Girl Scout cookie time: Treats fund troop trips, service projects
BEDFORD — It's Girl Scout cookie time and Lawrence County Girl Scouts have wasted no time taking orders for the popular cookies.
Thirteen troops have taken orders for more than 15,000 boxes of cookies.
"That's double from last year," said Emily Steele, Lawrence County unit cookie manager. "These girls, they are go-getters."
Steele said the ability to order cookies online as well as using social media to post links and information about ordering cookies has expanded troops' reach to customers, which is crucial during a pandemic.
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Scouts may still sell cookies door-to-door with a parent's permission and supervision, but Steele said going digital has made a big difference in sales.
"It's been an amazing resource for us," she said.
Lawrence County's 13 troops have about 125 Girl Scouts. Cookie sales began Jan. 6 and continue until March 13. Girl Scouts are taking advance orders now and will then shift to cookie booths at local retailers. Cookies are $5 a box and available in nine varieties.
Scouts will begin delivery of pre-ordered cookies in mid-February.
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Steele said the money raised from cookie sales allow troops to do work toward earning badges, community service projects and enriching activities like camping trips. Steele said because cookie sales are up across the Central Indiana Council that includes Lawrence County, troops will receive more money for each box sold.
"Our council has sold 1.5 million," said Steele, who is also leader of Troop 03229, which serves girls in Mitchell.
Funding adventures
How troops use their cookie money is completely up to the girls, Steele said.
"Girl Scouts is girl-led. We ask them and our job is just to make happen what they want to do," she said.
For Troop 3723 in Greene County, they are planning a trip to Grayson Highland State Park, Ocean City, Maryland, Asstegae Island National Park, and Washington D.C.
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The troop has been planning the trip since 2019 and have delayed it twice in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic. The trip includes camping and visiting historic sites in the nation's capital. During the troop's visit to Assategae Island National Park, the girls will do a community service project and science experiments with the National Park Rangers.
"The girls are also excited to see the wild ponies that roam wild on Assategae Island too." said Troop Leader Christina Schwab.
Over the past two years, Schwab said the girls have done several fundraisers to help with the cost. The fundraisers they have dine so far are car washes, a lemonade stand at the farmer market, and a Girl Scout event at the Sculpture Trails Outdoor Museum. The Troop is currently trying to raise $3,000 to help pay for the trip. They are very excited to start this cookie season and see if they can reach their goal of selling 4,000 boxes
The cookies
In addition to the favorite Thin Mints, Adventurefuls, a brownie-inspired cookie topped with caramel-flavored creme is the newest cookie.
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Rounding out the selections are Trefoils, Do-Si-Dos, Samoas, Tagalongs, Toffee-tastics, Lemon-Ups and Girl Scout S'Mores.
In Bedford, Scouts will sell from cookie booths on weekends beginning Feb. 18 at Walmart, Rural King, Price Less IGA and Lowe's.
Contact Times-Mail Staff Writer Carol Johnson at cjohnson@tmnews.com or 812-277-7252.
This article originally appeared on The Times-Mail: Lawrence County Girl Scout cookies: Treats fund trips, service projects
