How to resolve AdBlock issue? SARATOGA SPRINGS — Thin Mints. Samoas. Tagalongs. Trefoils. Do-Si-Dos. Local Girl Scout’s initial cookie sales are underway and will go through January 31.
Continuing a tradition that started in the United States as early as 1917, the popular sale is not only the biggest fundraiser for Girl Scout troops, but it also helps those in need in the community and branches of the military.
Last year, over 190 troops in Saratoga County participated in the cookie program and sold over 175,000 boxes of cookies.
“The nice thing about Girl Scouts is that they let the girls help make a decision on where the cookies go to and for our girls, military is a big one and we’re very successful with that too,” said Saint Clement’s Daisy Troop leader Amy Hichman, who led a successful cookie sale in the troops first year.
Among the goals the St. Clement’s Daisy Troop has to support the community include helping buy school supplies for kids who can’t afford it. The Saint Clement’s Daisy Troop also participates in QSP, which enables girls to ask customers to purchase magazine subscriptions, along with nuts and candy
One popular debate asks the question, which cookies are the most popular. Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York Product Sales Director Kris St. Peter, who is also a resident of Saratoga, can help put the controversy to rest, as far as Northeastern New York is concerned.
“Thin mints seem to be at the top of the charts year after year, but following closely behind that is samoas, and they are a very close second,” said St. Peter. It’s always kind of neck-and-neck on who’s going to come out ahead, but thin mints always do. Even some of the cookies that don’t sell well, when people try them, they find out they like them. Will they choose them over our top three? Probably not, but everyone has their favorites.”
What tends to go under the radar is the valuable lessons the young ladies learn during the sales and in Girl Scouts in general.
“It teaches the girls how to come out of their shell and learn new things,” Hichman said. “The cookie sales are awesome because when they do the booth sales, they learn how to speak with customers and handle money. There’s math, goal setting, learning how to be a sales person and I think the biggest thing is to talk to people in a safe environment.”
Decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics are all part of the experience that not only benefits those in need but helps shape the future leaders of the country.
“It’s one of the biggest business or entrepreneur programs that exists,” added St. Peter. “It’s a fun program for girls, but I think sometimes what doesn’t get seen is the life skills the girls learn while they’re selling, and the importance of learning to sell is something they can do now and in the future.”
After this month’s initial sales, when Girl Scouts go from door to door or makes sales to family and friends, the booth sales will go from March 14 to April 6, so customers can find Girl Scout booths at local grocery stores—a trend that St. Peter said tends to be growing.
St. Peter said sales have declined in the Northeast over the past couple years, but not tremendously—about 5 percent. According to St. Peter, this has been a nationwide trend.
“We’re fortunate in the percentage of girls who choose to participate in our program stay consistent year after year,” St. Peter said. ‘It seems to be a program that girls want to be a part of, so that is part of the reason why we’ve been able to sustain the numbers and boxes of cookies that we sell each year and haven’t seen large decreases.”
With the main mission of the Girl Scouts being to build character, confidence and courage that will sustain girls and future women for the rest of their lives, the cookie sales are just one aspect of what makes the program so important.
“Girl Scouts is probably one of the best things that a girl can do because they can learn so many different things and it doesn’t stop,” Hichman said. “It continues as an adult. There’s so many opportunities and it’s great for a resume for college. It shows that they’re well rounded.”
Customers looking to purchase cookies can also go to www.gsneny.org. By following the information on “cookies” and clicking on the Cookie Locator Icon, punch in your zip code to find when and where booth sales will be in their area. Customers may also download the Cookie Locator App by dialing gscookies, or (472) 066-5437, from their mobile phone.
