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The first recorded sale of
Girl Scout Cookies took place in Muskogee,
Oklahoma in December 1917. Five years after
Juliette Gordon Low started Girl Scouting
in the United States, a Muskogee troop baked
cookies and sold them in their school cafeteria
for a service project. This creative venture
lead to the sale of cookies as a way to
finance troop activities. In 1936, the national
Girl Scout organization began the process
to license the first commercial baker to
produce cookies that would be sold by girls
in Girl Scout councils. From its earliest
beginnings to its current popularity, the
sale of cookies has helped Girl Scouts have
fun, develop valuable life skills, and support
Girl Scouting in their communities.
The activity of selling cookies is directly
related to the purpose of helping all girls
realize their full potential and become
strong, confident, and resourceful citizens.
In fact, the Girl Scout Cookie program is
a win-win situation for all involved.
- Girl members finance their troop activities
and practice life skills like goal setting,
money management, and teamwork
- Customers get a great product while
supporting Girl Scout troops and groups
- GSSJC uses cookie sale proceeds to
financially support the Girl Scouting
movement for all girls
In addition to earning money for the troop/group’s
treasury, girls can also earn try-its, badges,
and charms relating to the Cookie Sale Program.
Cookies Count (Brownie Girl Scouts), The
Cookie Connection (Junior Girl Scouts),
Cookies and Dough (Cadette Girl Scouts and
Senior Girl Scouts) along with On the Money:
Cookies and More (STUDIO 2B groups) are
just a few of the recognitions for girls
to explore in the world of Girl Scout Cookies.
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Girl Scout members also gain from the
Cookie Sale Program in other ways. “Cookie
revenue” helps GSSJC:
- Recruit and train volunteer leaders
for each Girl Scout troop/group
- Provide the financial assistance needed
to make Girl Scouting available for all
girls
- Improve and maintain camp properties
and other activity sites
- Keep event/camp fees for all members
to a minimum
- Sponsor special events and projects
National Business Women’s Week, held
in October, marked the contribution women
have made to the working world for 75 years.
This celebration credited Girl Scouts with
building a well-respected entrepreneurial
program for girls, the Girl Scout Cookie
program. Each year Girl Scouts learn to
set goals, manage money, work as a team,
create marketing strategies, perfect presentation
skills, and incorporate customer service
into all they do. A valued American tradition,
the Girl Scout Cookie program is not just
about cookies, it’s about the skills
girls learn, the confidence they gain, and
the fun they have working together.
Today, many girl members are getting their
“start” selling Girl Scout Cookies.
The program allows them to practice useful
life skills like planning, decision-making,
and customer service. Someday these girls
will, no doubt, credit their understanding
of teamwork to their experience of selling
Girl Scout Cookies. They will recall learning
about being part of a group where each girl
did her best and worked toward the success
of a common goal. The moral of the story
is – it really does pay to be a Girl
Scout! |