Front row, from left, Madeleine McDaniel, 7; Laura Crispell, 7; Katie Crispell (5 and a Daisy Scout), and back row, Ali Mullendore,8, and Merkindle Luttrell, members of Brownie Troop 2855.

Annual Girl Scout Cookie drive under way
By SUSAN LEATHERS
Brentwood Home Page
Just in time to sidetrack New Year’s Resolutions made across the nation, local Girl Scouts have kicked off the 2012 Girl Scout Cookie sale. Orders will be taken through Jan. 18 for delivery beginning Feb. 12 – just in time for Valentine’s Day or for munching when you’ve decided all that exercise and carb-counting is overrated.

Brownie Troop 2855, comprised of second graders from Sunset and David Lipscomb elementary schools, are just one of many troops participating in the international organization’s largest fundraiser. And the 14 scouts have a goal, a big goal – to sell 1,250 of the $3.50 boxes in order to raise enough money to build a house for a family in Haiti.

The Cookie Sale theme this year is “What can a cookie do?”, says Stephanie McDaniel, Service Unit 178 Cookie Manager and a Troop 2855 leader. “It’s easy to see that a Girl Scout cookie is delicious and creates lots of fun for the girls, but it’s even more. Girl Scouts participating in the cookie sale can dream more; have more opportunities; and give more to their communities.”

Each troop individually decides how it will use its portion of the money they raise. McDaniel’s troop spent a meeting deciding where there cookie proceeds could “do more.”

“After many ideas and quite a few votes, they decided to raise money to build a home for a family in Haiti.  As a leader, it was incredible to see this group of girls come up with this idea on their own and understand what happened with the earthquake in Haiti and why the people there are in need,” she adds.

Cookies can be pre-ordered now or purchased between Feb. 12 and March 4 at booth sales outside of local Kroger, Harris-Teeter, Wal-Mart and other businesses. Shoppers can find a local booth sale by visiting the Girl Scout Cookie website at www.girlscoutcookies.org. There’s even a Cookie Finder app for Smart phones.

In addition to the traditional Thin Mints, Trefoils, Samoas, Do-Si-Dos, Dulce de Leche, Lemon Chalet Cremes, Tagalongs and Thank U Berry Munch, a new flavor, Savannah Smiles, is being introduced in honor of Girl Scouts of America’s centennial. Named after founder Juliet Gordon Lowe’s birthplace, the lemon wedge cookies are cool and crisp.

Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee serves more than 15,000 girls and 7,000 adult volunteers in 39 counties. It is a part of Girl Scouts of the USA, with a membership of more than 2.6 million girls and adults nationwide.

Determined to stay on that diet? Want to stay away from sweet treats? You can still support the Girl Scout Cookie Program by participating in the Gift of Caring, a branch of the Cookie Program. This year, Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee has chosen the soldiers at Ft. Campbell to receive donated packages of cookies. To find out how you can help, ask your local Girl Scout troop about this program.

In addition, proceeds from the sale make it possible for all girls to participate in Girl Scouting by providing financial assistance for girls who would not otherwise be able to afford special Girl Scout programs.