Volunteer Appreciation | Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts (GSEMA)

Celebrate the volunteer in your life.

Volunteers are the heart of our organization. Each and every day they make Girl Scouting possible for nearly 20,000 youth members across GSEMA. We say thank you a few ways:

Annual formal national and council recognitions which are reviewed by our Volunteer Recognition Committee and approved by our Board of Directors.
Local community recognitions determined by service unit community leadership volunteers
Years of Girl Scout membership numeral guard pins in 5-year increments

Celebrating Our Community

Take a look back at this special evening honoring the volunteers, donors, and supporters who help make Girl Scouts possible every day.

Honoring Those Who Make a Difference

View the event booklet from our Volunteer and Donor Recognition Celebration, featuring this year’s honorees and community members whose support helps girls thrive.

About National and Council Volunteer Recognitions

GSUSA and GSEMA recognition awards are awarded based on an individual or group’s exemplary service in support of the delivery of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience through nominations that are reviewed by our Volunteer Recognition Committee and approved by the Board of Directors.

All active, approved Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts volunteers may be eligible for one of the following recognitions if they have exceeded the expectations of their position and impacted Girl Scouts’ mission in one or more of the following categories:

Membership growth and/or retention
Program development and/or delivery
Cookies or Fall Product Program participation or sales
Philanthropy and fund development (e.g., personal giving, fundraising events)
Governance (e.g., policies, strategy)
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and racial justice

GSUSA Volunteer Recognitions (national)

Appreciation Pin toggle arrow

Appreciation Pin
Recognizes an individual’s exemplary service in support of delivering the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, but for this pin the impact is within one geographic area of service.

Scope of Service: One service unit/community

GSEMA Nomination forms required? Yes, two forms must be submitted (view).

Impact to Girl Scout Leadership Experience Goals
In any one or more of the following categories:

Membership growth and/or retention
Program development and/or delivery
Cookies or Fall Product Program participation or sales
Governance (e.g., policies, strategy)
Diversity, equity, and inclusion
Philanthropy and fund development

Honor Pin

Honor Pin
Recognizes an individual’s exemplary service in support of delivering the Girl Scout Leadership Experience; this support has had a measurable impact on two or more geographic areas of service to reach and surpass the mission-delivery goals of the council.

Scope of Service: Two or more service units/communities.

GSEMA Nomination forms required? Yes, two forms must be submitted (view).

Impact to Girl Scout Leadership Experience Goals
In any one or more of the following categories:

Membership growth and/or retention
Program development and/or delivery
Cookies or Fall Product Program participation or sales
Governance (e.g., policies, strategy)
Diversity, equity, and inclusion
Philanthropy and fund development

Thanks Badge toggle arrow

Thanks Badge
Honors an individual whose ongoing commitment, leadership, and service have had an exceptional, measurable impact on meeting the mission-delivery goals and priorities of the entire council or the entire Girl Scout movement.

Scope of Service: Council-wide or nationwide.

GSEMA Nomination forms required? Yes, two forms must be submitted (view).

Impact to Girl Scout Leadership Experience Goals
In any one or more of the following categories:

Membership growth and/or retention
Program development and/or delivery
Cookies or Fall Product Program participation or sales
Governance (e.g., policies, strategy)
Diversity, equity, and inclusion
Philanthropy and fund development

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Thanks Badge II
Honor a previous Thanks Badge award recipient who has continued to provide exemplary service in a leadership role which resulted in a measurable impact benefitting the entire Girl Scout Movement.

Scope of Service: Nationwide

GSEMA Nomination forms required? Yes, four forms must be submitted (view).

Impact to Girl Scout Leadership Experience Goals
In any one or more of the following categories:

Membership growth and/or retention
Program development and/or delivery
Cookies or Fall Product Program participation or sales
Governance (e.g., policies, strategy)
Diversity, equity, and inclusion
Philanthropy and fund development

GSEMA Volunteer Recognitions (council)

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President's Award
Recognizes the efforts of a service unit team, committee, or volunteer team whose exemplary service in support of delivering the Girl Scout Leadership Experience surpassed team goals and resulted in significant, measurable impact toward reaching the council’s overall goals.

Scope of Service: Council-wide

GSEMA Nomination forms required? Yes, one with three letters of endorsement (view).

Impact to Girl Scout Leadership Experience Goals
In any one or more of the following categories:

Membership growth and/or retention
Program development and/or delivery
Cookies or Fall Product Program participation or sales
Governance (e.g., policies, strategy)
Diversity, equity, and inclusion
Philanthropy and fund development

Lifetime of Service Award toggle arrow

Lifetime of Service Award
Volunteers who have championed the mission of Girl Scouting through long-term commitment and exemplary work at the troop, service unit or council level for fifteen or more years.

Scope of Service: One service unit to nationwide

GSEMA Nomination forms required? Yes, two forms must be submitted (view).

Impact to Girl Scout Leadership Experience Goals
In any one or more of the following categories:

Membership growth and/or retention
Program development and/or delivery
Cookies or Fall Product Program participation or sales
Governance (e.g., policies, strategy)
Diversity, equity, and inclusion
Philanthropy and fund development

Sustained Service Pin toggle arrow

Sustained Service Pin
Volunteers actively giving valuable service to GSEMA for 5+ or 10+ consecutive years since receiving a prior recognition (e.g., Appreciation Pin or Honor Pin).

Scope of Service: Based on prior award received.

GSEMA Nomination forms required? Yes, two forms must be submitted (view).

Impact to Girl Scout Leadership Experience Goals
In any one or more of the following categories:

Membership growth and/or retention
Program development and/or delivery
Cookies or Fall Product Program participation or sales
Governance (e.g., policies, strategy)
Diversity, equity, and inclusion
Philanthropy and fund development

Helen Storrow Heritage Award toggle arrow

Helen Storrow Heritage Award
Members or committees who have contributed to the growth and strength of GSEMA through their philanthropy and their efforts to preserve the vast history and legacy of GSEMA.

Scope of Service: Council-wide

GSEMA Nomination forms required? No: recommended by Fund Development team.

Impact to Girl Scout Leadership Experience Goals
Focused impact on philanthropy and fund development (e.g., personal giving, fundraising events).

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Red Rose Award
A volunteer who actively demonstrates exemplary commitment to the Girl Scout values of diversity, equity and inclusion in support of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

Scope of Service: One or more service units/ communities

GSEMA Nomination forms required? Yes, two forms must be submitted (view).

Impact to Girl Scout Leadership Experience Goals
Focused impact on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Service Unit Recognitions (local)

Service unit recognitions are approved and presented at the local community level. These recognitions are managed, paid for, and presented by service units at an event of their choosing, which may include town-wide bridging ceremonies, year-end leader appreciation dinners, or investiture and rededication ceremonies.

Green & Growing Award (for new troop leadership volunteers) toggle arrow

Green and Growing Award
Troop leaders and assistant troop leaders who have been in their roles for less than two years.

Criteria:

Has been a troop volunteer for less than two years
Completes the GSEMA new troop leader learning plan: New Leader Orientation and age-level Essentials in gsLearn
Has participated in at least one service unit or council event or program
Keeps troop(s) open to new members
Shows commitment to growing and sustaining the troop’s membership by participating in spring membership renewal and extended year membership registration
Engages youth members in the Girl Scout Cookie Program
Implements the Girl Scout Leadership Experience within troop programming, including working toward and earning badges

Nomination, approval, and award process:

Requires one recommendation submitted directly to the service unit, the format of which may vary by community.
Review and approval are determined by the service unit, and may include a local committee to manage the process (deadlines, approval of nominations, and presentation of pins).
The service unit purchases awards at the council shop and presents them to the volunteer.

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Make New Friends Award Certificate
Individuals, groups, organizations, or businesses that support Girl Scouts in the local community.

Criteria:

Non-Girl Scouts who assist local Girl Scout troops or service units in any of the following ways:
- Offers free meeting space
- Provide in-kind donations for events and activities
- Helps to further Girl Scouting in the community

Nomination, approval, and award process:

No nomination or approval process necessary
Service units and troops give certificates at their discretion which can be purchased at the council shop or downloaded and printed locally

Download: Make New Friends Award Certificate

Volunteer of Excellence (for any Girl Scout volunteer) toggle arrow

Volunteer of Excellence
A volunteer who has contributed outstanding service while partnering directly with youth members in any pathway to implement the Girl Scout Leadership Experience through use of the National Program Portfolio or who has contributed outstanding service in support of the council’s mission delivery to youth and adult members is eligible for the GSUSA Volunteer of Excellence Award.

Criteria:

Is a registered and active Girl Scout adult member
Completes appropriate training and/or demonstrated competence for the position
Performs beyond expectations for their volunteer position by supporting the council’s mission-delivery goals in any of the following areas: membership, community development, supporting volunteers, marketing & public relations, fund development, communications, program delivery, or governance

Nomination, approval, and award process:

Requires one recommendation submitted directly to the service unit, the format of which may vary by community.
Review and approval are determined by the service unit, and may include a local committee to manage the process (deadlines, approval of nominations, and presentation of pins).
The service unit purchases awards at the council shop and presents them to the volunteer.

Years of Membership Numeral Guard Pins

Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts is dedicated to honoring our long-term volunteers and members by providing their numeral guard pins representing more than 20 years of membership. Members celebrating their anniversary year of 20, 25, 30, 35, etc. should complete Years of Membership Pin Request Form to let us know they are due (or overdue) for a pin. We invite all those receiving membership numeral guard pins to join GSEMA staff and volunteers at our annual celebration event or request that a pin be mailed to them.