2002-08-25 - 10:00 p.m.
THOSE OF US ON THE GROUND FLOOR
I love my girl scouts. I don�t love the paperwork. Every year, I seem to have more of it to do. Every time someone on the council has a brilliant idea, I have more paperwork. This year�s idea was that Cadettes (troops of girls in sixth through ninth grade) should register in the spring. The hope was that it would aid with retention. I have no idea what it has done for the council. I know what�s it�s done for me�worse than nothing.
In the past, I�ve had a foolproof method for getting in paperwork and dues. The same method has worked extremely well for retention. We camp early in the fall. To camp, a girl must have in her registration paperwork and her dues. It�s that simple. We start off with a bang and an incentive. I then make one run down to council headquarters, complete the registration paperwork, and we go on the overnight.
Typically, I�ve had the parents come early for pick-up at the first meeting. They then have filled out the paperwork, written the checks, and made their volunteer commitments for the year. They�ve signed up to be co-leader for a day and for their daughter to be responsible for snacks. (Yes, I know some people believe that there are too many snacks at activities. All I can say in my defense is that these girls eat lunch at 11:15 a.m. and the meeting goes until 5:15 p.m. The times there has been no snack, I have needed a whip and chair.) It�s all wrapped up in one day, neat and tidy.
This year, I had as many of them as were at our last meeting fill out the paperwork. I now need to go back and get the other three (or, more likely, two. I believe one will drop out.) I also need to get money from everyone. I already went to council headquarters once for the first eleven. Now I�ll have to run out there again for the stragglers. I�ll get the money but it is requiring a mass mailing. I still haven�t figured out any efficient way to get volunteers signed up.
It�s not that council does nothing for us. They supply some lovely grounds on which we camp. They maintain some nice equipment for rent and a great resource library. They supply some trainings (although most of them are aimed at people with younger girls in their troops.) I just wish that they would consult those of us on the ground floor before having any more good ideas.
But then work is the same way. Most places are.
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