The Girl Scout Cookie Program is a respected American tradition, but its success lies in more than just the tasty treats.  The program is the nation’s premier entrepreneurship program for girls in grades 1-12.  It’s an opportunity to teach them about leadership development, ethical decision-making and financial literacy. 

The lessons learned through the cookie program mirror the Girl Scout Leadership Experience by enabling them to Discover, Connect and Take Action!  By setting goals and planning all aspects of the cookie sales, the girls develop an understanding of their personal values and use their knowledge and skills to explore their world.  By working together with their troop, family, local businesses and community, they learn to care about, inspire and team with others.  Many troops put the funds they earn from cookie sales right back into the community by funding a service project in their area.  They take action to change the world.

2008 Cookie Season Extended!

Due to popular demand, we have decided to extend the Girl Scout Cookie Program to Monday, March 31st.

We have received many reports that troops had to cancel booth sales because of weather and/or illnesses. Many girls have been disappointed and discouraged because Mother Nature has not been working with them as they have been striving to meet their goals.  With Easter vacation and spring break coming up, the extension will help us recover from the decrease sales in the initial orders.

The extended season is OPTIONAL and girls will not be required to continue participation.  However, we hope that any girl or troop who wants to continue towards their goal take advantage of this great opportunity!

Troops are still encouraged to collect and deposit money regularly.  Continue to set-up booth sales through the end of the month or even beyond.

All deadlines to girls, troops and service units will be extended, too. The new due dates will be announced later.

Booth Sale Safety Tips

As with everything we do in Girl Scouting, safety is the number one priority.  Here are a few safety tips to remember when selling at cookie booths:

1. Adults must be present at all times

2. Each girl must stay behind the booth

3. Girls should never give out their names, addresses, or telephone numbers

4. Have a plan for safeguarding the money

5. Finally, always be award of your surroundings.  We don't expect anyone to have any problems, but if you find yourself or the girls feeling uncomfortable or suspicious at any time, don't hesitate to call the security guard or the police for some guidance.

Other Booth Sale Tips

In addition to safety, we want to make sure that girls and adults are conducting themselves in a manner that upholds the values of Girl Scouting.

1. There will be no carnival type “barking” or any similar forms of soliciting or badgering of customers.

2. Be sure to thank the store manager or person in-charge of the place.

3. Your troop (girls and leaders/adults) is responsible for the maintenance and clean up of the area used.

4. The girls must be in Girl Scout uniforms.  If uniforms are not available, please wear pins, sash, or a Girl Scout shirt.

5. Bring at least five to eight assorted cases to your booth sale and make sure someone is available to get more cases of cookies from the cupboards in case you run out.

6. Bring your troop cookie poster and OGDEN signage to display on the table.

7. Remember, your troop represents all Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast Council, and over 3 million Girl Scouts in the country. 

Good luck!

Additional Cookie Incentives

The 2008 Girl Scout Cookie Program is “Making a Hit” but there’s still time to sell, sell, sell!  We want each girl to finish this sale strong, so we’re offering additional cookie incentives to girls who go that extra mile by the end of the cookie season.  Remember: the Cookie Program ends March 16^th but troop reports are not due to the service unit until March 24^th.

2.      Extra Incentive Bonuses:  Girls who sell 200 boxes or more by March 24 can receive the following bonuses, regardless of whether or not their troop is taking the higher rebate. 

a.       Girls who sold 172 boxes or more during the initial order and already earned the $10 Cookie Pass will receive a $15 Cookie Credit Certificate instead of just a $10 Cookie Credit Certificate if they sell 200 boxes by March 24^th.  Girls who started late and sold 36 boxes or more will also receive the I Called Back Patch.

b.      Girls who did not earn the $10 Cookie Pass during the initial order but sell 200 boxes or more by March 24^th will receive a bonus of a $10 Cookie Pass AND a $10 Cookie Credit Certificate.

Therefore, all girls who sell 200 boxes or more by March 24^th will receive two bonuses instead of only one.

**Changes in Initial Order Incentives**

Little Brownie Bakers has released information on a couple of changes to the initial order incentive prizes.  Below are pictures of the prizes affected by the change.  Click here to view the letter from Little Brownie Baker's Key Account Executive, Steve Parnell.

Cookie Jingle Contest Winners

Meet Amanda: An Active Girl Scout

Amanda B, daughter of Michelle and Captain Timothy of Hampton, has moved all over the country with her military family.  Despite all the different schools, friends, and neighborhoods she’s encountered, one thing has remained constant throughout all her moves—her involvement with the Girl Scouts.

Amanda is more than just “involved” in Girl Scouts.  She’s taking charge and leading the way—especially in cookie sales.  Last year, she sold over 1750 boxes of cookies, making her the top seller of her service unit in Oklahoma.  This year, she hopes to beat her own record.  Amanda’s passion for selling cookies goes far beyond the cookies in the box.  The sixth grader says she understands the real-life skills that the sales help her develop. 

“When I grow up, I want to be a businesswoman and this gives you good opportunities.” She says she’s learned better math skills from setting goals and working with money, responsibility from having to keep track of the money, and organization from having to keep all her sales and her customers in order.

Amanda has never taken the easy way out with selling her cookies.  She’s willing to work for a sale.  She says that being a competitive cheerleader comes in handy.  When she knocks on a door, she’s willing to show some Girl Scout spirit and perform a cheer to make a sale.  She also never lets bad weather stop her.  She says she’s had plenty of success selling in the rain because “they felt sorry for me, so they’d buy more.”

Her community service activities don’t stop with her Girl Scout events.  She’s raised money on her own to support her competitive cheerleading squad.  She’s sent out care packages of over 50 dozen homemade cookies to troops overseas.  She organized a spaghetti dinner for the homeless.  Amanda says she loves spending her time helping others because “it’s just fun and it’s something to look forward too.”

            Amanda is excited and ready for another season of selling Girl Scout cookies but not just because she can’t wait to get her hands on a box of Samoas.  She says she’s ready to learn more about her self, meet new people, and make others happy.

Gift of Caring

This year the Council continues its tradition of partnering with the USO to send cookies to our military men and women overseas.  Last year, thousand of boxes were given to military men and women from all branches of the armed services.

The Gift of Caring is a great way to support the military in addition to supporting the Girl Scouts.  It’s also the perfect solution to having too many cookies in the house already!  If you don’t want more sweets at home, send these little pieces of American tradition off to those fighting to keep our traditions alive.  The cookies are still only $3.50 per box and your gift is tax deductible.
 

Where the Cookie Proceeds Go:

• 20% goes to troops as troop discretionary money; some troops use the money for community service projects while others put it towards short or extended trips.

• 28% covers the cost of the sale, which includes cookies and training materials.

• 3% is used for individual girl recognitions based on the number of boxes sold.

• 49% remains in the council to provide: training and support to volunteers; communications materials for parents and volunteers; maintenance of camp facilities; subsidies to camp; council events and activities, and financial assistance for girls who otherwise would not be able to participate.

Some Council Opportunities Funded by the Girl Scout Cookie Program Last Year Included:

• Life skill workshops for girls of all ages, i.e: basic car care, math and science, healthy and nutrition.

• Leader-in-Training, Program Aide training and career exploration workshops.

• Leadership development seminars for volunteers.

• Special outreach programs for girls living in at-risk areas such as housing projects, youth detention centers and through inner city in-school programs.

• Subsidized fees to provide programs to girls so that more of them can afford to experience summer camps and council events.

...with your name, address and phone number. This information will be forwarded to a troop in your neighborhood. Cookies will be delivered beginning the last week of February.