Responses to the Final Decision
Dec 14, 2011
Leaders,
If you receive council's e-news, you are aware of the board's decision to move forward with the sale of 4 of our remaining 7 camp properties - Crowell/Hilaka, Great Trail, Lejnar, and Pleasant Valley - despite the 60% passage of a resolution by the General Assembly at the October 29th meeting to "immediately cease and desist all activities in connection with the transfer of any real property". A copy of the announcement distributed to Membership Delegates is attached for your review.
Our efforts to work with the board in accordance with our council's governance process have been pushed aside and the board has no interest in working with the delegates or membership in a collaborative effort to identify solutions and address the $2 million in deferred maintenance on our camp properties, while still enabling enhancements at other camps, in line with the board's "blue sky thinking". The board and council have clearly indicated they want no assistance from the membership or from professional volunteers in order to minimize actual out of pocket expense.
Delegates do not agree due diligence has been conducted on behalf of the membership, as evident by the lack of a strategic development plan and cost analysis for Timberlane, Ledgewood, and Sugarbush, prior to their rush to sell the other camps. It is evident this board is working in a reckless manner with respect to girl scout assets.
You should be made aware, that according to council's 2009-10 financials (available online), product sales (fall product & cookies) netted $8.25 million in revenue. Of this, nearly $5 million was allocated to council salaries. Unheard of. And council complains about subsidizing a mere $1 million annually to camp programs - - their programming, mind you, not the troops.
As the democratic process to save our camps has failed within our council, our next recourse is to pursue legal action. A legal fund has been established through the Richfield Historical Society to be allocated towards our efforts to retain all of our camps. Our goal is $50,000, and every donation is tax-deductible.
My troop has elected to boycott the cookie sale this year (with no influence from me, mind you!). Their motto - - "No Camps for Us, No Cookies for You!" In lieu of purchasing cookies, please consider sending the amount you would have spent on cookies as a donation to the Save Our Camps legal fund. You will make a real impact for the price of a few boxes of cookies.
Many of your fellow Girl Scouts have already donated to the legal fund, but we still have a ways to go. Consider contributing $10, $20, or whatever you can reasonably afford. If your girls camp often enough, a request of $1-$2 from each girl in your troop is a realistic request.
Thank you in advance for supporting the campaign to save our local girl scout camps!
Yours in Girl Scouting!
Gwenn
Gwenn Kolenich
Chief Regional Delegate, North Region
Leader, Incarnate Word Junior Troop 520
Strongsville Service Unit Team
Dec 16, 2011
Hello Fellow Camp Enthusiasts!
As I'm getting ready and packing up and go to camp tomorrow, I have e-mails coming in asking: So will there be a cookie boycott?
FoCH and other pro-camp groups can not formally ask all the members to boycott cookies. Doing so would take the individual decision away from the girls and leaders and could possible divide our efforts into those willing to boycott and those who wish they could but do not have the finances to do so. Others don't agree with a boycott, but still want to support FoCH. I personally support whatever anyone decides!
Never the less, troops want to know there are a good number of troops interested. To help facilitate this conversations, I'm asking everyone: What is your troop's decision about the upcoming cookie sale? Do you plan to not sell? Do you plan to sell in hopes that there will be funds when the camps re-open? Does your troop need to sell for funds, but plans to sell the minimum? Do you plan a full fledge sale regardless of the Board's decision?
Please let folks know! If you feel uncomfortable sharing in an open forum, please e-mail either Lynn and I privately and we will share your contact information with other interested troops (with your permission of course).
Thank you in advance! Corey Ann.
--
Corey Ann Ringle
12/24/11. Akron Beacon Journal
Guy Renkert featured
Aurora Cadette troop led by Marie Cassidy announces most of their troop is boycotting cookies
http://www.ohio.com/news/local-news/major-donor-some-supporters-unhappy-with-girl-scouts-1.251893
Ad in the Richfield Times issue of January 2012:
Leaders,
If you receive council's e-news, you are aware of the board's decision to move forward with the sale of 4 of our remaining 7 camp properties - Crowell/Hilaka, Great Trail, Lejnar, and Pleasant Valley - despite the 60% passage of a resolution by the General Assembly at the October 29th meeting to "immediately cease and desist all activities in connection with the transfer of any real property". A copy of the announcement distributed to Membership Delegates is attached for your review.
Our efforts to work with the board in accordance with our council's governance process have been pushed aside and the board has no interest in working with the delegates or membership in a collaborative effort to identify solutions and address the $2 million in deferred maintenance on our camp properties, while still enabling enhancements at other camps, in line with the board's "blue sky thinking". The board and council have clearly indicated they want no assistance from the membership or from professional volunteers in order to minimize actual out of pocket expense.
Delegates do not agree due diligence has been conducted on behalf of the membership, as evident by the lack of a strategic development plan and cost analysis for Timberlane, Ledgewood, and Sugarbush, prior to their rush to sell the other camps. It is evident this board is working in a reckless manner with respect to girl scout assets.
You should be made aware, that according to council's 2009-10 financials (available online), product sales (fall product & cookies) netted $8.25 million in revenue. Of this, nearly $5 million was allocated to council salaries. Unheard of. And council complains about subsidizing a mere $1 million annually to camp programs - - their programming, mind you, not the troops.
As the democratic process to save our camps has failed within our council, our next recourse is to pursue legal action. A legal fund has been established through the Richfield Historical Society to be allocated towards our efforts to retain all of our camps. Our goal is $50,000, and every donation is tax-deductible.
My troop has elected to boycott the cookie sale this year (with no influence from me, mind you!). Their motto - - "No Camps for Us, No Cookies for You!" In lieu of purchasing cookies, please consider sending the amount you would have spent on cookies as a donation to the Save Our Camps legal fund. You will make a real impact for the price of a few boxes of cookies.
Many of your fellow Girl Scouts have already donated to the legal fund, but we still have a ways to go. Consider contributing $10, $20, or whatever you can reasonably afford. If your girls camp often enough, a request of $1-$2 from each girl in your troop is a realistic request.
Thank you in advance for supporting the campaign to save our local girl scout camps!
Yours in Girl Scouting!
Gwenn
Gwenn Kolenich
Chief Regional Delegate, North Region
Leader, Incarnate Word Junior Troop 520
Strongsville Service Unit Team
Dec 16, 2011
Hello Fellow Camp Enthusiasts!
As I'm getting ready and packing up and go to camp tomorrow, I have e-mails coming in asking: So will there be a cookie boycott?
FoCH and other pro-camp groups can not formally ask all the members to boycott cookies. Doing so would take the individual decision away from the girls and leaders and could possible divide our efforts into those willing to boycott and those who wish they could but do not have the finances to do so. Others don't agree with a boycott, but still want to support FoCH. I personally support whatever anyone decides!
Never the less, troops want to know there are a good number of troops interested. To help facilitate this conversations, I'm asking everyone: What is your troop's decision about the upcoming cookie sale? Do you plan to not sell? Do you plan to sell in hopes that there will be funds when the camps re-open? Does your troop need to sell for funds, but plans to sell the minimum? Do you plan a full fledge sale regardless of the Board's decision?
Please let folks know! If you feel uncomfortable sharing in an open forum, please e-mail either Lynn and I privately and we will share your contact information with other interested troops (with your permission of course).
Thank you in advance! Corey Ann.
--
Corey Ann Ringle
12/24/11. Akron Beacon Journal
Guy Renkert featured
Aurora Cadette troop led by Marie Cassidy announces most of their troop is boycotting cookies
http://www.ohio.com/news/local-news/major-donor-some-supporters-unhappy-with-girl-scouts-1.251893
Ad in the Richfield Times issue of January 2012:
Cleveland Hts. girls speak out. Akron Beacon Journal 1/9/2012
http://www.ohio.com/news/local/cookie-sales-the-fuel-of-girl-scout-operations-face-boycotts-1.254264
Reuters wire service picked up the story
1/11/12 Chicago tribune http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-girlscouts-cookie-boycotttre80a001-20120110,0,2083230.story
Marie Cassidy features on TV new reports
http://www.ohio.com/news/local/cookie-sales-the-fuel-of-girl-scout-operations-face-boycotts-1.254264
Reuters wire service picked up the story
1/11/12 Chicago tribune http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-girlscouts-cookie-boycotttre80a001-20120110,0,2083230.story
Marie Cassidy features on TV new reports
