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The Scarlet & Black

Girl Scouts cookies are sure to deliver

The+Girl+Scouts+deliever+cookies+in+person+to+those+who+order++from+them+personally.+Contributed+Photo.
The Girl Scouts deliever cookies in person to those who order from them personally. Contributed Photo.

Even though Valentine’s Day is over, Grinnellians now have another way fulfill their sugar cravings, as Girl Scouts have begun selling their famous cookies. The Grinnell Service Unit has 10 Girl Scout Troops, comprised of 35 registered scouts.

Sue Hovenga is the leader of Troop No. 835, which has three members. The troop includes her twin daughters, Laura and Mary, who are both Cadettes. This is the eighth year that Hovenga has been helping her Girl Scouts sell cookies.

The Girl Scouts deliever cookies in person to those who order  from them personally. Contributed Photo.
The Girl Scouts deliever cookies in person to those who order from them personally. Contributed Photo.

“The girls [learn] what it is to run a business and have a responsibility of that,” Hovenga said. “They also learn skills such as money management, decision making and business ethics.”

For Girl Scouts Laura and Mary, and the Cookie Program is one of their favorite events to participate in and they appreciate the skills that they’re learning through the process.

“We get to go out into the community,” Mary said. “I [learn] how to sell stuff, and how to make a good sales pitch.”

At the troop meetings, which are usually held twice a month, each girl sets her own goal for the number of boxes that she will sell.

“They think whether they can realistically meet that,” Hovenga said. “They also [set] a plan and try to execute it.”

This troop averages 600 to 800 boxes per year. This year, Mary plans to sell 250 boxes and Laura aims to sell 100. Both girls want to sell more boxes than they did last year.

“For just a few girls, I think they [have done] pretty good,” Hovenga said.

The girls usually sell to family, neighbors and teachers. In the past few years, they have also been selling to friends as well.

“Now that they’re this age, some of their friends carry money,” Hovenga added with a laugh.

Along with door-to-door marketing, the girls will also set up booths and sell at various locations across town. On March 6 and 7, they will be in places such as McNally’s, Fareway and Grinnell State Bank. They will be selling in the JRC on March 2, 3 and 4 from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The girls deliver the cookies by hand, usually less than a week after the order is placed. When they sell on campus, however, the cookies are given on the spot.

All of the proceeds stay within the local council, which is used to sponsor events and activities for the girls. Past events have included trips to the Science Center and father-daughter dances.

Both Laura and Mary have a good idea of where the money went, and enjoyed both troop and council sponsored events.

“We got to go horseback riding, and went swimming after that,” Mary said. “We [also] did archery,” Laura added.

Along with the essential skills they develop, the girls can also receive rewards for participating in the program, including “cookie dough.”

“This is money you can spend at the council [store] to get sweatshirts and bags,” Mary said. “We [also] used it to fund [going to] summer camp.”

This year, Girl Scouts is expanding its range of cookies to include a gluten-free cookie type called Trios.

“It’s still in the pilot program, so each service unit can decide whether they want to sell it or not,” Hovenga said. “The girls don’t get credit for selling those, plus they are more expensive than the other ones. So we decided not to do it this year.”

Even though new kinds of cookies come in, the most popular cookies stay the same.

“[Thin Mints], the Peanut Butter Patties, and the Caramel Delights are the top sellers,” Hovenga said.

The girls also like eating the cookies besides selling them.

“[Sometimes] nobody buys them so you can have some for yourself,” Laura said. “I like pretty much all of [the flavors].”

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