COVID-19 Updates

GIRL SCOUTS OF BLACK DIAMOND COVID-19 UPDATES

The Girl Scouts of Black Diamond is committed to the safety and well-being of our members. With novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Girl Scouts of Black Diamond is taking all possible and appropriate measures to offer support to our troops, volunteers and girls. At Girl Scouts of Black Diamond, there is nothing we take more seriously than protecting our Girl Scouts, and we are working to provide support in whatever way needed.

IMPORTANT RESOURCES

ANNOUNCEMENTS

OFFICE AND SHOP UPDATES

Week of 01/19/21 - 01/22/21: The shop is open by appointment this week! Contact Customer Care at (304) 345-7722 to schedule an appointment. In order to provide customers with the best and safest shopping experience, a 24-hour notice is required. We are happy to accommodate up to 6 shoppers per day in one-hour blocks, so be sure to make your appointment today! Remember: Our online shop is available 24/7.

The Girl Scouts of Black Diamond Council's shop in Charleston, WV (Kanawha County) is operating on a weekly schedule. Weekly schedules are being determined in accordance with the county color map.

Green: Open
Yellow: Open
Gold: Open by Appointment
Orange: Open by Appointment
Red: Closed

We will post the operating status for each week on Monday mornings, unless otherwise stated. If you have questions about our hours of operation, please contact our Customer Care Team.

UPDATED CLOSE CONTACT DEFINITION

The CDC has updated its close contact definition: Someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period* starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated. * Individual exposures added together over a 24-hour period (e.g., three 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes). Data are limited, making it difficult to precisely define “close contact;” however, 15 cumulative minutes of exposure at a distance of 6 feet or less can be used as an operational definition for contact investigation. Factors to consider when defining close contact include proximity (closer distance likely increases exposure risk), the duration of exposure (longer exposure time likely increases exposure risk), whether the infected individual has symptoms (the period around onset of symptoms is associated with the highest levels of viral shedding), if the infected person was likely to generate respiratory aerosols (e.g., was coughing, singing, shouting), and other environmental factors (crowding, adequacy of ventilation, whether exposure was indoors or outdoors). Because the general public has not received training on proper selection and use of respiratory PPE, such as an N95, the determination of close contact should generally be made irrespective of whether the contact was wearing respiratory PPE. At this time, differential determination of close contact for those using fabric face coverings is not recommended.

WHAT TO DO IF THERE'S A CONFIRMED CASE OF COVID-19 WITHIN THE TROOP FAMILY AND THERE HAS BEEN EXPOSURE OR POTENTIAL EXPOSURE

Contact your Membership Delivery Manager to make her aware.
Complete the COVID-19 Incident Report Form. Once the form is submitted, you'll be contacted by a member of the COVID-19 internal task force with additional guidance and support.

TRAVEL AND OVERNIGHTS

Travel and overnights have been a long part of our Girl Scout programming and history. We know that adventures, both near and far, have been sorely missed this year. Many states have worked through the final phase of their reopening plans, which means that non-essential travel is now permitted in all our Council states. Girl Scouts of Black Diamond is permitting travel and overnights at this time. Please keep in mind that as the risk in your county or state increases, we are asking our troop leaders to exercise increased caution to keep girls safe.

Below are some guideposts to operate by:

Troops should travel in family units as much as possible. Masks are required when traveling in the same vehicle as members from another household.
Some states have travel restrictions and should be checked for during the planning process. For example, some states require 14 days of quarantine prior to crossing their borders. As Girl Scouts who live by the Promise and Law, we should all respect each state’s authority to make these decisions.
Overnights are permitted in family units only. We know that this limits the amount of travel troops can plan. However, we are still in a pandemic and we must make every attempt to keep our members and our communities safe.
Black Diamond camps are open for use with some minor restrictions and increased sanitation guidelines. Come cozy up by the fire with your Girl Scout family and friends for a day or a night!
If there is a travel ban in your county or state, troops should not be traveling within or beyond the borders.
Black Diamond’s in person activity guidance still applies.
Black Diamond’s tripping application and process still applies. Our program team is ready to guide your troops, as needed.

If you have questions about travel and overnights, please contact Kasey Jones.

PARTICIPANT WAIVER NOW AVAILABLE

Read the COVID-19 Participant Waiver and please ensure that you still continue to follow all of the safety guidelines including masks, social distancing, etc. The waiver ensures that parents understand that there is risk involved in participating and that they understand that risk. A best practice would be for each parent sign the waiver form and the Troop Leader keep the documents on file.

SICKNESS INSURANCE IS AVAILABLE ONLY FOR 2-CONSECUTIVE-NIGHT ACTIVITIES

If you have a trip planned that is longer than 2 consecutive nights, you may purchase the sickness coverage. However, sickness insurance is unavailable for any meeting/activities that lasts less than 2 consecutive nights. We apologize for any inconvenience.

If you have any questions, please contact Roberta Richmond at (304) 553-7030.

NEW COMMUNICATION

During this tumultuous time, we know you're receiving emails from a lot of different directions while trying to balance families, health and homeschooling. With that in mind, we do not want to add to the clutter, but we do want to communicate needed updates. This is what we plan to do moving forward:

Cookie Updates for Troop Leaders: These will come through eBudde communications. If you are not currently signed up, please email Denise.Davis@BDGSC.org.

Programming: Programs are updated here. Please join our Facebook groups for more information and to engage with the programming.

PROGRAM UPDATES

The Council is expanding offerings for Girl Scouts, families and members at home:

Virtual Resources: Virtual resources will be available on the Council website for members and families, which will include national virtual troop meetings from GSUSA, as well as Virtual Learning Labs based on patch programs.

Because of Her: Girl Scouts of Black Diamond staff has been working hard to make this patch program a virtual learning experience. We are making videos and uploading activity guides. Each week, we will explore and celebrate women who embody the Girl Scout Promise and Law, while being the change the world needs. Past videos and guides will remain online for all of our members to join at any time. Facebook groups have been developed, so girls can engage with each other as they learn about some amazing women. To learn more, please click here.

The Because of Her patch set can be purchased from our shop, and be shipped directly to your girl. For more information, please contact shop@bdgsc.org.

Crocheting with Cristin: If you’re a visual learner, join Cristin as she teaches girls the basics of crocheting and a pattern for ear savers. In the first video, she introduces the basics of crocheting, including how to hold the needle and cast the yarn. In the second video, Cristin demonstrates how to make ear savers for medical masks. Learn more here, under Black Diamond on Demand.

Black Diamond Yoga Challenge: Get fit, while pratcicing social distancing at home. Learn more here, under Black Diamond on Demand.

Girl Scouts at Home: GSUSA is inviting every girl and any of their female friends to engage with other girls across the country! Girls can stay connected and continue making the world a better place. Programming is open to girls of all grade levels (K-12th grade). There are also awesome links for parents and families and troop leaders. We are all in this together as we continue to celebrate our national sisterhood. To learn more, please click here.

Aquarium Adventures: Our Program Partners are stepping up to the plate to offer live interaction with animals. Join the WAVE Foundation at the Newport Aquarium every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to see live streaming videos of their center. This past Wednesday, they taught girls how to feed sharks. The videos will stay online for girls who join at a later time. This is a free program. Please click here for more information.

Facebook Groups: If you are a parent or volunteer, please join our Facebook Group. We are posting new opportunities for your girl almost daily.

Event Cancelation Policy: If you have been affected by the events being canceled or postponed, there are three options available:

Do nothing. If the event you registered for is rescheduled at a date that works for you, we will automatically move your registration to that date.
Request a gift certificate to be used at a different event. We offer events all year long, and there might be another program that catches your eye. You could also use the gift certificate in the shop.
If none of the options above work for you, please reach out to our Customer Care Team to request a refund. They can be contacted at 304.345.7722 or at customercare@bdgsc.org.

Higher Awards: Recognizing that many schools, youth activities and community gatherings have been suspended, Girl Scouts is offering a three-month extension from Sept. 30 to December 31, 2020, to provide flexibility for Girl Scout Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors earning Girl Scouts’ Highest Awards. This is particularly relevant for 5th grade Juniors, 8th grade Cadettes and 12th grade Ambassadors who will bridge to the next program age level officially on September 30, 2020 and typically would be no longer eligible to earn the Bronze, Silver or Gold Award, respectively.

BE A SOURCE OF COMFORT AND CALM FOR GIRL SCOUTS

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

Throughout our history, Girl Scouts have played an important role in helping to keep our country safe. The 1947 Girl Scout Handbook explains: "A Girl Scout is ready to help out wherever she is needed.
Willingness to serve is not enough; you must know how to do the job well, even in an emergency." During World War II, Girl Scouts tended victory gardens, sold war bonds, and collected scrap metal. The work of today’s Girl Scouts is just as essential.

Girl Scouts can continue to demonstrate leadership in the fight against coronavirus by teaching proper handwashing and other hygiene practices to their peers. They can learn about how coronavirus is spread and how to protect themselves and share this information with others. Girl Scouts can be a force for good by confronting misinformation about Asian-Americans, who increasingly have been the targets of racist attacks and discrimination.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

If you would like more information and updates about COVID-19, please visit the following links: