15 Responses to “Why Girl Scouts Sell Cookies”

1. Jimmy
   January 9th, 2009 @ 8:39 am

   Why is it necessary to allow a cookie manufacturer to serve as middleman in this “fundraiser?” Whose funds are getting raised.

   Four bucks a box? C’mon!

   How many 4 dollar boxes of wastefully over-packaged cookies does a Girl Scout have to sell in order for her troupe to reap 400 pennies in benefit? Someone tell me why that’s an unfair question. I mean that. Bring that explanation on. Bring it! I GOTS TO KNOW!

   Do a Scout and your waistline a favor: write a tax deductible check for $20 to her troupe and take a brisk walk around the block with a pair of light dumbbells (on sale now for 4 dollars a pair).

   Put the corporate bakers where they belong – back in the business of selling their own wares instead of training our youths to be part of this grotesque sales and service economy we’re enjoying now. Write a check to every kid who shows up peddlin’ for a worthy cause. Boy Scouts and their popcorn. Band members and their candy. Students and their overpriced five square foot rolls of wrapping paper. The list of ways devised to turn our children into used car sales professionals working for criminally small commissions is disturbingly long.

   A five minute explanation of the math and business principles behind this scheme will do them a boatload more good than driving them from door to ding-donging door or standing them up at the Safeway entrance so they can pester folks who are busy watching TV and eating wholesome takeout meat lovers pizza with extra cheese.

   Of course, I could be mistaken.

2. why
   January 9th, 2009 @ 11:13 am

   Remember, most of this money goes to the “Council” not the troop itself.
   Also if you do a quick research on the girl scouts you will find that when you support them you also support pro choice, planed family parenting as well as the gay and lesbian lifestyle. They infact encourage the girls to explore all options as far as their sexuality is concerned. Is this really the leaders we want for tomorrow?
   Each troop is ran by a member of your community and these things are not necessarly taught in this troop, but as a whole this is what they belive in.
   Just a thought

3. L
   January 9th, 2009 @ 11:58 am

   Please inform me WHY it is a bad thing to support things such as planned parenthood. They are the ones that provide free birth control so that sex-crazed teenagers can prevent unwanted pregnancies and then allow options for them incase they do get ‘knocked up,’ (whether it be abortion or adoption options.)

   I agree with Jimmy, I’m not all for fueling the corporate man, but buying a box of cookies is not going to mean that my 2nd year girl scout is going to be being TAUGHT about being gay. And even if one day she were to come out as a ‘lesbian,’ this country would be lucky to have someone as bright & charming as herself, as a future leader.

   I know teachers & preachers in this town that are gay. Does that mean we need to stop turning in box tops, volunteering, going to church and giving donations?!

   I think not.

4. Jimmy
   January 9th, 2009 @ 12:02 pm

   If the Girl Scouts were as open-minded as you suggest, I’d make the check out for a hundred dollars. My “quick research” yields no such evidence. Nice try. It’s twenty bucks.

5. Jimmy
   January 9th, 2009 @ 12:12 pm

   L, my response was to Why. Let’s not let this turn into a discussion of gaiety. Though I am down with your angle.

   My 3rd and fifth graders collect money for the PTA by informing on the crappy corporate wrapping paper pusher types. They don’t sell a roll but they make a respectable haul for the school. I’m afraid your daughter’s organization may be on the receiving end of some besmirchments, on accounta the Girl Scouts are THE poster children for the kind of corporate exploitation of the young and well-intentioned we should be combating. Sorry.

6. L
   January 9th, 2009 @ 12:16 pm

   I agree 100%.

   But it makes her happy. :) Someday she will understand what exactly is going on, and she will be just as disgusted as we are. But for the time being, she’s being a kid!

7. why
   January 9th, 2009 @ 12:21 pm

   I didn’t say you should’nt support them, just that it is good to know what you support. and what your money is supporting. This is a free country and you can belive in what ever you want.

   In response to “L” I will not get into a discussion about what I belive is right for me and my family.

8. L
   January 9th, 2009 @ 12:31 pm

   I would like to know your source for the ‘girl scouts support gays and pro choice’ info.

   Thanks.

9. Erik
   January 9th, 2009 @ 12:49 pm

   @ why….um you actually did get into a discussion about what you believe in when you first posted…don’t come all up here preachy if you don’t want to be challenged…and good god…they are just cookies…how much do any of us spend on lattes every week? We buy items at the store all the time with out knowing what those companies are supporting or what politician they are giving money too. They are girl scouts and they are in our community and they should be supported….and those dang cookies are good…Dont tell me “why”, that you wouldnt eat a girl scout cookie if offered one.

   This is straight from the girl scout web site:

   The activity of selling cookies is directly related to our purpose of helping all girls realize their full potential and become strong, confident, and resourceful citizens.

   * Girl Scouts practice life skills like goal setting, money management, and teamwork—and they have fun!
   * Customers get a great product and get to support girls in their own community.
   * All of the proceeds support Girl Scouting in the local community.

   All of the proceeds—every penny—from a local council’s cookie activities remains in the area where the cookies are sold. This revenue is used to benefit girls, some of it directly by remaining in the Girl Scout troop/group treasury and some of it indirectly by subsidizing the cost of providing the Girl Scout program in the local area.

   “Cookie revenue” helps local councils:

   * Recruit and train volunteer leaders for each troop/group.
   * Provide the financial assistance needed to make Girl Scouting available for all girls.
   * Improve and maintain camp and other activity sites.
   * Keep event/camp fees for all members to a minimum.
   * Sponsor special events and projects.

   Each local council sets the price per box, based on its needs and its knowledge of its local market. The price per box, therefore, may vary from one location to another and from one year to the next.

   I think this is more than enough reason to buy a box from our kids…

10. P
    January 9th, 2009 @ 12:54 pm

    Teaching our youth to live the way they want isn’t ok? It’s hard to believe that such a strong oppinion can be invoked by a small cookie. Strong oppinions that could have a negative effect on the popularity and community support of a program that is quite possibly the best youth program of our generation: Scouting. I understand that anybody can have any oppinion they want about this, but is it really necesary to get so puffed about cookies? I mean, gasoline prices, sure. Obama as president, sure. War in the middle east, sure! Over a cookie? Oh, OK?

    Supporting the sales of Girl Scout Cookies is simply supporting a lifestyle that is a lifestyle of free choice and independence. Supporting a lifestyle or not. We as consumers of these cookies aren’t really supporting a lifestyle anyways, we are just participating in a friendly community event. Guiding these girls into the style of life that is right for them is the sole responsibilty of the girls themselves, and more importantly, their parents.

    We (not only as consumers of these delicious cookies) have no right to be making decisions for other peoples children. Support the selling of these cookies, and you will not be supporting homosexuality in any way. It’s ok to make your own choices, and it’s ok to think and act any way you want. And, all of these girls should have the exact same rights as they grow more mature and independent.

    If you don’t support coperate giants, don’t shop at stores. Don’t buy food. Harvest from the ground. Organics is becoming popular right?

    On a more serious note, why are we arguing about the sale of a product whether it supports nothing or everything we agree in. Those things are just the way they are, and us boycotting a certain brand of cookie isn’t going to change that. It’s a rediculous debate, and one that has invoked laughter from myself. Let’s argue about more pertinent things… Do those things have trans fat? Oh boy, I’m going to need some bigger pants.

11. Jimmy
    January 9th, 2009 @ 2:09 pm

    Now just a dadburn minute. I allowed for the possibility of my being wrong. How dare this deteriorate into a dee bate.

    Of course, I could be wrong about this too.

12. admin
    January 9th, 2009 @ 2:29 pm

    From the Girl Scout Cookie FAQ;

    http://www.girlscouts.org/program/gs_cookies/faqs.asp

    Cookie Revenue

    Q: When I buy Girl Scout Cookies, where does the money go?

    A: With every purchase, approximately 70% of the proceeds stays in the local Girl Scout council to provide a portion of the resources needed to support Girl Scouting in that area, including a portion that goes directly to the group selling the cookies. The balance goes directly to the baker to pay for the cookies.

    Q: Does any part of the cookie revenue go to support organizations other than Girl Scouts?

    A: No. Absolutely none of the money from any Girl Scout council-sponsored cookie sale is given to any other group.

    All of the revenue—every penny after paying for the cookies—from all cookie sale activities supports the local Girl Scout council where the cookies are sold, including a portion that goes directly to the group selling cookies. The purpose of selling cookies is to help girls develop a wide range of skills and to generate revenue to support Girl Scouting locally.

    All of the proceeds from the sale of Girl Scout Cookies goes to support girls in Girl Scouting. No money is given to any organization other than Girl Scouts.

    Girls may choose, however, to use money earned through product activities to purchase materials for a community action leadership project to benefit the community.

    http://www.girlscouts.org/program/gs_cookies/faqs.asp

13. jimmy
    January 9th, 2009 @ 4:26 pm

    There’s a question missing: how are “proceeds” related to the four buck “retail” price?

    Somethin’ tells me 70% is misleading. But hey, I’m a skeptic.

    And I could be wrong.

14. Erik
    January 9th, 2009 @ 7:03 pm

    @ Jimmy
    with the cost of processing,manufacturing and shipping,especially to Seward, I would say that a box of cookies would cost $1.20 wholesale.In order to make money your mark up better be 70% or better.
    I bet your question could be better answered by the local girl scouts. But you know what, I would pay $6.00 for a box of Samoas.

15. jimmy
    January 9th, 2009 @ 10:32 pm

    Erik, I hope you’ll give the girls the extra two bucks per box. They’ll need it in order to clear 2.50 per from their visit with you.

    Or not.