SCOUTING FOR SALES; GIRL SCOUTS GEAR UP FOR START OF COOKIE SALES

It's Girl Scout cookie time again, and local scouts are gearing up for the start of sales Saturday.

Orders will be taken until Feb. 1, and delivery is set for Feb. 24 through March 8.

Millie Turner, public relations director for the Otahki Girl Scout Council in Cape Girardeau, said Girl Scouts who participate in cookie sales learn more than just how to make the sale.

"They learn safety procedures, how to relate to people, how to talk to people, as well as the financial aspects of selling," Turner said.

Each girl goes through a "training session" before they begin selling, and they are taught the responsibility of money management, she said.

Each troop sets a sales goal based on what service projects they want to accomplish with the money. That teaches goal-setting, Turner said.

Girl Scouts also learn about selling, marketing and good public relations, she said.

Although each troop decides on their own service project, the council this year is encouraging selection of an environmental cause.

"We are pressing them to do any kind of recycling, erosion prevention like planting trees beautifying, or educating others about the use of our resources," she said.

Selling will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday. Traditionally, the scouts canvas a block or neighborhood and sell the cookies in person. But telephone selling has become more popular, Turner said, especially when the weather is bad.

"Most girls use a combination of (in-person and telephone) selling," she said.

How much money each troop makes depends on the size of the troop and, surprisingly, the age of the scouts.

"The public is more receptive to younger girls than they are older girls, so they buy more boxes from a younger girl," Turner said. "But the older girls need the money more because their service projects are often more involved."

The council hopes each Girl Scout will sell at least 80 boxes of cookies.

"That's the goal we have set," she said. "It goes along with the 80th anniversary of girl scouting, which is this year. Of course, some girls will sell much more than that."

As always, community support is vital to the success of the cookie campaign.

"We do appreciate the support the community gives us," Turner said. "A part of that income does provide the council an income and we provide the services we give the troops."

Anyone wanting to order cookies can call the Girl Scout Council at 334-7741.