With the celebration of The Causeway Family of Dealerships 50th anniversary concluded, we continue with a new yearlong campaign – “CauseWheels” Vehicle Donation Program – to help our neighbors and positively impact Ocean County.

At the end of 2019, Causeway had two requests for vehicle donations to local non-profit organizations. We were able to accommodate each of these requests. This prompted an idea to follow up last year’s 50th Anniversary Grant program.

Anchoring this campaign is the CauseWheels vehicle donation program, through which Causeway will award a used vehicle to one Ocean County nonprofit every month, from February through December of 2020. Due to Covid-19 we had to postpone our April and May winners. To recap, our February winner was Main Street Alliance Church, March – 21 Plus, Inc., June – Interfaith and Support Services, July – St. Theresa’s Food Pantry, August – Ocean Community Church and September – Potter’s Pantry.

We are proud to announce our October Winner, Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore!

Who are the Girl Scouts? They’re 2.5 million strong—more than 1.7 million girls and 750,000 adults who believe in the power of every G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™ to change the world.

The Girl Scouts extraordinary journey began more than 100 years ago with the original G.I.R.L., Juliette Gordon “Daisy” Low. On March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia, she organized the very first Girl Scout troop, and every year since, we’ve honored her vision and legacy, building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.

They’re the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. And with programs from coast to coast and across the globe, Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success.

The Girl Scouts Mission

Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. Girl Scouts offers the best leadership development experience for girls in the world, helping them prepare for a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success.

In Ocean and Monmouth counties, Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore is committed to helping girls entering kindergarten through 12th grade become women of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place. Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore consists of approximately ten thousand girls!

Adapting To A Pandemic

Now more than ever, girls need to feel a sense of connection. The isolation caused by the COVID pandemic threatens girls’ mental health. The camaraderie and friendships they find as Girl Scouts play an essential part in helping them find the routine they crave and need. Through Girl Scouts, their resiliency is strengthened by the friendships they build, the leadership skills they gain, and the experiences they share as they work together to improve their communities.

Over the past six months, Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore has reimagined its program offerings, providing a mix of virtual and in-person programs to support girls on their leadership journey and keep them connected and engaged with each other. The continual addition of new and innovative opportunities is an incredible commitment from Girl Scouts to build a pipeline of future leaders. This year alone, new age-appropriate activities have been added in fields as diverse as automotive engineering, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) career exploration, entrepreneurship, and civics.

The pinnacle of Girl Scout achievement is the Girl Scout Gold Award. This summer, amid the pandemic, Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore celebrated 24 remarkable Girl Scouts who earned Girl Scouts’ highest honor, completing “take action” projects that made lasting and meaningful change in New Jersey and beyond. Their projects took on challenges like protecting our Shore environment, delivering relief to hurricane victims in Puerto Rico and sparking interest in STEM among local children.

The Secret Behind Girl Scout Cookies

The passion of Girl Scouts’ members and the community for Girl Scouts can be seen every year during the Girl Scout Cookie Program. While the delicious cookies stand out, the leadership skills girls gain through participation are the real highlight.

Through the Girl Scout Cookie Program, girls “earn and learn.” They earn funds for their Girl Scout activities while learning five key skills that will help them in business and life. These skills – Goal Setting, Decision Making, Money Management, People Skills, and Business Ethics – apply to all Girl Scouts who participate in the Cookie Program, regardless of how they participate in Girl Scouting.

For obvious reasons, this year was one of the most challenging for the Cookie Program, but also one of the most rewarding. COVID-19 shuttered the state at the start of Girl Scout Cookie booth sales. Even though businesses were closed and girls were at home, Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore remained responsible for more than 100,000 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies that needed to be sold.

It took six months, but all the cookies were sold and delivered in the community thanks to the council’s Cookie Relief Fund, an initiative that encouraged businesses and individuals to purchase cookies and donate them to essential workers, volunteers, nonprofits and other community organizations across central New Jersey. One healthcare worker who received a donated box of cookies called it a “Box of Love,” a phrase that drove home the difference Girl Scouts make in a time of need.

OceanFirst Bank and Investors Bank led the charge. Each donated $50,000 to purchase Girl Scout Cookies. They and many other local businesses supported the campaign because they believe in our girls and Girl Scouts’ mission to make the world a better place.

Nothing Stops Girl Scout Camp

Another one of Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore’s proudest recent achievements came this summer when it found a way to implement COVID safety protocols at Camp Amity Acres in Waretown and Camp Sacajawea in Farmingdale. Camp activities were adapted while still allowing girls to be safely connected with nature and foster friendship in a fun and safe environment.

“I’m proud we were able to deliver a summer camp program focused on engaging, outdoor activities,” said Eileen Higgins, chief executive officer, Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore. “During six weeks of programming at each camp we had no positive COVID tests and our campers participated in summer experiences they will never forget.”

Camp activities included swimming and water play, boating, arts and crafts, and archery, as well as the unique opportunity to earn Girl Scout badges.

“The camp has made a tremendous effort to keep camp fun but very safe during this uncertain time, said one camp parent. Another added, “My daughter was very happy to be at camp and even happier to be able to connect with her camp friends from previous summers.”

It’s Time To Join Girl Scouts

All girls in kindergarten through 12th grade are welcome to join Girl Scouts at any time and financial assistance is available for families in need. As girls grow, so do the challenges they reach to overcome. Whether she’s inspired by the outdoors, building robots or community service, Girl Scouts has fun, exciting and age-appropriate activities for her.

Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore serves nearly 10,000 girls ages 5-18 in Monmouth and Ocean counties, providing a time-tested leadership experience that inspires and motivates them to take action for themselves and their communities. For 108 years, Girl Scouts has helped girls become women of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. For information on how to join, volunteer, partner, or donate, visit GSFun.org or call (800) 785-2090.

For information about joining Girl Scouts, visit GSFun.org/join or call (800) 785-2090.

The Ford Ranger’s New Journey

This Ford Ranger is heading straight to its new home, Camp Amity Acers in Waretown! The girls will use the truck to haul their equipment such as canoes.

Once again, our friends over at Meals on Wheels of Ocean County sold us this Ranger that was in their fleet! They told us that if we can find a Non-Profit that can use this van, they would let us buy it at a discount! Thanks again Jim Sigurdson, and Meals on Wheels of Ocean County!