By SALLY SEXTON
For more than a week now, the public has come out to support one of the largest youth girls’ organization in the nation — the Girl Scouts of America.
Started in 1912, the group unveiled one of its most-recognized and profitable programs — the sale of Girl Scout Cookies.
To kick off this year’s campaign, which began Jan. 11, new changes have been announced, including new packaging, acceptance of credit cards for cookie sales, and the debut of a new cookie — the Mango Creme with Nutrifusions, a crunchy vanilla and coconut treat with a mango-flavored creme.
Out of the Parker County area, known as the Peach Blossom Prairie, around 300 girls in 21 troops are participating in cookie sales this year.
“One of the most important things these girls learn through Girl Scouts is lifeskills, and this is one of our more popular ways to teach them that,” service unit cookie chair Larry Brown said.
The hard work for cookie sales, which run through Feb. 24, end up benefitting the troops on a monetary note as well, with the troop earning 55 cents for each box of cookies. That money can later be used for fields trips or monthly activities.
“My daughter’s troop last year made more than $6,000 for the troop,” Brown said of his 10-year-old, Elyssa, who was named the top seller out of the whole Fort Worth Region. “With that money, the troop was able to plan a trip to the Great Wolf Lodge for a night.”
The other proceeds from the boxes, which cost $3.50 each, goes back to the Fort Worth Council to buy more boxes, and the National Council.
Girls from the Peach Blossom Prairie were out at the Texas National Guard early last week to pick up supplies and begin the selling process.
Troops will be selling boxes throughout the community, with booths set up on weekends at both Walmart locations in Weatherford and Hudson Oaks. To find a booth close to you, go to www.girlscoutcookies.org and enter your ZIP code.
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