Girl Scouts and COVID-19
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Girl Scouts and COVID-19

At Girl Scouts, there is nothing we take more seriously than the safety and well-being of our members. As novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to be of growing concern, Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland is taking all possible and appropriate measures to ensure girls continue to have a safe, fun, one-of-a-kind experience at Girl Scouts. 

Below are updates we've shared with members via email. We are committed to sharing information during this time. We will continue to update this page. If you have a question, please email us.

Service and Program Center Closings

Please know our council’s leadership team is continuing to monitor CDC, state and local civic and health authorities’ guidance regarding COVID-19. Many cities, counties, and states have now declared states of emergency so, all GSMH offices and retail stores will be closed until further notice. Staff are being asked to telecommute. Our Customer Service will continue to be available at info@girlscoutsmoheartland.org, or you can leave us a voicemail at 877-312-4764 and we will follow up with you. 

All Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland program centers will be closed effective immediately until further notice. Our staff will use this time to develop an enhanced sanitation process that will be operational prior to program center reopenings. 

Shop Girl Scouts

Starting in June, we are offering retail curbside pickup at our Springfield, Jefferson City, and Dexter locations! Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday these stores will be open for contactless pickup orders 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Fantastic! How do I place an order? Just email your order to info@girlscoutsmoheartland.org! Then, we’ll follow up with a phone call to collect payment—debit, credit, and Cookie Credit will be the accepted forms of payment. Once payment is received, the order will be processed and you will receive a confirmation email with a receipt that includes pickup day/times available and instructions on how to pickup your order.

Is it contactless? You bet! Once you arrive curbside, you’ll text us your name, model and color of your car. Pop the trunk or backseat and we’ll place the order inside.

Curbside pickup not your thing? GSUSA is offering Free Standard Shipping on all orders with no minimum threshold placed though the online store! Go forth and shop safely from the comfort of your own home.

Meetings, Events, and Trainings

Since 1912, we have used the Girl Scout slogan, “Do a good turn daily” as a reminder of the many ways girls can contribute positively to the lives of others. Please help your Girl Scouts, family, friends, and neighbors stay healthy during this unprecedented situation, and cancel all in-person Girl Scout activities, including troop and service unit meetings, field trips, troop travel, and overnights. Practicing good hygiene, limiting playdates and social gatherings, and embracing social distancing will help to slow the spread of this highly contagious disease.

GSMH has cancelled all programs, events, and scheduled property reservations through July 31, 2020. Members impacted by a cancellation will receive a refund; your patience is appreciated as we process the large number of refunds.

Troops may start meeting again in August, as long as all city, county, and state guidelines for their area are followed. Please know that if circumstances change for the worse, this may be re-evaluated.

Although we’re cautiously allowing troops to begin meeting in August, we will not be approving Troop Travel applications until further notice. We understand that this is disappointing, but as we continue to follow guidance of health officials, this step is in the best interest of our girls, families, and volunteers.

Summer Camp

We’ve made the difficult decision to cancel all in-person summer camping programs for the 2020 season. Summer Camp is an integral Girl Scout experience and this decision was not made lightly. However, due to trajectory of COVID-19 and the uncertainty revolving the aftermath of the pandemic, we want to put our girls’ safety first.

The decision to cancel in-person summer camp also applies to volunteer-led summer camp programming. In summary, 

  • Resident Camps at Finbrooke and Latonka Program Center are cancelled.
  • Day Camp at Silver Meadows Program Center is cancelled.
  • Specialty Camps—Equestrian Camp at Fox Run, Code Ninja Day Camp, and SEMO STEM Camp—are cancelled.
  • Volunteer-led community and day camps are cancelled at all locations (GSMH properties as well as off-site locations).

This is a heartbreaking decision, made with our Girl Scout mission and safety top of mind. While in-person camps are cancelled, Girl Scouts is not cancelled and we have pivoted to Virtual Summer Camp! 

Summer Camp may look different this year, but our mission is the same. Girl Scout Camp is a second home for Girl Scouts—and that is not changing. That’s why this year we are bringing the outdoors in! Same girl-led, outdoor adventures—but delivered to your front door. Because Summer Camp is not just a place—it’s a leadership-building, friend-meeting, and challenge-seeking experience. Get your girl ready for her next adventure and register for Virtual Summer Camp today!

Our most valuable resource is and always will be our people, including our members, our volunteers, and our employees. We are committed to actions that maintain the health of all. Check out these additional resources as we all navigate through this unique situation.

Be a Source of Comfort and Calm for Girls

Girl Scouts of the USA has developed a helpful resource for How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus to help minimize stress and worry in your Girl Scout’s life and give her a sense of calm and control.

We also ask everyone to be mindful that although coronavirus started in China, having Chinese ancestry–or any other Asian ancestry–does not place a person at higher risk for this illness. We can help keep our girls safe by sharing accurate information with our fellow community members.

Distance Learning During Coronavirus Closures

Coronavirus, or COVID-19, has turned the world as we know it upside down, to say the least. Millions of families are trying to keep the learning alive at home amid virus-related school closures—even while they attempt to adjust to their own new work-from-home realities, stock up on household essentials, and do everything in their power to keep their loved ones healthy. Frankly? It’s a lot.

The good news is that even though you’re social distancing (staying in when possible and keeping at least six feet away from those not in your household), you’re absolutely not alone in this struggle. We talked to a few teachers who’ve been there, done that, and they had some amazingly practical advice for how everyday families can get through this difficult time.

Read the full story >>


Questions? Contact us today.