Event FAQ | Girl Scouts

Everything you need to know about events.

Some of the best memories are made at Girl Scout events. An event is a Girl Scout-sponsored activity where members come together as a larger group to complete an activity resulting in skill-building outcomes. Examples include badge workshops, themed experiences, travel, community service, and camp. It's our goal to create "fun with a purpose" by incorporating the Girl Scout Leadership Experience into every event. Events are offered in all four of our core pillars: Life Skills, Entrepreneurship, Outdoors, and STEM.

Below we answer all the frequently asked questions about events, including event basics, participation information, registration questions, and payment & cancellation.

Event Basics

Who delivers events? toggle arrow

Service Units
Service Units are a small sub-set of council volunteers who plan and deliver experiences for Girl Scouts in their local area. When the service unit’s event is open to all Girl Scouts in the council, the event may be advertised on the council webpage. If it is only for their service unit, the service unit is responsible for promoting the event.

Program Partners
Program Partners are special interest groups and subject matter experts who partner with GSDH to plan and deliver experiences for Girl Scouts. These can be businesses such as an engineering firm or zoo, a museum or theatre group, or a club such as the Kappa Delta Sorority.

Girl Scouts Dakota Horizons Staff
GSDH council staff also plan and deliver experiences for Girl Scouts. In addition, GSDH supports service units and program partners in the planning and delivery of experiences.

Where do I find these opportunities? toggle arrow

Upcoming events are featured in the Girl Scouts Connected newsletter sent the first Wednesday of each month to email subscribers. Opt-in to emails through your myGS Account.
Get connected to your local service unit for news on local events.
A full listing can be found on our website:

Event List
The Event List offers the opportunity to search for events. A few things to know about the event list:

Events are in order of the date they start.
Events remain on the website until they occur, however, typically a registration deadline is 1-4 weeks prior to the start date.
Use the “keyword” search or the “advanced search” to filter to the Girl Scout grade level or pillar interest category.
Events may include virtual, in-person and on your own time delivery style opportunities that have a registration deadline.
New events are added as they become available. Check the EVENTS page often and/or emails for updates; program release information.

Event Calendar
The Event Calendar displays events in a calendar view by start date. Click on the event to see a pop-up description and registration deadline.

Patch Programs
Girl Scouts offers a variety of patch programs throughout the year. Each one has requirements to complete to earn the patch and information on how to order. We recommend ordering the patch right away as quantities may be limited.

Where can I find registration guidelines? toggle arrow

Please view individual event listing for details on registration. Events, including those hosted by program partners or Service Unit volunteers, may offer different registration options and guidelines.

What is Dakota Horizons' inclusion policy? toggle arrow

Girl Scouts Dakota Horizons embraces all and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

What if my Girl Scout has special needs? toggle arrow

Dakota Horizons will provide reasonable accommodations. Requests may be submitted to help@gsdakotahorizons.org, or through the online registration process in the Special Circumstances field.

Participation Information

Who can attend an event? toggle arrow

Any currently registered member of Girl Scouts may participate in council-sponsored events offered to your current grade or age level. Girls may participate individually or as part of a troop. Select events are open to participation by non-Girl Scout family and/or friends. View individual event listings for information on participants welcome to attend and event pricing options.

Non-Member Girls
Not a Girl Scout? Not a problem, join today and attend any event for your grade level!

Out of Council Girls
Are you a member of another Girl Scout council? Girl Scouts Dakota Horizons welcomes Girl Scout members from other councils to join in many of our events and camps. View the event listing grade level field for participant information.

Tag-a-longs
A tag-a-long is someone other than the specific grade-level Girl Scout the event is designed to serve. Please check the event listing to see if tag-a-longs are welcome. Be sure to inform chaperones in advance when there are no tag-a-longs allowed at the event.

What are Girl Scout Grade Levels? toggle arrow

Dakota Horizons follows the GSUSA Girl Scout year, October 1 - September 30, when offering programs to specific grade levels.

Girls may register to attend activities based on their grade and Girl Scout level for the current membership year; Daisy (K-1), Brownie (2-3), Junior (4-5), Cadette (6,7,8), Senior (9-10), or Ambassador (11-12).

For example, a Girl Scout registering for a July event who recently completed fifth grade would register as a Junior for events based on her current membership.

What are the adult/girl ratios? toggle arrow

To make every girl's experience fun and safe, all events must meet the minimum adult volunteer/girl ratio required by Safety Activity Checkpoints.

An adult volunteer is a currently registered adult member of Girl Scouts who has successfully completed a background check screening and is assigned to a volunteer role. If the minimum ratio is not met, the event will be cancelled and refunds processed.

What is the registration deadline? toggle arrow

Registration deadline is the last day registrations can be submitted online, or, paper registrations with payment will be accepted into designated office (as noted on registration form) for processing.

For girls to have the best possible experience, we need this time to properly prepare for supply purchases, venue confirmation, Program Aide/volunteer scheduling and other tasks. Registration deadline also applies to waitlist interest.

Registration

How do I register for an event? toggle arrow

Using the Event List, click on the title of the event you would like to register to attend.
Select “Register Now” within the event posting to be re-directed to registration for your event.
Follow the on-screen prompts to complete registration.

Please note, some events are not available for online registration processing. For these events, information on how to register will be available within the event listing and/or you will be re-directed to registration options.

What if the event I want to register for is full? toggle arrow

Our online event registration system, gsEvents, will display event capacity and remaining spots available. When an event reaches maximum capacity, spots available for the waitlist will display.

Registration with payment is required to secure an available waitlist spot. Available waitlist spots can be confirmed up to the event's registration deadline.

If the waitlisted registrant is able to be confirmed into the event, a registration confirmation will be received.

If the waitlisted registrant is not able to be confirmed into the event, a refund will be provided.

To cancel your waitlist spot, email help@gsdakotahorizons.org

How will I receive confirmation of my registration? toggle arrow

An order confirmation email will be sent upon registration to the purchaser and the participant confirming your spot or confirming your waitlist.

An additional email confirmation with program details will be sent to confirmed participants after the registration deadline of an event and approximately 10 days prior to session date. If you do not receive your confirmation email, please contact us at help@gsdakotahorizons.org or 800-666-2141.

To view events you are registered to attend, or, to access an event registration receipt; login to MyGS and click My Account/My Events Dashboard.

Payment & Cancellations

How can I pay for events? toggle arrow

Registrations are not confirmed and spots are not reserved until full payment or deposit, if offered, has been processed via online event registration or back office processing.

Credit or Debit Card
Online registration systems, including gsEvents, accept credit/debit card to confirm your registrations.

Dakota Dough

Pay online with your credit/debit card and submit a Dakota Dough Reimbursement Form.
Submit paper event registration form with Dakota Dough payment. Be sure to mail the form and Dakota Dough to the office noted on the form prior to the registration deadline to ensure timely receipt for processing.

Event Scholarship
Girl Scouts Dakota Horizons is committed to providing all girls the opportunity to participate in the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. The GSDH Girl Event/Camp Scholarship is designed to assist new and renewing girl members in our council jurisdiction by providing supplemental resources beyond a family’s ability to pay. Scholarship allocations are subject to availability within the council’s current operating budget.

Complete the easy online form to submit your request and registration. You will be notified of your registration status after your request has been reviewed. Please submit the request at least 1 week prior to the event registration deadline.

Check or Money Order
Submit the paper Event Registration form with payment. Be sure to mail the form and payment to the office noted on the form prior to the registration deadline to ensure timely receipt for processing.

Can I cancel and receive a refund for an event? toggle arrow

Participant Cancellation
Waitlisted or confirmed registrant cancellation and refund requests must be submitted in writing to help@gsdakotahorizons.org

Please include:

Registered participant name
Event name and date
Cancellation reason

If you must cancel or someone cannot attend, please send written notice as soon as possible.

Cancellation requests may be eligible for a refund, less a $5.00 administrative fee per participant, in the following circumstances:

A written cancellation is received on or before the event registration deadline.*
A serious illness or medical emergency of the registered participant.

*Special cancellation or refund guidelines may apply to some programs. Please view the event listing for additional cancellation and refund details.

No event refunds will be issued in the following circumstances:

A participant is arriving late, leaving early or attending only a portion of the event.
The participant cancellation is not received in writing by the refund deadline.
An event is held but a participant chooses not to attend and written cancellation is not submitted by the refund deadline.

Event Cancellation
On the occasion that an event is cancelled by GSDH, or, a waitlist spot is not confirmed, a full refund will be provided.

Registrations submitted via the gsEvents online registration system will be refunded back to the credit card used at time of registration.
Personal check payments or credit cards submitted via paper form will be refunded with a check from GSDH within 30 days of cancellation. Troop check payments will be refunded via ACH to the troop account within 30 days of cancellation.
Dakota Dough payments will be mailed back to the adult contact noted on the registration form for return to your Girl Scout.

Program Partner & Service Unit Events
Each event hosted by a program partner or service unit handling registration for their opportunity sets and enforces their own cancellation and refund policy. Reach out to the event contact directly with registration, cancellation or refund questions.

Can I cancel and receive a refund for a Patch Program? toggle arrow

Patch program orders may be cancelled and fully refunded within 2 business days of the purchase by submitting a cancel request in writing to help@gsdakotahorizons.org.

Written cancellations received within 2 business days of order submission will be refunded back to the credit card used at time of order registration.

I can't attend, can another Girl Scout go instead? toggle arrow

Program payments are non-transferable and substitutions are not allowed for girl participants.

Please see cancellations & refunds information for options if your participant is not able to attend.

Substitutions may be available for adult registrants to maintain our adult volunteer to girl ratios. Submit adult substitution request in writing to help@gsdakotahorizons.org at least 5 days prior to the event.

Need help with Online Registration?

Contact Member Services at 800-666-2141 or email help@gsdakotahorizons.org. Please leave a message if we are unavailable or after hours.