Samoas and Social Networking: Girl Scout Cookies Get Linked Up

My daughter has been a Girl Scout for years. This year she is a Senior Girl Scout, at age 16 I still go with her in the neighborhood to sell cookies, I help monitor cookie booths, and I help with other fund raisers and volunteer at some events, I am not a Girl Scout Leader. My daughter and her friends have advanced through the ranks of Girl Scouts and since the 4th and 5th Grades they have been saving cookie money for a trip to Europe. They will be going this summer {July 2010} to London and Paris. They have meetings every week, participate in charity events, volunteer hours, have campouts ever 2 months at a Girl Scout campground some place in Florida, and they go to lake house or have trips the the beach.

The uniform look is NOT that exspensive, you dont have to purchase the Girls Scout issued uniforms to be in uniform.Our girls have their own troop T-shirts which they designed as a badge project, can wear with jeans with the troop t-shirt; they also have to wear the kaki pants with the sash or vest and a white shirt at formal meetings. Parents can by kaki pants/skirts/capris and a white shirt ANYwhere. When selling cookies they must be in uniform door to door or at the booth.

I think the reason our troops have such a wonderful sucess is due to leadership, parent involvement, and expectation of what we want for our girls: it is a TEAM effort, if parents are not active, if leaders are not facilatating, and if the Girl Scouts them selves are not held accountable the involvement is not going to be good.

If your daughter is not doing what you think should be done than YOU the PARENT needs to DO SOMETHING to change it, and not just complain.

I bought two boxes last week for 3.50 a box. Told the two scouts to keep the change from a ten. The girls were very thankful and told me the extra would go to their Cookies for the Troops program. I recently read the break down on the cookies. The manufacturer supplies the cookies for 65 to 85 cents per box. No big profit here. The rest of the 3.50 is split up between delivery logistics, program support and some of the local GS levels. The troop selling the cookies ends up with about 50 cents per box sold. Nobody is getting rich.

Sig: you sound like a woman after my own soul. Everyone has a reason why they can't do something or for their children. Girl scouts is suppose to teach you how to be self sufficient, have high self esteem, and many other things. For parents to complain that they don't have the money to buy the entire uniform is ridiculous. You can buy a tee shirt ad a pair of shorts or slacks. They are not that expensive. Plus your child has to have something to wear, why not wear these? Also if your that strapped for money and can't buy a uniform they do have places you can go for used uniforms. Or like Sig said don't pay for cable TV, or skip the newest video game. Maybe your child doesn't need that new mp3 player. Maybe your child could rake the neighbors leaves for some extra cash, or mow a lawn. Children seem to have everything given to them these days no one has to work for anything
I hate the fact that they still sell cookies. They should change like the rest of society. Cookies are over priced and are not healthy for you, plus they only get .50 a box for each one they sell. They need a new marketing strategy. I''ll happily donate money when I see these wonderful young ladies selling cookies. I just wish they would change their strategy of what they are selling. Because they are making another company wealthier and are only making 50 cents off each box. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Everyone needs to remember that Girl Scouts is a not for profit agency.In fact we are losing many of our great resources for camping due to lack of funds.
The door to door sells and the selling in front of stores do give our girls an experience of communication, selling and conduct. My daughter has progressed so far since she started selling cookies in 2nd grade. It has given her a lot of experience communicating with strangers at the store front (with an adult present) Anyone in sales will know this as a "cold sale". Great lifetime experience. But MORE SO, the money that the girls earn from thier cookies sales (OR nuts or calendars) go to the activities that thier group plans for the whole year.
Please remember that these girls are working for thier troop and the activities and community projects that they participate in, or create a project to help a local, national or world need. In other words:

The Girl Scout Law

I will do my best to be
honest and fair,
friendly and helpful,
considerate and caring,
courageous and strong, and
responsible for what I say and do,
and to
respect myself and others,
respect authority,
use resources wisely,
make the world a better place, and
be a sister to every Girl Scout. :)

The thin mints made me and my friend very sick!!!

I am a girl scout leader and cookie mom. I was googling trying to find out how many cookies get donated to soldiers and came across this site. I just want to address the full uniform. I have 12 girls in my troop this year. I would say more than have of them do not have the financial means to purchase a full uniform. For some, it was a stretch to just pay the $12 to register and $10 dues for the year. I did not turn away ANY girl if they didn't have it. A uniform is just an article of clothing and has absolutely nothing to do with the amazing girl inside! As long as I am a leader, I will not make girl scouts a financial burden on any family.

As far as the girls not selling and taking donations. I think that would be a great loss for the girls. My girls did 8 booths as well as door to door. They learned a lot and had lots of fun WORKING towards and SURPASSING their goal.

As for the profit - 12 girls sold 2448 boxes of cookies and made $1468.80 for their troop. We worked very hard for two weekends at booths and then each girl spent about 5 hours on door to door sales with ordering and delivery. While it may not be a ton of money, it sure does do a lot in the way of a trip and materials. Honestly, if we did not have the cookie sale to fundraise, I would probably opt to call it a girls club and just work through the badges without being a registered leader. The option to make these funds is a HUGE benefit of girl scouts. Without it, we wouldn't have the money to camp, buy craft materials, food for parties, etc. It is just a great benefit of the organization.

I will step off my soap box now!