2020 CitrusPeel Gold Edition

2019-2020 | Vol. 14

Contents
2 | Maryann’s
Inspiration Letter
4 | National Young
Women of Distinction
10 | Gold Award
Recipients
14 | 2020, The Year of
the Pivot | Girl Scouts
during COVID
16 | COVID Stories
18 | Property Update
20 | Girl Scout Stories
22 | Board of Directors’
Patch
24 | Savvy Girl Scouts
Innovate
Maryann’s
Inspiration Letter
Creator Credits
Staff Writers
Maryann Barry
Susan Ennis
Kristen Wallace
Nelson Camargo
Contributors
Samantha Letizia
Julia Harpin
Yarelis Castillo
Visual Creation
Yelitza Carvajal
Tiffany Hauser
Greetings Citrus Family!
The past six months have, no doubt, changed all our lives as we
actively navigate a pandemic and a continuous flow of quick
pivots in managing work, school, social, and family life. It hasn’t
been easy; however, the challenges we have faced have offered
moments of inspiration that remind us about what is truly
important, encouraging us and clarifying our focus on making
the world a better place for our families and communities—to
include our Girl Scout family.
One of the greatest inspirations and encouragements I have
received during this time, has been the privilege and blessing
to see our Gold Award Girl Scout candidates bring their visions
and plans to life, despite the presentation of new and unfamiliar
obstacles. It is humbling and heartwarming to see these girls
in action; to be a small part of their journey as they prepare to
lead the way to a better future for all. I have missed seeing our
amazing girls and volunteers in-person—to cheer on our Citrus

Family, of whom I am so very proud, as we grow in
making a difference in our local communities and
our world.
As the staff team prepares for the start of another
Girl Scout year, we KNOW it will not look anything
like our traditional Girl Scouting, at least for a while.
I do not see this as entirely unfortunate. We have
learned, adapted, and found tools that will only add
to our reach and impact on girls as they strive to
succeed. I believe creating HYBRID opportunities
and offering more points of engagement will
certainly be the clarion call of 2021—and I’m very
good with that idea.
I call upon each of us, even though we find
ourselves in difficult times, to take a few moments
and reflect upon the many blessings we continue
to enjoy at Citrus Council. At the top of my long
list is, as always, our girls, and their unwavering
spirits. They are our inspiration, our guiding force,
and at the core of everything we do. They are
why we believe in the power of our Movement. I
am grateful for the gift of knowing our incredible
girls, especially our Gold Award Girl Scouts. I
am honored to lead Citrus Council and our amazing,
patient, and passionate volunteers who deliver Girl
Scout programming and bring our mission to life
every day. Without our volunteers and community
partners, Citrus Council would simply not be the
powerful force for girls that we are. I have said it in
the past, and it merits saying again, especially during
challenging times: Our girls inspire us to bond together,
amplifying our commitment and creating the unique
and purposeful relationship we share. The girls draw
us together as a family, and our caring volunteers feed
and nurture that family, lifting us all up. I love our Citrus
Family and could not be more grateful.
Yours in Girl Scouting,
Maryann Barry |
Chief Executive Officer
Girl Scouts of Citrus

National Young Women of Distinction
These three young women have been nominated for the National Gold Award Girl Scout
recognition, which honors Gold Award projects that demonstrate significant sustainable
impact, astonishing leadership, and tackle a local challenge related to a national issue.
Through their Gold Award projects, these young women have exhibited the essence of what
Girl Scouting is all about. Whether it be demonstrating perseverance or working with the
local community to further their cause, these Gold Award Girl Scouts have changed their
community and the world for the better.
GRACE BENEKE
The Book Worm
Grace overcame her innate shyness to address
the critical lack of funding in public elementary
schools, specifically Title I schools, which have
large concentrations of students from lowincome
families. Recognized as a national and
global issue, low-income students lack access
to rich reading resources which leads to low
reading levels. Many of these students’ families
are homeless, leaving students with no access to
books at home.
Grace’s project, The Book Worm, began with
educating community partners about the need
for the collection of gently used books and
training volunteers to read to kids while ensuring
comprehension and engagement. After collecting
5,000 books for Killarney Elementary School and
recruiting volunteers from the local library’s Teen
Advisory Board, Grace created a book catalogue.
She then led the creation of mini-libraries in 26
classrooms and Little Libraries across campus.
Children are given two free books to take home
over summer and winter breaks so they can
continue to enjoy literary journeys.
The project quickly proved successful as the
school library’s media specialist reported that
more children were excited about the variety of
book series available to them. The library was
now able to meet demand for the more popular
titles. Teachers noticed an increase in the
number of students reading, especially where
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the Little Libraries were located. Overall, volunteers
saw a great improvement in the children’s reading
and comprehension skills. The children learned
about self-improvement and continue to work on
bettering their reading skills.
Now a confident young woman, Grace speaks in
front of large groups and has parlayed a strong
work ethic into developing leadership skills. She
has built relationships and found her voice through
participation in Congresswoman Stephanie
Murphy’s Youth Advisory Board, advocating for
early education and literacy issues.
The Book Worm has been designed to continue
indefinitely. Book donations continue, allowing
Killarney Elementary School to provide books to
their young readers. Various high schools and the
local public library’s Teen Advisory Board provide
volunteers. And, after reaching out to her church
for donations and volunteers, church officials
were shocked to learn of the number of homeless
families living within a mile of the church. The
church started a ministry for homeless families
and now Grace is involved in a community-wide
campaign to donate supplies and address the
needs of people living in hotels. She is also working
to duplicate her project in all the Catholic dioceses
throughout the state of Florida.
HAYLEY HUDNALL
Amazing Animals Outdoor
Education Pavilion
Pursuing the Girl Scout Gold Award teaches
girls a lot about themselves. Haley’s award
journey brought out her dedication and sense
of responsibility. She knows how to work hard
and persevere through hot weather, hunger and
tiredness, qualities she’s proud of and ones that
will help her continue to hone her skills as she
builds a successful future.
Knowing that there is a lack of awareness in the
general population about wildlife conservation,
Haley wanted to educate people about issues
involving wildlife and how people can help.
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Haley first heard about Amazing Animals from a
Girl Scout troop that had visited the facility. The
girls shared with Haley that, while they enjoyed
their visit, there were issues with heat and
education. Haley contacted the facility’s owners
and suggested building an educational center as
her Gold Award project.
After working closely with the owners to assess
needs, Haley moved forward with building a
pavilion that would provide a comfortable, shaded
place where Amazing Animals staff could teach
guests about their animals and Florida’s wildlife.
The Amazing Animals Outdoor Education Center
spreads awareness about how each of us can
have an impact on wildlife and reduce suffering
by making the smallest of changes in our lives.
In designing the pavilion, it was important that the
structure be durable to withstand storm winds
and flooding. Providing shade and a comfortable
place for guests of all ages to rest while learning
about wildlife and the exotic animals rescued by
Amazing Animals was critical. Haley recruited
an experienced carpenter and someone with
construction experience to help. She then
coordinated the whole process with the owners
of Amazing Animals.
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Haley demonstrated efficiency in her planning,
recruited volunteers, and provided leadership
throughout the construction process. She
learned how to delegate tasks, work as a team,
and safely use power tools – all useful skills.
Now Amazing Animals has a place where they
can introduce animals to guests. Guests learn
about different species and the challenges they
face in the wild. Each animal has been rescued
after being harmed while in the wild and guests
learn about the impact growth and progress
has on wildlife.
The destruction of wildlife is a worldwide
problem. Over the past 50 years, 60 percent
of Earth’s animal species have become
extinct. Our wildlife face daily issues related
to pollution, habitat destruction, poaching
and over kill – all issues caused by human
population. The sad part is that most people
don’t realize the negative impact of their daily
actions. Haley has proven that one person can
make a difference – educating people about
the impact they have on the world around them
and how they can help preserve wildlife.
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KELLY ZAREMBSKI
Mary’s Angels
As Kelly reflects on her Girl Scout Gold Award,
she realizes she gained much more than
leadership and project management skills. “With
a change of perspective, anything is possible
regardless of how hopeless a situation may
appear. That there is always something positive
which can be reaped from the negative, and
that it is never too late to make a difference.”
After losing her grandmother to Alzheimer’s
disease, Kelly felt helpless. She wanted to help
but did not know what to do in the face of this
terrible illness. When it came time to consider
her Gold Award project, Kelly decided to
dedicate it to the loving memory of her Grammy
by increasing awareness of Alzheimer’s and
Dementia in youth populations while supporting
people in her community who were coping with
the illness.
Mary’s Memory Boxes are sensory boxes, each
created with a specific theme or topic designed
to engage the senses and inspire a memory.
Working with Sutton Homes, an Alzheimer’s and
Dementia care and assisted living facility, Kelly
obtained a list of residents’ prior occupations,
hobbies and passions. Using this information
to develop a theme for each memory box,
Kelly reached out to several high school clubs
to recruit volunteers who would decorate and
assemble the boxes. This worked well, as she
was able to match the theme of the boxes
to specific club interests so students could
advocate for something they loved while also
supporting members of the community.
In addition to raising funds to purchase boxes
and supplies, Kelly designed a “Mary’s Memory
Box” sticker for each box. Once the boxes were
complete, they were given to Sutton Homes
which continues to rotate the boxes between
homes, using them to spark memories in
Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients.
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In order to increase awareness among
teens, Kelly created brochures and made
them available in her high school and at
local public libraries. As she spoke with
students and adults, she learned that many
people have loved ones with Alzheimer’s
or Dementia and that they shared similar
struggles with feeling helpless. Many shared
that they were inspired to create a box for
a close family member. It also helped to be
able to talk with someone else who was
going through the same torment and pain.
In doing research for the project, Kelly found
a lack of resources or information available
for youth. She even found that a person
must be 18 or older to volunteer at the local
Alzheimer’s Association. Since becoming
involved, Kelly is seeing more youth-focused
information on the association’s website,
with resources and explanations specifically
targeted to youth.
Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease and affects
whole families and Kelly knew firsthand
the helplessness young people feel when
coping with day-to-day life and academics
while seeing a loved one’s memory gradually
fade away. Kelly wanted her Gold Award to
preserve her grandmother’s memory and
make her proud. It took a while to put the
project together, but now Kelly knows that
Mary’s Memory Boxes perfectly capture her
Grammy’s artistic creativity.
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Girl Scout Gold Award Recipients
AUDREY ALLEN
Bathroom Inspiration
JESSICA ANDERSON
Veterans’ Closet
GRACE BENEKE
The Book Worm
EMILY DEMMITT
Playground Safety
MELISSA DONOVAN
Autism Awareness & Education
MEAGAN FAWCETT
RecycLINE
JAZMERE JIMENEZ
Peace & Respect:
Church Multipurpose
Room Makeover
DEIDRE JONES
Reflect, Remember, Relax
ABBIGALE KAUTZMAN
Pollinator Garden at School

These 2020 Girl Scout Gold Award Recipients will be joining the legacy of more
than 1 million girls who have earned their Girl Scout Gold Award since 1916.
HANNAH BENNETT
Rock Springs Elementary
School Garden
KATHERINE CLARK
Equine Career Day @HART
KARIS DAWSON
Honey Hive Donation Closet
at Citrus Elementary
ANNA FINER
RecycleJ
KATIE HOLLINGER
Kindergarten and 1st Grade
Agriculture Book Club
HAYLEY HUDNALL
Amazing Animals Outdoor
Education Pavilion
SAMANTHA LAMPHERE
Day Spring Church Sign
MARILYN LANE
Youth Afterschool Program
Room Improvements
JANINE MATTESON
Windermere Virtual Museum:
Preserving Precious History

Girl Scout Gold Award Recipients
MEGAN MIKUEN
Sensory Garden
LAUREN MORRIS
LESA Learning Library
GABRIELLA PEBURN
Children’s Dental Health
Mission
REBECCA SMITH
Wo[men] in Need
ELIZABETH SNOW
Advent Community Library
KATE WACKER
Audubon Center
Children’s Program
KELLY ZAREMBSKI
Mary’s Angels
SIERRA ZIEGLER
Hot Car Infant Deaths

MEGAN RHODES
Be a Responsible Raccoon:
Recycle
AMELIA SAULS
Plant-a-Palooza
KATHERINE SIMISON
Crosby Island Marsh Trailhead
ANNA WICKMAN
The Importance of Bees
HAYLEY WOZNIAK
Take Action for Autism
SELIN YILDIRGAN
Mental Health Awareness
Education

2020, The Year of the Pivot
Girl Scouts During Covid
For the last few years, Girl Scouts of Citrus
(GSC) looked forward to celebrating 2020.
The year kicked off in high gear as a new and
invigorated Board of Directors was inducted at
the 2020 Annual Meeting. And most importantly,
excitement was high as girls, volunteers and
staff jumped into the final planning for the much
anticipated G.I.R.L. 2020 Convention. The cookie
Mega drop was a great success as everyone
worked together to fulfill cookie order pickups in a
timely manner.
By early March, GSC’s summer camp program
was nearly filled and Council was celebrating
the birthday of Girl Scouting with a ceremonial
groundbreaking for the Women’s History & Cultural
Center 2020 was to be GSC’s year to shine.
Then everyone was suddenly faced with an
unprecedented event … COVID-19.
Immediately following the groundbreaking event
on March 12, the GSC leadership team made the
decision to close the Council Service Center and
Retail Shop to the public and promised to keep
a close eye on CDC and local health department
guidelines. It didn’t take long to reach the decision
to halt all in-person activities across council as
safety is always GSC’s number one priority.
From all outward appearances, Girl Scouting in
Central Florida had essentially come to a stop.
CITRUS RISES TO THE
CHALLENGE
Never deterred by a challenge, the Citrus team
immediately began creating innovative ways to
continue delivering a Girl Scout experience to
families who now found themselves isolated and
facing a whole new set of challenges themselves.
The pivot to virtual programming required staff
members and volunteers to learn new skills and
take risks. Staff who had previously shied away
from the camera spotlight, were now answering
the call to create tutorial badge videos for girls. A
series of Patch programs was developed giving
families fun activities they could work together to
accomplish while at home.
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Now more than ever, the need to connect and
stay in touch was critically important. Troops
began having virtual meetings and girls spread
their wings by participating in global virtual
activities. It is important that girls continue to
receive program materials, badges and patches,
so while the GSC shop remains closed to the
public, orders are being filled and shipping fees
are being waived.
These are unprecedented times filled with
uncertainty and more questions than answers.
Information would be essential for key decision
making, so once alternative virtual programming
was established, Council moved on to reaching
out to members through a “Smile and Dial”
phone campaign. Staying in touch with what
was happening within the lives of Girl Scout
members and the obstacles they were
experiencing provided GSC with the insights
needed to adjust programming and provide
resources girls and volunteers most needed.
SUMMER
STAYCATIONS
Summer came and COVID was here to stay. GSC
continues to develop new virtual programming to
keep girls and their families busy with fun activities
they can enjoy during family staycations. Camp
staff quickly created exciting virtual camp sessions
which were quickly filled. And, with the swirling
uncertainties about when schools will open and
how, GSC staff and volunteers are brainstorming
new ways to introduce the world of Girl Scouting to
Central Florida’s girls.
Yes – it’s a whole new world of Girl Scouting and
many of the innovative programs are likely here
to stay. While we look forward to returning to
traditional in-person meetings, girls and families
appreciate virtual options.
It wasn’t long before the full weight of the COVID
pandemic became apparent. Schools and
childcare centers were closed, posing childcare
issues. On top of this, many families were
experiencing financial burdens due to furloughs
and lost jobs as businesses began to close.
Knowing that many troops had to cancel final
cookie booths and were left holding unopened
cases of cookies, GSC made the decision to
facilitate the return to Council of unsold cookies.
Left with nearly 17,000 cases of cookies, Council
leadership launched the Cookies for Heroes
program, asking supporters to help with the
donation of cookies to our many frontline
heroes who work daily to combat COVID-19.
Girl Scouts around the country were sad to
learn that GSUSA canceled G.I.R.L. 2020 and
moved to hold a one-time virtual session for
the 55th National Council Session in October.
Girls had been saving for years to make the
trip to Orlando to share exciting experiences
with sister Girl Scouts. However, news that
the GSUSA board decided to keep Orlando as
the destination for the 2023 session gives us
something magical to look forward to.
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Covid Stories
IT’S ALL ABOUT PERSPECTIVE
by Julia Harpin
Hi, my name is Julia Harpin and I will be a rising
Cadette this upcoming year. COVID-19 has
impacted our world as a whole and sadly has
sickened and taken the lives of many people
of all ages. It has also affected my Girl Scout
experience. I have been in an active troop for
the past 4 years and this threw us all for a loop!
We had to learn how to have virtual meetings
and find new ways to come together. We have
done some fun cooking activities, but badge
work has been harder because we haven’t been
able to go to many places outside our homes.
My troop and I were planned to go to Savannah,
Georgia in June but canceled the trip instead.
We had been saving our cookie money for this
big trip for almost two years. Everyone was
really looking forward to it. We postponed our
trip until Labor Day weekend but are still unsure
if travel will be possible then.
While this situation has changed the way we
go about our everyday lives, I have tried to find
ways to enjoy moments with my family. We
have taken several trips to the beach while
socially distancing and having fun in the sun. I
love to relax and boogie board in the waves. I
like to scooter around my neighborhood or
take a walk with my mom and dog, Belle. We
have supported local small businesses who are
struggling by ordering take out and buying gift
cards to dine-in again in the future.
My 6-year-old sister is a first-year Daisy Girl
Scout, and I helped lead a virtual meeting for
her troop during this time. The girls had an
indoor scavenger hunt and listened as their
Daisy petal story was read to them. My sister
and I recently went to the Oviedo Mall and
painted a painting at Calliope Street. This
business had previously been doing virtual online
painting sessions, but it was nice to go and sit
down and paint again in person. We drove out to
Titusville on May 30th and got to see a rocket liftoff
which was carrying two astronauts to the ISS
Space Station. It was definitely something I will
never forget.
COVID-19 has made me uncertain about school
and what it will look like in the future. I’m sure
there will be a lot of changes, but it’s all about
perspective and how we look at it. I’m hopeful
that this situation will get better for everyone’s
safety and well-being. I believe it is important to
have a positive outlook and make the best of this
situation as we move forward.
16

GIRL SCOUTS STAY
CONNECTED
by Samantha Letizia
When Covid-19 first came out, no
one was really worried about it.
Then it got worse and all the schools
had to close. We were introduced
to online learning, and to keep
in contact with the class we had
several zoom meetings. When they
announced that school would be
closed for the rest of the year, we
knew that meant no trip to Disney
World, no end of the year party, and
no ceremony for the graduating fifth
graders. Instead my school came up
with a drive by for the graduates! I
saw some of my friends there and
got to say goodbye to my teachers.
That was a really fun and cool way
to say goodbye to elementary.
I missed my friends so much! To
keep in touch, we would text almost
every day, FaceTime each other, and
check on TikTok to see what we
were up to. One of them even
had a YouTube channel. We
played games online together;
we would play on Roblox and
Minecraft most of the time. That
way we can talk and have fun
together even though we had to
be quarantined.
With Girl Scouts, I have been
keeping busy with online
activities, camps, and even
cooking classes! All of these fun
activities are on zoom, so people
can still socially distance. With
Citrus Singers, we all go on zoom
to talk about some ideas we
have, and we have been able to
record some videos of us singing
virtually!
Even though there were
many down sides to being
quarantined, we came up with
fun and new ways to keep in
touch and stay active!
MIND OVER MATTER,
THE GIRL SCOUT WAY
by Yarelis Castillo
2020 has not been the best year,
but Girl Scouts are still awesome!
Even though we couldn’t meet in
person my troop 2141, continued
meeting via zoom. In our
meetings we have done a lot;
we’ve built cranes, balloon cars,
had game nights, worked on two
journeys, had a painting artist
teach us how to make a painting.
We were even able to attend a
special live zoom session with
Amazing Animals who led us on
our Animal Habitats badge!
We have earned a bunch of
badges all summer long like our
engineering badges, computer
badges, social butterfly badge
and many more. Overall, our
troop leaders have not stopped
our meetings. I still have been
able to see my friends, even if we
don’t see each other at school
anymore. I have learned and
done a lot. My troop has brought
fun to 2020 and kept me in high
spirits.
17

Girl Scouts of
Citrus Council:
Property Update
For the first time in nearly 50 years, the
sounds of girls singing, and their squeals of
fun were conspicuously absent throughout the
campgrounds at Riverpoint and Mah-Kah-Wee.
But – while COVID may have put an abrupt stop
to troop weekend camping in March and forced
summer camp to shift to a virtual experience,
Citrus Council saw an opportunity.
Now that both properties were empty of girls,
the companies contracted to complete the first
phase of the Crymes Family STEAM Leadership
Center and the restoration of the hurricanedamaged
shoreline at Riverpoint were free to
work daily. Both projects are now complete and
ready to welcome visitors as soon as social
distancing restrictions are lifted. Both projects
are now complete and ready to welcome girls.
18

The Fall Product
Program is here!
September 1, 2020 - December 1, 2020
This year, we’re launching a new initiative with our
Fall Product Program. The Care to Share Program
is GSC’s service operation, in which we share our
delicious products with the community!
Girls can receive product donations from their
customers and we at council will donate this value
of product to a local organization(s) at the end of
the program. This year we’ll be donating product to
our Military and Second Harvest Food Bank.
For additional information on Fall Product, the
Care to Share program, and all the recognitions
girls can earn visit: https://www.citrus-gs.org/
en/cookies/-chocolates.html
(Scan with your phone camera)

1 2
Girl Scout Stories
3 4
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1 DESIGNS BY DEE MARIE
3
KILEY’S STORY
Fashion and costume design started off as
hobbies that Dee (DeVonne Marie Mcclendon)
first learned at Girl Scout Camp. Now, she has
turned this hobby into a business. She sews
costumes, clothing, and masks for people and
herself. Her talents caught the attention of
the franchisee of Comfort Keepers Chandler,
AZ. They reached out to Dee and asked if
she would be willing to make masks for their
employees and she was thrilled to say yes.
“In a way to honor camp, I made these
masks. I learned to sew at summer camp
and now it’s my career and my artistic
outlet.”
Kiley was one of the Girl Scouts who
signed up for the first ever GSC virtual
camp session. Kiley’s mom, Danielle, was
surprised at all the different things they
received in their camp box, including
two fun patches. All the activities were
printed out and included in the box to
help ensure Kiley and any girl who signed
up had all of their supplies ready for the
activities.
“I personally like how the camp counselors
encourage the girls to do kapers even while
at home” expressed Danielle.
She hopes to blossom her brand, “Designs
by Dee Marie” into something big one day.
Pursuing fashion and clothing design in college.
4
BLOSSOM BAGS
2
CITRUS BROWNIE
PAINTING BADGE
Over 50 Girl Scouts took part in the Virtual
Painting Badge programs. The girls took part
in a virtual tour of museums around the world
to help spark some inspiration. Once the tours
were done, they proceeded to paint outdoor
landscapes. They then had to complete 4
additional masterpieces to complete their
Painting Badge. All 50 of the Girl Scouts were
successful in earning this badge.
Troop 1912 took it upon themselves to put
together emergency menstrual kits for local
schools in need. They call them Blossom bags.
They’ve made over 200 kits during the
summer and are in the process of creating
10 refill stations, one for each school in their
region to place in the school’s nurse’s office.
These will be available for girls who start at
school and don’t have supplies, as well as girls
who may not have access to the basic supplies
due to financial hardship.
The goal is to spread the word about this
project and to educate others about this basic
need that some may not have access to.
21

Board of Directors’ Patch
Just about every non-profit has a Board
of Directors at the helm to help guide the
organization. They are typically comprised of
professionals and experts from a wide range
of industries and varying experiences. They
oversee a variety of activities of an organization
and ensure the organization is successful in
delivering on its mission.
This year, the Girl Scouts of Citrus 2020 Board
of Directors was challenged to participate in
a patch design contest. This patch would be
a representation of the Girl Scouts of Citrus
Board and be given to Girl Scouts in a similar
way the CEO patch is given. As part of the
challenge, the Board of Directors’ patch design
would need to represent the Board of Directors
as well as the Girl Scouts of Citrus Council
membership and mission. This would be a
patch that would be in use for years to come.
The Board was very excited to take on the
challenge, but they had to impress some of the
toughest judges they would ever come across.
They submitted their proposals to a panel of
Girl Scout judges —Lauren Gillis, Samantha
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From left to right: Isabel Poette-Chang, Michelle Mugaini, Mary Tatro, Cindy
Luttrell, Fred Kosiewski, Maryann Barry, Micheal Radka, Kathi Christoff,
Natalie Curts, Cassandra Willard, Jes Kalb, Jennifer Johnson.
Sigler, Carina Cook, Ana Tew, Isabel Nieves,
Emily Nieves, Skylah Charles, Sophy Poole, and
Aurora Campbell; the panel was made up of
nine awesome G.I.R.L.s, with representation
from every level (Daisy-Ambassador). Each girl
took her job very seriously and really put a lot
of thought into the designs proposed to them
by the GSC Board of Directors. They wanted
to make sure diversity and inclusion was well
represented and that it would be something
appealing to Girl Scouts in our council. The girls
met to narrow down the patch designs to their
top choices with Maryann Barry, CEO, and Witz
Romero, Executive Office Manager. Once they
narrowed it down to their top three choices, they
also met with the Board of Directors and gave
them feedback on their patches.
At the end, and with some modifications made
from the girls, they decided to go with Mary
Tatro’s design. As part of the design, Tatro
enlisted some help from a Girl Scout of Citrus
alum; who was also part of Tatro’s troop a few
years ago, Sabrina. The patch has what the girls
were looking for, a representation of a diverse
membership and something that looks a little
different from all other patches.
The members of the Board live in our community
and you may have seen them or met them
without knowing it. The patch provides a fun and
interactive way to get to know the members of
the Citrus Board of Directors and for them to
get to meet our membership. Whether it be at
events, booths or just out in their neighborhood;
when they see girls proudly wearing their Girl
Scout uniforms, they’ll be able to engage and
educate girls on the work a Board does. The
hope is to inspire girls to take on a leadership
role in the future and join a Board themselves.
Both girls and volunteers will now be able to earn
this fun new patch to add to their collections.
23

Savvy Girl Scouts
Innovate
When COVID-19 closed down businesses and
forced people to stay home, Girl Scouts of Citrus
had to abruptly shut down the Girl Scout Cookie
program. Unfortunately, this forced many troops
to cancel booths, leaving them with unsold
cookies. Girls began to worry about how they
would fund troop activities, such as outdoor
adventures, community service projects, and
those broader experiences that build leadership
skills so critical to the Girl Scout Leadership
Experience.
In an effort to eliminate hardship for troops,
families and girls, Girl Scouts of Citrus extended
its cookie program into summer for those girls
and volunteers who wanted to try and continue
to sell. Girl Scouts from across the region have
found innovative and safe ways to reach their
cookie program goals.
Community booths were set up as a way to help
the most girls with minimum risk during this
uncertain time. Pre-orders were collected, and
troops used their inventory to package up the
orders. The community then set up drive-thru
booths where girls handed out the cookie orders
in a safe, socially distant matter.
The Girl Scout cookie program has prepared
generations of women to emerge as
entrepreneurs and stand as leaders in their
communities. The COVID pandemic created
an unprecedented environment, but girls are
learning how to quickly pivot and find new
innovative ways to do business.
However, even with the extended cookie
timeline, that didn’t solve the problem for all.
With nearly 2,000 cases of cookies still sitting
in homes and cookie cupboards across the
region. GSC understood that not all troops or
communities would have the ability to sell.
Therefore, a pandemic relief transfer program
was implemented to help those troops left
holding five or more unopened cases of
cookies.
These unopened cases of cookies were
transferred back to Citrus – for a new
initiative, the Cookies for Heroes. Cookies
for Heroes delivered cookies to the special
people who have stood by their communities
during these trying times. In an effort to
24

soften the financial burden GSC just took on,
the public was now able to donate funds into
the Cookies for Heroes. Each donation of $60
would ensure that a case of cookies would be
delivered to one of the many essential workers
throughout Central Florida.
Funds earned from the Girl Scout Cookie
Program remain local and provide life-changing
experiences and adventure. If the COVID-19
pandemic has proven anything, it’s that these
young savvy business-minded Girl Scouts will
find a way to succeed.
25

CONVENTION
COMING TO
ORLANDO, FL
2023
SHOP
LOCAL
1 0 3 1
100% of the proceeds stay with your
Council when you shop local
341 N. Mills Ave
Orlando, FL 32803
407-895-SHOP (7467)
shop@citrus-gs.org

Stay connected to Girl Scouts of Citrus Council! Use our social media
handle to follow us on Facebook @GirlScoutsofCitrus and Instagram
and Twitter @girlscoutscc. Of course, don’t forget to check us out on
YouTube, Pinterest and Linkedin!
Stay up to date on all things Citrus,
Virtual Events, Girl Experiences,
Shop Deals and more!

GIRL SCOUT PROMISE
On my honor, I will try:
To serve God and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.
GIRL SCOUT LAW
I will do my best to be
honest and fair,
friendly and helpful,
considerate and caring,
courageous and strong, and
responsible for what I say and do,
and to
respect myself and others,
respect authority,
use resources wisely,
make the world a better place, and
be a sister to every Girl Scout.
Girl Scouts of Citrus
341 N. Mills Ave.
Orlando, FL 32803
800-367-3906