Goalsetting with Girls

Every year it surprises me how much "anti-cookie" sentiment there exists in our community. We have brownie girl scouts out in front of grocery stores selling cookies. They have dreams of going camping, having a horse back riding adventure, painting pottery at a studio, and simply having fun. Every year my parents come back from selling cookies with stories of people berating the adults about childhood obesity, too much sugar in children's diets, & the negative message selling cookies has for our girls.

And yet we keep doing it. I don't need to re-argue the why. The Girl Scouts Organization does that far more eloquently than I can. Every year I have a cookie selling story that makes all those negative comments fade away like morning fog. Here is this year's one.

Before we launch into the cookie selling, the girls and their leaders discuss goals. For the past 2 years, my girls have been focused on going to the Great Wolf Lodge. What 8-9 year old child wouldn't want to go there? While we were setting our goals, we did some quick math finding out that we needed to sell 1444 boxes to reach that goal. This would be the year that we could raise enough money to go there overnight. Then we discussed a service project that the girls could get behind. We would participate in the usual Operation Cookie Drop which sends cookies to our troops overseas. However, we wanted something that was just our group's focus. Unfortunately, we ran out of time and the girls were charged with trying to come up with a service project by the next meeting.

The week before our next meeting, the earthquake in Haiti happened.

When we met, I thought I would ask the girls if they had heard about the Haitian earthquake. They had. The girls all had their hands up talking about their schools collecting money to send to Haiti. Each girl talked about pictures they had seen on television, or their parents had shared with them in the paper. They spoke about their ministers or priests urge for generous donations for Haitian relief over weekend. I credit our parents, schools and churches with talking to these girls and giving them their boundless capacity for compassion.

I mentioned to them that Girl Scouts and Girl Guides are everywhere in the world, including Haiti. In that moment, you could see in their eyes that they could identify with their sister girl scouts. They were so moved that one of our girls suggested we just give all our money in our bank account to Haiti. However, there was some protest at that idea, and the girls had worked so hard to save up towards their goal, we came up with a compromise. We would donate the first $1000 of our cookie proceeds towards the Haitian relief effort. I told them that we'd essentially double our cookie selling goal to almost 3000 boxes. If we didn't make our goal, we might have to postpone our trip to Great Wolf Lodge one more year. They understood.

One of my girls put it very succinctly, "they need it more."

In the intervening time, we participated in the Cascade Bicycle Club Chilly Hilly bake sale and raised $310 towards our goal. Also during the Chilly Hilly, our girls helped out at the Squeaky Wheels Bicycle Club's chili feed. That event raised $1400 for the American Red Cross. Because of our participation in that event, the organizers have given us the honor of presenting that check to the ARC. Along with our $1000, our girls have helped raise $2400 for earthquake relief efforts.

So go ahead and complain about GS selling cookies. This is what building girls of courage, confidence and character looks like.

In Your Neighborhood

The goal of the Girl Scouts is to encourage the growth of women of courage, confidence and character. It is a hard goal to envision when you're out in the cold with a wagon full of cookies and your Brownie Girl Scout. She knocks on doors and rings doorbells and at first painfully and shyly chokes out the sentence, "would you like to buy some girl scout cookies?" You never know what will greet you when people answer the door. Some people annoyed will give a terse "no thank-you," while others will say that they've already purchased some. Then there are those who joyfully greet your scout and will even purchase a box just because she knocked on the door. Between each house, whether she makes a sale or not, you try to find the teachable moments -- about how to interact with people, how to ask the next question, how to allow people to refuse graciously, and how to represent Girl Scouts positively. It is a lot for an 8 year old to absorb.

But during this year's cookie sale, we had one of those experiences that I doubt she and I will ever forget.

Two Sundays ago, Princess and I went out with our wagon full of cookies. We stopped by every house on our street but by the time we reached the end of it, we still had most of our cookies. We decided to walk the next street over. It is a tucked away street with more trees than houses and some gorgeous views of the beach below. We hoped that we'd be successful. It being Sunday, Princess found most people at home and had some great conversations about Girl Scouts and cookies. We learned that back in the day, you could get a box of Trefoils for 35 cents! Lots of folk liked chatting with Princess about her favorite flavor of cookie and about how she likes being a Girl Scout. I watched my quiet and sometimes shy girl become gregarious -- she actually started skipping down the street to the next house.

Then she rang the doorbell to one house -- its yard was immaculate and you could see the beach from the deck. It was very quiet and I almost suggested that we move on because I thought that the occupants weren't home. But then an older gentleman opened the door. He seemed very tired. Princess asked him if he'd like to buy some cookies and he answered that he really didn't want to. That his wife was quite ill and he needed to return to her side. I called Princess back and told him that I hoped his wife would feel better soon. He said, "She's in hospice care." I told him that I was sorry to hear that and we exchanged good-byes.

As we left the driveway, Princess asked, "What is hospice?" I explained that his wife was dying. That she likely was very near the end of her life and that it must be a very hard time for her husband. Princess grew very pensive but continued the sale and by the next couple of houses was skipping again. We had only 2 boxes of cookies left by the time we decided to call it a day. As we neared the man's house on our walk back home, Princess asked me if there was something that she could do to help that man through this difficult time. She thought about maybe making a card but writing "Sorry your wife is dying," seemed strange. She also suggested that we bring the Girl Scout troop to his house and maybe sing a song for his wife. I thought that might be too intrusive. Then I looked at our cart of cookies and said, "We could give him a box of cookies. It might make him feel better."

Princess loved that idea. She grabbed a box of Dulce de Leche cookies -- the new flavor this year -- and in crayon on the side, I wrote a heart and her name. She added "GS," for girl scouts. Princess put the box on his doorstep and we walked on.

You would think that this is where the story ends. But this past Sunday, we were selling cookies at the local Safeway. We were surprised when our neighbor came up to us and asked, "Are you the Girl Scouts who left a box of cookies on my doorstep?"

He told us that his wife was still at home, but that it may be her last day. He said that he had been looking for us all week. He was so grateful for that little box of cookies when he found it the next morning. He told Princess that it really cheered him up. And because they were so delicious, he was going to buy a couple of boxes and that we should keep the change.

It was a small kind gesture, leaving that box of cookies on his doorstep. Princess displayed her great capacity for empathy.

Courage, confidence, & character. Check, check, & check.

Girl Scout Cookie Love

Pre-orders are completed but if you still want some, I can def hook you up.

Cookie update

Sharon requested I let all of you know that her family have ordered an additional 7 boxes since the last post -- putting them in the lead with a total of 24 boxes. Sharon has also put in an order for 3 boxes of the sugar free chocolate chip cookies. They actually don't taste all that bad. They taste like Chips Ahoy cookies so I can appreciate why they like them.

Sharon & Steve are now my best customers with 24 boxes and another 3 boxes on order. 27 total! Amazing.

Also, we ran into a GS troop leader of Senior level Girl Scouts. She said that her girls are selling cookies hard and furious. Turns out that they've been saving up to go on a trip for the past 4 years. That's pretty impressive. They're going to be graduating this year and will be going to Hawaii with their cookie proceeds. They had originally wanted to go to India but decided that goal was going to be unattainable because they have such a small troop. They've only 5 girls. That tells me that Tahiti isn't out of reach and if we can get these girls saving up for it next year, we can tour the world when they're Seniors. Wouldn't it be cool if I can convince them to go on a trip every couple of years? Educational ones, of course.

I want a beanie too

I wish I had been a Girl Scout when I was a kid.

I was born for this stuff. I love the uniform and the fun iron ons. I love the songs and the camping. And I love selling cookies. I'm just the right amount of pushy to get cookies sold. There is a tenacity in my character -- like a shark that can smell blood in the water, I won't give up if I sense money in your wallet. Is that tenacity or just being a pain in the neck? Then if none of that works, I can always rely on my great depth of understanding of Catholic guilt. I used to be only on the receiving end of that but now, as a mother, I can dish it out like a pro.

There wasn't a Girl Scout troop for me at my school when I was little. I suspect that my parents didn't want to deal with the hassle of meetings and what not. Girl Scouts came to St. Joe's just as I was graduating from 8th grade. Now I know that my parents could have very easily found me a troop. Troops don't have to be sponsored by the school. Consider that they let my brother Norman join the Boy Scouts. Totally unfair. I know you feel my pain. It still smarts 25 years after the fact. Dear God, has it really been that long?

So I have to tell you about my great friends Sharon & Steve, who are in second place for best customer. During the presale phase of the cookie selling, Sharon ordered a paltry 6 boxes of cookies. Two of those boxes were the sugar free chocolate chips which no bugger will eat, but Sharon said she wanted to be "good" this year. I delivered the cookies and Steve, seeing that several omissions were made from the order, tasked me to get 6 more various boxes. When I delivered those 6 boxes of cookies, their son N noticed they didn't order any Samoas. I tried to get Steve & Sharon to buy Samoas on the previous days, but they said nobody liked those. N vehemently denied saying he didn't like Samoas. He professed that they were indeed his favorite Girl Scout cookie of all time. While N tried unsuccessfully to get his parents to order a case or 2, they did ultimately order 2 boxes. (I was rooting for N in this fight.) When Sharon left the room, Steve realized that they didn't order Trefoils so that too went on the order. And because son D had decided to give up sugar for Lent, they ordered another box of the sugar free chocolate chip cookies. Poor kid. So all together, they've bought 17 boxes of cookies. I'll let you know if they buy more.

But the best was when Sharon recalled that their friend Joe bought 2 cases of Thin Mints each year. Two cases! And they didn't tell me until now? I immediately called full of hope that Joe didn't already know a pusher, I mean a girl scout, and Joe ordered only 1 case of Thin Mints and 1/2 case of Trefoils. The Trefoils are for the kids. His wife Julie ordered 3 boxes of Samoas -- so they are in the lead with 21 boxes. Those are GREAT customers -- and I'll have them on my speed dial for next year.

At the last Girl Scout meeting, we taught the girls how to blow past a negative answer to the question, "Would you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies?" If the customer said that they were on a diet, scouts should talk about the "diet" sugar free cookies. If they were trying to avoid chocolate, scouts should talk up the Trefoils, Do-si-dos and Lemon Chalet Cremes. If they were avoiding trans fat, scouts should talk about how Girl Scout cookies don't have trans fat. If they're avoiding corn syrup, scouts know that only the Samoas have corn syrup in them. The rest are corn syrup free. If they say they've already bought cookies, scouts should remind them that the cookies only come once a year and they freeze really well. Imagine frozen Thin Mints during the hottest months of the year.

And if all that fails, scouts should suggest donating to our Gift of Caring project. What's Gift of Caring? Why, I thought you'd never ask. Girl Scouts can select a Gift of Caring project to elicit donations of boxes of cookies or monies. Our choice this year is Operation Cookie Drop. Our council has a goal of sending 100,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. This endeavor is being supported by a broadcasting group who is donating the shipping. How cool is that? The Gift of Caring is a great way for family and friends who are out of town to participate in our scouts fund raising efforts. (hint hint, nudge nudge)

Princess's troop will be using their cookie funds to pay for camping, their badges for next year, a pottery painting party and a build-a-bear workshop. They've set these as their goals. Ultimately the girls are learning how to build a business, create business relationships with customers, and the importance of good customer service and manners. They gain so much confidence as the process goes along. Go capitalism!

I'm excited for when they are older and can set a goal of camping on a beach somewhere warm during the winter. Tahiti sounds nice.

Cookies, anyone?

We had our first Girl Scouts meeting this evening. What a blast! It was a parents with kids meeting. Most of the time we spent speaking with the parents while one of my co-leaders worked on some Halloween crafts with the girls.

But what was most fun was talking about cookies. See, here's the thing. I don't think people know how big a deal the cookies thing is. As an organization, Girl Scouts doesn't turn any girl away because they can't afford to pay. And where exactly does that money come from? That's right, you clever cookie, it comes from those Thin Mints you ate last year. But aside from that, the girls get to keep about half of the money they earn from the cookies to pay for whatever they want to pay for. One of the high school troops last year took a trip to a foreign country. I thought that was pretty cool. But you should have seen how enthusiastic some of our moms got at the mention of maybe TRAVEL from selling cookies. They were on fire. I think we'll have a great year and I think also we're going to have some moms who will sell cookies until they're sunbathing in Tahiti! (We did consider Tahiti. There's a lot the girls can learn about by visiting Tahiti. Like the health of coral reefs and how to speak French. Not to mention the importance of sun screens and how to cook out on the beach. These are all important life skills that can be achieved by cookie sales.)

So since you've read this post, how many boxes can I set aside for you?