Sunrise Ceremony		Sunset Ceremony
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October 1, 2009 is an important day in the history of Girl Scouting in Southern Illinois as it marks a major milestone with the merging of the Girl Scouts of River Bluffs Council and the Girl Scouts of Shagbark Council into the Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI). The first official day for GSSI began at 6:56 a.m. during a Sunrise Flag and Candle Ceremony in Glen Carbon and ended with a Sunset Flag and Candle Ceremony in Mt. Vernon. These two ceremonies, conducted by volunteers and girls from both councils, symbolize the start and end of GSSI’s first operational day.

The Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois is a high-capacity Girl Scout council serving approximately 16,000 girls and 4,800 adult volunteers in 40 ½ counties in southern Illinois. This restructuring is part of a national Girl Scouts of the USA initiative to create councils that are well equipped to provide compelling, contemporary and relevant experiences that meet the needs of girls in today’s fast-changing world.

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