Every January 1st, Girl Scouts break out of the woodwork and face the world as they attempt to persuade us that we need cookies. It always happens right after the holidays, doesn’t it? Right about the time that we have decided we have had enough of the sweets and the calories. And the extra 20 minutes at the gym that it will take to burn off one of those cookies is enough for us to say, “No thank you.”
Well, I’m the mother of a Girl Scout. I don’t get to say no. Come every December, our troop leader has a Girl Scout cookie training with us, the parents in her troop. Shocking, I know, that we have to go through a training. And at the end of that December meeting, she always reminds us that cookies go on sale January 1. Not before, but oh yes, afterwards; starting at midnight on New Year’s Eve, to be exact. Some parents send their yearly emails out at the strike of twelve. I was on vacation and didn’t get my emails out in such a timely manner this year. I’m a little behind the eight ball now and starting to wonder if we’re going to sell as many boxes as we did last year…
Every year, my husband takes the special form to his workplace to try and lure his coworkers into believing that that can’t say no. I used to do the same until I quit work fulltime. It’s getting harder and harder to conjure up takers. This year, my daughter is in fourth grade and I believe it’s time that she takes on some of this nitty-gritty haggling called “Selling Girl Scout Cookies.” It is her job, by the way. It is her call of duty. It is her main task as a Girl Scout.
So what does a Girl Scout say, when 1 out of every 3 or 4 people she asks to buy a box says “No, thank you”? Well, we’ve come up with quite a few comebacks.
- “They freeze VERY well.”
- “You can only get them this time of year.”
- “Have you seen all of the recipes out there that you can make with these cookies?”
- “Have you tried a deep fried Do-Si-Do?”
- “Buy a box or two and send them to the troops overseas!”
- “Did we mention how long they keep in the freezer?”
My daughter has been involved with Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana for over three years and has had a great experience. She’s a fourth grader, and has progressed over the years from a wee little Daisy, to a brown-eyed Brownie, to a big time Junior. When we started in the scouting hobby, I didn’t know for sure how long we would stick with it. My daughter loved getting to see her friends, and having “snack time”, and now enjoys the outings that she and her troop take on a monthly basis. She has learned some pretty neat tasks and has been equipped with some skills that will take her forward in the coming school years. I’ve enjoyed the friendships made with other moms, and especially with our troop leader. She is a very organized, well adept multi-tasker and has led her girls on many adventures from day and resident camps at Camp Shantituck to space camps at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center® in Huntsville, Alabama.
Another fun event that occurs each year is called the Grand Bake. The girls who choose to participate in this cooking competition must create an original recipe from scratch and are judged among other girls from troops throughout our area. For this year’s competition, Daisies and Brownies had a No Bake, in which they could create a milkshake or a dish from canned chicken. The categories for the Juniors were muffins or a pasta dish, and at least one item had to be prepared during the live time of the competition. Troop winners move on to a service unit competition, and last year three of the girls from our troop competed at the next level, where it was hosted and supported by the Culinary Arts program at Sullivan University.
If you’re looking for a Girl Scout experience for your own daughter, you can contact Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana the following ways:
Call 502-636-0900 or toll free 1-888-771-5170 to speak to someone at the main office.
Email at webservices@kyanags.org.
Check out the website at www.gskentuckiana.org.
Stop in to the Louisville/Metro Program and Learning Center at 2115 Lexington Road, 40206.
Submit an online request for information by clicking here.
Back to the cookie thing: it’s okay to buy a box! Remember, you don’t have to be the one who eats them. Give them away! Participate in the Gift of Caring program. The classics that have been around since I pulled my wagon full of boxes door to door on the streets of my little town in New Jersey are still for sale. In case you need reminding, those are Thin Mints, Do-si-dos, Samoas, Tagalongs, and Trefoils. The other three flavors are Savannah Smiles, a crisp, zesty lemon cookie, Dulce de Leche, a caramel chip cookie, and Thank U Berry Munch, a cookie with cranberries and white fudge chips.
Cookies sell for $3.50 a box and haven’t increased in price in at least 2-3 years. They are on sale now through March 17, 2013. Support a Girl Scout in your life, or find them at Cookie Booth Sales coming soon to a Kroger, Wal-Mart, Feeder’s Supply, or many other locations near you. If you say “No thanks,” you’ll hear a bright and cheery “Thank you anyway!” If you say, “Sure!”, you will be the one brightening the day of one of those girls who wear the blue, brown, and green smocks and vests.
Photo Courtesy of Girl Scouts USA
