Girl Scouts & Benefits of Participating in Cookie Booths

As I think that I have mentioned many times before, I am a Girl Scout troop leader.  My troop is composed of Juniors (4th & 5th graders).  I have been very fortunate to have amazing parents and girls who jump at the chance to sign-up for Girl Scout cookie booths.  Not as many leaders are as lucky as me.  I have heard from quite a few leaders that they are having a hard time getting girls to cookie booths.

If you are the parent of a Girl Scouts, consider the many benefits of signing your daughter up for booth sales:

Money Earned For Your Daughter's Troop

The more girls who participate at booth sales, the more booth sales you can have and this means more money for the troop.  Now, leaders and troops do different things with cookie money.  We personally use the majority of cookie money for troop trips.  Active participation in booths means that my parents rarely have to pay for troop trips because the troop

Girls Acquire Money Skills

The only time an adult volunteer handles money at one of our cookie booths is when it is too windy for the girls to do it themselves.  While my girls are older and already have some money experience, the adding and subtracting and learning to count money back is a valuable tool.  For our area, Girl Scout cookie prices have increased to $4 (they were $3.50), which will make it much easier on them. Trust me when I say that my girls will be excited to not have to worry about those quarters anymore!

Girls Acquire Customer Service Skills

What I like about cookie booths is that even the most quiet Girl Scout (the one who you usually have to engage at meetings) comes out of her shell at cookie booth time!  These girls love engaging with customers.  They have come up with many cookie slogans, marketing tactics and even dances based around each cookie!  Knock on wood, we have always encountered great customers.  My proud moment is even a customer says "no," my troop girls still respond with "thank you anyways; I hope that you have a great day!"

Teamwork, Teamwork & More Teamwork!

Perhaps what I love most about cookie booth sales is that all Girl Scouts work together.  I'm sure that one of my seasoned pros could easily run a booth by herself, but they would rather work with their Girl Scout sisters and this makes me proud.  In the past, each girl develops a system themselves where they each get to spend time as the cashier, the stocker and the greeter.  At the close of each booth sale, I always hear "how did we do...never how did I do?"  As a Girl Scout leader, I am truly proud of the teamwork!