Girls Scouts open booths for cookie sales
These Girl Scouts from Troop 36420 canvassed sidewalks in their neighborhood and sold more than 100 boxes of cookies. One Brownie even brought her pet chicken for the sales calls. CONTRIBUTED
MADISON – With their work in 2017, Girl Scouts are marking the 100th anniversary of the organization’s cookie sales.
Long before licensed bakers produced Girl Scout Cookies to sell nationally, Girl Scouts baked and sold cookies on their own. “Our girls were entrepreneurs going as far back as 1917,” Hannah Wallace said. Wallace works as Senior Director of Marketing and Development with Girls Scouts of North-Central Alabama.
Even in those early years, girls learned basic skills and acumen they needed as leaders in business and sales, managed their personal and family finances and gained self-sufficiency and confidence with handling money, Wallace said.
Fast forward 100 years to 2017, and individuals can use the Internet to locate cookie booths in Madison County. Visit girlscoutcookies.org; in the “Find Cookies” box, type a zip code to find booths in that community.
Starting Feb. 11, Girl Scouts will operate booths at scores of businesses across Madison. These businesses include Kroger, Walmart, convenience stores, pizza stores, fast food restaurants, home improvement stores and pharmacies.
Also new for 2017, the S’mores cookie is a new flavor option. This crunchy graham sandwich cookie has a chocolate and marshmallowy filling.
“Your cookie purchase not only supports girls’ success but helps them find the G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader) within to do amazing things for themselves and for their communities,” Wallace said. The sale of Girl Scout Cookies is the world’s largest girl-led entrepreneurial program.
All net revenue — 100 percent of it — stays with the local council and troops. The troops may use the money earned to fund a project that will improve their community or donate the money to a worthy cause, Wallace said.
In addition, individuals can buy cookies that are in turn donated to local veterans. For this outreach, Girl Scouts of North Central Alabama have established the Gift of Caring program. After cookie sales end, troops can register for a council program event that delivers cookies to a local Veteran’s Administration or veterans’ home. As another option, girls can present the donated cookies directly to the veterans.
To contact a Girl Scout about cookie sales, call 800-734-4541.
