CULLMAN – February and March have always been the season for selling cookies, according to Girl Scout Leadership Experience Manager Debbie Hicks.
However, Hicks, who has been with the Girl Scouts her entire life – as a scout, and now as an employee – contends that Girl Scouts is somewhat pigeonholed, saying, “We are so much more than cookies.”
She concedes that the cookies are absolutely what Girl Scouts are famous for, and she gets excited when talking about the new flavors of cookies that are to be introduced this year.
But, she, as the liaison for Cullman Girl Scouts to the governing body of Girl Scouts for North Alabama, believes there are a lot of things people are missing about what Girl Scouts accomplishes.
“We use the cookie sales to encourage leadership with the girls, along with financial literacy,” Hicks said. In fact, Girl Scouts earn “financial literacy” badges. “We explain to the girls that this is a ‘girl-led’ business.
We want [the Scouts] to know that this is by girls, for girls.”
Hicks went on to explain that the training for being a Girl Scout starts with the youngest group of girls called Daisies. She said that the kindergarteners are taught customer service skills.
“They learn at a very young age how to handle people and how to deal with rejection,” Hicks said.
Girl Scouts promotes girls becoming complete and self-sufficient people, thus providing communities with higher quality individuals.
As far as Girl Scout cookies go, the organization is introducing a couple new flavors of cookies this year.
“We have Rah Rah Raisins and Toffee-tastic this year,” Hicks said. And if you are trying to find out where to purchase your Girl Scout cookies, just download the app.
“It’s called Girl Scout Cookie Finder,” Hicks said, and it’s available on the iTunes App Store.
The funds that the Girl Scouts raise from their cookie sales go to pay the baker of the cookies themselves, to various charities that each troop selects to donate to, and, according to Hicks, most of the funds go into the Girl Scout Scholarship Fund.
“This fund helps girls who want to sign up for Girl Scouts but cannot afford the $15 registration fee or the $35 uniform,” Hicks said.
Girl Scouts are a large part of American culture, and the cookies that the girls sell are a big reason for that. However, Girl Scouts are certainly more than just cookies.
