Girl Scouts to celebrate 100th year of cookie sales

NEW ORLEANS — Girl Scout Cookie Season 2017 celebrates a milestone — 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. Girl Scouts were entrepreneurs going as far back as 1917, according to a news release by Girl Scouts Louisiana East.
Since then, girls across the country have been learning basic skills needed to become leaders. In fact, 57 percent of Girl Scout alumnae in business say the program was key in the development of their skills today, the news release said.
“Everyone has a special place in their heart for Girl Scout cookies,” said Alisha Moore, chief customer experience officer of Girl Scouts Louisiana East. “Not only do they taste delicious, but our customers know that by purchasing Girl Scout cookies they are helping girls to fulfill their dreams, follow their passions and change the world.”
To commemorate this banner year for the organization, the highly-anticipated Girl Scout S’mores cookie will be 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. The new cookie, baked by ABC Bakers, is a crispy graham cookie double dipped in crème icing and finished with a 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,” said Moore.
Locally, Girl Scouts will begin taking cookie orders on Jan. 13, and will sell them at booth locations throughout the Girl Scouts Louisiana East council’s 23 parishes from Feb. 24 to March 12.
The council will offer nine cookie varieties, including Trios, a gluten-free chocolate chip peanut butter oatmeal cookie. Other cookies, joining the S’mores cookie, include Thin Mint, Shortbread, Peanut Butter Patties, Caramel deLites, Lemonades, Peanut Butter Sandwich and Thanks-A-Lot. Cookies will remain $4 a box upon delivery, with the gluten-free Trios, at $5 a box.
All Cookie program proceeds remain within the council’s jurisdiction, funding troop activities with the remainder helping the council to maintain properties, train and recruit volunteers, and support council initiatives.
Girl Scouts Louisiana East, serves girls grades kindergarten to 12th grade, in the parishes of St. Mary, Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana.
For more information about Girl Scouts, call the council office in New Orleans at 504-733-8220, in Baton Rouge at 225-927-8946, or visit its website at www.gsle.org.