MANAGING THE COOKIES

INITIAL ORDERS

When entering the Initial Order Cookies— ⚬ Do not estimate a girl’s order. Troops and families are responsible for all cookies even unsold cookies. • A troop can order additional cookies for booth sales on the troop’s initial order.

Use the ‘extra’ cookies line in Smart Cookies. Do not enter extra booth cookies in Smart Cookies as a girl order. • GSMH reserves the right to request a copy of a girl’s order card for verification if her initial order is deemed unusually high. • GSMH reserves the right to limit or refuse any cookie orders during the initial order or direct sale.

GIRL TRANSFERS

If a girl changes troops during the Cookie Program, the cookies must be paid for and/or the new troop must be willing to accept the transfer of unsold cookies into her troop. Funds or proceeds never follow a girl, as troop proceeds belong to the troop and never become the property of an individual Girl Scout.

COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS

In an attempt to be sure that all complaints during the Cookie Program are fully substantiated honestly and fairly, the following guidelines have been implemented. • Third-party complaints will not be accepted. The person with the complaint must be the person who saw it, heard it, read it, or was directly involved in it. • Complaints will only be accepted in writing and with a signature. • Complaints must include specific examples.

HAVE EXTRA COOKIES?

GSMH Facebook groups you can join where you can connect with other Troop Cookie Chairs for ideas, support, and troop-to-troop transfers! The GSMH Product Program and the Girl Scouts MO Heartland Volunteers

UTILIZE THE PRODUCT PROGRAM FACEBOOK GROUP TO:

• Find troops in and around your town who may need additional cookies. • Find cookies on days a cookie cupboard may not be open. • Be a sister to every Girl Scout! Help a troop that may have excess inventory. • Communicate with other Troop Leaders.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• Transfer transactions must be completed in Smart Cookies for proper tracking of financial responsibility. The troop that receives the cookies should complete the transfer in Smart Cookies. • Make sure to obtain a handwritten receipt with both troop signatures when meeting to transfer the cookies. • Troop contacts will receive an email when cookies are transfered.

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MANAGING THE COOKIES

Let’s get right to it—how do I get my cookies? Managing the troop’s cookies means placing an initial order, transferring cookies to girls, and visiting cupboards when necessary. With the Smart Cookies online platform, it’s much easier to manage cookie inventory!

HOW TROOPS AND GIRLS GET COOKIES

There are three main ways troops can get cookies during the Cookie Program. Check out the details for each starting on page 32. 1. INITIAL COOKIE ORDER—You will pick up your troop’s initial orders at what is called a Service Unit Pickup. These pickup locations are towns within each service unit where all the cookies for the service unit are delivered to one location at one time. Your Service Unit Cookie Chair will let you know the date, time, and location to pick up your troop’s cookies. 2. COOKIE CUPBOARDS—Cookie cupboards open in mid-February, and they are a way for troops to restock on inventory when their initial cookie orders run out. Before heading out to a cupboard, be sure to check to see if you need to place a planned order ahead of time. 3. FROM OTHER TROOPS—Transferring cookies between troops is a great way to manage troop inventory, so troops who may have too many of one can kind can share with troops who may not have enough. It’s all part of the Girl Scout Law to use our resources wisely. This can also be a great way to get cookies when cupboards are closed.

TIPS FOR MANAGING YOUR TROOP’S COOKIES

• Maintain good records! Always issue receipts any time cookies or money are exchanged. Keep all receipts until at least December 31, 2021. • Allocate cookies to girls often to ensure that you have a full picture of unsold cookies with both your troop and each girl. • Share your own experience with girls. Whether it’s selling in your job or with

Girl Scouts, this can help girls see the connection between their Cookie

Program experiences and their future careers. • Set a weekly schedule with families to check on the amount of cookie inventory your girls have on-hand. Set the expectations for communication and inform families of what you will use at your Family Cookie meeting.

Friday or Saturday is helpful for planning for the upcoming week or weekend, especially if you need to place a planned order, or visit a cookie cupboard. • Help with moving cookie inventory between girls. With your eagle-eye view, you’ll know the best connections to make between families to get everyone to their selling goal. • Remind families that cookies must be kept in good condition, and stored in secure areas free of extreme temperature changes, pests, smoke, or other damaging effects. If girls plan to transfer cookies, the cookies can be refused if they do not meet quality standards.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOUR INITIAL PICK UP

Once initial orders are in, it’s time to plan for the arrival of cookies. If you haven’t yet seen a cookie delivery, it’s quite a sight! Many semi-trucks deliver around 75,000 cases of cookies to our service center and local cookie cupboards, and there’s a great deal of excitement and Girl Scout sisterhood at the pickup sites. We call this first big delivery the initial order delivery. Your Service Unit Cookie Chair COOKIE BOOTHS will give you instructions on the process, date, and time for picking up your troops initial order cookies. Cookie booths are sale opportunities where the general public can purchase Girl Scout Cookies from girls. Booths are located in public YOUR ROLE INCLUDES: business locations, and are either secured by Girl Scouts River Valleys or ⚬ Arranging for pickup of the initial order. by the troop. ⚬ Printing the order confirmation to bring to the delivery to confirm totals. ⚬ Verifying cookie totals by variety at the pickup location. Count with the Cookie booths are a great way for your girls to learn how to work and set goals Service Unit Cookie Chair or designated volunteer before leaving the location. together. You can find a separate Cookie Booth Guide in your bright green Cookie ⚬ Setting a day and time for families to pick up their inventory. Booth Kit to learn more about how to sign up and run your troop’s booth. ⚬ Issuing receipts to families for total number of cookies picked up, by variety of cookie. TYPES OF BOOTHS

1. Council-secured booths: Booths set up by Girl Scout River Valleys staff. Be sure COOKIE CUPBOARDto sign up for these booths before the season begins through the booth lottery After you have received your initial cookie order, you will likely need more cookies to and/or first-come, first-served. fill additional girl orders or for booth sales. There are cupboards at our five service center locations, as well as many locations throughout GSMH. Typically, they are run by gracious volunteers who are kind enough to host them. This is where you can pick up additional cookies, and replace damaged product with the same product variety. There are two types of cookie cupboards. 2. Troop-secured booths: Booths located at stores that troops themselves have contacted and requested to sell. These booths need to be requested in Smart Cookies at least 3 days in advance so that we can make sure there aren’t any timing conflicts with another troop. 1. GSMH CUPBOARDS: These are located in the five GSMH service centers and they are open to all troops. 2. REGIONAL CUPBOARDS: PRO TIP These are located in service units without close proximity to a GSMH service center and also open to all troops. You can host a cookie booth on your own property, just like a Troops must check with the Cookie Cupboard Manager to determine the process lemonade stand (a Lemonades™ stand—get it?). Plus, it doesn’t for picking up the cookies in these locations, as not all have the same hours or require permission from Girl Scouts River Valleys! process for picking up the cookies.

CHECK IT OFF THE LIST

Before Jan. 13, 2020: Make selections for the booth lottery (if your CHECK IT OFF THE LISTtroop is participating).

After December 11, 2020, log into Smart Cookies and enter your number of girls selling under troop information. Starting January 16, 2020: Sign-up for additional cookie booths Also verify your troop’s bank account information in Smart Cookies at this time. beings in a first-come, first-served round process (if your troop is participating). Feb. 17, 2020: Cookie booth sales begin.