The Lawsuit
We can live with out some of the camps, but if we don't have honesty, and if we don't have a voice, then we don't have Girl Scouting
OUR APPEAL Has been filed....more info coming soon
At the base of the issue is our Camps. - Camping is essential to Girl Scouting
GSNEO management invited the membership to assist in evaluating which camps would remain.
Above that is clear water, representing Accuracy - Members were given inaccurate and incomplete information about the camps. The board disregarded the voice of the membership. Some board members actually lied when attempting to justify the plan to sell 5 camps to build 2 Premier Leadership Centers.
At the top is the preamble of the US constitution, representing Democracy - Girl Scouting exists to promote leadership qualities in girls. Girl Scouting is purportedly led by girls. The general assembly , including girls and representatives for girls, passed a resolution in 2011 to ensure an honest and accurate re-evaluation of camps
The GSNEO board says it is non-binding. If the council cannot abide by its basic principal of girl leadership - it has no more reason for existence.
The lawsuit is just the tip of the iceberg - representing Justice - If the court upholds democracy in Girl Scouting by upholding the 2011 resolution. We will still need an honest, accurate, complete evaluation, using a transparent evaluation of the properties , based largely on girl opinions and usage, with the results placed in context of the overall range of GSNEO programs and servises. THEN, we as a council still have to decide how many camps we need and which ones.
The Appeal
We can live with out some of the camps, but if we don't have honesty, and if we don't have a voice, then we don't have Girl Scouting
We have raised and spent over $50,000 to develop a successful resolution and to defend the rights of ordinary Girl Scouts in court. Our efforts so far have gotten Great Trail Camp taken off the market. But we are still waiting for the GSNEO board to Honor the Resolution. The Resolution will halt the sale of the other 3 endangered camps until the sales get approval from the General Assessmbly. This will require re-opening ALL the camps and evaluating the properties realistically and honestly - the way it should have been done in the first place.
Our case was scheduled for trial in September, 2012. The judge agreed that there were questions of fact that needed to be addressed. But then in a 180 degree flip, he allowed the charges to be dismissed. We need to take our case to the court of appeals to set it right.
Our legal firm has agreed to write off HALF of our outstanding balance IF we can get the other half ( $12,000) paid by December 14th. In addition, we have agreed on a flat fee of $3,000 to cover the entire appeal process.
All money donated to the legal fund is tax -deductable.
The fiduciary sponsor for Friends of Crowell Hilaka is the Richfield Historical Society, a 501c3 corporation
Ways to raise quick money:
- Have some holiday "gifts " to you made as donations to the law suit cause
- Forego a benefit or party during this holiday season and instead donate the cost of attending to the lawsuit
- Hold a holiday benefit for the lawsuit
- Send out holiday cards containing some mention of the lawsuit and your involvement in and support of it, as you tell about your year. Then ask for others to support it. Get the word spread as far as possible about our effort. You never know who was a former GS and would donate, even a small amount.
- Suggest that calories can be saved and money redirected to the lawsuit cause or troops directly as opposed to buying cookies.
- Check out the awesome stuff you can buy to benefit the legal fund or get as a donation thank you!
Do it ahead of time since the money is needed now.
"Fueled by my frustrations over the charade called GSNEO Annual Meeting, I again find myself moved to contribute to the grass roots effort seeking to find justice in this mess. I received a lovely invitation to Dessert First, to be held at the Embassy Suites on Saturday, November 10th. I won’t be attending. So, I am taking the amount I would have spent on my ticket ($150.00), adding the cost of my husband’s ticket ($150.00), and forwarding my contribution of $300.00 to Richfield Historical Society."
Helen Bergmann
Nov 8, 2012