Girl Scouts Celebrate Sweet Success of Cookie Sale

"I am very excited. This cookie season was much better than last year," says Allison Kirchoff, 10, of Middletown. "I am very happy."

This was the second year in a row Kirchoff sold cookies. Media Patch caught up with Kirchoff in January when she picked up her initial cookie order at Cardinal O’Hara High School. She had set her sales goals pretty high going into the big cookie season, and came very close to meeting her mark. Kirchoff went door-to-door, selling to family, friends and neighbors, she worked weekend cookie booths all over the area, and had her dad help her sell them at work.

Kirchoff and the rest of her Troop worked tirelessly from Jan. 20 through March 6, promoting and selling the cookies, from the ever-popular Thin Mints and Caramel deLites, to the newer varieties, Thanks-a-Lots and Shout-Outs.

By the looks of this year's sales' totals, there is no doubt cookie lovers from across the region went out in droves, and bought up their fair share of boxes.

According to Barbara Bankert, the product program director for Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania (GSEP), the girls had a stellar year for sales.

"GSEP exceeded its 2011 goal of four million packages more than two weeks ago. Sales were higher this year than in 2009 or 2010," says Bankert.

Bankert points out the numbers are tremendous, given the fact our region experienced a pretty brutal winter with freezing temperatures and several snow storms. The weather, though, proved no match for the girls' diligence.

"All of the Cookie Program success is credited to the hard work of the girls, and a very dedicated team of volunteers, all the work they do, and the time they spend to help distribute the cookies," says Bankert. "The promotion of the program in their communities is truly amazing. They’re the ones that make the program so successful."

Now that the money is in the bank, the $14.6 million in profits will be distributed several ways, according to the GSEP. The majority of it, 56 percent in fact, will go right back to funding GSEP programs, including summer camps and leadership conferences. About 24 percent will cover the cost of the cookie bakers. And 18 percent goes to individual troops. The final 2 percent will be put toward recognition awards.

"The girls earn individual prizes based on the amount of cookies they sold, which include badges, bookmarks, necklaces, journals and stuffed animals," says Denise Clair. Clair acts as a Cookie Mom for Troop 57086 in Middletown, where Kirchoff is a member, along with 19 other girls.

Clair says she is pleased how they performed this year, and says they sold more than 3,000 boxes. The Troop raised almost $2,000, which will be used to cover activities. The girls recently enjoyed a camping trip at the Delaware Museum of Natural History, for instance.

All of the girls should be recognized for their hard work and commitment, and for the valuable lessons learned through the cookie program. GSEP CEO Natalye Paquin, Esq. is proud of what the girls have achieved over more than seven decades.

"For more than 75 years, the Girl Scout Cookie Program has helped girls build skills they'll use for life, including goal-setting, decision-making, money-management, and business ethics," says Paquin.

(Stay tuned to Media Patch for a Whiz Kid feature story on Girl Scout Allison Kirchoff coming soon.)