Scout cookie time means business
When the Girl Scouts' annual cookie sale begins Saturday, mouths may water with the thought of the eight delicious cookie varieties, but the girls themselves will embark on a business venture.
The cookie sale is the largest fundraiser for the Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways, and it also teaches each Girl Scout to market and sell products, as well as how to handle finances, according to Judy Gallagher, NYPENN Pathways director of communications.
"Girls from the cookie program itself gain a lot of business skills from money management to learning how to work in a team to set goals— personal goals as well as team goals," Mrs. Gallagher said. "The girls in each troop take a look at what they want to do throughout the year as part of their leadership development and based on that, they figure out how many boxes of cookies they need to sell."
Cookies will be $3.50 per box, a 50-cent increase from the previous year. The price is now the same council-wide.
Before NYPENN Pathways became one council last year, there were five separate councils: the Thousand Islands Council, which covers Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties; Central New York, which covers Syracuse and the surrounding area; the Foothills, covering the Utica area; Indian Hills, which covers the Binghamton area, and Seven Lakes, covering several counties from the Finger Lakes to northern Pennsylvania.
The Thin Mint reigns as the nation's and the north country's top-selling Girl Scout cookie. Of 235,464 boxes of cookies sold in the north country last year, 69,487 were boxes of Thin Mints.
Although it's expected to be the favorite again for 2010, buyers may also choose from Tagalongs, a chocolate-covered peanut butter cookie; Samoas, vanilla cookies, covered with caramel, rolled in toasted coconut, and covered in chocolate, and Do-Si-Dos, an oatmeal cookie with peanut butter filling.
Also for sale are Trefoils, a shortbread cookie; Lemon Chalet Cremes, a spice cookie with lemon filling, and Dulce de Leche, which are rich with milk caramel chips.
Thank You Berry Munch, which is made with real cranberries, is the new cookie by Little Brownie Bakers, Louisville, Ky.
"It's healthy for you as well as delicious because its got the great cranberries in them," Mrs. Gallagher said.
The initial order will take place from Saturday through March 6. If people don't have a specific Girl Scout or troop they'd like to order from, Mrs. Gallagher said, they should call the Watertown service center at 782-1890 for ordering information.
Cookies will be delivered mid-April, and will then be available at booth sales at various locations throughout the north country.
Money raised will support Girl Scout programs locally and council-wide. Each troop gets a portion of their proceeds for specific programs they'd like to participate in.
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There will be a cookie sale kickoff event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Indian River Central School District's middle school, 32735A County Route 29, Philadelphia, where girls and Girl Scout volunteers will learn more about the new cookie and participate in fun activities.
Each troop is asked to bring one or two pairs of women's pajamas or nightgowns to donate to the local women's shelter.
