environment

Bag-A-Cork Adopt-A-Bin Challenge
Welcome back to an exciting year of Guiding! Jessica Fleury, our Provincial Environment Adviser invites you to consider signing your unit up to "Adopt a Bin" (cork collection location) for the Bag-A-Cork program. Sign up your unit up for an environmental initiative that will help divert tons of natural cork bottle stoppers from Ontario landfill sites. It is a simple program option that also will involve them in an environmental service project.

Since 2005 units have been sorting cork and adopting bins across the province. Over 5 tons of cork has been sent to be recycled so far! That is well over 1 million cork bottle stoppers! After supporting this program for one calendar year your unit will be eligible to apply for a grant to fund an environmental service project of their very own and earn a complimentary patch for participation.

To register please download a registration form. For complete program details visit Bag-A-Cork on the Ontario Council website or contact bagacork.coord@guidesontario.org.

 

Community Chatter

Community 9 - Are you going to Let's Get Creative Day on November 3rd in Port Dover?  Stop by and meet your ACL, Liz Dawson and your UA, Julie Rose.  Look for us near the registration table in the morning.  We have a gift from Province to give everyone and something special from Community 9.  Not registered yet?  Check out the Events page on the Ontario Council website and sign up for great trainings and fun. We will also be available during the lunch break to answer your questions, listen to your concerns or to happily put a face to the voice/name.

Community 9 is also looking for volunteers to be part of the screening team.  Volunteers are needed in Haldimand, Norfolk, Brant, Brantford and Oxford for a short term assignment. If you know someone that is currently a Member at Large that may be interested in being part of this team, please pass on the message.  To volunteer contact Liz, acl.9@guidesontario.org or Julie, unitadmin.9@guidesontario.org .

Community 36 - We're beginning to grow! It is that busy time of year as all our units start up. Registration numbers are sounding as good as or even better than last year. The Community is happy to have a Guiding Unit for the first time ever in Armstrong and, after a number of years, a Spark Unit opening in Kenora. Our first Guider Get-Together is taking place for a couple hours on September 29th in Thunder Bay following a day of Safe Guide and Orientation Training. Other get-togethers and trainings are in the planning stages. We are really excited and appreciate the Guiders that keep coming forward to offer support and those that are "looking for work."

Guiders & Girls In the News!

Girls Fly to England for Celebrations Marking 100 Years for Guiding
A Mexican Adventure for Elmira Leader

Ontario Guider E-News Feedback

We hope you enjoyed our first edition of Ontario Guider E-News! As it is our intent to produce this publication monthly, we're seeking feedback. Pease tell us what you liked, disliked or would like to see in future issues. Drop our Communications Coordinator an e-mail and share your thoughts. We look forward to hearing from you.

Would you like to feature something in next month's issue of Ontario Guider E-news? If yes, please send your article to our Communications Coordinator no later than Monday, October 22nd for consideration.