SEA CENTER TEXAS is celebrating two special days. Kids of all ages are invited to Gordon the Grouper’s 18th Birthday Party on Saturday, May 15 from 10 a.m. to noon. Guests can explore coastal mystery boxes and make a fish print. Cake and lemonade will be served. Visitors are assured to have lots of fun and photo opportunities. Free Fishing Day for Youth will be June 5. This event is open to guests 16 years and younger accompanied by an adult. Pack your fishing gear for a morning of catch and release fishing from 8 to 10 a.m. at the marine fish hatchery. Anglers must bring their own gear and bait with barb-less hooks. No artificial bait or treble hooks. Staff will be on hand to assist first-time anglers. For information call 979-292-0100. Sea Center is located at 300 Medical Drive in Lake Jackson.

REMEMBER VETERANS Girl Scouts are needed to help place flags at the Houston National Cemetery at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 30 for the upcoming Memorial Day Ceremony. The cemetery is located at 10410 Veterans Memorial Drive in Houston. For information call 281-447-8686, ext. 200. The Memorial Day Ceremony will be at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, May 31.

SAFETY AWARDS PROGRAM The Youth Division of the National Safety Council publicly recognizes significant activities by individuals (youth and adults), youth groups, and youth-serving organizations that carry out safety and health program and activities designed to keep people safe on the road, at work, on the farm, at school, at home, and at play. Awards are based on the written information presented and supporting information. The deadline to submit your Girl Scout project for an award is June 1. Your project must have been completed within two years prior to June 1, 2004. For information visit www.nsc.org/youthsafety or call 630-285-1121.

NOMINATE A GIRL SCOUT who gives their time to benefit their community, a charity, or cause for the Angel Soft Angels in Action Program. this program is dedicated to encouraging children to become involved in their community by recognizing and rewarding them for their inspiring and energetic acts of service. All individual nominees must be between the ages of 8 and 15 to participate in the program. One grand prize winner will receive $25,000 and 10 finalists will each receive $2,500 and a one-year supply of Angel Soft toilet paper, as well as being recognized in a special awards ceremony in October. Anyone 18 years or older can recognize a child who is making a difference. Just write an essay of 100 words or less, describing the nominee’s good deeds. For more information on submiting nominations call 1-866-ANGELS-9, visit www.angel soft.com, or e-mail angelsinaction@webershandwick.com. Nomination deadline is June 19. Winners will be notified July 7.

PARTICIPATE IN GirlSports by signing up for a Volkssporting (non-competitive organized walks, bikes, in-line skates, cross-country skis) program. There are two programs for Girl Scouts. “Walk-Togethers” are events that the a volkssporting club and a Girl Scout council team up to host a walk or other event (bike/inline skate/cross-country ski) and can be designated as its official “Walk Together.” An officially-chartered club is the only authorized organization to put on a “volksmarch” or other volkssporting event. Two clubs are in the Houston area. The clubs put on over 2,000 weekend events around the US every year. Volkssporters are all winners; therefore, many clubs produce a patch or other award which is available to all participants. The AVA Youth Program has produced a national “AVA Participation Patch for Girl Scout Walks” for all clubs to use for their members at the Walk-Togethers. Girls with an adult can also participate in the AVA Master Program Medal and the GSUSA Master Program Patch. The AVA sponsors a national youth medal for adults and youth teams that do 12 sanctioned AVA walks, bikes, skates, or skis during the school year (September to August) or calendar year (January to December). GSUSA has designed a patch for Girl Scouts to wear for completing the AVA Master Program. While participation in Volkssporting’s individual achievement program is not required, all participants must walk for credit and therefore are eligible for these awards as well as the Master Program’s medal and GSUSA patch. This is an activity that Girl Scouts must do with an adult leader or adult family member. This is not a competition; walkers can take as long as they like. Because trails are usually located in scenic areas, troop leaders have a great opportunity to make a day of the walk with picnics, games, or other fun program activities. For information visit the AVA Web site at www.ava.org.

GENTLY USED GIRL AND ADULT UNIFORMS are needed to re-supply the uniform checkout program available at the Girl Scout Center. Contact Celeste Byrant at 713-292-0250 or cbyrant@sjgs.org.