Girrl Scout Cookies sale begins

There’s no better example of Girl Scouts taking the lead to fuel their dreams than this year’s Girl Scout Cookie theme, where girls have fun learning how to launch their own cookie enterprise through Cookie Program activities. Girls will learn first-hand the ins and outs of business basics while exploring entrepreneurship and accessing new technology tools, like a new Cookie locator mobile phone app and e-mail marketing.                         

“Being the CEO of their own cookie business is a fun way for girls to learn business skills. Girl Scout style,” said Alisha Moore, product sales director at Girl Scouts Louisiana East. “When you buy Girl Scout cookies, you support hands-on leadership that prepares a girl for personal and career success.”

According to Moore, the Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led financial literacy program in the country, where Girl Scouts learn about goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics.

Girl Scouts in southeast Louisiana sold over one million boxes of cookies last year with all proceeds remaining locally to support troops’ activities, special events and field trips, community service projects, and to help the council maintain camp properties, train and recruit volunteers, and provide the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

Girl Scouts across the council’s 23 parishes are now taking orders, with deliveries beginning Feb. 25. Cookies will be sold at various booth locations March 4-20.

Varieties include Thank U Berry Munch, Thin Mints, Samoas, Trefoils, Tagalongs, Do-Si-Dos, Lemon Chalet Cremes and Dulce de Leche cookies. Cookies are $3.50 per box upon delivery, and are preservative-free, kosher, with zero trans fats per serving.

Just as many companies give back to the community, girls will discover that their cookie business can too, by participating in the Gift of Caring community service program. This voluntary service project encourages customers to purchase cookies for donation to a non-profit organization and/or military group that the girls have selected in advance. After the cookie sale, Girl Scouts deliver the donated cookies or arrange for their shipment to our military men and women serving overseas.

Last year, more than 5,000 boxes of cookies were donated through Gift of Caring.

According to Moore, “Girl Scouts are going wired!” with the addition of a new Cookie Locator mobile app, and increased use of e-mail marketing and social media. The online Cookie Club “ask” feature allows girls to safely send emails to family and friends for cookie “promises,” which they submit through an online order form that protects girls from unwanted communications. Girls love the fun of including social media in cookie marketing while still delivering cookies and receiving payment in person. Parent permission is required before girls can access their Cookie Club.

Customers will be able to find the location and times of Girl Scout cookie booth sales through the Cookie Locator mobile app, free to download from the iTunes store, or by calling **GSCOOKIES (**472665437) from their mobile phone. By using the phone’s GPS location, customers can find cookie booths nearby, or cookies by zip code, city, or state. Customers can map their way to a cookie booth or share results with friends. Other information from nutrition info to discovering your Cookie personality, make this mobile app a lot of fun. The Cookie Locator is also available on the council website at www.gsle.org.

Girl Scout’s mission is to build girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place. The local council, Girl Scouts Louisiana East, serves girls 5 to 17 in the parishes of Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana.

For more information about Girl Scouts or adult volunteer opportunities, call the council office in Baton Rouge at 225-927-8946, or visit its website at www.gsle.org.