Monday, January 5, 2015

Meet Allori: Cookie Entrepreneur Officer

Allori and Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast
CEO Tracy Keller at last year's luncheon to
recognize top cookie sellers. 
Girl Scout Junior Allori may just be in fourth grade, but she’s already established herself as a budding entrepreneur and her busiest time of the year has arrived—Girl Scout Cookie season. Allori, who sold over 1,500 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies last year, was the top cookie seller in Virginia Beach, an accomplishment she was recognized for in May at a luncheon hosted by Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast CEO Tracy Keller and TowneBank.

Thanks to the Girl Scout Cookie Program, Allori and her fellow members of Girl Scout Troop 4002, have had a busy year. All proceeds from the cookie program stay with local Girl Scouts, and the girls get to decide how to spend their portion of the proceeds earned from each box of cookies. Last year, Troop 4002 spent a large portion of their funds on community service projects. They put together birthday bags—kits with everything one would need to celebrate a birthday, including cake mix and candles—that they donated to Seton Youth Shelters. They also filled stockings with gifts that they donated through the Salvation Army for the holidays. These acts of service show how Girl Scouts Cookies are about much more than what is in the box. Through the Girl Scout Cookie Program, girls are encouraged to identify needs in their community and make a difference.

This year, Allori hopes to once again sell over 1,000 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies. She plans to contact all of her friends and family members and spend a lot of time selling cookies at booths outside of local businesses.

“It’s fun selling Girl Scout Cookies because I love setting a goal and working hard to meet it,” Allori said.

During cookie season, Allori and her troop will once again be asking cookie customers to buy extra boxes of cookies to donate to the military. Last year, Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast donated over 10,000 boxes of cookies for members of the military to the USO, and Girl Scouts, such as the members of Troop 4002, will be helping to once again show Girl Scout support of the military through the cookie program. Allori and her troop members are also looking forward to earning the Girl Scout Bronze Award this year, the third highest honor and achievement a girl can earn in Girl Scouting.

As participants in the nation’s leading financial literacy and entrepreneurial program for girls, Girl Scouts are learning skills that will last them a lifetime, including goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics.

Girl Scouts in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina will be taking orders for Girl Scout Cookies starting January 10 through both door-to-door and online sales. Cookie booth sales begin February 22. Find more information about the local Girl Scout Cookie Program here.