S’more ideas for a fun campfire!

S’mores are the quintessential camp food for girls and parents around the country. What could be better than roasting a fluffy marshmallow and squishing it between two crispy graham crackers and gooey melted chocolate? Not much…BUT we have a few ideas to add a fun “twist” to this classic camp food:

 

Peanut butter fun

Milk chocolate is traditional but why not mix it up by using a peanut butter cup to the center of your sandwich?

Pass the cookies!

We love the crispy taste of a graham cracker but why not mix it up? Try using chocolate chip, peanut butter or sugar cookies as a simple way to add a lot of flavor around the campfire. (Also another great way to enjoy your favorite Girl Scout Cookies!)

Something fruity

We love sweets but there is nothing wrong with adding a little healthy snack at the same time! Try adding sliced strawberries for a kick of fruit to round out this bedtime snack.

Like a salty snack?

A fun (but messy!) way to mix it up is using pretzels instead of graham crackers to hold all that marshmallowy, chocolately deliciousness!

Not into chocolate?

That’s okay, chocolate isn’t for everyone. Try using jam (peach, raspberry, strawberry, grape, etc.) on your graham crackers before topping with a roasted marshmallow.

What’s your favorite way to eat a s’more around the campfire? Share your ideas below!

5 Awesome Summer Fun Activities for Troops

Summer is usually marked by the end of regular troop meetings until the new school year. But staying in touch is an easy way to keep the fun of Girl Scouts going all year round! While your troop may choose not to meet every week, here are a few great ways to keep your girls engaged on summer vacation:

1)      Attend a Girl Scout program or event: Many girls attend summer camps during the summer, but we keep super cool one day events going on all summer too! This is a great opportunity for girls to stay active with subjects like STEM, sports and other great activities. Stay up-to-date by checking out our event calendar here.

2)      Have a troop social day: Just because regular troop meetings have ended, doesn’t mean the girls can’t coordinate a fun day together. During your last few meetings during the school year, plan on a day out to the zoo or maybe your local pool as a troop outing in June or July.

3)      Volunteer together: A simple way to give back during the summer is to decide on a community service project for girls to participate in together. Check out your local animal shelter or other organization your girls are interested in supporting and arrange for volunteer opportunities when school ends.

4)      Develop a summer reading list:  Just because school is out, doesn’t mean girls can’t take advantage of the time to do something academic and fun! Create a summer reading challenge for the girls to participate in and give a reading fun patch in the fall when school is back in session. (Check out the council shop for more fun patch ideas!)

5)      Earn some extra awards and recognitions: We all know the school year is busy and sometimes it is hard to fit in all the cool badges and awards Girl Scouts has to offer. Summer is an awesome time for girls who are interested in earning extra awards (like the Daisy Safety Pin or perhaps their My Promise, My Faith award) that they might not have gotten a chance to complete during the year. Or use the time to pick out a Journey for your girls to complete.

Those are just a couple of quick ideas to get you started on your summer Girl Scout plan. Sit with your girls and let them brainstorm ways to stay involved. But most important, have a safe and fun summer!

Girl Scouts of Citrus & J.O.S.H. – A Sweet Partnership

On Saturday, April 30^th, a group of volunteers from Just Our Soldiers’ Helpers (J.O.S.H.) and Girl Scouts of Citrus Voice girls and staff gathered with one goal in mind: packing up cookies for our troops overseas. It was an early start but everyone arrived with enthusiasm as they looked over the large pallets filled with Girl Scout cookies just waiting to be boxed up. 

J.O.S.H. is a volunteer led and operated non-profit organization operating near Orlando, FL. It began when the founder’s nephew, Josh, was deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. Kathy learned of the soldiers serving on the front lines with no access to stores to purchase snacks or basic hygiene products. Kathy was already shipping care packages to her nephew, but she knew she wanted to help his fellow soldiers as well.

The day began by packaging up over 2000 cases of Girl Scout cookies, which were donated by customers during the 2016 Cookie Program. The boxes were then carefully weighed and packed up on the truck for shipping. It was a lot of hard work, but with the help of dedicated volunteers and the girls from the Girl Scouts of Citrus VOICE group, it was an exciting day filled with a lot of fun and laughter. 

A big thanks to all the Citrus troops during the Cookie Program for supporting this amazing project!