I will only buy girl scout cookies...

[htmom]

I don't. But when there are troops and councils doing things like this some people will judge.

 

[MSLRAC]

Actually this varies by council. Your experience is not how it is my council. Every year the council's top sellers are recognized. In fact on the council website there is currently a video showing the "prize patrol" (adults from council) going to the homes of the girls who were the top sellers in the council and surprising them with balloons and an award. So that poster was correct about recognition for the top sellers, in some councils anyway.

That's sad. The closest our council gets to recognizing top sellers is that all girls that sale over 500 boxes are entered to win a scholarship and the winners are drawn during GS day at a local theme park.

I'm a Service Unit Specialist for our council so I've gotten to meet leaders from all over during various events and I've yet to meet one from a council that does anything like you mentioned. But if that does happen, it's no wonder that there is a move to make the cookie sale uniform across the entire US.

 

[allison443]

That's sad. The closest our council gets to recognizing top sellers is that all girls that sale over 500 boxes are entered to win a scholarship and the winners are drawn during GS day at a local theme park.

I'm a Service Unit Specialist for our council so I've gotten to meet leaders from all over during various events and I've yet to meet one from a council that does anything like you mentioned. But if that does happen, it's no wonder that there is a move to make the cookie sale uniform across the entire US.

If it happens? Google "top seller girl scout cookies" and you will get results from council websites, as well as newspaper articles and news reports featuring the top selling girls. Councils obviously are promoting this, as a way to advertise and promote the sale. It is a big source of revenue for them.
Personally I prefer the way your council does it.

 

[MSLRAC]

I don't. But when there are troops and councils doing things like this some people will judge.

I can understand that but it's frustrating to be judged based on the actions of others. We actually had an entire multi-level troop go down at the end of last year because of misappropriations of cookie funds. So I get it but it still stinks when you're part f one of the good troops.

 

[MSLRAC]

If it happens? Google "top seller girl scout cookies" and you will get results from council websites, as well as newspaper articles and news reports featuring the top selling girls. Councils obviously are promoting this, as a way to advertise and promote the sale. It is a big source of revenue for them. Personally I prefer the way your council does it.

That was poor wording on my part. It obviously does happen in some areas. I know things are different from council to council. We honestly stuck with our old council when we moved last year. So I drive 90 minutes one way for meetings and events but it's worth it for my girls and all the girls that I help serve.

And I apologize if any of my posts have come across rude or anything. That wasn't my intent. I'm just very passionate about GS because I've seen all the good that those girls can do.

 

[MSSANDRA]

We have a huge troop at our church and a lot of the little girls go to our church so we get asked a lot. My rule is I will buy from any little girl that ask me. When a mom at church ask me, when her child is running around somewhere else, I just say ," have little Mary ask me. Ill love to buy from her." I am fine if mom helps a younger or shy kid ask, but I don't buy from moms most of the time. I have had a ton of FB friends post a request to buy cookies from their kids this month. My standard response is to have their child call me. None have yet.. I did order off FB from my friend who's daughter has some social issues that would make calling me difficult. We are not huge fans of the cookies and just buy to help the kids out.

 

[North of Mouse]

Wow, that is not how it is at all. There are no prizes for the girls that sale the most. There is no winner and most troops don't even recognize top sellers...it's usually the troop sold xxx and met our goal. All most councils want is for the girls to try their best. The prizes are based on boxes sold and girls can increase their numbers by doing booths and blitzes. I have honestly taken cookie sales from my own daughters to give to another girl to get that girl to the next prize level because she worked so hard. So please, learn about the organization firsthand before you start judging it.

Wow, but that is exactly how it has been. Maybe you should learn more about the organization before you start attacking other poster's experiences!

Maybe you don't know as much about girl scout organization's cookie sales as you think you do. I no longer have any desire to buy from them. I really feel sorry for the little girls being pressured to sale these. And yes, there was a large article in our paper this week talking about a big 'promotional' party with cookies, getting the girls fired up to sale!

They have put children's pictures in the paper with #'s of boxes sold and prizes won!

 

[MSLRAC]

Wow, but that is exactly how it has been. Maybe you should learn more about the organization before you start attacking other poster's experiences! They have put children's pictures in the paper with #'s of boxes sold and prizes won!

I know plenty and I know it's not the norm for many, many councils but you don't care. You've seen it and you don't like it, so you won't buy cookies from the evil girl scouts and you'll tell anyone that will listen why. Very few people care to ask or take notice of all the good the girls do with the cookie money...they'd rather stay focused on the bad or aspects that they don't like.

 

[LoserMomma]

Wow, but that is exactly how it has been. Maybe you should learn more about the organization before you start attacking other poster's experiences!

Maybe you don't know as much about girl scout organization's cookie sales as you think you do. I no longer have any desire to buy from them. I really feel sorry for the little girls being pressured to sale these. And yes, there was a large article in our paper this week talking about a big 'promotional' party with cookies, getting the girls fired up to sale!

They have put children's pictures in the paper with #'s of boxes sold and prizes won!

Those articles and pictures in the paper...pretty sure those girls are thrilled to have them there. They worked hard to get there. (BTW, the top seller in our county only does door to door...her parents don't sell for her at all. That's a heck of a lot of work and she deserves recognition)

Again, the girls will respect a "no thank you". If you have an axe to grind against Scouting...go for it.

 

[starwatcher]

I was at trade days today which is a big open air market that is held 1 weekend each month. There was a bunch of girl scouts there going to the venders and customers asking if anyone wanted cookies. I bought 3 boxes cause they were sweet talking to my 5 year old who enjoyed talking to them

 

[North of Mouse]

I know plenty and I know it's not the norm for many, many councils but you don't care. You've seen it and you don't like it, so you won't buy cookies from the evil girl scouts and you'll tell anyone that will listen why. Very few people care to ask or take notice of all the good the girls do with the cookie money...they'd rather stay focused on the bad or aspects that they don't like.

But not enough to admit you didn't realize everyone doesn't do it the way you do there?? And then not admit it when we told you, but I'm the problem because I told you what it was like here! This is more wide spread than you care to acknowledge. OK, enjoy your scouting and have a nice day.

Those articles and pictures in the paper...pretty sure those girls are thrilled to have them there. They worked hard to get there. (BTW, the top seller in our county only does door to door...her parents don't sell for her at all. That's a heck of a lot of work and she deserves recognition)

Again, the girls will respect a "no thank you". If you have an axe to grind against Scouting...go for it.

Evidently you did not read my previous posts. I have no problems with the girls having their pictures in the paper - if they indeed were the ones that sold the cookies and not sold by others for their prizes. (Actually one, anyway, did not 'work' hard, but someone did). I just feel for the ones that honestly 'did' do their own selling, but not enough to win. I'll let you grind your own axe as I have other things to do more worthwhile.

 

[MSLRAC]

But not enough to admit you didn't realize everyone doesn't do it the way you do there?? And then not admit it when we told you, but I'm the problem because I told you what it was like here! This is more wide spread than you care to acknowledge. OK, enjoy your scouting and have a nice day.

I do realize that not all things are done the same in all the councils. That's why I travel with other SU Specialists to training meetings all over the country...we meet to share ideas and bounce thoughts off of one another. However, I honestly didn't realize that any were still doing top seller awards on the level mentioned here. I didn't deny it after I was told. If people on here say that they do it that way in their area, then I have no reason to doubt that. GSUSA wants all councils to move towards a more uniform cookie sale process and reward system and if all of this is going on, it makes sense why.

It just annoys me when people like you are so negative towards the girls. They work hard to sale those cookie, even the ones that have their parents help.

 

[Strawberry's mom&dad]

I did booth sales with my DD's troop. It is harder for the older girls to get the sales. So now I support the older girls more than the younger. That being said I only buy 1-2 boxes per year but I will donate money to the troop after talking to the girls and ask what they are working for.

 

[DarthKTrava]

Since I don't personally know any Girl Scouts, the only time I get cookies is when some are selling outside K-Mart or somewhere else I happen to be and have enough money. One time, I told them "no thank you", went inside and got cash back. Then went back out and bought a couple of boxes. Thin Mints, of course! Usually it's been the girls doing the selling and the parents standing back, supervising.

 

[disneychrista]

Too early for Girl Scout cookies around here. Won't see any for another month or so. Only see booth sales mid-late February, early March.

 

[disneychrista]

There are no prizes for the girls that sale the most.

Not sure about now but back in the early 80's I went to girl scout camp, I am pretty sure for free, because of the amount of cookies "I" sold. I say "I" because I know this was largely in part to my dad taking it to work and selling there. But I also did door to door sales in my greater neighborhood. There were no "booth" sales back then, so that may be the difference. It really was up to the individual girls.

 

[MSLRAC]

Not sure about now but back in the early 80's I went to girl scout camp, I am pretty sure for free, because of the amount of cookies "I" sold. I say "I" because I know this was largely in part to my dad taking it to work and selling there. But I also did door to door sales in my greater neighborhood. There were no "booth" sales back then, so that may be the difference. It really was up to the individual girls.

The girls usually have to sale 1250 (or more) boxes to go to day camp for free. But our service unit offers the girls cookie cash that can be put toward camp. They earn it at various increments throughout the sale and they start earning it a 25 boxes. Many troops, mine included, match cookie cash for the girls. So most girls that participate are able to get some sort of discount or go for free. Girls that don't use their cookie cash for camp can use it at the council shop to buy whatever they want.

But I was a scout back in the mid 80's and 90's and I'm pretty sure that camp was earned for free with far less cookies sold. I earned it every year but my mom (also my leader) made sure I was the one that asked everyone to buy. I don't blame her because she was our cookie mom too and our living room would be wall to wall cookies for a couple of months. She didn't have time to sale my cookies for me.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Yes, if you don't want to buy, please at least acknowledge the girls that asked you and say no thank you. For many girls, it takes every ounce of courage and bravery that they have in their tiny little bodies to ask a stranger to buy a box cookies and it hurts their feelings when people are rude to them or totally ignore them.

Ot but maybe the adult did not hear them normally when I go to publix my mind is on getting in getting out and remembering what is on my lis, bandicoot I am in my own world

 

[hoffmann2828]

As a former Girl Scout and the mom of a current Scout, cookie selling has changed a lot since I was selling. Back when I was selling, the majority of our sales came from door to door selling that my friends and I did in our neighborhood. Nowadays, the girls are specifically told NOT to do that. The majority of DD's sales came in the following ways: 1) Bringing the sheet with us to places such as church, ballet etc... DD did all the selling then and I was just in the background. 2) I posted on Facebook letting people know that DD was selling cookies if they were interested. I said we'd be happy to call or message anyone who wanted more info. DD is too young for an account, so this one had to be done by me. A surprising # of people would prefer to just order their cookies this way. 3) DH bringing the sheet to work. This one generated about 1/3 of the sales. Although there is no pressure to do so, most of them buy from each other when one of the children is selling something. 4) My work - I happen to teach where DD goes to school. Since there are obviously lots of scouts there, I just send an e-mail letting people know and if they are are interested, DD will bring them the cookie sheet before school starts. 5) Calling/ seeing family members and close friends. I will say that I think that, with the exception of the Daisys/ youngest scouts who may need help with the $, that the girls should be doing the majority of the work at the booth sales with the adults in the background stepping in as needed.

I'm sorry, I don't know what council you are from, but I've never heard the girls are told NOT to sell door to door.

I'm a troop leader and we tell the girls they must go with a parent/adult. Going door to door is a tradition and is still highly encouraged.

 

[hoffmann2828]

"I don't buy the cookies anymore. Ever since I found out the GS Troop only gets about 75 cents on each box of cookies. I find that such a shame. You would think the bakeries wouldn't take such a profit on these cookies I just make a donation for about 25.00 to the local GS troop About the same amount I would have spent on cookies.

I didn't read all the way through yet, but this is both correct and incorrect. Yes, the troop only gets about .70-.75 a box, but the rest goes to the local council that uses that money for leader trainings, camp properties, prizes, etc. The girls are still reaping the benefits on the full cookie profit.