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Cookie kick-off: Girl Scout cookie season begins Jan. 20
Heather Thornton says selling cookies with the Girl Scouts teaches girls important life lessons.
PHOENIX - Heather Thornton says selling cookies with the Girl Scouts teaches girls important life lessons.
"They are more curious, more confident, they're more likely to innovate," she said.
This weekend, over 2.9 million packages will be distributed to sellers.
"The girls themselves are the ones who are packing the cars with the orders, check the orders, pack the cars, distribute them to each of the sellers," Thornton said.
Selling cookies helps with setting goals and problem solving. It also helps the girls face setbacks and challenges and pushes them to be their best.
"I just go knocking on doors and asking if they want to buy a cookie and tell them the prices," one Girl Scout said.
"I’m learning my manners, that’s one thing that you would really need and you also need," another Girl Scout said. "I’m... I’ve also been learning how to count money because sometimes I like counting the ones."
The new cookie this is year is Lemon-Ups -- a crispy lemon cookie baked icing. But whether it's the new or tried and true, one thing is for sure -- the Girl Scout cookie program is a recipe for success and one that's lasted 107 years.
"The cookies are great, so obviously having a product to sell has helped sustain it, not only is each sale a teachable moment, this is making girls more financially independent -- they're funding all of their experiences for the full year, they're funding all of their service projects," Thornton said.
Last year, Girl Scouts from Central and northern Arizona sold 2.8 million boxes of cookies. This year, the goal is 3 million boxes.
Girl Scouts Arizona Cactus-Pine Council
https://www.girlscoutsaz.org/en/cookies/find-cookies.html