MUSCATINE, Iowa–Though January and February may not strike many as festive times of the year, people do look forward to them because they mark the start of Girl Scout Cookie sales and deliveries. On Jan. 13, cookie sales officially kicked off in Muscatine County, and Girl Scouts will soon offer in person booth sales and online sales as well.
If you know Girl Scouts who you would like to buy from directly, you may reach out to them at any time beginning Jan. 13 to have them place an order for you or give you a traditional paper order form. “This give Girl Scouts a chance to forecast their sales and take pre-orders before the big selling starts in February,” explained Maura Warner, vice president of marketing and retail for Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois.
On Feb. 17, Girl Scouts across the county will start setting up their cookie booths for in person sales, both at big retailers such as Walmart and Hy-Vee in Muscatine and smaller local shops and restaurants where they have worked out agreements with the owners. “I think that’s what’s really cool about the booths, the girls really take the lead in planning those,” Warner observed. In person booth sales will continue through March 26, giving people in Muscatine County more than a month to pick up boxes of their favorite sweet treats.
Again this year, people may purchase Girl Scout Cookies online. Girl Scouts will each have their own Digital Cookie web pages that they helped design, teaching them valuable website development skills. Girls can share these links with anyone wanting to buy cookies, and anyone who uses them may have their cookies shipped directly to their homes or businesses.
For the first time this year, people who order cookies through Digital Cookie will have the opportunity to order special edition cookies available only online. This year’s cookie, Raspberry Rally, resembles a Thin Mint but has a delicious raspberry filling instead. Online cookies sales open Feb. 27.
The largest single fundraiser for Girl Scouts each year, cookie sales brought in $3 million for Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois, which includes 38 counties between the two states, including Muscatine County. In Muscatine County, the money raised by local troops funded positive experiences for 125 Girl Scouts and 76 volunteers.
Though each troop decides what to spend their money on specifically, funds raised through Girl Scout Cookie sales often go to special outings or camping trips and for community service. Warner finds all of these uses very meaningful for the scouts who experience them. “What I think is really unique about Girl Scouts is that they travel a lot,” Warner observed. These trips can consist of local field trips, especially for the youngest of scouts, regional trips such as visiting the zoo in Omaha or Chicago, or, for the oldest scouts, even international travel. “One thing I think is really cool about the program is girls put the money they raise back into the community,” she added, noting that scouts often support local non-profits.
With cookie sales just starting, Warner invites anyone wanting to support Muscatine County Girl Scouts to make plans to buy cookies this year. “I would highly encourage people to purchase cookies because it helps kids see that they can reach their goals.”
