Unless you’ve been living under a rock, live way out in the boonies or have been getting your groceries delivered, chances are you’ve been asked to buy some Girl Scout cookies. Although the season officially kicked off on January 27th and runs through March 18th, this Friday, February 22nd, is National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend. Some people are excited and enthusiastically support these girls while others are a bit wearier and sometimes, annoyed. Often times they are met with folks who are wondering why on earth these cookies cost five dollars a box and what exactly do the girls get? First, though, let’s talk about how Girl Scouts began.

Started by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912, before women were even given the right vote, Juliette, known as “Daisy” by her family and close friends, gathered 18 girls in her hometown of Savannah, Georgia, to share what she had learned abroad about a new outdoor and educational program for youth, and with this, the Girl Scout Movement was born. Along with Juliette, these first Girl Scouts blazed trails and redefined what was possible for themselves and for girls everywhere. Juliette Gordon Low envisioned an organization that would prepare girls to meet their world with courage, confidence, and character. Today, there are over 2.6 million Girl Scouts in 92 countries, each trying to make their corner of the world a better and brighter place. (Our History-Girl Scouts).

When you buy Girl Scout Cookies, you power amazing adventures and life-changing opportunities for girls year-round—from trips to our nation’s capital to community projects to summer camp to charitable donations. The more cookies you buy, the more you help every G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader) ™ build entrepreneurial skills and take the lead, both now and in the future. And girls gain these skills from interacting directly with you, the cookie customer! It’s about the experience of running her very own cookie sale, working with others, and building a lifetime of confidence as she learns five skills (goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics) essential to leadership, success, and life. (FAQs-Girl Scout Cookies).

So, yes, the cookies are more than your average box of Oreos and these girls are everywhere you go for six weeks out of the year. But when you really look at the big picture, what you are buying is so much more than just a box (or 4) of cookies. And on National Girl Scout Cookie weekend, support these girls whether it’s a box for yourself to enjoy or a donation to their Icares, which are boxes that each troop donates to a good cause such as the military, police or even children’s hospitals.

“And that’s how the cookie crumbles.” -Bruce Almighty 😉

Warmly,

Kristi Harden