2017 Cookie Program Highlights
connection
Join Us for a Celebration
100 Years in the Making!
This year’s Cookie Season will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts selling cookies. Well
before Girl Scout Cookies were produced by licensed bakers to sell nationally, Girl Scouts baked
and sold cookies on their own. Our girls were entrepreneurs going as far back as 1917!
Since then, girls across the country have been learning basic skills needed to become great
leaders. Selling Girl Scout cookies not only help Girl Scouts earn money for fun, educational
activities and community projects, but also plays a huge role in transforming girls into G.I.R.L.s
(Go-getters, Innovators, Risk-takers, Leaders) as they learn essential life skills that will stay with
them forever.
Important Dates
January 13 – 29, 2017
Girls Take Orders
February 17 – 24, 2017
Girls Deliver Cookies
February 24 – 26, 2017
National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend
February 24 – March 12, 2017
March 13, 2017
May 2017
Girl Scouts hold Booth Sales
Deadline for Girl/Guardians to Submit Money
to Troop Cookie Manager
Cookie Recognitions are Shipped for Distribution
to Girls
Cookies will remain $4 a box upon delivery, with a gluten-free
variety, Trios, at $5 a box.
Celebrating 100 Years of
Girl Scouts Selling Cookies
Girls can keep selling cookies following the pre-order period by
using their Mini-Order card, available at abcsmartcookies.com
F un Fact s
During booth sales, girls are required to act in ways becoming
of a Girl Scout. No yelling, no running, no harassing consumers, etc.
Remember to tell each person, whether buying or not,
Learn about cookie history for the past 100 years. Check
out the timeline of adventure at www.gsle.org/cookiehistory
To celebrate, get crafty with our fun cards you can use to WOW cookie
fans! It’s fun to share these facts with your cookie customers!
Visit www.gsle.org/cookie-resources for the cards and more.
“
”
Introducing
To commemorate this banner year for the organization, the
highly-anticipated Girl Scout S’mores cookie is making its debut! The
Girl Scout S’mores cookie celebrates the very essence of Girl Scouting—in
fact, the first recorded S’mores recipe appeared in “Tramping and Trailing
with the Girl Scouts,” published in 1927! Our new cookie, baked by ABC
Bakers, is a crispy graham cookie double dipped in yummy crème icing
and finished with a scrumptious chocolately coating. It is vegan, and
free of artificial colors, preservatives, and partially hydrogenated oils.
The Girl Scout S’mores is sure to be a fast favorite
of Girl Scout Cookie fans and
Girl Scouts alike.
Our
Girl Scouts
are
stars!
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Recognize
that Girl Scout?
ABC Baker’s Cookie theme,
Be Unique, Be You! is featuring
southeast Louisiana Girl Scouts
in its nationwide campaign
materials. Local Girl Scouts were
selected to participate in a photo
shoot in New Orleans
in fall 2015.
ting in
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Join
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One lucky troop from EVERY council around the country will win $100 each to put toward
their awesome cookie Take Action or service project. And Girl Scouts Louisiana East has
decided to match that $100 with another $100!
And one VERY lucky troop will win $3,000 from GSUSA to super-power their project!
You can participate in 4 easy steps:
1. Set a troop goal and share the plan for your cookie money – what cool stuff will you
do to improve your community this year?
2. Earn a Cookie Business badge – take your pick for your grade level.
3. As a troop, ask 100 NEW customers to buy cookies.
4. Bling Your Booth. Be sure to snap a cool photo.
Once all 4 steps are completed, ask your troop leader to help you submit your entry at girlscouts.org/cookietroop100
to unlock your patch, and enter for a chance to win cash to invest in your cookie Take Action or service project.
Winning troops will be randomly selected – no voting necessary.
Cookie Line-up
Celebrating
Thanks-A-Lot®
Shortbreads
vegan
Carmel DeLites®
Peanut Butter
Sandwich
Peanut Butter
Patties®
vegan
Lemonades ™
vegan
Thin Mints®
vegan
Trios
Gluten Free
Girl Scouts
S’mores ™
vegan
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Participate in Cookie
Share and/or iGive
Many Girl Scout troops participate in Cookie Share (formerly called Gift of Caring),
in which girls encourage customers to buy cookies for donation to a nonprofit organization selected by the troop.
In 2016 nearly 12,200 boxes of cookies were donated to 200 local
community organizations and non-profits, local firefighters, police,
and hospitals, with a significant number of cookies going to military
men and women serving overseas.
The council offers a virtual “iGive” donation option for the
2017 Cookie Program, with cookies going to Second
Harvest Food Bank and Blue Star
Mothers. The council delivers the cookies;
volunteers and girls do not handle any of
these boxes.
Cookie Time is
Family Time!
Here are the TOP FIVE Ways your family can
support your Girl Scout!
Encourage goal setting - Guide her to set practical and useful goals
about what she wants to learn and earn.
Support her sales – Help your Girl Scout network with family and friends,
but let her do the “ask” so she can learn important business skills.
Use the Cookie Command Center – Your troop/
group has a customized web-based business
center! Our Cookie Command Center (COCO) lets
girls manage their cookie activities online.
Volunteer – Her group needs help chaperoning
booth sales, picking up cookies, and more.
4
Practice safety – Help your daughter understand
the Girl Scout safety rules.
Teaching Girls the
Five Essential Skills
GOAL SETTING At the start of the sales, each girl
will set a goal. And it’s not just about how many
packages she sells. Her goals should also be based
on things she’ll learn, experiences she’ll have, and what she’ll
accomplish one she reaches her sales target.
DECISION MAKING Throughout the sale,
she’ll make decisions, both with the troop and
individually. What will they do with their cookie proceeds?
Where is the best place for a booth sale? Help her sharpen her skills for making good choices.
MONEY MANAGEMENT For many girls, this is the first time they are responsible for handling
money. Through the sale, they will learn accountability and the importance of accuracy.
PEOPLE SKILLS Your Girl Scout learns how to talk to, listen to and work with all kinds of people
while selling cookies. You’ll be amazed at how much confidence can be built along the way.
BUSINESS ETHICS Girls will learn that strong
values should lead any business – including hers.
Cookies to College
Scholarship Program
Attention cookie entrepreneurs! To be
eligible for our council’s Cookies to College
$1,000 scholarship, an applicant must be: a
currently registered Girl Scout in the council
who’s been an active participant in the
Cookie program for the last four years. She
must also be a graduating high school senior
who is continuing her education following
graduation.
The application can be found by on www.
gsle.org and must be submitted, along with
a letter of recommendation, by midnight,
May 1. The scholarship(s) will be announced
and distributed in mid-June.
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recognitions
While it is participation in the Cookie Program that provides troops their funding for
activities, trips, and service projects, girls also receive individual recognitions such as
patches, T-shirts, and more. Top awards include an American Girl Truly Me doll, bike and helmet or
a free week at resident camp, customized Vans sneakers, electronics, and a “Diva Destination,” for
girls who sell 600 + boxes, where they select which destination(s), i.e. museum, restaurant, or other
entertainment opportunity being offered. All recognitions are cumulative, so the more you sell,
the more recognitions you receive.
Girls who sell 500+ boxes enter the Cookie “Hall of Fame,” and are invited to a special
“Cookie Diva” event. Girls who sell 750+ boxes are also invited to a “Cookie CEO” event!
Visit www.gsle.org/cookierewards to see this year’s recognitions!
Here’s just some of what you can earn!
Initial Order Rewards:
Sell 150 boxes during preorder and receive the sports
bottle. Sell 175 boxes and
receive a cute tote!
Daisy Rewards:
Girl Scout Daisies who meet
the goal of 130+ packages sold
during the sale will receive the
journal with markers.
Super Troop Award:
Earn a Super Cute Sling Backpack!
Cookie Share:
Sell 5 or more
Cookie Share
boxes and earn
the Cookie Share
patch!
Criteria to earn:
1. Troops must participate in Cookie Share
or iGive Program.
2. Troops must have a per girl average of
217+ packages.
3. Troops must submit a budget.
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Check out this year’s Cookie Diva event!
Girl Scout Night with the New Orleans Pelicans
(vs Chicago Bulls)
Diva
Destinations
2017
2016 Cookie
topseller Guliette
delivers the game
ball during a New
Orleans Pelicans
game last spring.
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Girls who sell 500+ packages are invited and
will also earn $30 cookie dough!
GSLE
Your Booth!
This council-sponsored contest encourages troops to exhibit
their creativity and have fun at the same time! Select a
theme from the list below; use decorations, costumes,
themed props, and signs – just keep safety in mind.
Winners will receive:
1st place: 2 nights at GSLE camp of choice
2nd place: 1 night at GSLE camp of choice
3rd place: 1 day at GSLE camp of choice
oth
bo
your
GSLE
Denham Springs Brownie
Troop 10993 take first in
the 2016 Bling Your Booth
Contest.
Themes
to choose from:
Be Unique, Be You
Cookie Troop 100
Thanks-A-Lot
One photo entry per
troop/girl, emailed to
[email protected]. Please
enter “Bling Your Wagon”
or “Bling Your Booth” in
Subject line. Deadline is
March 24, 2017. Include
girl’s name & grade, troop
# (5 digits), community
#, leader’s name, phone
or email. Photos may be
featured on GSLE’s website
or social media accounts.
Cookies on Wheels
What’s a clever way to advertise cookie sales? Put that creativity to work as you
Bling Your Wagon! Note: no cars or SUVs etc, this is an individual girl
contest. Choose a theme from above, decorate and submit a photo which must
include Girl Scout (in uniform, GS T-shirt or pin) and her creation.
Winners will receive:
1st place: $100 Cookie Dough
2nd place: $75 Cookie Dough
3rd place: $50 Cookie Dough
n
ago
w
r
you
Bling Your Wagon
winner Madison of
Madisonville.
7
P.O. Box 10800 • New Orleans, LA 70181-0800
(504) 733-8220 • (800) 644-7571 • www.gsle.org
Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
New Orleans, LA
PERMIT NO. 428
connection
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#gscookieboss
Instagram Challenge
February – March 2017
(exact dates to be announced)
Open to Girl Scouts 13+ (including Alumnae)
Challenge Rules:
M Follow @GirlScouts on Instagram
M Upload a “selfie” photo to Instagram and hashtag #gsCookieBoss
and tag @GirlScouts
M Share a cool experience that was powered by the Cookie Program
or a lesson learned as a “Cookie Boss.”
Winners
will be randomly selected.
Prize per winner will include:
Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 Instant Film
Camera
Gold Engraveable Necklace
provided by Stella & Dot
Share Your Cookie Success Story!
Was your booth a work of art? Did your troop exceed its goals? Or do something that made the world a better place
with the money you earned?
Every year, Girl Scouts across the country take the lead to do amazing things by selling cookies, and using what they
earn to better themselves and their communities—it’s pretty amazing stuff.
Have a parent or troop leader
submit your story at
girlscouts.org/shareyourstory
for a chance to be featured
throughout the year on
girlscoutcookies.org, the GSUSA
Blog, Facebook and Twitter pages,
in media during our celebration
of the 100th Anniversary of Girl
Scouts selling cookies, and more—
so cool!