Volunteer Scoop: June
06/26/2025
News & Updates
Volunteer Toolkit Rollover to New Year
The Volunteer Toolkit (VTK) will roll over to the new Girl Scout year on July 14. Here’s what you need to know:
- 2024–2025 Year Plans will be archived and moved to Past Year Plans. These will still be viewable, but not editable.
- Achievement & Attendance data will be cleared. Be sure to download and save your records ahead of time from the Troop tab!
The Volunteer Toolkit is your official source for planning and delivering fun, easy troop meetings all year long with ready-to-go meeting plans and downloadable Badge Booklets!
Need help? Check out the VTK Troop Co-Leader Guide for tips and instructions on getting the most out of your toolkit.
Get Wilderness First Aid Certified!
Be prepared for outdoor adventures—learn how to confidently respond in remote situations!
Join us in Aberdeen at beautiful TDAF by Lake Richmond, September 19–21, for a Wilderness First Aid certification course.
The American Red Cross Wilderness First Aid course teaches advanced skills to use in emergencies when professional help may be delayed. This course is ideal for adult Girl Scout volunteers and Girl Scouts age 16 or older.
👉 View course details and registration information here
S'more Fun Outdoor Skills Patch Program for Volunteers
Explore the outdoors with your Girl Scouts and earn the S’more Fun Outdoor Skills Patch! This program is designed for volunteers of all experience levels to guide you through the Girl Scout Outdoor Progression, helping you and your girls build confidence, learn essential outdoor skills, and develop a love for nature.
Complete the steps with your girls to earn the main patch, then continue the adventure by adding logs to your fire for even more outdoor fun!
Safety Activity Checkpoints
The physical safety and well-being of Girl Scouts is one of our top priorities.
The Safety Activity Checkpoints manual outlines the Safety Standards and Guidelines for all Girl Scout activities and applies to every outing, event, and experience.
✅ Please review Safety Activity Checkpoints when planning activities with girls to ensure all adventures are safe, age-appropriate, and fun!
Service Unit Reminders
Just a quick heads-up that the following items were due June 15—if you haven’t submitted yet, please do so as soon as possible:
· Service Unit Election Results
📝 Note: Council staff use the election results to update Service Unit Leadership roles—so it’s important to get yours in!
Thanks for helping keep everything running smoothly!
Cookie Program Rewards Survey
We’re starting to plan for next year’s cookie season—and we need your troop’s input!
Please share this quick survey with the Girl Scouts in your troop and encourage them to tell us what rewards they’d love to earn next year—whether it’s cool gear, fun experiences, or must-have goodies.
Their ideas = even sweeter rewards. Thanks for helping us amplify their voices!
Price Increase on Select Girl Scout Items Coming Soon
We’ve received notice from Girl Scouts of the USA that prices on select items will increase starting Monday, July 14.
Affected categories include:
- Uniforms
- Council IDs
- Troop numbers
- Insignia tabs
- Pins
Now’s a great time to stock up for the upcoming year! Place your order through our retail store by July 10 to lock in current pricing.
You can shop in person or order by phone, email, or mail. Click here for more information and ways to shop.
Summer Patch Program Sale
Keep the Girl Scout fun going all summer long! Now through July 6, score most GSDH patch programs for just $2.50 each—while supplies last.
It’s a great time to stock up and save for summer activities or plan ahead for the next troop year! Order here.
Happy patch planning!
Retail Services
Dakota Horizons' retail services offer a variety of ways to shop for badges, uniforms, awards, gifts, specialty items, and more! Find the shopping option that best meets your needs at gsdakotahorizons.org/shop.
Stay Connected with Us
Want to receive a copy of the Girl Scouts Connected in your email each month? Complete this form to let us know you want to opt into emails.
