GiGi, Times Ten

By: Lizzie W.

This issue of the Lime Green Giraffe marks the end of GiGi’s 10^th birthday celebration! LGG has changed and accomplished so much over its ten years of publication. As the senior most member of the staff (I joined the team in 2008) I have witnessed our magazine expand and prosper in many ways. Here is a look at the evolution of the Lime Green Giraffe.

The 2014-15 LGG Staff models the LGG t-shirts from the last 10 years.

When the Lime Green Giraffe began in 2004, it was a print only publication. The printed magazine was mailed to each Atlanta area Girl Scout in grades six through twelve. However, in 2008, we discontinued the print magazine and focused more fully on the online edition, which allowed us more freedom in the types and lengths of content we published. After several years with the online edition as part of the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta website, LGG branched out and created our own website, which gave us the freedom of customization. We designed exactly how we wanted our own website to look so that readers would find our articles more easily.

Adding to our increased accessibility, the LGG has adapted to the dramatic changes in communication over the last ten years. GiGi got a Twitter (@GiGiLGG) and a Facebook page, and her number of fans has grown each year. In 2014, we also joined Instagram (@GiGiLGG).

In terms of content, some aspects of the Lime Green Giraffe have remained the same. We have always had an editorial, and the majority of our issues contain staple features such as our advice column “Ask GiGi,” “Embarrassing Moments,” “Do-It-Yourself,” a book or movie review, and a travel article. In recent years, we have added a recipe to our usual article repertoire, as well as the LGG reporter projects. The reporter projects, published more frequently than our twice-annual issues, cover special Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta events and often include interviews with important Girl Scouting figures, such as GSGATL’s senior director of membership. The reporter projects enhance our regular magazine content and bring special updates and Girl Scout happenings to our readers.

Each year, the LGG staff goes on a field trip and performs a service project. We have had a blast on trips such as a photography expedition into the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, a tour of CNN, and a look at BookLogix self-publishing company. Our service projects include hospital care package assembly, park clean up and animal shelter events, among many other exciting projects.

For me, one of the most exciting changes to the Lime Green Giraffe has been our council-wide writer’s workshop event, which we are about to host for the third year in a row. At this half-day writer’s workshop, participants hear talks from female authors, bloggers, journalists, and overall inspiring women writers. The event also provides participants a chance to try their hand at writing LGG-style articles and short stories and to learn more about the LGG. This year’s writer’s workshop will be held on March 7^th, 2015. Registration for the event (accessible through the GSGATL website) is open until March 3^rd.

Last but not least, these past ten years of the Lime Green Giraffe have seen remarkable leadership and guidance from our adult volunteers. Marnye H. has worked with the staff each year since the magazine’s beginning. Melissa G., an LGG girl staff member in the magazine’s second year, returned to volunteer after she graduated from the staff. Lastly, JoAnne O. is the latest addition to the LGG’s fabulous adult volunteer team, as she officially joined in 2014 after years of unofficially helping us from the sidelines.

Although it’s my time to graduate, I look forward to reading the Lime Green Giraffe in years to come. I hope that you too will enjoy the magazine’s next ten years as much as I and many others have enjoyed its first. Maybe you too will join the staff and see GiGi on through her next milestone birthdays!

GiGi, Times Ten

Girl Scouts ATL Lime Green Giraffe

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