Did You Know?

Fun Facts

The first Girl Scout handbook was published in 1913 and was entitled How Girls Can Help Their Country.
Congress chartered the Girl Scouts in March 1950.
In Savannah, Georgia, in 1983, the second federal building named after a woman was declared the Juliette Gordon Low Federal Complex.
Two-thirds of female members of Congress have been Girl Scouts.
In 2001, the first Honorary Congressional Girl Scout Troop—Troop Capitol Hill—was convened and is currently comprised of all women members of Congress

Swap Etiquette

1. BE COURTEOUS

2. Don't refuse to trade with someone because you do not like their swap.

3. You should swap with everyone that asks you.

4. Always try to have extra swaps on hand so you do not leave someone out.

5. It's nice to give a swaps to someone who doesn't have any to trade.

6. You don't have to spend a lot of money on swaps.

7. It should be something homemade, not store bought.

8. It shouldn't be edible-no cookies or candies.

9. Swaps to be traded are carried in a bag or box. swaps that you want to keep could go on a hat.

10. Swaps should have some tag on them identifying the swapper-name, email address, council etc.

11. Swaps usually have pins, although they can also be patches, necklaces, bracelets etc.

12. Swaps are extra nice if they have some meaning-representative of your area or your interests.

13. ALWAYS SAY THANK YOU

S'mores cookie bars and a bit of history on National S'mores Day

Providence Budget Meals Examiner, Cheryl Phillips, August 10,2009

It's a great day to celebrate. Today is National S'Mores Day. Whether you make s'mores pie, eat Ben & Jerry's s'mores ice cream or make yourself a traditional s'more with graham crackers, chocolate and a marshmallow, it's a great day for a little nostalgia.

My first taste of s'mores was made at home after a cookout in my backyard. I may have been five or six, but I know I was pretty excited to hold a marshmallow on a stick over the hot coals to heat it up. I wasn't allowed to put the s'mores together myself until I became a Girl Scout..

When I was in fifth grade, at the mature age of ten, I went to my first away from home camp. It was a Girl Scout camp complete with tents and cooking over an outdoor fire. A camper I am not, but I loved competing for Girl Scout badges and really needed to learn how to light a campfire. Living in a tent for a few days with no toilet or electric outlet isn't exactly my idea of the good life, but I did get to make s'mores. By myself. Without any grown-up saying, "be careful". It was messy and delicious.

Who invented the s'mores? It's not really clear. In the 1910's, some American food manufacturers were making treats like Moon Pies, Scooter pies & Mallomars. All had graham crackers, chocolate and gooey white marshmallow inside.

However, it all seems to revert back to the Girl Scouts.

The National Historic Preservation Center, Girl Scouts of the USA kindly had this information:

"We don't really have a history of how or when some-mores (or S'mores) were invented. Our records show only that they appeared first in our 1927 book Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts. The 1927 recipe for "Some More" calls for "16 graham crackers, 8 bars plain chocolate (any of the good plain brands broken in two), and 16 marshmallows."

Who ever started s'mores invented a classic. In the winter, we speed things up and make them in the microwave (especially to see the marshmallow get really, really big!). While the classic s'mores are still the best, you might want to celebrate this national holiday with a slice of s'mores pie. It's too good to pass up and it won't break your budget. Just search for coupons for many of these items to help cut the cost. For one day, sit back and enjoy a piece of nostalgia.

S'Mores Cookie Bars

18 whole graham crackers, crushed, about 3 cups
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 milk chocolate bars, approximately 1 1/2 ounces each
3 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 350°.
Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium until it is fluffy.
Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in crushed graham crackers, flour, and salt.
Put aside 1 cup of the graham cracker mixture.
Press remaining mixture over the bottom of a greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
Arrange chocolate bars, in a single layer, over graham cracker crust mixture in the pan.
Sprinkle with marshmallows. Crumbled reserved graham cracker mixture over the marshmallows.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Cut into bars and cool completely.
(makes about 2 dozen cookie bars)