Dear Girl Scouts Members and Community Friends,
Girl Scouts of Central Illinois has made the decision to close the Peru Service Center, effective September 25, 2015. We want to assure you that our commitment to Girl Scouting in the greater LaSalle-Peru area remains as strong as ever and share with you some of the details that went into this decision and how we envision the Girl Scout program in your area functioning as we move forward.
First and foremost, be assured that GSCI staff members will continue to be present in your community, working with girls and volunteers and offering programs locally, just as always. In fact, we anticipate the possibility that a mobile work force may actually provide greater geographic coverage as our Membership Specialists and Program Specialists will be more community-based. The retail team remains committed to the same high level of customer service they currently provide, and there will continue to be retail opportunities for making Girl Scout purchases at such venues as council-sponsored activities and service area meetings. Members may also continue to make purchases via the online shop. Our Product Sales Team will work with the warehouse in Peru to become the new cupboard during cookie season. Stay tuned for additional information about all of these opportunities and developments.
The Long Range Property Plan (LRPP) that was developed in 2009 with input from the GSCI Board of Directors, the GSCI Property Committee, GSCI staff members, and GSCI girl and adult members, as well as the market research firm Kaleidoscope, initially identified the LaSalle-Peru area as a pilot location for potential building permanency contingent upon the ability to grow our membership and our donor base. However, with membership numbers staying steady - our members in the LaSalle-Peru area represent approximately 6% of our total membership - and the donor base not expanding, the requirements of the LRPP were not met over the last five-year period. The GSCI Property Committee therefore made the recommendation to close the brick and mortar office in Peru, and the GSCI Board of Directors approved the recommendation on June 2, 2015.
Again I want to reiterate our vision of keeping Girl Scouting alive and well in the greater LaSalle-Peru area and our commitment to you, the members who make the Girl Scout program possible. Additional information will be forthcoming, including a Q & A session in your area in September. In the meantime, please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have regarding this change.
Yours in Girl Scouting,
Pam Kovacevich
CEO, Girl Scouts of Central Illinois
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