Girl Scout cookies in the time of COVID
CHICO >> The pandemic changed the way sales are done for many business including Girls Scouts who have employed some creative methods to get those Thin Mints, Samoas and Do-si-dos into the hands, and ultimately the mouths and stomachs, of cookie fans.
“We went digital in a big way, holding our meetings on Zoom and with digital cookie websites. The girls each have their own so they can sell cookies. One of our moms is a graphic artist so she helped design digital resources like flyers, doorhangers and business cards with links to the girls’ cookies sites. And sales are going really well,” said Allison McGann, Troop 70688 leader.
McGann said there was no pressure on any of her troop members to sell cookies, but most of the girls decided to give it a go anyway. In addition to selling to friends and family and creating their own cookie sale sites through digitalcookie.girlscouts.org, the 14 kindergarten and first
grade members of Troop 70688 also took advantage of their parents’ social media pages to advertise and a couple Daisies made their own cookie commercials.
“We worked with the girls to set up realistic sales goals but the season has been surprisingly very successful. We’ve well exceeded our initial sales goals which were pretty modest but we’ve easily sold four times our goal amount and we’re not done. Cookie sales go through the end of March,” said McGann.
McGann’s daughter Amelia originally set a goal to sell 325 boxes but, as she explains in her video on her Amelia’s Cookie World website, https://digitalcookie.girlscouts.org/scout/ amelia994703, she upped her goal to 600, the same amount she sold in 2020.
She explains that she’s selling cookies to help the animals at the Butte Humane Society because “I love cats and dogs and want to help those who need homes find them.”
A quick check of Amelia’s site shows that she’s exceeded her goal with sales of more than 800 boxes, and she’s still selling.
While COVID-19 restrictions have eased up and Girl Scouts is now allowing troop members to sell doorto-door or set up booths in front of their homes, firstyear scout Lucy Erwin, 5, will continue to sell virtually.
“Lucy is immune compromised with severe childhood asthma. She joined the troop in August 2020. She’s only ever attended troop meetings on Zoom and sold cookies virtually,” said her mother, Hillary Erwin.
Lucy began her promotion by emailing her cookie sales website link, https:// digitalcookie.girlscouts.org/ scout/lucy296528, to friends and family and friends of friends and family. She also made a couple of videos, one of which is included on her site. Wearing her uniform and a facemask, Lucy also walked “across the city” hanging 300 door hangers on potential customers’ front doors.
While her parents encouraged their 5-year-old scout, they also wanted her to set realistic sales goals. Lucy’s original goal was 300 boxes and when she surpassed that number, she bumped the goal up another 300 then another 300. As of last count the little entrepreneur has sold 1,010 boxes of cookies and said she’s working toward 1,500 boxes which would win her a trip to Disney Land.
With the shipping option available on the website, Lucy has sold cookies all over the country and personally, with help from mom, delivered more than 600 boxes of cookies throughout Butte County. On all the Girls Scouts’ cookie websites is an option to buy and donate cookies to others. Lucy’s goal was to collect enough donations to give boxes of cookies to the Torres Shelter for their guests. On March 15, Lucy, dressed in full uniform, delivered 102 boxes to the homeless shelter. Any further donations will be distributed to local first responders and food banks.
“It’s been a lot of work for the entire family, but it’s been worth it to see her happy and determined to reach her goals,” said Erwin.
To find a Girl Scout selling cookies near you visit https://www.girlscouts.org/ en/cookies/all-about-cookies/How-to-Buy.html. Shipping is available for a fee but many local Girl Scouts offer free home delivery.