Girls Scouts thank local community for buying more than 2,700 boxes of cookies sold
Superior Girl Scout Troop 3802 wanted to thank the community for supporting their cookie sales which topped over 2,700 boxes this spring. Funds raised are used for uniforms, dues, and fun activities. (Photo courtesy of Clara Wheeler).
Everyone seems to have their favorite Girl Scout cookie and it’s no wonder with the yummy selection offered each year. Thin Mints were the favorite sold by Superior Troop 3802, followed by the toasted coconut-covered caramel and chocolate Samoas. This follows the national trend where Thin Mints top the list with 25 percent of the sales, followed by Samoas at 19 percent, and Tagalongs at 13 percent.
Altogether, the troop sold 2,702 boxes of cookies this year, totaling $11,000. That’s a lot of cookies for the 22-girl troop headed by leaders Kate DiGiando, Darlene Jasper, Stephanie Quick, Whitney Neu, and Clara Wheeler.
“We so much appreciate the support and want to thank everybody,” said Wheeler.
Cookies sales begin with pre-orders in February and continue through mid-April. Other cookies include S’mores; Peanut Butter Tagalongs; Shortbread Trefoils; Peanut Butter Do-si-dos; Lemonades; Savannah Smiles, and Thanks-A-Lot. Nationally, cookies sales topped 194 million boxes in 2017, earning approximately $776 million for the organization. However, this was down a million boxes from 2014. According to a recent report, Girl Scout cookie sales have been crumbling for the past few years. However online orders have increased where troops can set up their own cookie-selling websites. Wheeler said their girls increased their sales through online sales and everyone was happy with the results.
Troops only keep a portion of the funds raised with the rest going to the National Council and the Girls Scouts of Montana and Wyoming which oversees the local groups. Funds raised helps pay for registration fees, badges, sashes, and fun activities. Last year the girls had a camping trip at Savanac Historic Tree Nursery located in Haugan, Mont. They are planning another trip there this summer, with a possible rafting trip.
Troops are not allowed to hold additional fundraisers while its cookie sale season and so this year the entrance fee to their annual father-daughter dance was cookies. The group consists of girls ages Kindergarten through grade 6 and there’s a waiting list to join the one in Superior.
“We had to cap the number of girls to make it manageable,” said Wheeler, who has an 11-year-old daughter, Abigail, in the troop. “I started it several years ago when my family moved to Superior. Girls Scouts has a great curriculum and provided a great way to meet new friends and spend time with kids of different ages.”
She also likes the community activities the group participates in, including hosting a Halloween Carnival at the school and singing Christmas carols at the senior living facility during the holidays. The troop is open to girls county-wide and they hope to recruit more leaders and so another troop can be started.
Girls Scouts was started in 1912 by Juliette Gordon Low in Savannah, Georgia and has since grown to a national organization with nearly 2 million members and more than 50 million Girl Scout alums. Their mission is it builds girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.