The Season of Giving

We started our meeting tonight with newspaper skate tag.  We gave the girls sheets of newsprint to put under their feet and had them "skate" across the floor with the paper under their feet.  One girl was "it" and had to try and tag the others.  It was great fun and the girls had a fabulous time giggling around.  What was even more fun for them was that we had three moms there as volunteers tonight, so their moms were also skating around!

After we finished skating and the wiggles were firmly out of the girls, we started putting together the birthdays in a box.

Here's the link to the checklist we used:
http://www.albertagirlguides.ca/Documents/AB/Birthday-Party-in-a-Box-Checklist.pdf

We asked the girls to either buy some of the requests in the box or go door to door and ask for donations from neighbours, friends and/or family.  Many families just decided to go to the dollar store and pick up some necessities.

I also asked my church to donate.  The church in and of itself created four birthdays in a box.

Then my coleader and I packed up a bunch of them in boxes before we set the girls upon them.

The girls packed 8 together, and my coleader and I packed 7 before our meeting.

Then we wrapped them all and they'll be getting into the local food bank on Wednesday.  Some lucky boys and girls whose families use the food bank will be able to have modest birthday parties.  AWESOME.

In our little unit of 10 girls - we made 15 Birthdays in a Box.

After we made a huge pyramid of the packed boxes and took some pictures of the girls goofing off around them we calmed them with a soothing cup of camomile tea.  We one-lumped or two'd with proper etiquette (for the Mouse Around the House challenge) and tried to be proper ladies while lifting our little fingers.

Finally we sang our closing song, gave the girls the bag they decorated last week with their banana bread, a candy cane, a Christmas ornament, some pictures of what they've been up to this year, markers and lip balm and sent them home tired but happy.


See you again in January - we're done early this year - December's too busy with everything else anyway!

Birthday Party in a Box

Alberta’s 100th Anniversary Service Project for 2013

Birthday Boxes for Food Banks

Alberta is celebrating 100 years of Guiding and we want to share in

our celebrations. What better way than to make “Birthday Parties in a Box”

for your local Food Bank.

Sadly, because of various reasons, there are many children whose birthdays

will pass without any celebration. Receiving that special gift, enjoying a slice of

birthday cake after blowing out the candles, and the knowledge that someone

remembered you and took the time to let you know they care can make a difference.

The Birthday-Party-in-a-Box Service Project can provide normalcy, joy, and hope in

the lives of those who may not otherwise have a birthday celebration.