Monday, February 11, 2013

National Girl Scout Cookie Day

Girl Scouts of Colonial Coast were busy on National Girl Scout Cookie Day! A visit was made to the Navy Mobilization Processing Site where a unit was getting ready to be deployed. They were presented with a Cookies and Milk (Coffee/Tea) reception led by a group of Girl Scouts who are home schooled. The girls had created thank you cards to give out to each military member guests, and they read poems and sang during a special program. The uniformed guests sampled the variety of cookies that were set out on trays - everyone wanted Thin Mints! Each also received a box to take with them as a reminder of how much they are appreciated.

Later that day, an Open House program was held at A Place For Girls. Juliette Low read to visitors and played the Cookie Twister game with guests. The spotlight was on the new Girl Scout cookie boxes that received an overhaul this year, along with the real purpose of the program - to teach girls five essential life skills: goal setting, decision making, money management, and business ethics and people skills.

On February 8, National Girl Scout Cookie Day, the message that was shouted out with the help of social media and Council communications was to buy one more box of Girl Scout cookies this season and support the Girl Scout Leadership Experience! For outcomes of the Girl Scouts’ social media team's contest - #onemorebox - visit Girl Scouts of the USA Facebook Girl Scouts of the USA Facebook. It was a great way to celebrate the largest girl-led business enterprise in the world.

According to a survey from the Girl Scout research institute, 85 percent of Girl Scout “cookie entrepreneurs” learn money management by developing budges, taking cookie orders and handling customers’ money. Research also shows that 83 percent build business ethics; 80 percent learn goal setting; 77 percent improve decision making; and 75 percent develop people skills.

Locally, Girl Scout cookies will be sold through March 24, 2013 and booth sales begin on February 24. We hope more boxes of cookies and thank you cards will find their way into the hands of more military members as we ask area customers to purchase cookies through the Gift of Caring Program!