COVID-19 Updates

Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) – Update May 27, 2020 5:30 p.m (last update posted May 8, 2020)

The State of Florida has announced that all restrictions are being lifted on youth activities, including athletics and summer camps, effective immediately. The decision to resume youth activities has now shifted to local communities, organizations and parents.

Girl Scouts of Citrus (GSC) has, and will continue, to prioritize the health and safety of our girls, volunteers and staff as decisions are made to open Council properties and resume programs. As previously announced, GSC has a phased reopening plan in place, based upon recommendations of the Federal Government and informed by State of Florida and county Government(s).

It is imperative that we keep a nimble and flexible mindset as the situation with COVID-19 continues to rapidly change. Regular updates will be posted as the situation evolves.

Staying Safe and Girl Scout Property Restrictions

Girl Scouts of Citrus (GSC) will be implementing a phased reopening of its business offices with safety protocols in place. Offices are tentatively scheduled to open on June 22 to a limited number of staff members. The offices will remain closed to visitors at this time. While everyone would prefer to get back to normal as soon as possible, we must put the safety of our girls and volunteers first.

As stay-at-home orders are lifted by local and state governments, the CDC continues to emphasize the importance of social distancing.

The Council retail shop on Mills Avenue, all Scout Houses, and both camps will remain closed until further notice.

Customer Care and Council Shop

The Girl Scouts of Citrus Service center and Citrus Retail Shop was closed to the public as of March 18 and will remain closed until further notice.
Orders can still be placed through shop@citrus-gs.org and these will be processed and shipped out.
The Council Shop will be offering curbside pickup (starting in June) on Tuesdays from 1pm – 5pm and Thursdays from 10am to 1pm and by appointment.
- Orders must be submitted by email at least 48 hours prior to the order pick up date.
While the office is closed, council staff is continuing to work remotely. You may reach out to our Customer Care team for any inquiries at customercare@citrus-gs.org

Online Activities for Kids of All ages

Troop leaders and parents are encouraged to embrace online opportunities to keep girls engaged with their sister Girl Scouts through virtual troop meetings. Girl Scouts can continue working toward goals, earning badges and completing service projects to help neighbors who may be negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Visit All Things Girl Scouts for virtual Girl Scout activities for kids and resources for adults.
Citrus Council will continue to release more programming content in the coming days so be sure to check back often. Visit our GSCC Virtual Activities Page
Or look through our Council-Own Patches to see which ones you can earn on your own.

Troop Meetings, Events & Camporees

Although the State of Florida has lifted all restrictions on youth activities, Girl Scouts of Citrus intends to proceed with an abundance of caution. Council-sponsored in-person activities are suspended until further notice. The following applies during this time:

All Girl Scout programs and activities, other than virtual programs and virtual day camps, will be cancelled until further notice
Property Reservations for all of our properties are closed until further notice
TARs and Travel requests will not be approved for trips until further notice

Parents who had registered and paid for a Council-sponsored activity will receive a refund from Citrus Council. If an event is managed by a community partner, please contact them directly for more information.

GSC will continue to closely monitor the situation and, if it becomes safe to do so, will lift the suspension.

Citrus Council does not recommend returning to troop and volunteer meetings at this time. It is important to make decisions that prioritize the safety of girls, their families and volunteers. As noted above, TARs and Travel requests are not being approved until further notice.

If community volunteer leadership resumes troop meetings and community meetings against Council recommendations, GSC expects that all CDC guidelines for reopening youth programs will be followed.

Note that all Girl Scout event insurance will remain in effect as before. However, keep in mind that this is liability insurance and will cover injuries resulting from an accident. THE GIRL SCOUT INSURANCE DOES NOT COVER HEALTHCARE OR ILLNESS.

Meeting Virtually

While we cannot endorse or support specific online meeting tools for your use, see below for a list of free and low-cost tools that could be useful to you.

Please be sure to follow the GSUSA Virtual Meeting Guidelines found here

Video and Audio-Conferencing Tools with free versions

While all of these options have a free version, please note you may be prompted to consider their upgraded versions for a subscription fee.

Zoom - FAQ
Note: Meetings durations maximum of 40 minutes in free version
Skype - Support
Note: Up to 10 participants free
Webex – Help Center
Note: Limited file and content sharing in free version

Chat and Collaboration Tools with free versions

Additional low-cost tools for collaboration and conferencing to consider if the above options do not meet your group's needs.

GoToMeeting - Support
Google Hangouts Chat and Hangouts Meet - Support

Summer Residential and Day Camp

Although the State of Florida has lifted all restrictions on summer camp, Girl Scouts of Citrus intends to proceed with an abundance of caution.

All 2020 summer camp programs will be conducted virtually.

GSC will continue to closely monitor the situation and, if it becomes safe to do so, will conduct a phased reopening of the camps.

In the meanwhile, all families that have registered for resident or day camp sessions will be issued a full refund. These families will be given priority to register for a camp session if we find it safe to reopen later in the summer.

Refunds will be processed immediately. Questions should be directed to CustomerCare@Citrus-GS.org

Resources to Help Adults Cope

Parents are under a great deal of stress as they manage a new normal – working remotely, home-schooling, cooking more and pleasing finicky palettes. It can all add up. To help our adult members cope, we have compiled a number of resources on All Things Girl Scouts.

Many families are experiencing financial stress brought on by layoffs and furloughs. According to the Orlando Sentinel, there is help for families finding it difficult to make mortgage payments. “The federal CARES Act, signed by President Trump last month, gives borrowers of federally backed loans the right to contact their mortgage loan servicer and demand what’s called forbearance — in other words, skipping their mortgage payments — simply by attesting that the coronavirus crisis has resulted in financial hardship. No documentation of the hardship is required, regardless of how many questions your servicer asks about your financial situation.”

Talking with Girls About the Virus

Sometimes a parent could use a little help, especially when it comes to speaking with a child about a serious issue. The Coronavirus is currently taking top billing in the media, so GSUSA published an article that provides some tips on how to talk with your daughter about the disease.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) also has some good advice for talking with kids, including ways they can avoid getting or spreading the disease and reminding them that health and school officials are working hard to keep everyone safe and healthy.

According to the CDC, children have not been shown to be a high-risk group for serious illness from this virus. As much as possible, children should be allowed to carry on with their education and normal activities. We understand that some children have underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk, and caregivers of children with underlying health conditions should consult with healthcare providers about whether their children should stay home.

The Facts about COVID-19

We ask that everyone – volunteers, parents and families – pay attention to the facts. The most important thing you can do is remain flexible and follow CDC recommendations for reducing risk.

In addition to routine environmental cleaning, there is a lot we can do to minimize the risk of catching and spreading the virus. Tips from the CDC include:

Keep your environment clean – routinely clean frequently touched surfaces like doorknobs, light switches, remotes, sinks and countertops. Find more cleaning tips at the CDC online.
Practice good personal health habits like washing your hands frequently and covering coughs and sneezes. Make sure your home and family have a plan of action – these CDC guidelines are helpful.
Know what to do if you or a family member gets sick. The CDC specifically advises to call your doctor and stay at home. Get more information here. It is also important to take special care with family members who are more vulnerable to infection.
Avoid gatherings of 10 or more people

We recognize that the uncertainties surrounding the virus are causing a great deal of stress. We will continue to monitor the situation and will be prepared to adjust girl activities as recommended by the CDC and local Health Department.