It’s Girl Scout Cookie Season and from now until March 13, scouts will be honing their entrepreneurship skills and raising money for their troop’s activities in front of local grocery stores and businesses across the City.
The well loved annual tradition bestows scouts with a variety of skills including goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics. It also provides community members with a range of delicious cookies including favorites like the dark chocolate Thin Mints, coconut caramel Samoas and peanut butter oatmeal Do-si-dos.
This year’s cookie line-up also features a new player — Adventurefuls, a chewy brownie cookie topped with caramel and a hint of sea salt. Girl Scout troops are currently accepting online orders and preparing their booths for a Feb. 11 launch at which point a map of all booth locations will be available at www.girlscoutsla.org/en/cookies/about-girl-scout-cookies.html.
Standard cookies are $5 per box and specialty items are $6. Troops keep $1 of each sale and use the money to fund activities like overnight camps, international trips or their ongoing service projects.
While last year troops had to pivot to digital marketing and socially distant sales, scouts are excited to be able to perform more in-person sales as experienced scouts say this is where a lot of their cookie season learnings come from.
“I enjoy boothing because I get to interact with more strangers, I get more comfortable around them and I get to spend more time with the people who are in my troop,” said Emme Fields-Kremer, 13, member of Troop 5535. “A lot of times when people tell you ‘no’ you have to learn to accept rejection and know that is ok and that there will be a lot of other people who will want to buy from you.”
Este Candela, a veteran Girl Scout who is entering her 8th cookie season, echoed Field’s comment and said that the human interaction aspect of sales has been important to her personal development.
“Interacting with people is a big part of selling cookies because I think people may or may not be interested, but interacting with them and talking with them can push them over the edge and allow you to sell more cookies,” said Candela, Troop 15505.
Candela is particularly motivated to sell cookies this year so that she can help raise money to send off the seniors in her troop with a big celebration. This is especially important to her since there were limits on the activities her troop could perform together last year.
“Like everyone, our girls have persevered through some very tough challenges this year and we are all so excited for another season of cookies,” said Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles Chief Executive Officer, Theresa Edy Kiene. “In true Girl Scout fashion, they have adapted, stayed hopeful, and supported each other and now they launch their beloved annual cookie traditions.”
Clara@smdp.com
