FLEX PROGRAM SCHEDULING

GSEWNI now offers a great variety of Girl Program Opportunities on a FLEX Scheduling System. These FLEX Schedule Programs are available across the Council and are based on YOUR schedule. You tell us when you are available to participate and we will set it up for you. GSEWNI requires a 3 week lead time when scheduling a Flex Program.

Unless noted, all Flex Program fees are $25 per troop of 12 girls and 2 adults. $1 per girl/adult for each additional person over 12. Fees include patch.

In addition to the FLEX Program Scheduling, GSEWNI will continue to schedule regular program opportunities on the Council Calendar. Be sure to check the calendar regularly as new programs are added weekly! If you have general questions about Flex Program Scheduling, please contact Peggy McDonald at 800-827-9478, ext 230 or email pmcdonald@gsewni.org .

To assist you in planning events that align wth the journey book you are currently following, the FLEX Schedule Programs have been divided into corresponding groups.

Below are the current Flex Program Scheduling options:

NEW! C&S HYDRO-HUTS — Otis Orchards (Spokane Valley), WA
This very interesting tour is available November - April only. Call soon to plan a visit this spring! C&S Hydro-Huts is a family-run hydroponic farm proudly owned and operated by Stewart and Cheryl Fry. The greenhouse is currently the only commercial hydroponic lettuce operation in the Spokane area offering nutritious, high quality, fresh greens to local residents and businesses 365 days a year. Hydroponic plants are grown in water instead of soil. All of the nutrients they need are circulated directly to the roots. This enables plants to spend less energy on creating root systems and more energy on developing fruits, flowers and leaves. Hydroponic systems are sustainable farming: they use 90 percent less water than conventional farming, do not deplete soil resources, and use no artificial chemicals as fertilizer or weed control, and there's nearly zero waste. Girls will learn about reducing our carbon footprint, sustainable farming practices, using our water resources, and running a business.

Who: JDaisy, Brownie, Junior, Cadette, Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts
Group Size: 12 or fewer at a time (can schedule back to back tours for larger groups)
Cost: $6 per person
Availability: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays; November - April. After a very informative one hour tour, the girls will be able to pick their own head of lettuce to take home
Location: C&S Hydro-Huts is located in Otis Orchards, Washington, in the Spokane Valley
Contact: Peggy McDonald 747-8091 ext. 230, pmcdonald@gsewni.org

GPS UNITS / SKY SCOUTS CHECK OUT
What an exciting opportunity! Twenty GPS Units have been made available to Girl Scout troops from a grant from REI and 3 Sky Scouts have been made available from a grant from NASA. Troops may check out these items for two weeks at a time, giving your group lots of time to plan and carry out fun activities. Go hiking and/or Geocaching with the GPS units or spend a few evenings with your friends checking out the stars and learning to recognize different constellations. What a great chance to earn Astronomy or council-own Geocaching badges! Handouts on how GPS works, the history and basics of geocaching, Leave No Trace and Cache In Trash Out ethics are included with each group of GPS units.

Who: Girl Scouts -- Daisies through Ambassadors, and their leaders
Cost: $30 for 10 GPS units or 3 Sky Scouts for a 2 week period. This includes one-way shipping (plus insurance), batteries, instructions and background information. Badges and patches are available through the council store (separate purchase necssary).
Availability: Please contact Marcy Mastel for unit availability. Once a date is confirmed and the agreement signed, the leader will be sent an eCommerce link to complete payment.
Contact: Marcy Mastel, Outdoor Education Manager, 800-827-9478 ext 227 or via email at mmastel@gsewni.org.

SPOKANE FAMILY FARM — Tours daily 5:00 p.m. and 11:00 a.m
Spokane's Family Farm utilizes renewable agriculture practices for benefits to both man and animals as well as saving energy and creating a smaller carbon footprint. Cows on our farm are part of a 3 generation practice, which includes top genetics, clean and humane treatment, nutritious and natural feed, and low stress management. Come on out to the "farm", see the cows actually being milked each day at 5:00 p.m. Bottling tours available at 11:00 a.m. all tours end with a tasting of Spokane's Family Farm milk and home made cookies, or ice cream made fresh with Spokane Family Farm's Milk.

“Get a taste of our fresh and delicious milk, and see first hand how all of our milk goes from contented cows to your cup in less than 72 hours, traveling a total of 20 miles. We are located just 13 miles west of Spokane on the west plains. All the local Spokane Yoke's Fresh Markets and all the local Rosauers and Huckleberrys carry our milk. Some carry it in the conventional dairy case and some in the natural living sections...only one with the black top, may need to ask for it. Milk is always available at the farm for $3.50 per gallon and 3 gallons for $10.00.”

Who: Daisy, Brownie, Junior, Cadette, Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts
Cost: Milk and cookies tours are $2.00 per person; ice cream tours are $4.00 per person.
Availability: Daily bottling tours 11:00 am and Daily milking tours 5:00 pm
Contact: Peggy McDonald, 800-827-9478, ext. 230 or pmcdonald@gsewni.org

ALPACAS FARM TOUR — Troy, ID
Judy LaLonde invites you to visit Big Meadow Creek Alpacas farm in Troy, Idaho, and learn about alpacas and their fiber. Members of the camelid family, alpacas are one of the worlds oldest forms of domestic livestock and have been imported into the United States from South America.
The Farm Tour consists of a walk to the pasture to meet the animals and learn the history of the alpacas, what they eat, how they breed, how they are sheared and how their fleece is processed and used to make yarn, clothing and other household goods and how alpacas are eco-friendly and environmentally sound.  Everyone will have an opportunity to “touch” the alpacas, feel their toes, and see their special teeth and a few girls can take turns leading the alpacas through an obstacle course.
Because alpacas are raised for fiber, girls will take part in a fiber workshop. They will see a spinning demonstration, and make a small project with fiber or yarn to take home. 

Who: Girl Scouts of all ages.
Cost: $6 per girl
Availability: This three-hour visit can be arranged to fit your schedules
Location: 1021 McKeehan Road; Troy, ID 83871
Contact: Peggy McDonald 747-8091 ext. 230, pmcdonald@gsewni.org

NURSERY & GREENHOUSE TOUR — Moses Lake and Tri-Cities, WA
Do you love flowers, plants, shrubs, trees and horticulture?  Take your troop on a nursery facility and greenhouse tour and take home your very own plant at the end of your experience.  Learn how to identify plants and trees, gardening tips, recycling, photosynthesis and much more. 

Who: Girl Scouts of all ages
Cost: $25 per troop of 12 girls and 2 adults. $1 per girl/adult after 12. Fees include patch.
Availability: Monday through Friday and mornings on Saturday and Sunday
Contact: Mindy Thorp at 509-747-8091, ext. 216 or mthorp@gsewni.org

WHOLESALE FLORAL TOUR — Spokane, WA
Have you ever wondered where the beautiful floral bouquets come from that you see in the grocery stores and florist shops?  Take a troop tour through a wholesale florist warehouse to see how the flowers are shipped in, inspected, arranged and then sent out to the grocery stores and florist shops. Learn about all the different flowers that are in a bouquet and earn your floral tour patch along the way.

Who: Girl Scouts of all ages
Cost: $25 per troop of 12 girls and 2 adults. $1 per girl/adult after 12. Fees include patch.
Availability: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday mornings
Contact: Mindy Thorp at 509-747-8091, ext. 216 or mthorp@gsewni.org

THE ROCK RANCH, GEOLOGY CAMP and CRYSTAL DIG TOUR — Spokane Valley
During the average four-hour adventure tour, guests will have the opportunity to hike through fields of wild flowers and pine forest while conversing about local geological formative events.  Then it's on to the Mineral Museum and Identification Lab, where students try hands-on experiments.  And the best part of the day is heading to Gem Hill to dig for iron pyrite, quartz and fluorite crystals, obsidan, and many more exciting rocks and minerals.

Who: Girl Scouts of all ages
Cost:
Summer Geology Camp: [includes dig at Gem Hill] (approx. 3 hrs.)     
1-10 people = $15 ea.       11-30 people = $13          30+ people = $ 11 ea.  
Winter Geology Camp: [includes building a collection at the Museum]  (approx. 2 hrs.)   
1-10 people = $11 ea.       11-30 people = $10        30+peopole = $ 9 ea.
Availability: Geology Camps can be scheduled  on Saturdays and Sundays  or weekday afternoons. 
Contact: Peggy McDonald at 800-827-9478, ext 230 or email pmcdonald@gsewni.org

WATERSHEDS, AQUIFERS, AND STORMWATER — Protect Your Drinking Water — Spokane County
Do you want to know what you can do to protect your drinking water? What about the water in our lakes and streams? This class can be held near your location, inside or outside. Spokane County staff will use models and real examples to explain how precipitation reaches lakes, streams, and even our drinking water. The girls will identify examples of potential contaminants to water and learn how they can help prevent water pollution. A short pollution prevention project can be arranged, weather permitting. Each girl will take home a souvenir to remind them to protect our water.

Who: Girl Scouts of all ages (best for ages 8 and above)
Cost: $25 per troop of 12 girls and 2 adults. $1 per girl/adult after 12. Fees include patch.
Availability: Contact Peggy
Group Size: 12 to 15 is best
Time: 1.5 to 2 hours

THEATER WORKSHOP — Newport, WA
Take part in a workshop designed to provide a wholesome theatre experience, skill building, and experience to help girls develop their confidence as well as their talent. Girls will learn the basics of stage craft through theater warm-ups, theater games, and improvisation. Class offered by Lauretta Heaney from the Pend Oreille Community Playhouse.

Who: Juniors (8 and older), Cadette, Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts
Group Size: Minimum 4 participants, maximum 20 participants
Cost: $25 per group of 12 and under; $2 each additional girl
Availability: To be arranged: 6-9 pm on Wednesdays, or 4-6 pm on Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday through January and February
Location: Pend Oreille Community Playhouse, 240 N. Union Avenue, Newport, WA 99156
Contact: Peggy McDonald 747-8091 ext. 230, pmcdonald@gsewni.org

ZUMBA! — Tri-Cities, WA
A certified children’s Zumba instructor will come to your regular meeting place to lead your girls (and adults) through a fun, one hour Latin and International based dance workout combined with great cardio! *Girls must wear sneakers (not a lot of tread).

Who: Daisy, Brownie, Junior, Cadette, Senior, Ambassador and Adult Girl Scouts
Group Size: Minimum 5 participants
Cost: $3 per girl, patch inlcuded
Availability: To be arranged
Location: Will come to your site
Contact: Sulema Pacheco Granfield, 1-800-827-9478 ext. 406, spacheco-granfield@gsewni.org

PAINT YOUR OWN POTTERY — Pasco, WA
Pasco Ceramics will provide all paints, glaze, and ceramics (girls can choose between mug, soup bowl, and snowman). Pat will also demonstrate the ceramic molding, pouring and firing process.  This class takes about an hour and a half.

Who: Daisy, Brownie, Junior, Cadette, Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts
Group Size: Minimum 6, and maximum 12 girls at a time.
Cost: $12 per girl, patch included
Availability: Evenings and weekends, no Tuesdays
Location: 616 W. Columbia Street, Pasco, WA 99301
Contact: Sulema Pacheco-Granfield 800-827-9478 ext. 406, spacheco-granfield@gsewni.org

TROOP YOGA — Spokane and Outlying Areas
Are you ready to relax and stretch your body with a troop yoga class?  Mobile yoga instructor can come to your troop if you have appropriate space or meet the instructor at the Spokane Program Center.  Instructor is willing to drive as far as one half hour out of Spokane, however, depends on size and place so please inquire within.  Also perfect for our out of town troops who are staying at the hostel to start their morning off right with a troop yoga session!

Who: Girl Scouts of all ages
Cost: $5 per person.
Availability: Please contact Mindy
Contact: Mindy Thorp at 509-747-8091, ext. 216 or mthorp@gsewni.org

OLD MISSION BRICK OVEN BREADS — Spokane, WA
Cooking, baking, organic gardening, spirituality and bread retreats.  Four and a half hours. 
Join Mary Lee Abba-Gaston for an old world experience.  Learn to bake your own breads from all over the world.  While the dough is rising, enjoy table fellowship with a home cooked, gourmet meal. Choose between three menus: Homemade pizza, basil pesto pasta with Italian sausage roasted in the oven, or marinara sauce with spaghetti.  As the bread bakes in the outdoor brick ovens, learn the fine details of bread baking success.  Then, gather around the oven and watch the miracle of bread as it saturates your senses. Take home two loaves of your own brick-oven baked bread. 

Who: Girl Scouts of all ages
Cost:  $25 per person
Availability: Every day except Monday
Group Size: Minimum class size 8 people.
Contact: Peggy McDonald at 800-827-9478, ext 230 or email pmcdonald@gsewni.org

STITCH IT TOGETHER — Spokane / Coeur d'Alene / Tri-Cities / and St. Maries / Plummer / Harrison Areas
Earn your sewing try-it, work on your sewing badge, or do a sewing project just for fun!
Who: Girl Scouts of all ages
Cost: Varies by sewing project---girls will be allowed to choose projects!
Availability:
Spokane: Conact Peggy for specific times
Coeur d'Alene: Saturday's only
St. Maries Areas: Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday 5 - 9 p.m., All day Saturday
Group Size: Minimum 4, maximum depends on amount of sewing machines available.
Contact: Peggy McDonald at 800-827-9478, ext 230 or email pmcdonald@gsewni.org

SELF DEFENSE WORKSHOP — Spokane, WA
Participate in a workshop that could prove to be the most valuable use of time you can give yourself. Learn about dangerous situations, how to avoid them, and what to do when you find yourself in them. This class will focus on discovering the natural tools we all cary with us which can potentially help to save our lives. Hands-on self defense techniques will overcome the sense of helplesness many girls and women feel when faced with a threatening situation and provide you with options you may have never thought of. Taught by Opal Harbert, a female black belt, and offered at your location. This workshop can be tailored to meet any amount of time you have available, as well as any age group. Just keep in mind that more time means more training opportunity!

Who: Brownie, Junior, Cadette, Senior and Ambassador
Cost: $35 per group, patch included
Availability: To be arranged
Contact: Peggy McDonald 747-8091 ext. 230, pmcdonald@gsewni.org

MAIN STREET DANCE STUDIO — Lewiston, ID
So you think you can dance? Whether you are just looking to have fun or really want to get down and learn how to bust out some funky moves, this dance workshop will warm you up, get you on the practice floor and have your body moving in no time. Learn some basic moves and a hip hop /jazz routine that you can practice at home, or even perform for family and friends!

Who: Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors
Cost: $6 per girl, minimum 10 girls, patch provided
Availability: Saturdays, 10am-12, please allow at least three weeks to schedule.
Location: Main Street Dance Studio, 604 Main Street, Lewiston, ID.
Contact: Peggy McDonald 747-8091 ext. 230, pmcdonald@gsewni.org

FLAG TRAINING — Newport and Yakima, WA
Flag ceremonies may take place in meeting rooms, in outdoor settings, in large auditoriums, on stage, even on horseback. All flag ceremonies share one thing in common-respect for the flag.

Learn to confidently lead a flag ceremony for community and council events. Girls will learn proper flag handling and ceremonies for:

• Opening or closing meetings
• Opening or closing special events
• Beginning or closing a day
• Honoring a special occasion or special person
• Retiring a worn flag

Who: Daisy, Brownie, Junior, Cadette, Senior, Ambassador Girl Scouts
Group Size: Minimum of 5
Cost: Yakima: $25, patch included; Newport/Sandpoint: $40, patch included
Availability: TBD
Location: Yakima, Newport
Contact: Peggy McDonald 747-8091 ext. 230, pmcdonald@gsewni.org

BABYSITTING WORKSHOP — Tri-Cities, WA
The class is taught by a trained instructor and covers a variety of babysitting topics, including safety strategies, how to entertain children of different ages, how to deal with injuries and emergencies, tips for setting up a babysitting business, and more. During the course, students get hands-on practice in basic lifesaving techniques so that they are prepared to act in a crisis. Download the brochure.

Who: Designed for Junior Girl Scouts and older. Suggested age 11+
Cost: $30.00 per girl Kennewick General Hospital, 900 S. Auburn Street, Kennewick, Washington
Availability: Saturdays, Six hour class, 9:00am to 3:00pm
Location: Kennewick General Hospital, 900 S. Auburn Street, Kennewick, Washington
Contact: Peggy McDonald 747-8091 ext. 230, pmcdonald@gsewni.org

FINANCIAL LITERACY — All Council Areas
Take a tour of a bank in your area.  Visit the vault, safe deposit area, and see what goes on behind the Teller's Window. Find out what you need to do to open a savings account.  Learn about checking and savings accounts and credit cards.  Learn about jobs in the banking industry.  Younger girl tours about 15 minutes long.  Older girls will receive some instruction on checking accounts and learn about check registers. 

Who: All Girl Scouts
Cost: $25 per troop of 12 girls and 2 adults. $1 per girl/adult after 12. Fees include patch.
Availability: Contact Peggy
Group Size: Contact Peggy
Contact: Peggy McDonald at 800-827-9478, ext 230 or email pmcdonald@gsewni.org

TELEVISION STUDIO TOURS — Tri-Cities, Spokane, Lewiston, Yakima
Tri-Cities: Tim Adams, KNDU’s Chief Weather Forecaster,  will be your guide on a visit to the station.    Arrive by 5:30 to take a tour, and at 6 watch the evening news being broadcast.  Maximum group size is 20 people.
Spokane: KHQ TV Tours available most Mondays - Thursday 4:00 - 5:00 pm.  Louise will be your tour guide behind the scenes at the television station.  Learn about the business side of a media outlet. (No tours the month of December). 
Lewiston: KLEW. Girl Scouts are invited to tour the studio and watch the news being produced.  Girls must be 8 years or older, maximum group number 15.    Monday – Thursday 4:30 or 5:30   pm
Yakima: Girls will have an opportunity to learn how commercials are made and explore green screen technology.   Tour lasts about 1 hour.  No minimum age, no group size limits. Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m .

Who: Girl Scouts of all ages
Cost:$25 per troop of 12 girls and 2 adults. $1 per girl/adult after 12. Fees include patch.
Contact: Peggy McDonald at 800-827-9478, ext 230 or email pmcdonald@gsewni.org

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS — Spokane, Okanogan, and Douglas Counties, WA
Are you ready to help your family get prepared for the unexpected?  Learn how to be prepared for fires, floods, volcanic eruption,  landslides, severe storms and other emergencies in our region. Discover the importance of a disaster preparedness kit, and learn how  to make a kit for your family.  This fun, informative class can be held at your location!  Inland Northwest Red Cross and North Cascades Red Cross.  

Who: Junior, Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador Girl Scouts
Cost: $25 per troop of 12 girls and 2 adults. $1 per girl/adult after 12. Fees include patch.
Availability: Contact Peggy
Group Size: NA
Contact: Peggy McDonald at 800-827-9478, ext 230 or email pmcdonald@gsewni.org .

PROGRAM AIDE TRAINING — All Council Areas
This is your chance to increase your leadership potential! Learn the skills necessary to share your expertise with younger girls. After training, complete 25 hours in your specialized area to earn your PA patch. Girls attending this course are 12-17 years old. Bring your lunch.

This course requires the following to be completed before the registration deadline:

Who: Girl Scout Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors
Cost: $15/person
Availability: Weeknights and Weekends
Group Size: Minimum of 6, maximum of 20
Contact: Sarah Betts at 800-827-9478, ext 225 or email sbetts@gsewni.org

PROGRAM AIDE WORKSHOPS — All Council Areas

• Crafts: Learn how to teach crafts to younger girls for your Program Aide Specialty. Get ideas for different types of craft projects, practice teaching crafts, and learn how to come prepared. Come ready to share your favorite craft with the group of Program Aides.
• Games: Learn how to teach games to younger girls for your Program Aide Specialty. Get ideas for different types of games, practice teaching games, and learn how to come prepared. Come ready to share your favorite game with the group of Program Aides.
• Science: Learn how to teach fun, hands on science activities to younger girls for your Program Aide Specialty. Get ideas for different types of science projects, practice teaching them, and learn how to come prepared.
• Songs: Learn how to teach songs to younger girls for your Program Aide Specialty. Learn and practice teaching many types of songs. Come ready to share your favorite song with the group of Program Aides.

PRECIOUS METALS — All Council Areas
Precious Metals is for the girl interested in earning her Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award and for the adult who will be advising her. Each workshop is geared to help the girl and advisor understand the process, paperwork and steps involved in earning these awards. Advisors will receive training credit for attending.

Who: Girl Scouts Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors, Ambassadors, and advisors
Cost: No cost
Availability: Weeknights and Weekends
Group Size: Minimum of 5, maximum of 12
Contact: Sarah Betts at 800-827-9478, ext 225 or email sbetts@gsewni.org

Are you ready to Schedule a Flex Program? Fill out the form below and GSEWNI Program Staff will set it up!