Covid Guidelines

In-Person Troop Meetings Interim COVID-19 Guidance for Volunteers

The Updated COVID-19 Guidance for Volunteers below goes into effect 02/01/2021 and is effective through 02/28/2021.

Happy New Year!

Below you will find the updated COVID-19 safety guidelines for February 2021. Our COVID-19 response team continues to meet weekly and stay abreast of the infection rates in Nassau County as well as CDC guidelines and other health regulations.

Like you, I was very hopeful that we would be in a different place in early 2021. As you can see the guidelines have not changed. Unfortunately, that is because the pandemic hasn’t slowed down yet. We have added new guidelines on how to participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program safely. We know how much girls want to participate and have come up with several safe and creative options to get cookies to our Girl Scout friends.

Outdoor and virtual troop meetings and programs are still an option for participating. We have added some exciting new virtual programs, well as new subscription box options. The Spring 2021 edition of Possibilities will be available in February and features almost 100 virtual programs. And our camp program team is already thinking about summer 2021.

For almost a year, the health and safety of our girls, families, volunteers, and staff have been our top priority. Like many Girl Scout councils across the country, we know how important Girl Scouts is to our girls and we are working to make sure they can have a safe and continuous Girl Scout experience. We are looking forward to being able to do a friendship circle with all of you very soon.

Rande

In-Person Troop Meetings

GSNC troops are strongly encouraged to meet virtually.

Leading in-person activities during COVID-19 is optional. Volunteers should first decide if they are comfortable offering in-person outdoor troop meetings before proceeding.

At this time GSNC prohibits indoor Girl Scout meetings or activities, including in private homes.

Completing the Outdoor Troop Meeting Request Form is required to receive prior approval, you can now enter up to four meeting dates if they are going to take at the same location and time.

Starting December 1, 2020 GSNC troops may meet in person outdoors with the following criteria.

Any in-person troop meeting must follow NYS guidelines.
All girls and volunteers must practice social distancing, wear face coverings (masks) and maintain 6 feet distancing of others, and follow safety guidelines as outlined by the CDC.
All girls and approved adults must have completed the registration or renewal process for the 2021 membership year.
In addition:

Meeting Size

Meetings should include groups no more than 26 total. Be sure to follow Safety Activity Checkpoints to meet the required Approved Adult to girl ratio.

Meeting Duration

Meetings should be an hour or less for Daisy, Brownie, and Junior troops. Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassador troops may meet for up to two hours.

Meeting Space

Only outdoor spaces where social distancing can be maintained are permitted for meetings. Get advance permission from the property owner or the jurisdiction that provides the location. Meetings in private homes, backyards, and front yards are prohibited.

Personal Contact

Hugs, handshakes, “high-fives,” and even activities like the friendship circle or squeeze can transmit COVID-19 from person to person. Refrain from these gestures for the time being. Create a safe way for girls and volunteers to greet and end meetings.

Food and Beverage

There should be no food served. If girls wish to bring a water bottle, please make sure the bottle is labeled with their names.

First Aid Supplies

Troop first aid supplies should include COVID-19 prevention items including hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol), tissues, disposable facemasks, and disinfectants. Trash baskets or bags should be supplied for meeting spaces, if not already available. Make sure that the trash baskets (or bags) are easily accessible. Disposable or no-contact thermometers may be added to supplies if available and not cost-prohibitive, however, parents should be checking temperatures and allowing their girl(s) to join group activities only when temperatures are normal (the same guidance applies to volunteers.

Volunteers and Families

Leaders should share these guidelines with troop families, and make a collaborative decision with families based on comfort level, accessibility, and desired level of engagement.

Volunteers and families should assess their ability to comply with the required guidelines. For example, younger girls may find it difficult to remain socially distant and/or wear masks. If girls cannot comply with guidelines, troop activities should remain virtual at this time.

Transportation

Individual parents drop off and pick up their own girls from meetings. Carpooling is prohibited. Public transportation should be avoided, where possible, to maintain social distancing. Parents/ guardians should wait in/at their car or in the area outside of the troop meeting space unless invited to be part of the meeting as part of the permitted meeting size. Tagalongs are prohibited.

Pre-screening Questions

Pre-screening questions before attending each Girl Scout meeting or event:

Have you or anyone in your household (person(s) with whom you live) traveled either domestically or internationally over the past three weeks? If yes, which location(s) did you or they visit, and which airports did you or they travel through?
- Check the NYS website for quarantine requirements for anyone who has recently traveled out of state.
Have you or anyone with whom you live experienced any of the following symptoms within the past two weeks?
Have you or anyone with whom you live experienced any of the following symptoms over the past 24 hours? To your knowledge, have you been in close, sustained contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with anyone showing any of the above-referenced symptoms, or anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 (Coronavirus)?
Please click the links above or go to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html for COVID-19 symptoms.
Volunteers should include these questions in each email confirmation they send to parents for meetings and events.

Outdoor Troop Meeting Approval

Leaders must submit an Outdoor Troop Meeting Request Form 10 days prior to the meeting. Requests will be reviewed within 5 business days, approval emails will be sent.

Trips, Travel, and Overnight Stays

Trips, travel, and overnight stays are prohibited through February 28, 2021. This date will be reviewed and extended as needed.

Council In-Person Programs

All in-person council programs have been suspended through February 28, 2021.

GSNC continues to encourage virtual engagement: www.gsnc.org/athome

Girl Scout Cookie Program Guidelines

Interim COVID-19 Guidance for Cookie Program Volunteers

In effect 02/01/2021 through 02/28/2021.

These guidelines are specific to the 2021 Cookie Program and are in addition to the In-Person Troop Meetings Interim COVID-19 Guidance for Volunteers. These guidelines will be reviewed prior to March 1, 2021, and will be updated as permitted considering the current CDC, State, and County restrictions and guidelines.

At this time no in-person cookie selling, including booth sales is permitted. Please note that while girls can work together on their plans and promotional materials for the Girl Scout Cookie Program on a virtual meeting or at a pre-approved outdoor troop meeting, doing neighborhood door hanger distributions with others or other group activity would not be approved under the current GSNC troop meeting guidelines.

Digital Cookie
Digital Cookie remains the safest way to take orders for Girl Scout Cookies – it is fun to set up and there is no paper order card that needs to be filled out. The customer pays online with a credit card, so there is no money to collect from them or to hand into your troop.

If you have not set up your digital site yet, go to digitalcookie.girlscouts.org and click on “Need help to log in.”

How to Participate Safely
GSNC is working diligently to keep our girls, volunteers, staff, and community safe and healthy while participating in Girl Scout activities during these challenging times.

Please review our Safe and Successful Girl Scout Cookie Order Taking Tips for some innovative ways your daughter can safely participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program, along with some tips on order taking, money collection, and delivery.

Cookie Stand-A-Bouts (A New Family Option for 2021)
You may want to consider hosting a Stand-A-Bout in front of your home! Have fun setting up your “Pop-up Cookie Shop!”

Girls can learn goal-setting, decision-making, money management, people skills, and business ethics while earning money for their troop and amazing rewards and patches for themselves.

Our Cookie Stand-A-Bouts Flyer gives you the steps to be successful and have fun!

If you have any questions, please contact us at customercare@gsnc.org or 516.741.2550.

Council Service Center

The GSNC Service Center remains closed, staff continues to provide support virtually.

Please email us at customercare@gsnc.org or leave a message at 516.741.2550.

GSNC Shop

The GSNC Service Center remains closed, staff continues to provide support virtually. The GSNC Shop will continue to offer car-side pickup by appointment only with expanded hours.

Tuesdays: SHOP open 11am -2pm (by appointment only)
Thursdays: SHOP open 4pm - 8pm (by appointment only)

Make an appointment with the GSNC Shop>>

GSNC 2021 Cookie Cupboard

To meet the needs of our membership, and ensure compliance with all Covid-19 Guidelines and Regulations for volunteers and staff, the 2021 Cookie Cupboard will be relocated offsite at:

Samanea New York Mall (formerly the Source Mall)
1500 Old Country Road
Westbury, NY 11590

Troop Cookie Managers will be able to arrange for a curbside pick-up of cookies by appointment only. They simply need to enter their order into the eBudde system, select an available date and time at least three hours prior to pick up, and arrive to pick-up their order.

Should a Troop Cookie Manager need to pick up any additional supplies/paperwork for the 2021 Girl Scout Cookie Program, they can do so by scheduling an appointment for a curbside pick-up at the Cookie Cupboard on Tuesday or Thursday. Complete a curbside pick-up request.

Cookie Cupboard Hours

Monday	10am to 6pm	Last available appointment 5:45pm
Tuesday	11am to 7:30pm	Last available appointment 7:15pm
Wednesday	10am to 6pm	Last available appointment 5:45pm
Thursday	11am to 7:30pm	Last available appointment 7:15pm
Friday	10am to 6pm	Last available appointment 5:45pm
Saturday	9am to 2pm	Last available appointment 1:45pm

Please Note: Only cookies and 2021 Girl Scout Cookie Program materials are available for pick-up at the Cookie Cupboard. Should you need anything else, please email cupboard@gsnc.org to make arrangements to have it mailed or picked up at the Girl Scout Service Center.

All above subject to change in order to be in compliance with any NYS Health/COVID-19 regulations updates.

Thank you for all that you do, and please contact Customer Care if you have any questions: customercare@gsnc.org or call 516-741-2550.

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