Samoas and Social Networking: Girl Scout Cookies Get Linked Up

Sorry that the family of many Girl Scouts cannot afford the "full" uniform to suit your fancy. I am the mother of a girl scout and a boy scout and I cannot afford to buy the full get up for both children in addition to the monthly dues, field trip expenses, books, learning material, fundraising purchases, etc. If you would like to donate the $80+ for the uniforms every year, since my children grow one to two sizes each year they uniforms must be replaced to keep up with their growth spurts I would be more than happy to accept it. I was a girl scout as well and it was not as expensive 25+ years ago as it is now. I recall my mom being able to attend meetings and events without having to pay $25 to be a part of it as I have to do now. I also recall being able to sell cookies and collect the money upon delivery, however this year I had to collect the money in advance, ever tried to sell a box of cookies without the cookies? It is not the same as it was years ago. The girl scouts in my area have become nothing more than a money pit. My daughter loves being with the other girls which is the only reason she is still involved, if it weren't for that I would pull her out to involve her in real social and community outreach programs....Thank goodness for 4H at least values and integrity are still taught there.

Those girls in the scuffy jeans still go door to door on their walk abouts and still set up booths. The older scouts are the only ones allowed to use the sites and they have guidelines they must follow.

When I was a girl scout in the late 70's early 80's we were required to dress in full uniform. We weren't rich, but we knew the cost of being a girl scout. Perhaps if you complain about the cost buying a uniform, you should get rid of cable TV and spend that time with your kiddo doing craft projects and charity work for the girl scouts program.

I couldn't agree more! Seeing the sash worn with any old thing is without any boundaries. Girl Scouting has lost it's values and value to girls all in the name if being hip and popular. Scouting was about self reliance and values built by outdoor activities, respect, hard work, learning the right way. This is gone, anything goes. That's why so many past scouting families have also gone from girl scouts, while they remain with boy scouts.

Sorry, Kitti, I've bought my last box of GS cookies, regardless of the age of the scout, unless she personally sells them, face to face. I was a Scout, never sold a lot, but my parents wouldn't have dreamt of selling for me. Of course the Internet didn't exist then, but to me it's about personal contact, and this article and I both deplore its loss, even in the older scouts (I was the only one in my troop who made it into Senior Scouts, anyway, and I remember selling most cookies in middle school, when I actually talked my mom into being the “cookie mother”). Selling to strangers, or in the most efficient way possible with every contact you have? No, thanks—that just makes more money for the national/regional organizations. Teens certainly don't need more excuses to spend time on Facebook—and this is just one more reason for me to stay off.
Sorry to rant, but your post struck me as a red herring.

You sound like a smart one, I guess ALL parents are the same and ALL girlscout parents are the same. What do you care how much per box and who is it hurting that these girls get to sell cookies in front of stores?? We get .60 cents per box and the boxes are $3.50 each here in Virginia Beach, VA. I don't know of any parents in our Troop that don't WALK with thier kids on the walk abouts....the whole purpose of it is for the GIRLS to do the work and get a sense of accomplishment from earning money for their troop throught good old fashioned hard work.

I have also stopped buy girl scout cookies. The cost has skyrocketed for a box of cookies and the quality has gone down. Thin Mints aren't nearly as good as they used to be, and I can get the same cookie at Dollar General for less than $2!

I also hate the ambush outside of grocery and retail stores!!! If I want girl scout cookies or boy scout popcorn, I know where to find these items. I don't need or want to be ambushed by lazy scouts when I go to the store.

Prices vary depending on the area you are in. It's up to the service unit. You cannot buy these cookies at a store, maybe something close but NOT the exact same cookie. Our cookies are $3.50 a box in Virginia Beach, VA and we get .60 cents per box we sell.

Well said! 15% profit is an insult. What ever happened to child labor laws? The girl scouts should set up their own cookie co. and make a 50% profit.

Selling the cookies is not just about the girls earning money for their troop. It is also teaching them things like responsiblilty, setting and meeting goals for themselves, salesmanship, etc. Not to mention that the girls enjoy themselves and absolutely love making that sale. If more people stopped buying and just donated the money, what would that be teaching them? That they wouldn't have to work for what they wanted as long as they just put their hand out for it. Don't we have enough people with that mindset in the world?

Bill, you are so right. Noticed the same in the order I rec'd this week. There's more packaging than cookies in some and lots of empty space in others. I wholeheartedly believe in these organizations (my son is a Cub Scout) but next year I'm just going to give them a donation and be done with it.