Service Unit 7 Volunteers are the best!

This year's Volunteer Dinner was held May 16th at Carrabba's in West Ocean City. I want to offer congratulations and thanks to every Girl Scout, parent, grandparent, adult and volunteer in our service unit for a wonderful 2021/2022 scouting year. You are the heartbeat and backbone of the community.

We celebrated 6 new Volunteers, who received their certificates and keychain compass to remind them that new beginnings are sometimes scary, often bring great joy, but we need only follow our heart. We, here in Service Unit 7, hope it leads you back year after year to Girl Scouts. Welcome to the Girl Scout family Jessica Kennedy, Harley Layfield, Heather Schultz, Anna Simulis, Lauren Stephenson and Kelly Williams.

Fawn Mete reached her 10 years of service!! while Misty Norman reached her 5 years of service as a volunteer. Way to go ladies.

Several Service Unit level awards were given out.

Our "Community Partner" went to Matthew Norman for his work at thinking day educating the attendees on run-off, soil and pollution. His dedication last summer to the movement when he pulled together a crew to prepare and cook for the council wide service-team kick-off.

The "Golden Daisy" was awarded to Kelly Williams who stood out for being an innovator, not afraid to take on challenges and being an inspiration to both girls and adults. She led not only her Troop at Thinking Day but brought joy to all visitors of her Troop's area of India.

Finally, we had two Leaders receive the "Trailblazer", which goes to an individual who inspires others, perseveres through difficulties, promotes for the Girl Scout movement, sets goals and uses his or her education and/or experiences to enhance their role or position. Natalie Bloodsworth who invests in her community, supports the service unit and its events and Jessica Kennedy who has worked to bring in additional volunteers to the movement and was willing to drag her entire family & friends out on a weekend to clean trash up in the parks with the Girl Scouts. These are two motivated and genuinely motivational leaders.

Council awards must meet a series of benchmarks before earned. They must have a nomination which list their attributes and the ways in which they embody the Girl Scout Law. This must be followed by an endorsement who also must find the candidate worthy of the award and showcase how they rise to meet the Girl Scout Law. Finally, the Chesapeake Bay Council committee reviews both the nomination and endorsement for worthiness and qualification.

This year three women were nominated, endorsed and received their Green Angel patch, an acknowledgement by their peers of outstanding and creative service. Congratulations to Kenya Baine, Darlene Jameson and Misty Norman. Kenya was instrumental in assisting our service unit with a recruitment/informational table at the Back to School Bash in Snow Hill, MD. She is always welcoming and encouraging to other girls and adults.

Additionally, The Exceptional Cookie went to a team member who is always dedicated to the Girl Scouts product program, ensures trainings are completed, encourages Girls and Adults to do their very best. This individual has spent countless hours answering phone calls from parents, gone through name changes of her position, dealt with sleet and snow to get cookies out and organized cookie kick-offs in a pandemic. She has been a sounding board and stepped in to help when and where she could. For this I am very grateful. My former Co and our fearless Service Unit Cookie Champion Darlene Jameson.

Finally, the Volunteer of Excellence went to a volunteer who has contributed outstanding service while partnering directly with girls in any pathway to implement the Girl Scout Leadership Experience and has contributed outstanding service in support of GSCB’s mission to girl and adult members. This year’s nominee has been involved with service team events like Clean Stream & Thinking Day, attended Council meetings and trainings, served as a Delegate and stepped up to assist with a Council event at Camp Todd. She is passionate and caring. She will go the extra mile for a girl and gives her all to causes she believes in. For her outstanding service to the local Girl Scouts, the Service Unit and to our Chesapeake Bay Council I am proud to announce Misty Rose Norman as the Volunteer of Excellence recipient.

Congratulations to each of you. We cannot do this without you.

Be sure to send in notes, letters or recommendations for anyone you see deserving an award for next year. No need to wait until the Spring of 2023. We keep nominations and notes complied all year.

I hope that many of you will consider taking on a needed role on the Service Team for the coming year. Look for a survey for next year’s calendar in the next couple of months.