COVID-19

Updated 3/10/22

All of our offices and retail locations are currently open to the public. In accordance with the current CDC and local guidelines for the city of Columbus, visitors and staff are no longer required to wear a mask. Masks will no longer be mandated for our staff in our offices and per CDC guidelines, only HIGHLY recommended for offices with high community COVID levels.

The CDC posts COVID Community Levels on this website. We ask that you review this site before you go to community events and recommend wearing masks in areas of high COVID cases.

Our Current Office Status:

High: Ross County (Chillicothe office) and Scioto County (Camp Molly Lauman Office)
Med: Richland County (Mansfield Office), and Marion County (Marion Office
Low: : Franklin County (Watermark office), Muskingum County (Zanesville office)

If you are going into a school or community building where they still require a mask, we ask that you follow their rules. If there is no mask mandate in the building or school that you are going into, we still recommend wearing a mask, but it is not mandated.

The CDC also recommends wearing a mask in these other circumstances:

If you are sick and need to be around others, or are caring for someone with COVID,
If you are at increased risk for severe illness, or live with or spend time with someone higher risk, speak to your healthcare provider about wearing a mask at medium COVID Community levels.

If you choose to wear a mask, wear a mask with the best fit, protection, and comfort for you.

As COVID-19 continues to evolve, Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland is regularly monitoring updates from the Centers for Disease Control, local state departments of health, and other partners. Our mask policy may change when/if the CDC and ODH guidelines update.

Specific guidelines are outlined and continued to be updated below. Our customer care team is available for questions Monday - Friday 8:30 am- 4:30 pm via phone (614-487-8101) or email (customercare@gsoh.org).

Camp Facility Rentals

If you have questions, please reach out to reservations@gsoh.org for specific guidance.
If your troop earned a free night at camp reward from our renewal incentives, we will extend the deadline by one year.

Council Offices & Service Centers

All of our offices and retail locations are open.
Per CDC guidelines, we ask that any unvaccinated visitors continue to wear masks and maintain social distancing indoors.
Our staff is available via virtual means and by appointment to support our members and families. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the Customer Care Team at customercare@gsoh.org or 614-487-8101.

Day Camp

All camp sessions will be notified two weeks prior to their session starting of current guidelines and protocols. We will be following the Ohio Department of Health, the CDC and the local county health departments to come to the best decision for each camp session. Please continue to check our website for the latest updates regarding COVID-19 protocols as camp specific guidelines are expected to be posted in May.
Regardless of session, campers & volunteers are required to wear masks during food preparation and if giving/receiving first aid.
Please note that some camp locations may require masks while using their property and we will adhere to their guidelines.
Campers should all have masks available as a precaution.
Existing social distancing guidelines and cleaning protocols will continue throughout the summer.

For more information, please visit our Day Camp page.

Girl Scout Shop

All of our retail locations are open to the public.

Click Here to View Shop Hours

Click here to place your order for curbside pick-up. You will be contacted to confirm your order, payment and to pick-up your order.

In-Person Events/Programs

Update – March 10, 2022

We are monitoring weekly status updates from the Ohio Department of Health and will adjust all events accordingly. Please note, these guidelines may be adjusted as current federal, state and local guidance changes. At this time, participants are not required to wear a mask.

All program registrants will receive updated guidelines the week prior to their event.

Note that the CDC’s current recommendation is to wear a mask in areas of HIGH Community levels.

Our Current Office Status:

High: Ross County (Chillicothe office) and Scioto County (Camp Molly Lauman Office)
Med: Franklin County (Watermark office), Richland County (Mansfield Office), and Marion County (Marion Office
Low: Muskingum County (Zanesville office)

Masks will no longer be mandated for our staff in our offices and only HIGHLY recommended for offices with high community COVID levels.

Refunds

If you paid via….

Personal payments via credit card – refunds will take 1-3 weeks to process.
Personal payment via check – refund will be processed in 4-6 weeks.
Troop, this will be refunded via ACH to the troop account within 1-3 weeks.
Reward card, your funds will take 1-3 weeks to be returned.

Resident Camp

This year’s resident camp sessions and Adventure Treks programming at Molly Lauman are canceled.

Please visit our Activities Calendar for available programs this summer.

Troop Meetings & Activities

Update March 10, 2022 – At this time, GSOH does not require participants to wear a mask for in-person event/troop meetings. We ask that when you are in meetings, please consider spacing yourselves out. Additionally, when you set up a meeting, we ask that when possible, you have a virtual option.

Please work with your troop and families to determine the safest options for everyone.

Troop Waiver for Membership Year 2021 - 2022: This waiver should be signed by current troop volunteers and girls. Troop leaders should store with their troop health forms for the year.

ALL troop volunteers and parents who participate in meetings/troop events must sign this for themselves.
ALL troop members must be submit a waiver, either with their parent/volunteer or by themselves. (unless they do not plan to meet in person at all)
This only covers troop activities (meetings, outings, etc.) and not council or service unit sponsored events.
Field trips will still need a separate permission slip.

The following troop meeting guidelines are based on measures shared by the State of Ohio as part of Responsible Restart Ohio and are subject to change if state or local conditions change. In addition to the protocols below, all Girl Scout policies and procedures must be followed, including Safety Activity Checkpoints when applicable. Troop leaders and families should thoughtfully discuss if they are ready to meet in person. Caregivers who are not ready to meet should be provided a way to stay connected to the troop.

In-person troop meetings are not required. Each troop/family should weigh their participation based on their own health concerns and tolerance for risk. Members and troops who prefer to continue with virtual meetings and activities may continue to do so. Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland will not penalize any girls or volunteers who are unwilling or unable to meet in person.

If anyone is exhibiting symptoms prior to the meeting, they should not attend.

Immediately isolate and seek medical care for any individual who develops symptoms while at the meeting/activity.

If an attendee tests positive or exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 after the meeting, the troop leader should notify council. GSOH will take care of notifying all attendees of the event without divulging the identity of the affected person.

Transportation. Individual parents drop off and pick up their own girls from meetings. Carpooling and public transportation should be avoided, where possible, to maintain social distancing.

Virtual meetings. Meeting options may need to be flexible based on the fluid nature of COVID-19 risk.

Troop Travel

Day trips and activities. In conjunction with Safety Activity Checkpoints, follow the same guidance as Troop Meetings and Hygiene and COVID-19 Risk Mitigation guidance in this document. Call ahead to the facility or vendor to confirm that they are following CDC and state health department guidelines. If activity or sporting equipment is being provided, ask the provider if they wipe down equipment in between uses, similar to equipment at the gym. Make whatever appropriate accommodations that are necessary. For example, bring extra sanitizer if none will be provided for public use at the activity location.

Travel and Overnight Stays:

As of July 15, Level 3 troop travel is permitted. During any trips, we encourage troops to be cautious in planning and observe social distancing protocols. Prior to departure, troops should research any local mandates and requirements at their destination.
Level 4 and 5 travel will be permitted on a case-by-case basis depending on the location and nature of the trip as detailed in troop travel application form.
For all approved trips, there will be an additional COVID-19 waiver that will be required for girls and volunteers prior to travel.

If you are an Ambassador troop who will be graduating (in full or in part) in 2020 and have trips and activities you have to cancel due to stay at home orders or travel restrictions, we are allowing you to extend your plans for a full membership year (Oct. 1, 2020 through Sept. 30, 2021) by meeting the following criteria:

All participating graduates must be registered as adults for the 2020-21 membership year by Oct. 1, 2020. Note: registration may be paid using troop funds.
This Ambassador Plan Delay Notification Form must be submitted no later than Oct. 1, 2020 (even if you don't have all of the details of the rescheduled trip).
All Girl Scout activities and trips must comply with current CDC, federal, state and local health guidelines.
Troop funds should continue to be managed through the existing troop bank account.
Troop Finance Reports should be submitted as usual before June 30, 2020.
Upon completion of the approved travel/experience, the troop must fill out the troop disbandment form as required.
If your troop has continuing girl members, the troop and bank account will continue as usual. Graduating girls will participate as adult members.
No requests for extensions will be accepted after Oct. 1, 2020.

Complete this form to the best of your ability, even if you do not yet have exact dates for the rescheduled trip or event.

Volunteers

If you have questions regarding specific COVID-19 guidelines, please connect with your Membership Manager for clarification.

The health and safety of our entire Girl Scout family is so important to us. We will continue to update you regarding critical information and further impacts to Girl Scout programming and operations. Thank you for your patience and steadfast support as we continue to navigate this evolving situation. We appreciate your commitment to Girl Scouts and we remain committed to you!

Thank you for exhibiting extraordinary Girl Scout spirit in these unprecedented times.