Building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place

2017 Annual Report Leadership note The Future is Bright We are reminded that 107 years ago, our founder Juliette Gordon Low was the G.I.R.L. Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, and Leader. She not only envisioned an organization that would inspire girls to pursue personal growth, she made that dream a reality for millions around the world through her passion and dedication to the movement she started. Today Girl Scouts has evolved and transformed to continue this mission for girls in the 21st century.

Reflecting on 2017, we are proud to see our 6,700 girls develop the courage, confidence, character, and leadership skills that will transform their lives, their communities, and our shared future. We could not do this without the continued support of our members, donors, and partners.

We look forward to our continued work together to strategically position Girl Scouts of Shore to Shore to bring the Girl Scout experience to every girl throughout our wonderfully broad and diverse council.

The future of girls and Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore looks bright!

Yours in Girl Scouting,

Deborah Hughes Barbara Hill Board Chair Chief Executive Officer

At a glance Our Mission Girl Scouts’ mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. Guided by supportive adults and peers, girls in kindergarten through 12th grade develop their leadership potential through age-appropriate activities that enable them to discover their values, skills, and the world around them; connect with others in a multicultural environment; and take action to make a difference in their world. As a result, all Girl Scout activities are designed to be girl led, cooperative, and hands-on processes that create high-quality experiences conducive to learning.

The Girl Scout Leadership Experience, the framework for defining what girls do in Girl Scouting and how they do it, was born out of years of research and development and engages girls through four categories of learning: 1) STEM (Science, Technology, Education and Mathematics); 2) Outdoors (including adventure and travel); 3) Life Skills (goal setting, making healthy decisions, dealing with bullies, etc.) and 4) Entrepreneurship (including the Girl Scout Cookie Program). Girls progress through age appropriate programming in these areas through the completion of Girl Scout Journeys and Badges. The Girl Scout Difference Girl Scouts offers the best leadership development experience for girls

Girl Scouts unleashes the G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™ in every girl, preparing her for a lifetime of leadership—from taking a night-time hike under the stars to accepting a mission on the International Space Station; from lobbying the city council with her troop to holding a seat in Congress; from running her own cookie business today to tackling cybersecurity tomorrow.

Our Girl Scout Leadership Experience is a one-of-a-kind leadership development program for girls, with proven results. It is based on time-tested methods and research-backed programming that help girls take the lead—in their own lives and in the world.

Research shows that girls learn best in an all-girl, girl-led, and girl-friendly environment. Girl Scouts is a place where she’ll practice different skills, explore her potential, take on

leadership positions—and even feel allowed to fail, dust herself off, Did you know? get up, and try again. Girl Scouts fuels the female leadership pipeline. Girl Scouts is proven to help girls thrive in five key waysas they: • Develop a strong sense of self. 50% OF FEMALE • Seek challenges and learn from setbacks. BUSINESS LEADERS • Display positive values. 80% • Form and maintain healthy relationships. OF FEMALE TECH LEADERS • Identify and solve problems in the community. 76% The inclusive, all-female environment of a Girl Scout troop creates a OF FEMALE safe space where girls can try new things, develop a range of skills, take U.S. SENATORS on leadership roles, and just be themselves. 100% OF FEMALE U.S. SECRETARIES OF STATE

Girl Scouts takes the potential of girls, combines it with robust ...WERE GIRL SCOUTS. skill-building programming, and adds caring adult mentors and strong female role models.

Everything a Girl Scout does centers around STEM, the outdoors, development of life skills, and entrepreneurship, and is designed to meet her where she is now and to grow along with her. Whether she’s building a robotic arm, coding her first app, building a shelter in the backcountry, or packing for her first hike, a Girl Scout has an exciting array of choices to suit her interests at every age.

At Girl Scouts, “Can I?” quickly turns into “I will!” as girls transform their ideas into action, turn their questions into adventure, and grow their confidence through practice. And with more than 50 million other G.I.R.L.s to cheer them on every step of the way, there’s no limit to what she can accomplish.

Girl Scouts works. It’s the best leadership experience for girls in the world for STEM one very good reason: it’s girl-led! OUTDOORS LIFE SKILLS ENTREPRE- NEURSHIP 1 $589,737 $4,037,172 $4,626,909 $3,016,722 $2,002,167 $2,292,947 $230,192 Fundraising (5%) Fundraising Program Services (87%) Services Program

Annual Giving & Gifts (1%) Annual Giving & Gifts United Way (1%) Way United Interest/Investment Income & Misc (8%) & Misc Income Interest/Investment Chart Title Management (8%) Management Grants (6%) Grants $66,715 Sales of Merchandise (3%) Sales of Merchandise Product Sales (79%) Product Program & Membership Revenue (2%) Revenue & Membership Program

$96,453 $96,453

$34,287 $34,287 $185,416 $134,038 $134,038 $2,366,575 $105,364 $105,364 $33,508

$188,992 2017 Income 2017 Expenses Depreciation Depreciation Net Gain/(Loss) in Assets Change beg/yr Net Assets, end/yr Net Assets, Income & Gifts Annual Giving Way United Grants Sales Product Revenue & Membership Program Sales of Merchandise & Misc. Income Interest/Investment Income Total Expenses Services Program Management Fundraising Expenses Total 2017 Financials Program Services Management Fundraising

tive Officer Officer tive GSMISTS Service Centers Service GSMISTS

gsmists.org 844-GSMISTS 1820 Oak Hollow Drive Hollow Oak 1820 MI 49686 City, Traverse p 231.947.7354 p 231.744.4774 Center City Service Traverse Muskegon Service Center Service Muskegon Road River 1217 Muskegon MI 49445 Muskegon, Grand Rapids, MI 49544 Grand p 616.784.3341 Grand Rapids Service Center Rapids Service Grand NW Ave. Walker 3275 Staff Chief Mary Charles, Interim Execu Theresa Van Veelen Van Theresa Wilson Shannon India Adams Manns India Adams Pitts Sharron Torres Roberto Brenda Lindberg Brenda Lucas Evan Jeanine Marbury-Bryant Members At Large Members At Bruce Roya Feahr Karen Michelle Jones Treasurer, Gail Montgomery Gail Treasurer, Judy Dennis Secretary, 1st Vice President, Verna George Verna President, 1st Vice Beth Kiisk President, 2nd Vice Milanowski Officers Hughes Deborah Chair, Council information and financials and information Council Membership 2017 Membership Year Adults – 3,158 Girls – 6,738

Daisies: 1,464 Brownies: 1,986 Juniors: 1,726 Cadettes: 1,039 Seniors: 265 Ambassadors: 173 Grade Unknown: 85 Volunteer Services Girl Scout Volunteer ToolKit In 2017, the Girl Scout Volunteer ToolKit (VTK) was introduced to our volunteers as an online planning tool for troop leaders. The Toolkit provides program content and other resources to manage the troop planning all year long - and keep it going smoothly.

What volunteers are saying: “I like that there are meeting plans and schedules to follow. I also like being able to keep track of the patches my girls earn. The “my troop” feature that allows me to email all of the parents at once is great, too - I use that a lot.” Programming

“The work of today is the history of tomorrow, and we are its makers.” - Juliette Gordon Low

Our program managers are making history by providing quality programs, events and community partnerships through Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore’s council-wide “You Schedule it” program. In 2017, our community partners grew from 7 to just over 100 community partners in one year.

The girls had opportunities from Broadway productions of “WICKED” to “SPARK Events” where they toured and participated in STEM activities with real companies in their communities.

3 Girl Scouts and STEM Changing the World with Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math

Girls are natural-born scientists! They look at the world around them with inquisitive eyes, experiment and push boundaries, and learn as they go.

We introduce Girl Scouts of every age to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to help them see how they can actually improve the world - whether they’re discovering how a car’s engine runs, learning to manage finances, or caring for animals.

We’d like every girl to explore different aspects of STEM every year, so we’ve developed a unique, “fun with purpose” K-12 curriculum to inspire girls to embrace and celebrate scientific discovery in their lives.

By inspiring girls to discover more of what they really care about, Leadership Journeys are an essential part of Girl Scouting. Girls explore a wide range of interests along their Journeys - everything from the arts to the outdoors and, of course, STEM.

For example, in the It’s Your Planet-Love It! series, girls can explore the natural world by learning about the water cycle, completing energy audits, assessing air quality, calculating their “food print” and learning kitchen science, and figuring out how much trash is created and how to reduce it.

To learn more, download How Girl Scout STEM Programs Benefit Girlsat girlscouts.org/research.

Spark Events Inspiring girls to dream big when they think about their future, and bring girls together with STEM professionals in their work spaces.

This year, we partnered with several companies who continuted helping girls explore STEM using real world examples and hands-on projects.

4 Community Partners By partnering with companies throughout our Outdoor council, the Community Partners program offers Blandford Nature Center (Grand Rapids) programs for Girl Scouts in all of the Girl Scout Camp Newaygo (Newaygo) Program Pillars: STEM, Outdoors, Life Skills, and City of Kentwood Parks & Recreation (Kentwood) Eagle Village Camp & Retreat (Hersey) Entrepreneurship. GR Paddling (Grand Rapids) Grass River Natural Area (Bellaire) Arts and Culture John Ball Zoo (Grand Rapids) Care Conservatory of Dance (Grand Rapids) Karin’s Horse Connection (Caledonia) Create Community Art Studio (Boyne) Lake Louise (Boyne Falls) Fredrick Meijer Gardens (Grand Rapids) Lewis Farm & Petting Zoo (New Era) Grand Rapids Ballet (Grand Rapids) Michigan United Conservation (Lansing) GR Art Museum (Grand Rapids) Muskegon Conservation District (Muskegon) Joann Fabrics (National Partner) Otsego Conservation District (Gaylord) Michigan Ballet Academy (Grand Rapids) Shrine of the Pines (Baldwin) Muskegon Museum of Art (Muskegon) Trout Unlimited (Muskegon) Newaygo City Council of Arts (Fremont) Oliver Art Center (Frankfort) Service and Civic Duties Painting and Vine (Traverse City) Catholic Commission on Scouting (Grand Rapids) Traverse Symphony Orchestra (Traverse City) Ford Presidental Foundation (Grand Rapids) Triumph Music Academy (Grand Rapids) Goodwill Industries (Grand Rapids) Tulip Time Festival (Holland) Hackley Library (Muskegon) Van Andel Arena & DeVos Performance Hall (Grand Rapids) Harbor Humane Society (West Olive) Humane Society of West Michigan (Grand Rapids) Financial Literacy Kent District Library (Comstock Park) Sylvan Learning Center of West Michigan (Grand Rapids) Kent Habitat for Humanity (Grand Rapids) Kids Food Basket (Grand Rapids) Fun Muskegon Habitat for Humanity (Muskegon) Muskegon Humane Society (Muskegon) Alpine Chocolate Haus (Gaylord) Auntie Anne’s (Traverse City) BAM! Family Fun Center (Holland) Sports Grand Traverse Lighthouse (Traverse City) Beach Bums (Traverse City) GR Original Swing Society (Bryon Center) Centre Ice (Traverse City) Heritage Woodworks (Grand Rapids) (Grand Rapids) Higher Ground Rock Climb (Grand Rapids) Grand Rapids Galaxy (Grand Rapids) Icebreaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum (Mackinaw City) (Grand Rapids) Jumpin Jupiter (Muskegon) Great Lakes Equestrian (Williamsburg) Know Way Out (Petoskey) GVSU Cheer Dance Team (Allendale) Lake Shore Museum (Muskegon) Muskegon Lumberjacks (Muskegon) Michigan Small Business Development (Grand Rapids) Muskegon Sports Complex (Muskegon) Rebounderz (Jenison) The First Tee (Harbor Springs) Sky Zone (Kentwood) West Michigan Archery Center (Rockford) Tarry Hall Roller Rink (Grandville) Whitecaps (Grand Rapids) The Mud Room (Grand Rapids) Zig Zig (Bryon Center) Tri Cities Historical Museum (Grand Haven) USS Silversides Museum (Muskegon) STEM Air Zoo (Portage) Healthy Living Bricks for Kidz (Grand Rapids) Diana’s School of Innovation (Muskegon) Darling Cetaceans (Muskegon Heights) Flipstar Gymnastics (Ludington) Ferris State University (Big Rapids) Grow Benzie (Benzonia) Grand Rapids Makers (Grand Rapids) Tri Cities YMCA (Grand Haven) GVSU National Nurses Association (Allendale) Hagerty (Traverse City) Hope College (Holland) Izzak Walton League of America (Belmont) MCWT (Dearborn) Med Express (Grand Rapids) Mathnasium (Bryon Center) 5 Van Andel Educational Institute (Grand Rapids) 2017 Gold Award Recipients Since 1916, Girl Scouts have been making meaningful, sustainable change in their communities and around the world. The Girl Scout Gold Award represents the highest achievement in Girl Scouting. It symbolizes outstanding accomplishments in the areas of leadership, community service, career planning, and personal development. We are proud to celebrate the achievements of these remarkable young women for earning this prestigious award.

Meredith Allen Liz Christensen Traverse City, MI Rothbury, MI Project Read Container Gardening Meredith has been in Girl Scouts for Project ten years. She is a member of Troop 10037 in the Grand Traverse Liz has been in Girl Scouts for 13 Service Unit. Meredith graduated years. She is a member of Troop from Traverse City Senior High School. 20606 in the White Lake Service Unit. She plans to study engineering. Liz graduated from Montague High School and plans to study Botany.

Lauren Cribbs Jordan Garnsey Muskegon, MI Holland, MI Peeling Back the Past Growing in Faith Lauren Cribbs has been in Girl Scouts for six years. She is a member of Jordan Garnsey has been in Girl Scouts Troop 20571 in the Muskegon Metro for 13 years. She is a member of Troop Service Unit. Lauren graduated from 2307 in the Holland Service Unit. North Muskegon High School. Lauren Jordan graduated in May, 2016 and plans to attend Hope College to study began her freshman year at Western pre-med. Michigan University in the fall of 2017.

Aleah Hahn Maddie Hillen West Olive, MI Alto, MI

A Facelift to the Fair Sharing the Faith

Aleah Hahn has been in Girl Scouts for Madie Hillen has been in Girl Scouts 12 years. She is a member of Troop for ten years. She attended Caledonia 2979 in the Shoreline Service Unit. Aleah attended West Ottawa High High School and graduated in May of School. She plans to attend college to 2016. She started her freshman year study engineering. of college the fall of 2017.

6 Girl Scout Cookie Program

The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world. Each year, Girl Scouts venture into the entrepreneurial world to Girl Scout Cookie Program learn business and financial skills and earn money to power new, unique and amazing experiences. Through “learning by earning,” Girl Scouts find the G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™ within to do awesome things for herself and for her community through the development of five YOUR COOKIE AMAZING EXPERIENCES essential skills: PURCHASE FOR GIRLS Skill #1—Goal Setting “I know I can do it!” Skill #2—Decision Making “I make smarter decisions.” Skill #3—Money Management “I make change happen!” Skill #4—People Skills “I get a lifetime supply of confidence in every box.” Skill #5—Business Ethics “Selling cookies is more than just business.”

Participating in the Girl Scout Cookie Program helps girls experience amazing adventures—a trip she’ll never forget, a service project that will change her community forever, or the opportunity to learn, grow, and build a lifetime of memories at camp that broaden her world. Girls also learn essential life skills, gaining opportunities to set goals, make decisions, manage money, understand customers, and work well with others, all while being prepared to practice a lifetime of leadership.

2017 Girl Scout Cookie Program Highlights This cookie season was amazing! 953,628 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies were sold. 5,366 Girl Scouts participated and 685 troops participated.

Top Cookie Sellers Gift of Caring Girl Scouts excelled this Cookie Season. Our top For the 2017 Cookie Season, Girl Scouts of seller, Amanda Allen, sold 2,161 and donated 1,825 Michigan Shore to Shore is proud to have boxes! Additional top sellers included Sawyer partnered with Hometown Heroes as our Hendrickson (1,750 boxes), Timora Waller (1,762 council-sponsored charity for the Gift of Caring boxes), Vivian Kinyon (1,788 boxes), Hannah Davis program. Instead of keeping Girl Scout Cookies for (1,750 boxes) and Sahara Valliere (1,750 boxes). themselves to enjoy, customers can choose the Great work Girl Scouts! Gift of Caring charity each Girl Scout has designated and cookies will be presented to that organization – including local veteran groups, police officers, firefighters, military officials, and Cookie Troop 100 Winners more. Congratulations Troop 4289, the Cookie Troop 100 Winners for this cookie season! The girls were # Donated: 300 cases donated awarded $100 to spend on an awesome Take # Troop Gift of Caring: 816 cases donated Action or service project. Way to go girls! Total: 1,116 cases donated

Available online at gsmists.org or girlscouts.org 7 DNA of a Girl Scout

DNA of a G..R.L. Did you know that She’s a go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader! some of the most Sets goals and prominent women in Has an imagination sticks to them that knows no limits the United States were Girl Scouts as girls? Works hard to bring positive 76% of current female Seeks new change to U.S. senators, 67% of adventures and the world experiences current female Sees new governors, and every solutions to female secretary of Listens to old problems opinions and state in U.S. history feelings different Speaks up for HELLO wore Girl Scout green. from her own My name is herself and others Leader In addition, over Takes action twenty of NASA’s on issues dear Takes pride in career astronauts to her heart her abilities were Girl Scouts, and successes having flown on more Handles conict than one third of with compassion Builds team Space Shuttle and clear spirit and brings communication people together missions. And, more than half of women leaders in business Falls down and Runs for gets back up leadership today are Girl Scout positions alumnae. Talk about an endorsement!

Girl Scouts are always quick to take on a new adventure. Whether it be trying a new outdoor activity like canoeing or fishing, or exploring the life of an astronaut in space with the Van 8 Andel Institute. Thank You Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore provides the best leadership development program for girls. But we don’t do it alone. Thank you to all of the individual and foundation support given to our council. Your support helps build girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.

$25,000 - 50,000

Additional Support $10,000-24,999 $500-999 Greater Ottawa County United Way Brenda Lindberg Neti D. Herndon Charitable Lead Trust Cindy A. Ranshaw United Way of the Lakeshore Joan M. Boyd Joyce Carl $5,000-9,999 Kiwanis Club of Alpena Amway Corporation Lon Morrison Grand Haven Area Community Foundation Mary A. Seeger Grand Rapids Community Foundation Mecosta-Osceola United Way Zonta Club of Traverse City Peter Magoun Sharron N. Pitts $1,000-4,999 Theresa VanVeelen Alpena Service Unit 430 Vogt Foundation Anne Magoun Whitecaps Community Foundation Cascade Engineering Chemical Bank Community Foundation for Mason County Community Foundation of the Holland / Zeeland Area Fidelity Charitable Fremont Area Community Foundation Gail Montgomery Heart of West Michigan United Way Judith Ableidinger Korff Foundation Laura B. Huizenga Mary Becker-Witt Verna George West Michigan Hockey, Inc. William H. Bylenga 9 Girl Scout Promise On my honor, I will try: To serve God and my country, To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

Girl Scout Law I will do my best to be: honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to... respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, gsmists.org make the world a better place, and (844) 476-4787 (844-GSMISTS) be a sister to every Girl Scout.