By Jamee Larson and Ella Larson
For many people, the sight of the green and white Girl Scout logo means one thing – cookies. Girl Scout cookies have been the favorite indulgence of many for decades. Whether one savors Thin Mints, Caramel deLites (also known as Samoas), or classic Shortbread, the site of a Girl Scout Cookie sign gets the heart pounding as hard today as it did thirty years ago. For the girl behind the cookie, however, the Girl Scout program is about much more than just cookies. As the program’s mission statement so eloquently states, Girl Scouts are “building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.”
The Girl Scouts program was the brainchild of Juliette Gordon Low, who strongly believed that all girls should be given the opportunity to develop physically, mentally, and spiritually. Gordon Low is responsible for organizing the first troop of young women on March 12, 1912. Although the troop was then known as the American Girl Guides, it changed names a year later and the Girl Scouts were officially born. Since then, over 50 million women have participated in the cherished program, including 3.2 million who are actively involved today.
Olivia Sandvik is currently enjoying her first year as a Girl Scout Daisy. Mom Alison wanted to get her involved in the program to help her meet new friends and have extra fun with old friends. “She came home from the first meeting practicing the Girl Scout Promise and I knew it would be a great fit as far as the values I want to teach her,” Alison explained. Although this is Olivia’s first year selling cookies, she has entered into the venture with the passion and vigor of a seasoned veteran. “My goal is to sell 200 boxes,” she said. “I’ve sold about 140 so far.”
The Girl Scout Cookie Program is about far more than just the actual product. The program is designed to teach young girls five things: goal setting, decision-making, money management, people skills, and business ethics. Girl Scouts have used those skills to become adults that make a real difference in the world. Nancy Reagan, Madeleine Albright, Barbara Walters, Katie Couric, Sandra Day O’Connor, Dr. Sally Ride, Taylor Swift…the list of Girl Scout alumni is a vast and impressive. Who knows, the next Supreme Court Justice or business tycoon could be the girl you just bought cookies from. There is no limit to what they can accomplish.
A visit to the Moorhead Mall over the weekend enabled me to meet two more Girl Scout Daisies while I bought my yearly supply of cookies. Abby Medcalf and Eve Vetter both smiled proudly as they talked about the Girls Scouts. Abby is a kindergartener at Kennedy at Eagles in Fargo; Eve attends the same grade at St. Joseph’s School in Moorhead. Both girls quickly expressed their love of selling cookies when asked about their favorite part of the program. “I also like saying the Girl Scout Law,” Abby explained.
Like Olivia, both Abby and Eve have been a Girl Scout Daisies since October. Although somewhat reserved, both girls light up as a potential buyer approaches their table. “Would you like to buy some cookies,” Eve asks. Her smile is contagious and ensures that few will ever be able to walk away without a purchase. The secret ingredient that makes the Girl Scout Cookie Program so successful will not be found in any recipe. The smiles on those little girls are the driving force behind the estimated 200 million boxes that will be sold this year alone.
One of the best parts of the Cookie Program is that 100% of the money raised stays within the individual council and its troops. In this area, that means all proceeds remain with the Dakota Horizons Council; who oversee Girl Scouts in North and South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa. Girls are eligible for recognition items and prizes based on their sales, but the money is used as a group.
In addition to paying for expenses, cookie sale money can be used to pay for anything from special programs and learning experiences to philanthropic endeavors and community activities. The Girl Scouts operate under the belief that they are obligated to make the world around them better. As clearly indicated in the Girl Scout Law, the program aims to nurture and embrace all young girls to make them the best citizens they can be.
Although new to the program, Alison has already seen enough to be impressed. “Each gathering/event they (troop leaders) plan has a purpose and they want the girls to learn new skills and practice them while having fun,” she explained. “I think it’s a great opportunity for young girls to learn how to work together and share ideas. Basic skills like working together and sharing common ideals – the world would be a better place if everyone adopted the Girl Scout way of life.
The Girl Scout Cookie Program has come a long way since its inception in 1917, when the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma began baking and selling sugar cookies in their high school cafeteria as a service project. The idea caught on, and by 1937 over 125 Girl Scout councils were selling cookies, all baked and packaged by hand. It wasn’t until after WWII that licensed bakers were hired to handle the production and packaging. The rest, as they say, is Thin Mint history.
The Girl Scouts in your area will be making one giant push to sell as many cookies as possible before March 15th, when the boxes will be packed away for another year. The next time you see a Girl Scout Cookie Table, stop for a cookie and a smile. Don’t let those Tagalongs pass you by.
More information about the Dakota Horizons Council can be obtained atwww.gsdakotahorizons.org. Information about the Girl Scout program as a whole can be found atwww.girlscouts.org.