TROOP COOKIE CHAIR KEY DUTIES

NEW FOR THE 2021 COOKIE PROGRAM

There is lots of “new” for the 2021 Girl Scout Cookie Season! Look for the following topics as you read through this handy guidebook.

toast-yay

thin mints

shortbread

caramel

peanut butter patties

peanut butter sandwich

lemonades NEW COOKIE: TOAST-YAY!

French Toast inspired cookie dipped in delicious icing and full of flavor in every bite!

NO HIGH-FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has been removed from 4 cookies so that the entire line-up is now HFCS free!

CREDIT CARDS AT BOOTHS

Using credit cards at cookie booths just got easier! The process to use Smart Cookies has been enhanced for 2021. Use the Smart Cookies Guide to view step-by-step instructions prior to your first cookie booth.

TOUCH-FREE TRANSACTIONS

⚬ E-Card Pre-Payment Option: Credit card payment for e-card girl delivery orders with refund capability by GSMH. ⚬ Virtual Troop Booth link with credit card capability. ⚬ Direct Ship Link automatically credits Direct Ship or donation orders. ⚬ Online Forms—GSMH has converted as many forms as possible to

delites

online submission.

GLUTEN FREE COOKIES

Troops will be able to order up to 2 cases of Gluten Free Cookies on the initial order!

GSMH VIRTUAL COOKIE RALLY

Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland will be hosting the first ever all member Girl Scout Cookie Rally—virtual style!

ABC GIRL RECOGNITION LEVELS

More wearable items at earlier bonus levels!

NEW GSMH TROOP BONUS PROGRAM

In lieu of Troop Bucks, we have enhanced the Troop Bonus Program this year. More tiers, more possible proceeds!

EXTENDED ONLINE SALE TIME

Troops can continue to earn troop proceeds even after the official GSMH sale is over!

SUBSIDIZED CREDIT CARD FEES

GSMH will be subsidizing 100% of Smart Cookie credit card fees this year!

d eli te s ca ra me l

0000 0000 0000 0000 12/20 2001

TROOP COOKIE CHAIR KEY DUTIES

We hope you’re as excited and ready as we are to get the Girl Scout Cookie Season started! As a Troop Cookie Chair, you play a large role in the success of your troop’s Cookie Program, and even get to experience first-hand the girls’ growth in character and confidence as they learn new skills!

ROLE OVERVIEW

As the Troop Cookie Chair, your main responsibility is to oversee the Cookie Program for your troop. That means holding a family cookie meeting, helping girls set goals, managing the troop’s cookie inventory, and distributing girl recognitions.

DISTRIBUTE MATERIALS

The Service Unit Cookie Chair will distribute materials to you during your training. COOKIE BOOTHS With this year being unique, follow your Service Unit Cookie Chair’s instructions on how to receive and distribute the materials to your girls.Cookie booths are sale opportunities where the general public can purchase Girl Scout Cookies from girls. Booths are located in public RESOURCES FOR YOU RESOURCES FOR GIRLS ONLINE RESOURCES business locations, and are either secured by Girl Scouts River Valleys or ⚬ The Cookie Scoopby the troop. ⚬ Recognition Flyers ⚬ Step-by-Step Guides ⚬ Receipts Booklets ⚬ Money Envelopes ⚬ Online Forms ⚬ Order Card ⚬ ABC Smart Cookies Cookie booths are a great way for your girls to learn how to work and set goals together. You can find a separate Cookie Booth Guide in your bright green Cookie SET GOALS Booth Kit to learn more about how to sign up and run your troop’s booth.

One of the most important lessons girls can learn through selling Girl TYPES OF BOOTHS Scout Cookies is how to set and reach their goals. It’s one of the five 1. key skill builders of the Cookie Program. Council-secured booths: Booths set up by Girl Scout River Valleys staff. Be sure to sign up for these booths before the season begins through the booth lottery TIPS FOR SETTING TROOP GOALS and/or first-come, first-served. 2.⚬ For new troops, talk with your fellow Troop Leaders, Service Unit Cookie Chair, Troop-secured booths: Booths located at stores that troops themselves have or your GSMH New Leader Specialist for a recommendation based on your contacted and requested to sell. These booths need to be requested in Smart troop’s Girl Scout grade level. Cookies at least 3 days in advance so that we can make sure there aren’t any ⚬ For returning troops, review your 2020 total sales. Discuss with your troop timing conflicts with another troop. how to meet or exceed last year’s sales. ⚬ Discuss with the girls how they can help each other reach the troop goal and what they want to do with their proceeds.

PRO TIP Divide the amount of your monetary goal by the amount you can earn per package and this will give you the number of packages that your troop needs to sell! PRO TIP You can host a cookie booth on your own property, just like a lemonade stand (a Lemonades™ stand—get it?). Plus, it doesn’t require permission from Girl Scouts River Valleys!

TIPS FOR SETTING GIRL GOALSCHECK IT OFF THE LIST

⚬ Discuss individual goals with each girl. Talk about the recognitions that each Before Jan. 13, 2020: Make selections for the booth lottery (if your girl would like to achieve. troop is participating). ⚬ For returning troops, compare each girl’s goal with last year’s sales Starting January 16, 2020: Sign-up for additional cookie booths information in Smart Cookies. Discuss with her if she feels the goal is beings in a first-come, first-served round process (if your troop is reasonable and how she plans to reach this year’s goal. participating). ⚬ Include the parents/guardians! Do they agree with the goal? ⚬ The Family Cookie Meeting is the time to make sure parents/guardians are Feb. 17, 2020: Cookie booth sales begin. on board with both the girl and troop goals.

FIND IT ONLINE

For additional resources—like the complete first-come, first-served, PAGE 8 2020-2021 COOKIE SCOOPbooth schedule and troop-secured booth information—search for cookie booth sales on the volunteer website.

PREPARING YOURSELF AND YOUR TROOP

⚬ In MYGS, check that all girls are registered and on your roster. ⚬ Confirm your troop bank account information on file with GSMH. ⚬ Attend a Cookie Training held by your Service Unit Cookie Chair. ⚬ Did your troop participate in the Fall Product Program? If so, ensure the troop bill is paid in full. ⚬ All adults helping with the Cookie Program must be registered and background checked. After working with your girls to determine their troop goal and what they would like to do with their troop proceeds, use this chart to calculate your goal in packages! Amount per Package

Base Troop Proceeds

Troop Bonus (p.24 for details)

Subtotal 5¢ Option for Juniors+

(p.22 for details) $0.60 $0.20 $0.80

$0.05

Total

$0.85

TIPS FOR SUCCESS MANAGE SMART COOKIE SOFTWARE

Smart Cookies is your best friend during the Cookie Program. It’s where you sign up for booths, order cookies, get your social media link, get your virtual troop booth link, transfer cookies to girls, order rewards, and review your troop finances. Almost everything you do will connect back to Smart Cookies. There’s a whole section on Smart Cookies in this guide starting on page 34.

DISTRIBUTE GIRL REWARDS

The main benefit of the Cookie Program is the opportunity to learn and practice skills, but we all know the girls are super excited to have their efforts recognized by receiving their recognitions. Girl Recognitions arrive in May to your Service Unit Cookie Chair. They will contact you to arrange for a safe pickup of these highly anticipated items to give your girls!

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU SUCCEED

⚬ The Cookie Scoop ⚬ Cookie Section on our Website (including step-by-step guides) ⚬ Family Guide Booklet ⚬ ABC Smart Cookies Online Platform ⚬ Service Unit Cookie Chair ⚬ GSMH Staff

HOST A FAMILY COOKIE MEETING

Family cookie meetings are critical to the success of the program and required to receive the Troop Bonus. They help provide a foundation of understanding and agreement for both the volunteers and families. Families can talk with their Troop Leaders and Troop Cookie Chair about the upcoming Cookie Program and discuss their goals, learn about forms, share best methods for staying in contact, and agree on roles and responsibilities. We recommend hosting this meeting prior to the start of the program. Given the current pandemic, discuss with your families if this meeting should be in person or held virtually. If hosting in person, follow all state, local, and GSMH COVID Guidelines.

PREPARING FOR THE MEETING

⚬ Invite parents to the upcoming family cookie meeting. At least one adult from each family must participate in the meeting. ⚬ Fill in girl order cards with girls’ first name and last initial, troop number, and program dates.

SAMPLE MEETING AGENDA

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS

⚬ Give out names, contact information, and hours of availability for yourself and others helping with the Cookie Program. ⚬ Discuss and fill out the Parent Permission and Adult Responsibility Form. ⚬ Distribute girl packets (again, depending on how you are hosting your meeting, determine the best way to distribute packets to your girls. If hosting virtually, consider porch pickup with assigned time slots!)

REVIEW THE GIRL PACKETS AND COOKIE HIGHLIGHTS

⚬ Five Essential Skills ⚬ Smart Cookies ⚬ Important Dates ⚬ Cookie Program Credit and other ⚬ Different Ways to Sell Girl Recognitions ⚬ Picking up Initial Order Cookies ⚬ Troop Bonus ⚬ Gluten Free Cookie Ordering ⚬ Junior and above 5¢ Option ⚬ Cookie Share Program ⚬ Frequently Asked Questions ⚬ Goal Setting ⚬ Parent Participation ⚬ Selling Tips ⚬ Cookie Program COVID Guidelines

SELLING GUIDELINES AND MARKETING TECHNIQUES

⚬ Do not sell before the sale starts on January 1. ⚬ Review Cookie Booth options and booth etiquette. ⚬ Review Online Marketing options – email, texting, eCards, Social Media

Link, etc.

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 TROOP COOKIE CHAIR KEY DUTIESPARENT PERMISSION FORM: Parents fill out the Parent Permission and Adult Responsibility Form online before their daughter receives a girl packet and any cookies to sell. Parents living in separate households, who will both be assisting their daughter with the Cookie Program, will each need to fill out a form. MONEY MATTERS: Cookies are sold for $5 per package. There are many prepaid options to take advantage of this year! When taking pre-orders doorto-door, money will not be collected until the cookies are delivered. Parents are responsible for collecting and turning in money. Schedule times that parents can submit the money and always make sure to give receipts. CHECK IT OFF THE LIST It is important that parents understand the deadlines for turning in money. When they turn in their money on time, it helps ensure that your troop is ready for the ACH withdrawal. Remember—meeting the financial tasks is one requirement to qualifying for the Troop Bonus. timing conflicts with another troop. PRO TIP You can host a cookie booth on your own property, just like a lemonade stand (a Lemonades™ stand—get it?). Plus, it doesn’t require permission from Girl Scouts River Valleys! CHECK IT OFF THE LIST Before Jan. 13, 2020: Make selections for the booth lottery (if your troop is participating). Starting January 16, 2020: Sign-up for additional cookie booths beings in a first-come, first-served round process (if your troop is participating). Feb. 17, 2020: Cookie booth sales begin. FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: Let parents know that all cookies received by the troop are the troop’s responsibility. Likewise, all cookies received by the girls FIND IT ONLINE become the responsibility of the parent—don’t over-extend! Cookies may not For additional resources—like the complete first-come, first-served, be returned or exchanged. booth schedule and troop-secured booth information—search for ADDITIONAL COOKIES DURING DIRECT SALE: Let parents know they can cookie booth sales on the volunteer website. get more cookies if needed. GSMH has cookie cupboards set up throughout the council area for easy access. However, parents will need to contact the Troop Cookie Chair to get more cookies. Parents are not allowed to pick up PAGE 18 | 2019-2020 TCM GUIDEBOOK cookies from the cupboards unless the Troop Cookie Chair contacts the cupboard to give permission to do so. They can also check with their leader to see if girls in their troop have extra cookies before placing an order!

PLANNED ORDERS: Let parents know that placing a planned order is going to be a very important tool this year, as we are impacted by social distancing and building capacity regulations. Planned orders allow a troop to schedule a pickup on a designated day from any participating cookie cupboard. This allows the Cupboard Manager to ensure the correct inventory to meet your needs. Planned orders must be placed by Sunday at 11:30 p.m. for pick-up beginning Tuesday. This is the only way to ensure troops are able to pick up orders with a reasonable wait time. Walking in or calling in the day of could result in longer wait times. If you are picking up cookies from a cupboard other than a service center, make sure to check the hours and pickup process. ASK FOR PARENTS TO HELP WITH THE COOKIE PROGRAM: Let parents know you could use their help! Just ask—most people don’t mind to help if they are asked directly.

TROOP COOKIE CHAIR CHECKLIST

BEFORE THE PROGRAM

Receive your Troop Cookie Chair Guide—The Cookie Scoop. Complete training with your Service Unit Cookie Chair. Receive Cookie Program Materials from Service Unit Cookie Chair. Sign your troop up for the first ever virtual Cookie Rally! December 4: First Cookie Merchandise Order Deadline. Enter number of girls selling under troop information upon first logging into Smart Cookies. If you did not participate in the 2020 Fall Product Program, fill out the ACH Bank account information. Host a Family Cookie Meeting. Verify all families have filled out the Parent Permission form.

DURING THE PROGRAM

January 1: Cookie Go Day! Let’s get started! January 8: Second Cookie Merchandise Order Deadline. January 15-22: Sign up for cookie booths in Smart Cookies, these are first-come, first-served. January 18: Deadline for contacting a Product Program Specialist to add girls into Smart Cookies. January 20: Girl Initial Orders are due to the Troop Cookie Chair. January 22: Deadline to submit troop initial order to Service Unit. January 29: Smart Cookies second round of booth sign-ups (remains open throughout the sale). February 5: Third Cookie Merchandise Order Deadline. February 11-18: Pick up initial order cookies from the Service Unit Cookie Chair on your assigned date. Don’t forget to count your initial delivery order before you leave the pickup site. February 12: Direct Sales Begin.