Have you ever looked around your neighborhood or school and wondered how you could make a change for the better? Going for the Girl Scout Silver Award—the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can earn—gives you the chance to show that you are a leader who is organized, determined, and dedicated to improving your community. Earning the award puts you among an exceptional group of girls who have used their knowledge and leadership skills to make a difference in the world.

Here are the steps you’ll take to earn your Girl Scout Silver Award:

1. Go on a Cadette journey.
2. Identify issues you care about.
3. Build your Girl Scout Silver Award team or decide to go solo.
4. Explore your community.
5. Pick your Take Action project.
6. Develop your project.
7. Make a plan and put it into motion.
8. Reflect, share your story, and celebrate.

Once you complete your journey, the suggested minimum time for earning your Girl Scout Silver Award is 50 hours. These suggested hours are a guide. You can start by planning the time in chunks, dividing it up by the steps. Check out the silver project that my troop came up with in the following blogs!!!

The Bully

Silver and Gold

Why Can’t We Be Friends

Grecilda Lumbay grew up with two sisters and five brothers in the Visayan Islands.  She wondered why they did not have meals on time, and it broke her heart when she was sent to temporarily live with an aunt because her parents could not afford food.  At 18, Grecilda traveled to Manila to find employment.  She was hired as house help and met her future husband, Gerardo Lumbay, a worker in the area.  They were later married and blessed with seven children.

Grecilda bought rice cakes and sold them to add to the family income.  She learned to make and market fried cheese sticks.  Her average income grew to $14 per day.  This was a good income, but still not enough to provide for and educate her large family.  She sought more capital for her business, but high interest rates overburdened her and barely added to the income.  In 2009, she learned about Mentors Philippines. Her first loan of $65 helped purchase raw materials; the business grew again.  Grecilda now employs 50 additional people and nets about $65 per day.  She has an annual business loan of $2,500.  Her oldest child is in college and two others are in high school.  Grecilda has not only learned how to ‘fish’, but has also taught others how to ‘fish’.

Interested in helping – Click here to Pay It Forward!!!

Read about another Spotlight Mom – Nenita  from the Phillipines. Another woman who has made a difference in the life of her family and community with the help of Mentors International.

For more details about this organization check out my blog - Mentors International

As we approach Mother’s Day this year, I would like to share with you a story of a remarkable woman named Nenita Asilom. Through her love as a mother, and with the help of Mentors International, Nenita triumphed. Nenita she knew she wanted more for her children. She was eight years old when her mother died unexpectedly. She became a surrogate mother since she was the second to the oldest with five other siblings, the youngest being only three months old. Life was hard for their father who was a farmer, so Nenita gained employment as a housekeeper to add to the family’s income. Eventually Nenita moved in with her grandmother so she could learn dress-making skills. She became a seamstress and not long after married her husband, Ismael Asilom.

Ismael and Nenita moved to Caloocan City, Manila, where Ismael worked as a carpenter. Nenita stayed at home with the children, but when they started going to school she opened a small convenience store and started sewing potholders made from fabric scraps. She learned about Mentors International in late 2010 and received her first loan of $75 to purchase fabric scraps. Two years later Nenita’s business has seen considerable improvements. More importantly she has been able to send her children to high school, make improvements in their home, and provide employment opportunities to others in her community.

Nenita’s struggle for success did not come easy. But as a young girl who grew up with many hardships, she knew she didn’t want her children to suffer as she had. The  opportunity that Mentors Philippines has provided her has changed the cycle of poverty in her family as her children look forward to receiving a college education.

Interested in helping. Click here to Pay It Forward ~

Read about another Spotlight Mom - Gricelda from the Phillipines. Another woman who has made a difference in the life of her family and community with the help of Mentors International.

For more details about this organization check out my blog - Mentors International

Mother’s Day is just around the corner. All of us are usually on the giving and receiving end of flowers, candy, knick-knacks and the like. We get taken out to dinner so we don’t have to cook. I don’t know about you, but our national holidays can leave me feeling exhausted. What if there were a way to make a real difference in someone’s life this mother’s day?

Mentors International is a non profit organization that gives microcredit (a loan usually in the amount of $100 – $150) to a qualifying individual with a business. One of Mentors International’s slogans is A Hand Up – Not A Hand Out. They support self reliance through microcredit and education. The microcredit loans go into their business and then  Mentors International helps their clients with a simple business plan and teach them bookkeeping, marketing, pricing and purchasing principles.

We live in a privileged country. There is a saying that when you educate a man, you teach an individual. When you educate a woman you change the world. Women tend to pay it forward to their families and communities. What if this Mother’s Day you take a portion of what you would spend on presents and subsidize a microloan to a mother without the advantages and privilege that come from being within our borders. If 20 of us put in $5 then there is one microloan. I plan on doing a series of blog posts following one microloan. Just wait until you see the difference $100 can make.

Click here to Pay It Forward this Mother’s Day!!!

Read about thse Spotlight Moms – Nenita and Gricelda, both from the Phillipines. Women who have made a difference in the lives of their families and communities with the help of Mentors International.

For more details about this organization check out my blog - Mentors International

The girls of Troop 2149 got together and looked at some of the issues facing girls today. After some brainstorming, they came up with the idea to create a series of puppet shows based on these issues and perform them for our Service Unit Daycamp. They had over 60 girls in attendance. Get some popcorn and pull up your tweens and enjoy our production of “The Bully” ~

I was at playgroup a few weeks back and the moms and I were discussing our weekend plans. I told them that we would be going to a concert on Friday night, maybe brunch with friends on Saturday, and dinner and a movie Saturday night. One of the new moms there just stared at me. (And I was reminded why I don’t really love playgroups, but that’s for another day.) It was then admitted by the 6 other moms that they hadn’t been on a date with their husband for at least 6 weeks. Most of them hadn’t been out in  3 to 4 months. One mom hadn’t been out alone with her husband since her baby was born, 2 years ago. I felt guilty. My husband and I go out every Tuesday when the girls have dinner with their Dad. And every other weekend we spend most of the time making sure we are doing things that we wouldn’t or couldn’t do with them. That usually includes great dinners, late movies, brunch, weekends out of town, early morning bike rides, or afternoons at the lake. And always includes sleeping in. As I left that playgroup I couldn’t shake the thought that I was incredibly wrong for dating my husband and feeling guilty for being divorced. It wasn’t an ideal situation, having an ex-husband, having to share the parenting. Nobody gets married, and then has children, thinking it won’t last, other people might think that, but surely as the bride you don’t.

Then a realization crossed my mind that  I thought never would happen, I was really grateful to have some space from the girls; to feel rejuvenated about being their mom. The daily grind of parenting is hard, it wears on you day after day. And sure it’s hard to have routines and rules when you are sharing the parenting responsibility, but it is easier to cope with those downfalls when you have a small break. I am lucky enough to have a husband who helps me realize that it’s ok to have a break. He always makes sure we are taking advantage of our newlywed weekends. I learned to let go of most of the anxiety that comes with sending mychildren away. I trust my ex-husband. He loves his girls and needs time with them too, and more importantly the girls love him. They enjoy being there and always come home exhausted, their hair isn’t combed, but they are happy and safe. And that is what matters.

Divorced parenting is hard, it is different for everyone. Regardless of the situation though, it is what it is. So I might as well bask in the only silver lining and enjoy my Saturday morning brunch in peace.

Saturday, September 15 th – Salt Lake City, UT

9 am – 4 pm

http://www.goddessdaycamp.org/

Join me and some of my friends for a day full of motivating and inspiring workshops. Topics include -

Ronda Devereaux (that’s me)

Has the bluebird of happiness “should” on your head?

Vikki Carrel

Providing strategies for raising self esteem and helping mothers and daughters to connect.

Angel Shannon

Teaching stress relief solutions with humor and joyful wisdom

Vicki Winterton

Organization guru to help you un-clutter.

Holly Draper

An introduction to Aromatherapy and it’s many health benefits.

Additional classes include, Yoga, Dressing for Your Body Type, Debt Elimination and Minute Meals.

This event is a fundraiser for the Girl Scouts of Utah H.U.G.S. Campaign (Help Us Grow Strong)

http://www.goddessdaycamp.org/

*For all women ages 18 and up

*$25 early bird registration before August 25th

$35 registration August 26th-September 7th

(Lunch included for either option)

Saturday, April 18, 2012

The Salt Palace – Salt Lake City, Utah

9:30 am to 12:00 noon

9:30 am – check in

9:45 am to 11:30 am – presentation

11:35 am to 12 noon – display tables and book signing

$35 for Mother and Daughter

Author Vikki Carrel and fitness professional Lisa Condie will discuss the following during their interactive and informative presentation:

*positive thoughts and actions

*balanced lifestyle

*leadership skills *power of labels

*personal choices & accountability

*self esteem *healthy body image

Spend the morning strengthening the bond between Mothers & Daughters, in a fun, interactive presentation. Designed to provide girls, ages 8-13 with the skills necessary for health and personal growth. Fitness.edu has teamed up with Vikki Careel and Girls on the Run to encourage girls of all ages to establish healthy habits.

 To learn more about Vikki go to www.vikkicarrel.com

For Mother’s Day (many moons ago), my girl scout troop answered these questions about their Moms. We cut the comments out and created a beautiful scrap book page for all the Mom’s. We used a 12X12 format and then I purchased one  of the “record frames” from the craft store to display them. They were a hit, but the greatest gift was getting insight into how your child perceives you and the things that you do for them.

Give this quiz to your children (or teen if you are brave). Their answers may surprise you! Make it into a page and post on pinterest, facebook, or your mirror. Answer these questions and make a gift for your own Mom.

Answer one of the questions as a comment. Share a little of yourself with those around you ~ Get creative!

1. Something mom always says to you?

2. What makes mom happy?

3. What makes mom sad?

4. How does mom make you laugh?

5. What was mom like as a child?

6. How old is your mom?

7. How tall is your mom? 8. What is her favorite thing to do?

9. What does your mom do when you’re not around?

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?

11. What is your mom REALLY good at?

12. What is your mom not very good at?

13. What does your mom do for her job?

14. What is your mom’s favorite food?

15. What makes you proud of your mom?

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?

17. What do you and your mom do together?

18. How are you and your mom the same?

19. How are you and your mom different?

20. How do you know your mom loves you?

This is part III of the service project my girl scout troop was working on for their Media Journey (journeys are like badges, but are new on the scene the last couple of years).

As we were discussing what to do for their project the girls said, “Let’s do hair and makeup makeovers.” I told the girls that the hair and makeup thing were so overdone. Everyone is worried about what they look like from the neck up. What about from the neck down? Someone needs to give some of these girls some tips on how to dress these days. Well my girls and Tressa Branin from Total Style Solutions took on the challenge.

Tressa talked to the girls about what she calls Style Personality, followed by colors (in part I), body shape, the right size and finally the style makeover challenge (in part II). Finally in part III show the choices the girls made and how Tressa talked them through those choices. I really don’t want to think about sitting in the dressing room waiting for 2 teens and one tween. Can’t they have mini Barnes and Noble’s in all of the department stores?

Alyssa

Amanda

Amy

Ashley

Hayden