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Member Safety Guidelines

In light of Governor Inslee’s recent COVID-19 restrictions and given our paramount concern for the safety of our members, families, volunteers, donors, and staff, we’ve had to make further changes in our council programming and volunteer engagement.

ALL in-person programming across the 18 counties served by Girl Scouts of Western Washington (GSWW) is suspended from November 16 until January, when we will re-evaluate our operation based on state guidance at that time. The Member Safety Guidelines have been updated to reflect this change. For more information on this decision, please read the most recent email from our CEO.

Table of Contents

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Back to Girl Scouts Guide
(Interactive PDF)

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Guidelines Summary Chart

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Essential Business Operations

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Non-Essential Business Operations

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COVID-19 Incidents

 

Volunteer Policy Violations: Volunteers that do not adhere to our COVID-19 Member Guidelines are subject to removal from the Girl Scout program.   

Current Guidelines Summary Chart

Program Area Guidelines for All Counties
Troop Virtual Only
Overnight Camping Not Permitted

Volunteer Day Camp 

 Virtual Only

Staff-Led Day Camp

 Virtual Only
Summer Resident Camp TBD
Volunteer-Led Events Virtual Only
GSWW Events Virtual Only

GSWW Horse Program

 Individual Adult Volunteers for Essential Support Only
Training/Learning Virtual Only
Camp Volunteer Maintenance Individual Adult Volunteers for Essential Support Only
Camp Property Reservations Camps Not Open for Site Use
GSWW Offices Closed to Members & Public
Retail Curbside Pick-Up/Reduced Capacity at Select Locations

Fall Product Program

No Contact Delivery of Troop Envelope is Allowed at the Discretion of the SU. No Contact Pick-Up of Girl Scout Rewards is Allowed at the Discretion of the SU and Troop Product Managers.
Cookie Program Digital Cookie storefronts and online promotion, no-contact door hangers, and no-contact product pick-up from troops and service units approved. Girl Delivery orders by no-contact porch drop off recommended. In-person sales, community booths, MySales, wagon sales and lemonade-style stands are not allowed. Full guidelines and safety plans available here.
Transportation No In-Person Activities

GSWW Essential Business Operations

All essential business support has been updated to reflect Washington State health and safety standards and ensure the safety of GSWW's members and staff.

Retail
  • Retail stores will maintain a customer log of all customers visiting the location in-person to assist with contact tracing if needed.  Customers may voluntarily provide this information and will not be denied service if they are unwilling to provide personal information (Log template).  This information will only be shared with Public Health officials upon request.
  • Customer occupancy allowed at 25% or less of maximum building occupancy (not including employees).
  • Distance markers will be placed outside to ensure those waiting to enter remain at least six feet apart.
  • Face-coverings (cloth masks, bandanas, or scarves are sufficient) must always be worn inside any GSWW retail store.
  • Plexiglass will be installed at all reception/retail check-out areas to protect employees and public members.
  • Floors around entry points and workspaces will have clear markings to show six feet from any space in which employees and members spend regular extended amounts of time.
  • Chairs in waiting or lounging areas will be relocated to ensure a minimum distance of six feet between seating.
  • Signs detailing handwashing requirements, illness precautions, social distancing, and proper use of face coverings will be posted prominently throughout worksites.
  • Signs noting limitations on the number of people allowed in changing rooms (1-person limit) will be posted.
GSWW Camp Maintenance
  • Individual adult volunteers, or 2 adult volunteers from the same household, may be invited by site staff to provide support for critical services that maintain the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of camp properties.
  • Volunteers supporting camp maintenance may print and sign this modified paper copy of the COVID-19 Waiver, which should be turned in to the Site Manager or Ranger prior to starting volunteer activities. Forms will also be available upon arrival at camp.
  • Out of county travel for volunteer activities is not permitted.

   

GSWW Non-Essential Business Operations

All non-essential business guidelines have been updated to reflect Washington State's COVID-19 restrictions and ensure the safety of GSWW's members and staff.

Virtual Meetings & Activities
Partner Programming/Non-GSWW Facility Rentals

Currently, GSWW is not authorizing Girl Scout in-person programming through community partners due to health & safety concerns. We will continue to monitor CDC & GSUSA guidelines to determine when this is safe to start again.

GSWW Horse Programming
  • Equine in-person programming will be put on hold to ensure the safety of our members, site staff, and horses. 
  • Individual adult volunteers, or 2 adult volunteers from the same household, may be invited by our Equine staff to support the essential care of our horses.
  • Volunteers supporting horse care may print and sign this modified paper copy of the COVID-19 Waiver, which should be turned in to GSWW Equine staff prior to starting volunteer activities. Forms will also be available upon arrival at Blue Mountain.
  • Out of county travel for volunteer activities is not permitted.
GSWW Camp Volunteer Work Parties
  • Camp volunteer work parties will be put on hold to ensure the safety of our volunteers and site staff.
Product Program
  • In-person cookie booths will not take place this year to ensure Girl Scout, family, volunteer and staff safety. This includes any sales that could count as in-person contact, including My Sales, door-to-door sales (leaving a door hanger is allowed and encouraged), wagon sales or lemonade-style stands.
  • Online sales through Digital Cookie continue as usual, as we recommend limiting money handling. Social media marketing and sharing of the Digital Cookie storefront link is approved, with the exception of third-party resellers such as Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, eBay or Nextdoor.
  • Virtual booths where Girl Scouts use a platform like Zoom to pitch to multiple customers, yard signs with a Digital cookie QR code, and posters in a guardian’s workplace are all approved no-contact sales options.
  • Troops will be setting up no-contact, staggered cookie pick-up times for families to load up their Girl Scout’s orders, and families should be carrying those safety measures forward into their customer deliveries.
  • When physical packages need to be delivered to a customer, we recommend coordinating no-contact porch drop-offs.
  • Good hygiene practices should be in place at all levels of the program, with a focus on frequent handwashing/hand sanitizer use and social distancing. Face masks are required by state mandate.
  • Additional guidelines, program support materials and safety recommendations can be found on our resources page here.

   

COVID-19 Incidents

For essential business operations, should there be a COVID-19 incident, please reference the below guidelines.

Identification and Isolation of Sick People

If a volunteer and/or participant is exhibiting signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and is unable to leave the program site immediately, the following protocol should be followed:

  • Agreements should be made in advance with parents/guardians regarding how volunteers will manage symptomatic participants. 
  • It is strongly recommended that the parent/guardian should make every accommodation to be able to pick up their child immediately if exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.
  • Symptomatic volunteers or participants should isolate themselves in a designated isolation area that is removed from but within eyesight and earshot of the program area to maintain required girl to adult ratio. Examples of appropriate isolation areas: a picnic table, covered shelter, etc.
  • Volunteers should immediately contact the parent/guardian for pick-up.
  • A volunteer should stay with the symptomatic individual until the parent/guardian has arrived and should always wear face mask/covering. It is advised to stay six feet away unless the participant needs medical attention. If medical attention is required, volunteers should wear gloves, face shields, masks, and gowns. Those choosing to provide in-person programming with parents/guardians, not on-site, are required to have appropriate supplies on hand to provide any required care for a symptomatic participant. Items should be washed/sanitized or disposed of following use.
  • The symptomatic individual should wear a face mask/covering if able.
  • No one should enter the isolation area except for assigned volunteer and parent/guardian.
  • If possible, communication should be done via phone or text to address any needs of the symptomatic individual and assist with arrangements to have that person transported to get medical attention as soon as possible.
  • Follow sanitation procedures to deep clean any areas that person may have had contact with and notify all people who were in the area the person had access to that there was a symptomatic individual. See the CDC’s website for more on cleaning and disinfecting community facilities.
  • All parent/guardian(s) should be made aware of the isolation incident upon pick-up.
  • Volunteers should complete and submit an Incident Report Form to GSWW.
  • All volunteers must acknowledge & initial GSWW’s COVID-19 in-person participation guidelines; this is mandatory for all volunteers to complete prior to in-person activities.
    • The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has been declared a worldwide pandemic by the World Health Organization. COVID-19 is reported to be extremely contagious. The state of medical knowledge is evolving, but the virus is believed to spread from person-to-person contact, by contact with contaminated surfaces and objects, and possibly in the air. People reportedly can be infected and spread the disease even if they do not show any symptoms. Girl Scouts of Western Washington (“GSWW”) is committed to taking precautions to mitigate that risk as well as to following applicable federal, WA State, local and GSUSA COVID-19 directives and guidelines. Our council is also committed to having in-person activities as allowed and in accordance with those mandates. GSWW’s operations and programs occurring while COVID-19 is circulating in our community may expose our members, volunteers, and employees to the risk of infection. GSWW cannot prevent you from becoming exposed to, contracting or spreading COVID-19 while attending (which includes being present in any capacity) any GSWW in-person programming.  Therefore, any interaction with others in connection with in-person programming may expose you and your family to and increase your risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19. GSWW has put in place preventative measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 at its in-person programming; however, GSWW cannot guarantee that you will not become infected with COVID-19.
    • By participating in these in-person activities, participants will be viewed as: 1.) Understanding that COVID-19 is a highly contagious virus, easily spread including through in-person contact; 2.) Acknowledging that GSWW cannot guarantee that infection will not occur; 3.) Choosing to accept the risk of contracting COVID-19 for the participant and their family in order to attend the in-person activity; and 4.) Agreeing to release GSWW from responsibility in the event of COVID-19 infection. Participants who do not agree to these statements should not join in-person GSWW activities.
  • Resources: PPE Kits & Supplies, PPE Kit , Disposable Gown (please note, troop funds can be used to purchase health & safety supplies).
Reporting COVID-19 Positive Incidents

Reporting and communicating a positive COVID 19 test should be managed by a council staff member. Volunteers should not manage COVID-19 communication responsibilities. In the event of a COVID-19 positive test result, do NOT contact the parents or troop members. Promptly contact a member of GSWW’s Customer Care Team at 800-541-9852 or customercare@girlscoutsww.org, or the after-hours emergency line (800) 303-9963 if applicable. You will be directed to a GSWW Human Resources staff member. They will be responsible for:

  • Incident report.
  • Contact of potentially exposed individuals or parents of youth participants (participants who may have been in contact within two days of the specimen being taken or symptoms experienced).
  • Notifying the facility of the program activity or event.
  • Alerting the State Department of Health.
  • Letting other volunteers know that council staff, NOT volunteers, will notify parents and others about a positive test result and that the individual’s identity is confidential. Girl and volunteer health information is private and strictly confidential and should only be shared on a need to know basis with a council staff member.
  • Council staff will notify local health jurisdiction within 24 hours if there are two or more participants in the same activity who develop confirmed or suspected COVID-19 within a 14-day period.

   

Questions or concerns?

Contact us using the form below or call 1(800) 541-9852.
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