By: Delegate & Lime Green Giraffe Social Media Director, Avery B.

           

Behind the scenes of all the awesome summer camps and fun badge expos the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta hosts every year, there are a number of legislative decisions made in regards to how our council is run, how money is distributed, and what the future of our council should look like. Some of these decisions are made with the help of Girl Scouts and adult volunteers at the Annual Meeting. Delegates from every Service Unit attend the meeting, where they vote on various items and hear reports on the state of our council. The 2017 meeting was on Thursday, May 4, and it was a very busy night indeed!

            The main focus of the evening was on the items on the voting agenda, introduced by GSGATL’s Board Chair, Moanica Caston. This year, the delegates approved nominations for both the Board of Directors and Board Development Committee, which finds and interviews candidates for the Board of Directors. The delegates at the Annual Meeting also approved nominations for the delegates to the National Council Session in October, and approved changes to the GSGATL bylaws. The bylaws are the rules our council follows in regards to the various ruling committees, voting procedures, and other important details.  

            After the voting, the Financial Committee Chair, Grace Kolvereid shared the annual financial report. The report showed that our council is doing well, with a financial surplus in 2016 (disregarding depreciation).

            The keynote speaker for the night was a freshman from Clemson University named Erin Huff. She shared key lessons she learned from completing her Girl Scout Gold Award. For her project, she started a youth group for middle school girls where they could discuss real and serious issues such as depression and eating disorders.

            The final part of the night was an overview presentation of the council, given by GSGATL CEO, Amy Dosik. She highlighted some of the positive events of the past year, but also delivered some worrying news.  In 2016, our GSGATL camps are operating far under capacity during the summer and all year round, causing camps to be losing money. This issue has already led the council to temporarily, possibly permanently, close Camp Pine Acres. This announcement sparked many suggestions from the delegates in attendance. While there wasn’t time for everyone to add their voices to this important issue, there will be town hall meetings in the upcoming months where anyone can share their opinions and suggestions.

            The Annual Meeting was an amazing experience, one that allows girls to be involved and informed in the behind the scenes legislative workings of the Girl Scout organization. I definitely recommend attending, and look forward to seeing some of you there next year!

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                                         By: Lime Green Giraffe artist, Eyana R.

            Welcome, LGG Readers, to the 2017 winter issue of the Lime Green Giraffe. In this issue, we will delve into all things Valentine’s Day (including how to survive the day of love while single) and bid six-year staff writer Allison B. farewell. We will also provide tutorials on how to make delicious Girl Scout cookies into even more delicious cookie recipes, and much more!

Adventures with Ali continues as she takes on Dragon Con, Meghan will show us how to stylishly revamp an old pair of Chucks, and a wise giraffe will share her insights on how to navigate the ups and downs of life.

The LGG staff also explores various topics about how to succeed in school, friend fights, shows and movies to binge on Netflix, and life as a Girl Scout. Oh and we cant forget our Europe survival guide as you prepare for your summer Destination.

            Be sure to read these stories and all of the others in this issue of Lime Green Giraffe.

~Sydnie C.
Lime Green Giraffe Copy Editor

By: Lime Green Giraffe Copy Editor, Sydnie C.

When asked what girls would gain from Girl Scout Day at the Capitol, Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta CEO, Amy Dosik, replied that girls would learn how to use their voices to advocate for issues important to them and to gain a greater understanding of the legislative process. From the intrigue and fascination that radiated from the faces of my fellow Girl Scout sisters throughout the duration of the event, I think it is safe to say that not only did they learn about the legislative process, but they were also enthralled by it. Mission accomplished, Ms. Dosik.

On the morning of February 7th, dozens of organizations such as firefighters, fraternities, court workers, and others flocked to the Capitol to meet with elected officials and to have a photo-op with Georgia’s Governor Nathan Deal. Scattered in the sea of these legislative-savvy citizens were waves of Girl Scouts. Clad in uniforms emblazoned with an array of badges and patches, Girl Scouts eagerly participated in the events, which included a scavenger hunt, a photo-op with Governor Deal, and an informative panel about the importance of women in politics.

The day started with a Capitol-wide scavenger hunt, where Girl Scouts were challenged to look for artifacts scattered around the Capitol building. Excitement buzzed through the hallowed corridors of the Capitol as girls checked off the items from their scavenger hunt lists. In between activities, girls had the opportunity to sit in the House and Senate’s respective galleries to witness assignment of bills to committees.

Mid-morning, girls then posed with Governor Deal on the Capitol steps in the North Wing for a photograph. Amid the buzz from chattering Girl Scouts and before the picture, I was able to inquire about the Governor’s favorite Girl Scout cookie. While the Governor admitted that he was a fan of all Girl Scout cookies, he also shared a heartwarming anecdote about how the First Lady drinks her tea out of a Girl Scout mug every morning.

The day culminated with a panel featuring Representatives Meagan Hanson, Paulette Paulding, Renitta Shannon, and Michelle Henson. Although these women hailed from different districts around the state of Georgia, they promoted a kindred message to girls: exercise your voice.

Representative Hanson told girls that she first got involved in politics, because she grew tired of only being represented by “Bills, Bobs, and Richards.” As noted by Hanson, fifty percent of her district’s population is composed of women, so who better to represent the women of her district than a woman. Hanson also shared an unsettling fact that only one woman has been elected as a Senator to serve the state of Georgia at the national level. Her tenure was halted a mere twenty-four hours after her election, meaning that she never got to serve in that position.

Representative Paulding encouraged girls to get involved in their student council and to attend their school board meetings. She also warned girls to not only follow national elections, but also local elections because those directly impact girls’ respective communities. Her parting advice urged girls to be aware of current events and to build rapports with their elected officials.

Representative Shannon reminded girls of the importance of representation. Shannon discussed how firefighters were developing more chronic, life-threatening illnesses compared to other careers. The state of Georgia, in turn, provided a healthcare program to firefighters who had been diagnosed with lung, prostate, and other cancers. Shannon and others realized that the list of cancers included cancers that were exclusive to male firefighters but not to female firefighters. Shannon and women from her district successfully rallied together to get cancers, like cervical cancer, added to the list that was covered by the health care program.

Representative Henson stressed the importance of volunteering. Much like Representative Hanson, Henson reminded girls of the dearth of women in politics. As mentioned by Henson, no female has ever served in the capacity of Speaker of the House, Lieutenant Governor, or Governor for the state of Georgia.

The overarching message presented in the speech’s of these powerful women precisely encapsulated the overall theme for the day: “You are never too young to be involved.” 

By: Allison B.

            Our lives are filled with the mundane and the ordinary. We get up, go to school or work, come home, and then do it again. But then, every once in a while, we have an experience, whether it’s over six seconds or six years that truly enriches and changes our lives. These are the kinds of experiences we never forget. Moments like these, from getting into the college of your dreams to finally receiving your Girl Scout Gold Award, warm our hearts when we think about them. As I prepare to go off to college in a matter of months, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the most meaningful of these to me. The one that often comes to mind is all my time here, on the staff of Lime Green Giraffe (LGG), over the past six years. And it all started with a phone call.

The day my LGG journey began, I remember sitting in my room second semester of sixth grade in the spring of 2011, when my mom came in with the phone in her hand saying “Alli, it’s for you.” She had the biggest smile on her face. I took the phone and heard the great news: I had made it onto the staff of the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta’s  online Girl Scout magazine Lime Green Giraffe! I was so excited. My true voice in writing, one reporting for the LGG has allowed me to discover, could now be read by girls all over Georgia and the world. Little did I know as my 12-year old self that over the next few years, I’d not only be given the opportunity to write informative and inspirational articles, but to also grow as a person and meet other Girl Scouts as passionate for writing as I am.

It didn’t take long for me to realize how special the group of girls was that I’d become a part of. In everyday life, we girls are always told to be ourselves, but that is far easier said than done. At school, with all the judging eyes, we sometimes find ourselves feeling the need to wear a mask and act the way everyone else wants us to. I know I struggled with that, but with the LGG it was different. Here, whether through my writing or my actions, I could truly be myself along with everyone else. We were, and are, a team: a team of talented, hard-working, respectful, and often zany girls. Who each of us was at school, didn’t matter. What mattered was the laughter that rang through the air after every joke or crazy game we played. What mattered was the energetic brainstorming of ideas from each girl that we all new could inspire and change the life of at least one girl, if not more. What mattered was how we could all be true to our identities as we worked together as a team of leaders, putting ourselves into words and compiling them all to create something beautiful, amazing, and important.

In the LGG, the older girls often play a huge role in helping the younger ones discover themselves as writers and become fearless leaders. I remember a special moment at the meeting after I’d had my first article published in the LGG. Back then, we met at Georgia Tech, and we were all walking around the campus, excited to begin planning our next issue. Suddenly, one of the older girls came up to me and told me that my first article, one about the Georgia Special Olympics, was very well written and heart-warming. To hear this was all I could have hoped for to reassure me that my writing truly means something and that people take notice. This is the kind of staff I’ve been surrounded by for the past six years, where the experienced writers help the up-and-coming ones get to where they want to be. This special mentorship between us girls helps build everyone’s confidence in her writing and herself as we support each other throughout the writing process. At the beginning of my writing career with the LGG, it was moments like these, when the girls I looked up to reminded me of the power my words have, that encouraged me to write more challenging articles with even more inspirational messages.

Since my Special Olympics article, not only have I spent hours at meetings helping plan issues and photo shoots or sitting at my computer putting my thoughts into words, but also out in the world. Each article is unique and special in the steps I had to take to get to the final product. I’ve done research and interviews, gone to Girl Scout events, and tried new things to bring all I’ve learned about something to readers. From SWAPS to STEM, from Girl Scout Gold Awards to Golden Retrievers, from college to cooking, I’ve written more than 15 articles. And because the LGG is an online magazine by girls, for girls, I’ve also written about women who were once Girl Scouts themselves and have gone on to become great leaders and role models: like a NASA Astronaut, an EPA lobbyist, and a Three Star General. The LGG has allowed me to share with others the opportunities they have in store for them, both in the near future and later in life. This is what makes me most proud to have been a reporter for the Lime Green Giraffe. The girls and Girl Scouts today are the future of our country, so to know I’ve helped inspire them to go on to do and be great things is an incredible feeling.

The opportunities I’ve had writing for Lime Green Giraffe are all because of three incredible people: Marnye, Melissa, and JoAnne, the LGG adult volunteers. All the articles every girl writes are what readers see. What they don’t see is the time our adult volunteers put into helping us not only develop our writing and come up with ideas, but to also learn how to create the LGG online magazine. And even after all the hard work they put into the meetings and photo shoots, they never fail to give us even more. Every year the adult volunteers coordinate a service project and a field trip that all the staffers enjoy, like creating care packages for the families at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, followed by eating at the Varsity and visiting the World of Coke. They’ve also helped us plan some wonderful Writer’s Workshops each year to build a passion for writing in other Georgia Girl Scouts. And that’s what makes them so special. Each adult volunteer is so passionate about Lime Green Giraffe; they’re the reason it exists in the first place, allowing the staff to share our thoughts with so many others.

The past six years have been full of ups and downs for me, but being a part of the Lime Green Giraffe has been a truly unforgettable and exciting experience. I’ve matured so much as a writer, and even taken the writing voice I’ve developed to school where I’ve further strengthened my skills by taking classes like AP Language Arts. Every article I’ve written, every experience I’ve ever had with the LGG, hasn’t just made me a better writer, but also a better person. I’ve grown in my confidence and leadership and developed interviewing, communicating, and planning skills that I will take with me when I go off to college and throughout the rest of my life. I’ve learned the impact that writing, that just a few words can have on one person or hundreds of people. And for the past three years, I’ve enjoyed being on the staff with my younger sister Emily, who will continue to write for the LGG even after I’m gone.

The good thing about writing is that, even though my time on the Lime Green Giraffe staff is coming to an end, many of the things I’ve done will never truly be forgotten. Years from now, I can go back and read an article I wrote for the LGG and think to myself Wow! What a cool thing I was able to do with so many incredible girls. And to think that I maybe inspired others through my writing, one article at a time!

By: Edie W.

Have you ever heard of an Oreo-stuffed cookie? It’s just what it sounds like - a chocolate chip cookie with an Oreo baked inside. Since it is that time again, and Girl Scout cookies are more plentiful than Oreos, I figured I should try the recipe with Girl Scout cookies, instead of Oreos. The recipe’s pretty similar, so if you have made Oreo-stuffed cookies before, it should sound familiar.

Girl Scout Cookie-stuffed Cookies

You will need:

• 2 sticks softened butter*

• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar*

• 1 cup granulated sugar*

• 2 large eggs*

• 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla*

• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour*

• 1 teaspoon salt*

• 1 teaspoon baking soda*

• 10 oz bag chocolate chips*

• 24 of your fave Girl Scout Cookies (I like Thin Mints best in this recipe, but Do-si-dos are yummy too!)

*These ingredients are all for making the chocolate chip cookie. If you want those stuffed cookies even sooner, you can substitute all of these for pre-made chocolate chip cookie dough. If you do this, skip step 2 and 3.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a mixer, cream butter and white and brown sugar until well combined. Slowly add in eggs and vanilla until well combined.

3. In a separate bowl mix the flour, salt and baking soda. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips until just combined.

4. Using a spoon, take one scoop of cookie dough and place onto a parchment or silicone mat lined baking sheet. Gently press Girl Scout Cookie into dough, then use spoon to scoop more cookie dough on top of Girl Scout Cookie. Seal together by pressing edges together until Girl Scout Cookie is enclosed with dough. Repeat until out of cookie dough.

5. Bake cookies 9-13 minutes or until cookies are baked to your liking. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Now you no longer have to choose between chocolate chip and Girl Scout Cookies. You can enjoy both, together!

Netflix: a place where productivity goes to die. Going on Netflix starts off as a harmless way to relieve some stress. You tell yourself: “I’ll only watch one episode.” Two seasons later you receive the “Are you still watching” message because not even Netflix can’t believe you’re still watching. If you’re swamped with homework, Netflix is definitely not a good place to invest your time. But if you happen to have time to kill, then Netflix is perfect for you. Here are a few must-see Netflix movies and T.V. shows that we would recommend.

Movies

Recommended by: Lime Green Giraffe Social Director, Lillabeth B.

If you feel like nothing is going right…

Forrest Gump (PG-13)

            A good-hearted man navigates the ups and downs of life.

If you feel romantic…

The Princess Bride (PG)

            Westley and Buttercup fight to be together with the help of a giant and a master swordsman.

If you feel a little down…

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (PG-13)

            In this romantic comedy set in the ’20’s, an unsuccessful nanny steals someone else’s job and ends up helping an American starlet navigate opportunity, life, and love.

If you feel uptight and you just need to chill…

Moonrise Kingdom (PG-13)

            This movie takes place in 1965, when two 12-year-old lovers run away together, leaving the boy’s scout leader, the girl’s parents, and a policeman to find them while solving their own problems.

If you feel disappointed in yourself…

Legally Blonde (PG-13)

            Elle Woods’ boyfriend leaves her when he goes to Harvard, so she decides to get into Harvard and win him back.

If you feel not quite sad but not happy either…

Nanny McPhee (PG)

            A widower’s seven children cannot be forced to behave, until the magical Nanny McPhee comes along with, shall we say, unconventional methods. “No spoonful of sugar” here!

If you feel comedic…

Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure (G)

            Everyone’s favorite spoiled brat chases her dreams in the Big Apple and learns to deal with failure.

T.V. Shows

Recommended by: Lime Green Giraffe Copy Editor, Sydnie C.

If you feel like you can take on the world…

Powerpuff Girls (TV-Y7)

All seasons available

(The older version, of course.)

This animated series follows the life of the super-adorable Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, three superheroes who were the result of a lab experiment mishap. Blossom is the edgy tomboy; Bubbles is the sweet, sensitive one; and Buttercup is the implicit leader of the group. Watch as they battle it out with their foes, saving Townsville from one heinous villain at a time.

If you feel nostalgic…

Saved by the Bell (TV-PG)

Most of the seasons available

Navigate through the halls of Bayside High with six unforgettable friends: Kelly, Slater, Zack, Screech, Lisa, and Jessie. Ripe with romance, fun, life lessons, and lots of laughs, Saved by the Bell is a perfect series to binge with friends or to watch every now and then if you want to immersed in 90s culture.

If you feel quirky…

Fuller House (TV-G)

      Two seasons available!

Fuller House: a modern-day throwback, if that makes sense. A reboot from the 80s-90s hit series Full House, Fuller House serves as sequel that explores the adult lives of DJ Tanner-Fuller, Stephanie Tanner, and Kimmy Gibbler. Filled with lighthearted comedy and tons of shenanigans, Fuller House is the perfect series to revisit the warm, familial spirit of Full House but in 2017.

If you feel dramatic…

Degrassi: Next Class (TV-PG)

Two seasons available

I know what you’re thinking: “There have been, like, a 100 seasons of Degrassi. What makes this one different?” Degrassi: Next Class, like other seasons of Degrassi, explores real-life topics that teens currently face.

Next Class, however, is more refreshing. The series successfully investigates realistic issues without over-saturating or making the topics too dramatic.

Bonus: some of the characters from older episodes reunite in one of the Next Class episodes.

If you want your books to come to life…

Pretty Little Liars (TV-14)

Six seasons available

Based off the bestselling books by Sara Shepard, Pretty Little Liars follows the lives of four girls (Aria, Hanna, Emily, and Spencer) residing in Rosewood, a place where secrets are the glue holding this mysterious town together. After the disappearance and murder of one of their best friends (Alison), the girls uncover secrets that suggest that what they once believed to be the truth might actually be a lie. On top of it all, an omniscient and omnipresent cyber-stalker “A” is threatening to divulge the secrets that the Liars (Aria, Hanna, Emily, and Spencer) keep.

If you feel mysterious…

Stranger Things (TV-14)

One season available

An odd girl. Four inquisitive boys. A series of disappearances. These form the premise of the show Stranger Things. Set in the 1980s, Stranger Things takes place in an agrarian town where nothing really happens until a string of strange disappearances sets this once mundane town on edge.

If you feel empowered…

Parks and Recreation (TV-14)

    Seven seasons available

Leslie Knope is an effervescent public servant whose love for government almost dominates her love of breakfast foods. Her upbeat, go-getter attitude comically contrasts with her co-workers general apathy. Leslie Knope dreams of improving her small Indiana town called, Pawnee. In the beginning of the series, Knope ardently works to build a park in Pawnee. As the series progresses, Knope’s aspirations elevate when she runs for a spot in the City Council, higher government positions, and fights gender inequality. Knope, overall, epitomizes what it means to be a woman in power.

By: Meghan K.

Want to add a little more color to your wardrobe? Maybe you have a pair of white canvas shoes lying around and you want to spice them up a little bit. Watercolor sneakers are a great way to do this, and you can make them with just a few household items and some art supplies!

You will need:

• A pair of clean white canvas shoes (Converse, Vans, etc.)
• A pencil
• Sharpies in your choice of colours
• Painter’s tape or masking tape
• Rubbing alcohol
• Eyedropper
• Waterproofing shoe spray
• Newspaper (optional)
• Ruler (optional) 

Let’s get started!

Steps:

1. Take the laces out of the shoes and set them aside. OPTIONAL: Stuff your shoes with newspaper so that they keep their shape (this is only really necessary if you’re working with high tops like Converse) and cover your workspace with newspaper.
2. Use a pencil to draw a design on your shoes. Simple stripes, swirls and other geometric shapes tend to work best; we’re going to make the design run later, so highly detailed patterns aren’t recommended. If you’re drawing stripes, you’ll want to use a ruler to keep the lines straight.
3. Cover any areas you don’t want to get Sharpie on with painter’s tape or masking tape.
4. Once you’ve drawn your design, color the shapes with Sharpies, making sure to leave a little bit of white space around each shape when you change colors.
5. After you’ve colored both shoes, remove the tape and move the shoes to an area you can get wet and fill a small container with rubbing alcohol. Take the eyedropper and carefully squirt rubbing alcohol all over the shoes. This will make the colors run into each other.
6. Let the shoes dry. Leave them overnight, if you can.
7. Once the shoes are dry, take some waterproofing shoe spray and spray everywhere that you’ve colored. This will keep the color from fading or running off. NOTE: Make sure you do this in a well-ventilated area, or even outside if you can!
8. Leave the spray to dry for the recommended amount of time; usually about two hours, depending on what kind of spray you’re using.
9. Put the laces back on.
10. Rock your new shoes!

Tips, Tricks, and Inspiration:

• Dark colors, especially reds and black, will run more than light colors or pastels.
• The waterproofing spray may cause the color to run a little bit more. Be prepared for this!
• Make sure to use the rubbing alcohol in an area that won’t be damaged. When in doubt, use it over a sink.
• You can color the laces to match the shoes (or not match, however you want).
• You could color just the top of the shoes and drip the rubbing alcohol down the shoe for a paint drip effect.

You now have a fun pair of colorful shoes! No two pairs of shoes made this way will look alike (They’re kind of like people!). So take pride in your unique new shoes!

By: Abigail M.

We all know you love your friend to death but sometimes one of you crosses the line, then things start to heat up, and you end up in a fight with them - usually either giving them the cold shoulder or venting to your mom. Friendship fights make you feel incredibly spiteful, or insanely guilty and friend break-ups are pretty much 800% worse than romantic-breakups because they were passing you tissues and listening to Adele with you through those too.

The first thing to do is to try and stay calm during the fight, since us humans have a tendency to tear down our filter and say whatever comes to mind when we’re angry and in an argument. To stay calm, try slowly breathing in through the nose, holding it for about 5 seconds, and slowly breathing out, then repeat until you can’t feel the blood rushing to your face and your breathing is even.

After the fight, it’s best to think about what you are sorry about and how much they mean to you. You can’t undo what happened but you can apologize and hope for forgiveness. Another good thing to do is to always look at both sides of a situation. Don’t do something rash like post about it anywhere on the Internet or call them names because that will spread and it will be a big fat mess that’s frustrating and painful to deal with. Overall, handling everything in a calm manner will help patch things over much better than overreacting to every little thing.

Lastly, when you apologize for whatever you’re sorry for, try to explain your point of view and listen to theirs. The point of this is to gain a mutual understanding. If you try to understand them more than explain yourself or make excuses (because that’s like saying what you did wrong was actually right because a and b then c and so on and so on) when you both know you both did some wrong things. If you both want to be friends and want to be there for each other, then you are most likely going to have no problem getting over the previous disagreement.