**This post is sponsored by Girl Scouts of North East Ohio. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own**
It’s Girl Scout Cookie Time!
Last Saturday, my family and I were invited to the annual Girl Scout Cookie Rally. The morning of the Cookie Rally I was nervous because I wasn’t sure what to expect, I was thinking there would be someone on stage talking about cookies. But once we arrived, I was so pleased with all that we learned about the Girl Scout Cookie program.
“The Girl Scout Cookie program is the largest, most successful girl-led business in the world, and one that is a key element of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. It teaches girls five important life skills that will set them up for success, including decision making, business ethics, goal setting, people skills, and money management. Last year, Northeast Ohio cookie customers who donated their purchase to the Council’s Gift of Caring project, Operation: Sweet Appreciation, sent 40,316 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies to members of the military serving overseas.”
The Cookie Rally was held at St. Paul Church (West Akron/Downtown area). When we arrived we sat in the parking lot and watched the girls go in, Darrick and I talked about how diverse the group of girls were in ages and race…it was amazing, and as a woman it made me extremely proud!
Once inside we learned, the older girls help the younger girls; and the younger girls really looked up to the older girls for guidance and assistance when completing their task.
The room was set up in stations. Some of the older girls were working on the crafts and the other girls were playing with decorations waiting for instructions for the day.
The troop leaders were very nice and welcoming…they told Darrick and I stories of how they were girl scouts when they were young and another spoke about coming back to lead because her granddaughter was now a girl scout. It was amazing how serving in Girl Scouts was a family tradition for most of the ladies.
I was amazed at all the girls learned during the Cookie Rally. There were stations set up based on themes: safety, money, technology, cookie tasting…etc. Each station taught the girls vital things to know while out selling cookies. The mission of the event was to prep the girls entrepreneurship skills that they could use in selling their cookies.
Along with entrepreneurship skills, participation in the Cookie Program helps to develop important life skills, such as goal setting, people skills and business ethics. These are skills that the girls will be able to take use as they get older.
I was in awe of the programs that the Girl Scouts provide to girls all around the world. I cant wait until Emma is old enough to participate on her own. She wasn’t interested in the crafts in the beginning, but once I sat down with her she was very interested in the crafts. I know she can benefit from a program like this once she is old enough to participate!
Now About the Cookie Program…
Girl Scouts of North East Ohio (GSNEO) is happy to announce Girl Scout Cookie season begins January 4, 2016!!!
The 2016 lineup includes Thin Mints, Samoas, Do-Si-Dos, Tagalongs, Trefoils, Savannah Smiles, and Rah-Rah Raisins.
Cookies cost $4 per package and 100 percent of the net revenue raised through the Girl Scout Cookie program stays with the local council.
For those who miss out on the in-person sales, customers can find nearby cookie booths March 4 – 20, 2016 by using the official Girl Scout Cookie finder. The free app helps iPhone and Android users find cookie booths by zip code or GPS, and offers other fun features. The Girl Scout Cookie sale ends March 20.
Girl Scouts of North East Ohio-connects girls to a world of possibilities in a positive and inclusive, girl-led environment. Girls are inspired to discover their passions and empowered to reach their full potential through a proven leadership development program. GSNEO serves 30,000 girls and 14,000 adult volunteer members throughout an 18-county region including Medina, Portage, and Summit counties; Cuyahoga, Geauga, and Lake counties; Carroll, Stark and Tuscarawas counties; Ashtabula, Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties; Erie, Huron, Lorain, Sandusky and Seneca counties.
Girl Scouts of the USA -We’re 2.8 million strong—2 million girls and 800,000 adults who believe girls can change the world. It began over 100 years ago with one woman, Girl Scouts’ founder Juliette Gordon “Daisy” Low, who believed in the power of every girl. She organized the first Girl Scout troop on March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia, and every year since, we’ve made her vision a reality, helping girls discover their strengths, passions, and talents. Today, as yesterday, we continue the Girl Scout mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. We’re the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. And with programs for girls from coast to coast and across the globe, Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to do something amazing. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit www.girlscouts.org
Find a troop TODAY! Its never too late to join gsneo.org/mom
