Local Girl Scout Troops Prepare for Annual Cookie Sale

Submitted by Yolanda Johnson
    It is that time of the year again and your local troops need your support.  What you may not know about Girl Scouts Annual Cookie event is that besides being the largest “girl led business in the country, “many Girl Scout troops participate in  Gift of Caring, a community service project in which girls encourage customers to buy cookies for donation to a non-profit organization selected by the troop. In 2014 over 13,000 boxes of cookies were donated to nearly 200 local community organizations and non-profits.  This year our local troops will be supporting such organizations as the Ronald McDonald House in New Orleans, the Central Food Bank, Ollie Steele Nursing Home and the Baton Rouge Children’s Advocacy Center.  Take Action service projects include working with BREC at the local Blackwater Conservation site, and marking trails for easier recognition, planting flowers and grounds cleaning at Harvest Manor Nursing Home, making blankets for the homeless and making comfort boxes for children who have experienced abuse and are receiving support/treatment/advocacy at the Baton Rouge Children’s Advocacy Center.
    Girl Scouts began taking cookie orders on January 16th and ended their initial pre-orders February 1st. Girls started delivering cookies February 20th and will sell at various booth locations throughout our 23 parishes beginning Friday, February 27th – Sunday, March 15, 2015.   
Cookies are $4.00 per box, and proceeds are used to fund local council and troop activities, maintain camp properties, fund recruitment and training of adult volunteers, and support council-wide initiatives. 
    For more information on volunteering, joining, or cookie sales please contact Jennifer Ackoury at (225) 610-6696.