Interest Meeting Wednesday, 9/3 @6pm! First Meeting 9/10 @6pm!

Basic Info

American Heritage Girls Troop NY-0518 History:

In 2019 Kelly Wade and Joseph Wade saw a need in our community for a faith-based character development program. Our "Brother Troop," Trail Life Troop NY-0518, was initially chartered by a group of men, including Joseph Wade, who is the husband of the Charter Representative for AHG Troop NY-0518, Kelly Wade. That same year was when Kelly began going through various treatments for Chronic Lyme Disease. Fast forward through a few years of treatments to 2022 when Kelly's youngest daughter was nearing 5 years old, and the first steps were taken to charter an American Heritage Girls Troop. Kelly, along with other integral women: Rachel McCracken, Hannah Patterson, Devon Balta, and Darlene McGovern, began learning the AHG program to start up a Troop that summer. After learning through the many resources available through AHG and through experience of "jumping right in," AHG Troop NY-0518 became official on September, 9, 2022.

Meetings:

AHG Troop NY-0518 typically meets two Wednesday evenings a month, plus about two special event meetings per month (social events, service events, workshops, etc.). We understand the busyness of the typical American family and as such we aim to keep regular meetings to twice a month, rather than every week, with special events being more "complimentary" to the program year. A detailed calendar is provided to every family participating so that it is easy to follow along and make-up any work along the way that a Girlmember may have to miss out on due to family plans or illness.

A typical meeting will go something like this:
-Signing in of all adults and Girlmembers in the sanctuary
-Girl-led Opening Flag Ceremony
-Opening Prayer
-Announcements, any papers handed out
-Girlmembers and Leaders go to the main room for a Troopwide devotional
-(Any non-registered people must stay in sanctuary for the safety of the Troop)
-After devotional, Girlmembers break up into Level Units to work in their level.
-Girl-led Closing Flag Ceremony
-Girls come together in the main room again for Troopwide snack time
-Girls are dismissed back to their parents after being signed out

**Adults and Girls are allowed ONE VISIT before registration is required**

Here is our Troop Facebook Page if you'd like to see the Girls in action from a past Troop Year!

For more information about the breakdown of levels, click HERE.

American Heritage Girls is a uniformed organization.

TROOP VOLUNTEER STRUCTURE

⬢ Our troop acknowledges that we can only be as great as our volunteers! As a relatively new troop with minimal adult volunteers, we adhere to tight adult-to-girl ratios and need as much parent help as we can get in all age groups. If leading girls isn’t your gift or in your ability this year, there are many administrative or behind-the-scenes roles. We encourage all parents to get involved in the troop structure and require some parental participation for the health of the troop.

⬢ All Registered Adult Members of the Troop must agree to the Statement of Faith, complete an application, submit to a background check, pay the $40 annual registration fee to AHG National, and complete child safety training/leader training modules online through AHGEquip.

⬢ Troop Board: Oversees the troop ministry and consists of the following positions: Troop Coordinator, Vice Coordinator, Troop Treasurer, Troop Shepherd, and Charter Representative. **A Troop MUST have all 5 positions filled in order to be an official Troop.

⬢ Troop Ministry Team

★ Unit Leaders and Assistant Unit Leaders – Are registered adult members who implement the AHG program at the Unit level while incorporating the interests of the girls and encouraging Girl Leadership. Participate in the Leadership Meetings as much as possible. **Two registered adults are needed to maintain "2-Deep Leadership" at all times, if we do not have at least one Unit Leader and one Assistant Unit Leader then we can not run that Unit Level on its own. This means we need ideally 3 volunteers per level so that when someone is ill we don't have to cancel the meeting.

★ Registered Troop Volunteers – Are registered adult members who implement the AHG program at the Troop level in "behind the scenes" positions such as Service Chairperson, Social Events Chairperson, Troop Registrar, Troop Advancement Chair, and Fundraising Chair. They attend Leadership Meetings as needed but are not required to attend regular Troop Meetings.

★ Adult Member − Adults who can help Leaders in Troop Meetings ("Floaters") and fill in where needed but do not need to attend Leadership Meetings. Still completes the necessary training and they are able to help to the best of their ability for any Troop event/activity. Includes: Snack Manager, Yearbook Manager, Community Connection Manager.

⬢ Troop Level Volunteer Teams − One-time events such as National Day of Service Lead, Spring Troop Camp Out Lead, National Day of Prayer Lead, Year Theme Patch Event Lead. These adults do not necessarily need to be registered, but if they'd like to participate in the event they are arranging then registration is required.

**Contact us by sending an email to AHGTroopNY0518@Gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering.

CURRENT COSTS

⬢REGISTRATION PAID TO AHG NATIONAL:

★ Annual Girlmember AHG Registration – $40/girl, $105/ 3+ girls cap. Must be paid before a girl can regularly attend meetings.

★ Annual Adult Member AHG Registration – $40/adult. Must be paid before an adult can regularly attend meetings.

⬢PAID TO TROOP:

★ Annual Troop Dues – $100/girl to cover supplies, Badges, Patches, Pins, etc.
-$50 due in 10/29/24; $50 due 2/28/25. (No Dues for adults.)
-Includes Program Support Fees sent to AHG National ($20 per Girlmember per year)
-Includes Girl Uniforms & Handbooks – Package pricing varies by level ($35-$85)
★ Participation in fundraisers is expected of all members.
-Goal of raising $50 per family. Families may choose to "Buy Out" fundraising participation by providing these funds directly.
-Funds are currently being raised for our Spring Troop Camp Out, and any other events our Troop may organize in the current Troop Year to allow Troop Members to attend without an extra cost.

★ Dues are prorated for those who join mid-year.

⬢PURCHASE AS NEEDED

★ + Badges, Patches & Other Insignia - The Troop pays for Troopwide Badges, any Troopwide Patches, the first 2 Service Stars, Faith Award insignia, and Sports Pins earned by Girlmembers each program year. Parents are responsible for the cost of any Insignia earned outside of Troop.

★ + Camping fees and other events/activities may have a cost as determined by the Troop Board/Planning Committees if they are not covered by fundraisers.

★ + Adult Registration – $40 (Annual) for Adult Members. Adults who hold a specific Troop Leadership position and complete all training can have their registration fee reimbursed by the troop as noted in the tables above. See the Troop Orientation Packet for details.

★ + Adult Uniform: $33 AHG Leader Polo, $15 AHG Classic Class B T-shirt.

★ Benevolence Funds are available, please see a Troop Board Member for assistance. Do not let finances keep you away from joining our troop!

For more information on costs click HERE and/or view your Orientation Packet (uploaded in Documents section of AHGFamily) in the section on Finances.

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