Be Local: Buy Girl Scout cookies

Editor’s note: This is a weekly series focusing on the importance of buying local.
Here’s some great news: It’s Girl Scout cookie sale season.
Be Local: Support local Girl Scouts and stock up on boxes of Thin Mints, Samoas, Tagalongs, S’mores, Trefoils, gluten-free Toffee-Tastic, Do-si-dos and Lemon-ups.
Through March 22, Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania will set up cookie booths at local grocery stores and other venues.
A Girl Scout Cookie app, Cookie Finder, allows customers to plug in their zip code to find a specific cookie booth near them.
“It makes it super-convenient for people to use the app,” said Linda Brison, a troop Leader for 51945 and 53563 in Washington, which includes 96 Scouts.
Customers also can order cookies online and credit their cookie purchases to specific Girl Scouts.
Each box costs $5.
Last year, about 15,000 Girl Scouts in Western Pennsylvania participated in the cookie sale, selling more than 2.36 million boxes. Nationwide, more than one million Scouts sold about 200 million boxes of the cookies – which topped sales of Oreo cookies.
Madelyn Lolley, 13, a member of Brison’s troop, sold more than 100 boxes of cookies this year by knocking on neighbors’ doors.
Her troop will raise additional funds at booth sales in upcoming weeks, and will use earnings for a trip to Orlando, Fla., which the troop has been working toward for three years.
“They’re pretty easy to sell,” said Madelyn, noting that neighbors approach her to find out when she will be selling cookies.
The Girl Scouts from each troop decide how they want to use the proceeds, and nearly all of them end up putting a significant portion of the money they raised back into the community, donating to local nonprofits including Washington Area Humane Society and Washington City Mission.
Brison’s troop’s goal is for each girl to sell 100 boxes of cookies, and the girls have taken overnight trips to Pittsburgh Zoo and Carnegie Science Center, among other adventures.
The fundraiser also teaches girls about entrepreneurship, teamwork, planning, how to manage money, and how to interact with customers who purchase the cookies.
“They learn to manage and set goals, and how to interact with customers. They won’t always get a yes when they’re selling cookies, but it’s important to learn what to do when people say no,” said Brison. “These are all such good lessons.”
Madelyn said selling cookies has helped her improve her social skills.
The biggest seller for Madelyn is Thin Mints. That makes sense: Thin Mints account for about a quarter of all Girl Scout cookie sales – and during peak bake times, Girl Scout cookie bakers bake more than 4.5 million Thin Mints per day.
Following Thin Mints in popularity in Western Pennsylvania are Tagalongs and Samoas.
“Definitely, the girls will be coming around to knock on your doors. Or, look for the girls at booth sales all over town,” said Brison, noting major venues include Sam’s Club, Giant Eagle, WalMart, JoAnn Fabrics and Lowes. The troop kicks off its booth sales on National Cookie Day, Feb. 28, at Washington & Jefferson College student union from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Those interested in joining the Be Local Network can contact Chris Slota at 724-225-1326 or by email at chris@belocal.net. Discount cards are available at the Observer-Reporter and Almanac office, 122 S. Main St., Washington.