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SOUTH BRUNSWICK: Girl Scout cookie selling season begins

By Amy Batista, Special Writer
   DAYTON — Get ready for the annual Girl Scouts cookie sale and a new cookie to tempt the taste buds.
   Yesterday marked the beginning of the annual sale of Girl Scout cookies for the central and southern New Jersey (GSCSNJ) area.
   GSCSNJ services girls who live in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer, Middlesex and Salem counties and parts of Monmouth County.
   From grocery stores to train stations, Girl Scouts will be setting up cookie booths for the annual cookie program. Besides the normal favorites, like Thin Mints, this year’s batch features the new Mango Crème variety, according to the organization.
   Girl Scout cookie sellers from all around the area lined up their cars at the Sunny Delight warehouse on Corn Road Friday and Saturday to pick up initial cookie orders.
   The multitude of vehicles backed up to the loading dock bays of the loading docks to pick up the orders as volunteers of Girl Scout personnel, Service Unit Managers, troop leaders, Girl Scouts, and more filled them to the top with a variety of flavors of cookies.
   According to Director of Product Program of Girl Scouts of Central & Southern NJ (GSCSNJ) Angela Joyner, a total of 10,068 cases were distributed between Friday and Saturday with a total of 177 troops picking up the tasty cargo.
   Volunteers, Service Unit Managers, Girl Scouts, and dads volunteered to help lend a hand disturbing cookies for those who came to pick up the initial orders.
   ”It’s easy, breezy,” said Christa Peterson of South Brunswick, a cookie mom, describing the cookie pick-up process she has been a part of for the last three years. “They make it so organized and everybody volunteers.”
   Despite how crazy the next six or so weeks of cookie sales may be for Ms. Peterson, the benefits for her troop outweigh all that.
   ”It’s hectic but it’s a great way to girls to make a lot of money,” Ms. Peterson said. “My troop made approximately $800 last year.”
   Ms. Peterson said her troop uses the money raised to pay for a variety of expenses during the year.
   ”They go camping, it helps with uniforms, and meetings,” Ms. Peterson said. “It’s a great fundraiser.”
   Diane Dahl, a troop leader in South Brunswick, said she enjoyed picking up the first orders of the season and her daughter agreed.
   ”I loved the way we worked together and all the kids were helping out,” said daughter Elizabeth Dahl, 15, a senior Girl Scout.
   Buying Girl Scout cookies is more than just handing over money for a box, according to the organization. For a Girl Scout, it’s about the skills a girl learns and gains from interacting directly with the public, mirroring the experience of running her own cookie business and working with others.
   According to the organization, this is the reason it doesn’t sell cookies online and why they encourage people to buy cookies from an actual Girl Scout, the Cookie Professional, and not her parents.
   ”Cookie sales are not only about fundraising for Girl Scouts,” said Janet Donnelly, co-Service Unit Manger of MOJASPHE (Monroe, Jamesburg, Spotswood and Helmetta) Girl Scout Service Unit. “Each girl has an opportunity to learn about marketing, financial responsibilities, public speaking and customer service. They have an opportunity to run their own business starting at the age of six years old. It’s a wonderful way for each girl to learn that they are responsible for their outcomes.”
   The cookie sales make up a large part of the Girl Scout’s yearly budget. The program is the largest girl-led business in the country and generates more than $760 million for girls in communities across the country, according to the organization. The program teaches girls the five essential business skills including goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics.
   ”From our Cookie College program where girls set their goals and make their plans to cookie booths, our Cookie Program is a great opportunity for girls to learn basic life skills as well as what it truly means to run a business,” said Mary Connell, CEO of Girl Scouts of Central & Southern NJ in a press release on Jan. 11. “Each year our youngest Daisy’s, to our experienced Ambassadors, challenge themselves in news ways and develop skills that will help them for the rest of their lives.”
   Girls will be selling cookies in the region from until Feb. 24 for $4 per box.
   Girl Scout Cadet Vittoria Flick of Dayton sold more than 1,182 boxes of cookies last year and has continued to set her sights high with a goal to sell 1,000 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies or more again this year.
   ”If I sell 1,000 boxes again this year, I will have sold over 3,000 boxes of cookies in the past three years,” Vittoria said.
   Vittoria said she plans to use her cookie proceeds to fund one of her favorite Girl Scout activities, camp, and upcoming programs.
   Girls Scouts will also sponsors the Taste of Home Program a service project for sending Girl Scout Cookies to soldiers overseas and the Share in the Community Program, where a girl identifies an organization like a senior center, VA hospital or food bank that she would like to see be the recipient of donated Girl Scout Cookies. Consumers can purchase additional cookies to donate to either program.
   ”I hope to sell a lot of cookies this year and get money for my troop and do some really fun stuff with them,” said daughter Caroline Pascasio, 11, of South Brunswick, and a Cadet.
   According to Caroline, she goes door-to-door in her neighborhood selling cookies and participates in some cookies booths.
   ”I like selling cookies that people can enjoy,” Caroline said is her favorite part of selling cookies. “Who doesn’t like cookies?”
   You will also notice that the boxes are looking different than usual this year. The boxes have received a makeover this year. It has been more than over a decade since this last occurred.
   According to the press release, for the first time since 1999, all boxes of Girl Scout Cookies have a new look and a new purpose: to elevate the significance of the Girl Scout Cookie Program.
   The iconic Girl Scout Cookie package showcases the five financial literacy and entrepreneur-ship skills and encourages alumnae to share their success stories.
   To find cookies near you, please visit the cookie booth locator at www.girlscoutcookies.org or download the mobile app available for Android and Apple devices. To learn more about the sale, visit www.gscsnj.org.