Cookie-Direct-Mail-2017

2017 Cookie Program Highlights

connection Join Us for a Celebration 100 Years in the Making!

This year’s Cookie Season will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts selling cookies. Well before Girl Scout Cookies were produced by licensed bakers to sell nationally, Girl Scouts baked and sold cookies on their own. Our girls were entrepreneurs going as far back as 1917!

Since then, girls across the country have been learning basic skills needed to become great leaders. Selling Girl Scout cookies not only help Girl Scouts earn money for fun, educational activities and community projects, but also plays a huge role in transforming girls into G.I.R.L.s (Go-getters, Innovators, Risk-takers, Leaders) as they learn essential life skills that will stay with them forever.

Important Dates January 13 – 29, 2017

Girls Take Orders

February 17 – 24, 2017

Girls Deliver Cookies

February 24 – 26, 2017

National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend

February 24 – March 12, 2017 March 13, 2017

May 2017

Girl Scouts hold Booth Sales

Deadline for Girl/Guardians to Submit Money to Troop Cookie Manager

Cookie Recognitions are Shipped for Distribution to Girls

Cookies will remain $4 a box upon delivery, with a gluten-free variety, Trios, at $5 a box.

Celebrating 100 Years of Girl Scouts Selling Cookies

Girls can keep selling cookies following the pre-order period by using their Mini-Order card, available at abcsmartcookies.com

F un Fact s

During booth sales, girls are required to act in ways becoming of a Girl Scout. No yelling, no running, no harassing consumers, etc.

Remember to tell each person, whether buying or not,

Learn about cookie history for the past 100 years. Check out the timeline of adventure at www.gsle.org/cookiehistory To celebrate, get crafty with our fun cards you can use to WOW cookie fans! It’s fun to share these facts with your cookie customers!

Visit www.gsle.org/cookie-resources for the cards and more.

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Introducing To commemorate this banner year for the organization, the highly-anticipated Girl Scout S’mores cookie is making its debut! The Girl Scout S’mores cookie celebrates the very essence of Girl Scouting—in fact, the first recorded S’mores recipe appeared in “Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts,” published in 1927! Our new cookie, baked by ABC Bakers, is a crispy graham cookie double dipped in yummy crème icing and finished with a scrumptious chocolately coating. It is vegan, and free of artificial colors, preservatives, and partially hydrogenated oils.

The Girl Scout S’mores is sure to be a fast favorite of Girl Scout Cookie fans and Girl Scouts alike.

Our Girl Scouts are stars!

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Recognize

that Girl Scout?

ABC Baker’s Cookie theme, Be Unique, Be You! is featuring southeast Louisiana Girl Scouts in its nationwide campaign materials. Local Girl Scouts were selected to participate in a photo shoot in New Orleans in fall 2015.

ting in a ip ic t r a p y b n e celebratio roop 100! id w n io t a n e h t Join ’s Cookie T A S U e h t f o s t u o Girl Sc One lucky troop from EVERY council around the country will win $100 each to put toward their awesome cookie Take Action or service project. And Girl Scouts Louisiana East has decided to match that $100 with another $100!

And one VERY lucky troop will win $3,000 from GSUSA to super-power their project!

You can participate in 4 easy steps: 1. Set a troop goal and share the plan for your cookie money – what cool stuff will you do to improve your community this year?

2. Earn a Cookie Business badge – take your pick for your grade level.

3. As a troop, ask 100 NEW customers to buy cookies.

4. Bling Your Booth. Be sure to snap a cool photo.

Once all 4 steps are completed, ask your troop leader to help you submit your entry at girlscouts.org/cookietroop100 to unlock your patch, and enter for a chance to win cash to invest in your cookie Take Action or service project.

Winning troops will be randomly selected – no voting necessary.

Cookie Line-up

Celebrating

Thanks-A-Lot®

Shortbreads

vegan Carmel DeLites®

Peanut Butter Sandwich

Peanut Butter Patties®

vegan

Lemonades ™

vegan

Thin Mints®

vegan Trios Gluten Free

Girl Scouts S’mores ™

vegan

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Participate in Cookie Share and/or iGive

Many Girl Scout troops participate in Cookie Share (formerly called Gift of Caring), in which girls encourage customers to buy cookies for donation to a nonprofit organization selected by the troop.

In 2016 nearly 12,200 boxes of cookies were donated to 200 local community organizations and non-profits, local firefighters, police, and hospitals, with a significant number of cookies going to military men and women serving overseas.

The council offers a virtual “iGive” donation option for the 2017 Cookie Program, with cookies going to Second Harvest Food Bank and Blue Star Mothers. The council delivers the cookies; volunteers and girls do not handle any of these boxes.

Cookie Time is Family Time!

Here are the TOP FIVE Ways your family can support your Girl Scout!

Encourage goal setting - Guide her to set practical and useful goals about what she wants to learn and earn.

Support her sales – Help your Girl Scout network with family and friends, but let her do the “ask” so she can learn important business skills.

Use the Cookie Command Center – Your troop/ group has a customized web-based business center! Our Cookie Command Center (COCO) lets girls manage their cookie activities online.

Volunteer – Her group needs help chaperoning booth sales, picking up cookies, and more.

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Practice safety – Help your daughter understand the Girl Scout safety rules.

Teaching Girls the Five Essential Skills GOAL SETTING At the start of the sales, each girl will set a goal. And it’s not just about how many packages she sells. Her goals should also be based on things she’ll learn, experiences she’ll have, and what she’ll accomplish one she reaches her sales target.

DECISION MAKING Throughout the sale, she’ll make decisions, both with the troop and individually. What will they do with their cookie proceeds?

Where is the best place for a booth sale? Help her sharpen her skills for making good choices.

MONEY MANAGEMENT For many girls, this is the first time they are responsible for handling money. Through the sale, they will learn accountability and the importance of accuracy.

PEOPLE SKILLS Your Girl Scout learns how to talk to, listen to and work with all kinds of people while selling cookies. You’ll be amazed at how much confidence can be built along the way.

BUSINESS ETHICS Girls will learn that strong values should lead any business – including hers.

Cookies to College Scholarship Program Attention cookie entrepreneurs! To be eligible for our council’s Cookies to College $1,000 scholarship, an applicant must be: a currently registered Girl Scout in the council who’s been an active participant in the Cookie program for the last four years. She must also be a graduating high school senior who is continuing her education following graduation.

The application can be found by on www. gsle.org and must be submitted, along with a letter of recommendation, by midnight, May 1. The scholarship(s) will be announced and distributed in mid-July.

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recognitions

While it is participation in the Cookie Program that provides troops their funding for activities, trips, and service projects, girls also receive individual recognitions such as patches, T-shirts, and more. Top awards include an American Girl Truly Me doll, bike and helmet or a free week at resident camp, customized Vans sneakers, electronics, and a “Diva Destination,” for girls who sell 600 + boxes, where they select which destination(s), i.e. museum, restaurant, or other entertainment opportunity being offered. All recognitions are cumulative, so the more you sell, the more recognitions you receive.

Girls who sell 500+ boxes enter the Cookie “Hall of Fame,” and are invited to a special “Cookie Diva” event. Girls who sell 750+ boxes are also invited to a “Cookie CEO” event!

Visit www.gsle.org/cookierewards to see this year’s recognitions!

Here’s just some of what you can earn!

Initial Order Rewards: Sell 150 boxes during preorder and receive the sports bottle. Sell 175 boxes and receive a cute tote!

Daisy Rewards: Girl Scout Daisies who meet the goal of 130+ packages sold during the sale will receive the journal with markers.

Super Troop Award: Earn a Super Cute Sling Backpack!

Cookie Share: Sell 5 or more Cookie Share boxes and earn the Cookie Share patch!

Criteria to earn: 1. Troops must participate in Cookie Share or iGive Program.

2. Troops must have a per girl average of 217+ packages.

3. Troops must submit a budget.

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Check out this year’s Cookie Diva event!

Girl Scout Night with the New Orleans Pelicans (vs Chicago Bulls)

Diva Destinations 2017

Sunday, April 2, 2017

2016 Cookie topseller Guliette Bourgeois delivers the game ball during a New Orleans Pelicans game last spring.

Girls who sell 500+ packages are invited and will also earn $30 cookie dough!

GSLE Your Booth!

This council-sponsored contest encourages troops to exhibit their creativity and have fun at the same time! Select a theme from the list below; use decorations, costumes, themed props, and signs – just keep safety in mind.

Winners will receive: 1st place: 2 nights at GSLE camp of choice 2nd place: 1 night at GSLE camp of choice 3rd place: 1 day at GSLE camp of choice oth bo your

GSLE Denham Springs Brownie Troop 10993 take first in the 2016 Bling Your Booth Contest.

Themes to choose from: Be Unique, Be You Cookie Troop 100 Thanks-A-Lot One photo entry per troop/girl, emailed to cookies@gsle.org. Please enter “Bling Your Wagon” or “Bling Your Booth” in Subject line. Deadline is March 24, 2017. Include girl’s name & grade, troop # (5 digits), community #, leader’s name, phone or email. Photos may be featured on GSLE’s website or social media accounts.

Cookies on Wheels What’s a clever way to advertise cookie sales? Put that creativity to work as you Bling Your Wagon! Note: no cars or SUVs etc, this is an individual girl contest. Choose a theme from above, decorate and submit a photo which must include Girl Scout (in uniform, GS T-shirt or pin) and her creation.

Winners will receive: 1st place: $100 Cookie Dough 2nd place: $75 Cookie Dough 3rd place: $50 Cookie Dough

n ago w r you

Bling Your Wagon winner Madison Faber of Madisonville.

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P.O. Box 10800 • New Orleans, LA 70181-0800 (504) 733-8220 • (800) 644-7571 • www.gsle.org

Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID New Orleans, LA PERMIT NO. 428

connection ! p u g n omi

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#gscookieboss

Instagram Challenge

February – March 2017 (exact dates to be announced)

Open to Girl Scouts 13+ (including Alumnae)

Challenge Rules: M Follow @GirlScouts on Instagram M Upload a “selfie” photo to Instagram and hashtag #gsCookieBoss and tag @GirlScouts M Share a cool experience that was powered by the Cookie Program or a lesson learned as a “Cookie Boss.”

Winners will be randomly selected.

Prize per winner will include: Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 Instant Film Camera Gold Engraveable Necklace provided by Stella & Dot

Share Your Cookie Success Story!

Was your booth a work of art? Did your troop exceed its goals? Or do something that made the world a better place with the money you earned?

Every year, Girl Scouts across the country take the lead to do amazing things by selling cookies, and using what they earn to better themselves and their communities—it’s pretty amazing stuff.

Have a parent or troop leader submit your story at girlscouts.org/shareyourstory for a chance to be featured throughout the year on girlscoutcookies.org, the GSUSA Blog, Facebook and Twitter pages, in media during our celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouts selling cookies, and more— so cool!