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Welcome back to my very weird series in which I am listing, week by week, topic by topic, every single Council's Own Girl Scout fun patch program that your Girl Scouts can earn from everywhere!
My Girl Scout troop enjoys earning Council's Own fun patches, as well as official badges and retired badges. I usually look for a fun patch that they can earn in addition to a badge whenever we're planning a big project or a trip, etc. This list is essentially just my own research written down for easy reference.
This week's category: Service Learning! This includes fun patches that walk Girl Scouts through specific service projects, as well as those that encourage them to think more globally about issues and create their own service projects. These fun patches can be a great way to help Girl Scouts get started with community service projects, figure out what types of projects that appeal to them, and stretch themselves by focusing on new-to-them projects and issues.
For this list, I only included fun patch programs that fit the following criteria:
- Girl Scouts can earn this fun patch wherever they are. I did not include any fun patch programs that have site-specific criteria, unless I felt that those criteria would be easy to substitute and still maintain the point of the fun patch program. I also didn't include fun patch programs that require time-specific criteria that have already passed, such as patches programs designed for the 2020 COVID lockdowns. I noted in the description of each patch when substitutions would be required.
- Girl Scouts can obtain the council's requirements to earn this fun patch. I found several instances in which the council still sells a specific fun patch, but has deleted all the requirements from its website. If I couldn't find an easy link to those requirements from another site, I did not include the patch.
- Girl Scouts can obtain the physical fun patch. There were also several instances in which councils still host the requirements for a fun patch program, but no longer sell the patch (or, as in the case of a few GSAK patches, they have fewer than ten remaining). If it is unlikely for a Girl Scout to be able to obtain the fun patch, I did not include it. The link to purchase each fun patch is in the caption for its graphic.
SERVICE LEARNING
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| Adopt a Grandparent GSNCA |
Adopt a Grandparent, Girl Scouts of North Central Alabama. Earn this by befriending and connecting with a senior adult. This would make a wonderful service project!
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| Advocacy GSGWM |
Advocacy, Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains. Learn to advocate for yourself and others.
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| Animal Shelter Awareness GSME |
Animal Shelter Awareness, Girl Scouts of Maine. Learn about animal shelters, how to stay safe around domestic animals, and how to support shelters and the animals they serve. This fun patch pairs well with the Brownie Pets badge and the Senior Voice for Animals badge.
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| Be a Pal GSHS |
Be a Pal, Girl Scouts Hearts of the South. Learn about food allergies and how to make sure everyone is safe and included.
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| Be a Sister to Every Girl Scout GSGWM |
Be a Sister to Every Girl Scout, Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains. Learn about allyship and advocate for the gay community.
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| Be Your Best GSGWM |
Be Your Best, Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains. Plan and carry out a service project.
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| Brady's Badge GSSWT |
Brady's Badge, Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas. Learn about pets and complete a service project for an agency servicing animals.
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| Commitment to Caring |
Commitment to Caring, Girl Scouts of North Caroline Coastal Pines. Encourages Girl Scouts to make a longer-term commitment to volunteering in a nursing or care home. This is a good patch program to support a troop that's looking for a regular volunteer commitment, or for an individual Girl Scout who needs the encouragement to earn more community service hours.
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| The Earth Matters to Girl Scouts GSMWLP |
The Earth Matters to Girl Scouts, Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin Lakes and Pines. Complete activities that demonstrate environmentalism. This is a good fun patch program for Girl Scouts to earn independently.
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| Food For All, GSGWM |
Food For All, Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains. Learn about hunger and food insecurity.
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| Food from the Hearth GSME |
Food from the Heart, Girl Scouts of Maine. Plan and complete a Take Action Project themed on food insecurity.
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| Girl Scout Tree Promise GSGWM |
Girl Scout Tree Promise, Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains. Plant trees and learn why they're essential to the environment.
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| Gives Back GSCP2P |
Gives Back, Girl Scouts of Peaks to Piedmont. Complete service activities in different categories to earn the entire life buoy. This would be a good fun patch program to complete throughout one Girl Scout year to give Girl Scouts a better idea of the types of community service projects that exist.
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| Good Vibes GSGCNWI |
Good Vibes, Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana. Plan and carry out a project that brings awareness to mental health issues.
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| GSCM Hand in Hand Intergenerational Experience |
Hand in Hand Intergenerational Experience, Girl Scouts of Central Maryland. Encourages Girl Scouts to connect with a care facility for a 4-week service learning experience.
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| I Tapped Out GSMIDTN |
I Tapped Out, Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee. Conserve water while brushing your teeth. This fun patch program pairs well with the Brownie WOW Journey and Ambassador Water badge.
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| Marine Debris GSH |
Marine Debris, Girl Scouts of Hawaii. Teaches Girl Scouts how to create a healthier marine environment by reducing trash contamination. I'm including this as a fun patch that Girl Scouts can earn anywhere, because I think you could substitute any aquatic environment for the on-site ocean activities. All rivers lead to the ocean!
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| Make the Earth a Better Place GSSD |
Make the Earth a Better Place, Girl Scouts of San Diego. Complete a variety of activities related to environmental stewardship. Because there's a checklist with a lot of options, this is a great fun patch program for Girl Scouts to complete independently, or over the summer if your troop doesn't meet then.
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| No One Goes Hungry GSNCCP |
No One Goes Hungry, Girl Scouts of North Carolina Coastal Pines. Learn about food banks and how to support them. The guide book references North Carolina food banks, but you can work with the food banks in your area, instead.
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| Patchwork Promise GSSJ |
Patchwork Promise, Girl Scouts of San Jacinto. Combine learning about breast health and breast cancer with sewing and donating a patchwork quilt to a care facility. This fun patch would pair well with the Senior Women's Health badge.
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| Save Our Energy GSGCNWI |
Save Our Energy, Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana. Complete this independent activities to practice energy conservation. This is a fun patch program for Girl Scouts to complete independently.
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| Service is the Heart of Girl Scouts GSGWM |
Service is the Heart of Girl Scouts, Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains. Learn the meaning of service and complete a service project.
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| Snuggles and Cuddles GSSEF |
Snuggles and Cuddles, Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida. Learn about animal shelters, then create and fulfill a community service project for a local animal shelter. This fun patch program pairs well with the Brownie Pets badge and Senior Voice for Animals badge.
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| Super Gold GSGCNWI |
Super Gold, Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana. Get excited about the Highest Award in Girl Scouting, and get inspired to get started! This fun patch program would be a good one to earn before a troop starts planning its first Highest Award TAP.
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| Take Action GSAK |
Take Action, Girl Scouts of Alaska. Complete this fun patch program while trying out community service projects and Take Action Projects. This is a good fun patch for younger Girl Scouts to earn while completing their first Take Action Project.
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| Weekend of Service GSNWGL |
Weekend of Service, Girl Scouts of Northwest Great Lakes. Plan a weekend service project in your community. This fun patch program suggests a specific weekend, but you could substitute any weekend of your choosing.
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| World Environment Day GSK |
World Environment Day, Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana. Celebrate World Environment Day with a selection of eco-friendly activities.
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| Year of Service GSNEO |
Year of Service, Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio. This is a great option for a troop in a council that doesn't have its own community service-based programming, or for a troop too young to earn the Community Service bars. I really like that it includes a wide variety of service projects--kids can find something they know they'll enjoy, and have encouragement to stretch themselves to try something new!
Here's a look at my complete fun patch series:
- Arts and Crafts
- Culture, Diversity, and Equity
- Games and Sports
- Geography/History
- Outdoors
- Practical Life Skills
- Reading and Writing
- Science
- Service Learning
- Social-Emotional Skills
- Technology, Engineering, and Math
Follow my Craft Knife Facebook page for more Girl Scout resources as I exhaustively compile them!
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