September
2007 Notes to Leaders|
Girl Scouts of River Bluffs Council September 2007 Notes to Leaders |
Ask Emily: OAR FAQ
We are planning a trip to Camp ChanYaTa and would like to canoe. What do we need to do?
You have several options. According to Safety-Wise, you need to have an adult (18 and up) trained in Small Craft Safety Canoe for every 12 girls. If you choose the OAR program, just fill out the registration form online or in the brochure and send it and your registration fee in. A trained facilitator will be at your campsite at the time and date you choose to conduct a high quality canoe session with you. Or, you can choose an adult from your troop to take the offered canoe training this summer and arrange for them to canoe with your troop.
We want to do a badge session, but don’t want to spend the night at camp. Can we still use the OAR program?
Yes! You can schedule any of the camps for day use, and send in the registration form for a customized badge session.
We want a new activity to help my troop celebrate Earth Day – is there anyway the OAR program can help?
Vermiculture – it’s a very cool project Junior Girl Scouts and Girl Scouts 11-17 can complete in the OAR program. Girls build their own worm composter for use at home or troop meetings – it doesn’t smell and helps eliminate food scraps from going into the landfill. Plus, the compost is loaded with nutrients for house plants and gardens!
We looked at the OAR brochure and found the prices were a little high for my troop. Why can’t they be free? How are we supposed to pay for the sessions?
The sessions listed in the OAR brochure are high quality, right to your door, customizable sessions. A program you may attend with your troop at a nature center or museum is restricted by location and date. The OAR program can be delivered at your campsite whenever you want! This convenience comes at a cost, but be assured that the fee you pay goes to fund this and other quality programs offered to Girl Scouts in our council. As for paying, use troop dues, cookie profit, conduct money earning activities, or ask your Service Unit to help pay a percentage of the fee. Or as, a last resort, the troop can pay half and the girl can pay half. The process of securing funds is the same as if you were going to sessions at a museum or nature center or any other field trip.
I have an idea for a session that isn’t listed. Can you work with me to do a new session?
The OAR sessions listed are some of my favorites from my time as a environmental educator. However, I love to try new resources and will work with you to create a custom program to fulfill requirements or just help girls explore something new!
If I want to hire a lifeguard, can you just give me the list of certified people?
No. In the past this was the process, but now those lists are outdated. It is also a privacy issue to have the names and certifications of volunteers floating around the council. I can make recommendations of organizations that are in line with Safety-Wise requirements, but cannot provide specific names.
How do you get to be an Outdoor Adventure Resource facilitator?
If you are interested in becoming a facilitator, contact me and we can discuss the options that are available. You must have current certification or be in the process of getting certification and pass a background check and interview.
Why would I want to become an OAR facilitator?
There are many benefits associated with being a facilitator. You have access to resources for your own troop activities, I track your certifications for you, you have regular update trainings, and you are paid for your service to the OAR program. I am also developing a discount certification track for facilitators who want to train in another field.
For more information on the OAR program or any other outdoor program, contact Emily Stanley, Outdoor Program Manager at 618-692-0692 ext 111 or 800-345-6958 ext 111 or by email at estanley@riverbluffs.org
September
2007 Notes to Leaders
