Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York Celebrates National Girl Scout Cookie Day

HALFMOON, NY (02/08/2013)(readMedia)-- The famous Thin Mints remain, but Girl Scouts are giving their cookie boxes an overhaul to highlight the real purpose of the $790-million cookie program, which is to teach girls five essential life skills: goal setting, decision making, money management, business ethics, and people skills. To celebrate such a monumental program, this year Girl Scouts has named February 8 National Girl Scout Cookie Day. Girls will be asking 50 million cookie fans across the nation to buy or order more boxes in honor of their success in running the largest girl-led business enterprise in the world.

"Everyone has their favorite Girl Scout cookie or cookies, but many customers don't realize that they are helping girls build money management and people skills," said Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York CEO, Lisa A. Austin. "The girl who sold you cookies today, is the same girl who may be running her own business, reversing the deficit, and improving your community in just a few years."

When it comes to skill building, statistics show the Girl Scout Cookie Program works. According to a survey from the Girl Scout Research Institute, 85 percent of Girl Scout "cookie entrepreneurs" learn money management by developing budgets, taking cookie orders, and handling customers' money. Eighty-three percent build business ethics; 80 percent learn goal setting; 77 percent improve decision making; and 75 percent develop people skills.

All the revenue earned from cookie activities-every penny after paying the baker-stays with the local Girl Scout council that sponsors the sale. Councils use cookie revenue to supply essential services to troops, groups, and individual girls, such as providing program resources and communication support, training adult volunteers, and conducting events. As part of their experience in any Girl Scout product activity, girls can earn official Girl Scout awards at every level of Girl Scouting, including cookie and financial literacy badges and the annual Cookie Activity Pin.

The Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York is making the most of National Girl Scout Cookie Day on February 8th with a Cookie Trivia Contest to generate greater awareness of the cookie program, and will run until March 8th. Three lucky winners will receive 6 cases/72 boxes of cookies to share with their office, favorite civic group, association or charitable organization. The winners will be announced on March 11th. The contest will be heavily promoted on the Council's website (www.gsneny.org), and on Facebook and Twitter.

The publicity will also draw attention to the new cookie box designs. The new design will help customers understand more about what girls learn from the cookie program and what today's girls enjoy doing.

Another highlight will be the Girl Scout Cookie APP which is available to help potential customers locate their favorite cookies. Booth sales start on March 16th and we want Smart Phone and iPhone users to know exactly where they can go to purchase cookies. The APP allows users to see the where/when cookie booth sales are happening in their area. Users can also receive reminder messages about the sale and booth sale times and locations in their community.

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Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York serves 11,000 girls and 5,000 volunteers throughout 15 counties: Albany, Clinton, Columbia, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren & Washington. Services Centers are located in Albany, Queensbury and Plattsburgh with an administrative office in Halfmoon.