Is anyone sick of co-workers pimping their kid's Girl Scout Cookies.

[JVS]

THIS IS FUCKING BULLSHIT MAN. It's nearly as bad as those fucking United Way extortionists!

[Heidi]

1. Popcorn, anyone?

:popcorn:

[JVS]

2. You know I'm right

[Heidi]

14. No, I don't know that.

I suspect you're giving the cookie-pimps around you far more power than you have to. If you don't want to buy cookies, say "No, thanks," in a kind way and be done with it. I'm not being unsympathetic with you. When I lived in the US, I was a boss, for cryin' out loud, but I budgeted from my personal income enough money for about 25 boxes of cookies, and _that's all_. Anyone who didn't get to me before I'd purchased 25 boxes of cookies was out of luck. I kept only the Samoas for myself; the rest I put in the breakroom and gave to the homeless shelter. And if I hadn't had any money for cookies, I would have just said, "Sorry, can't do it." Emotional button-pushing doesn't work too well with me, I guess.

[JVS]

17. I have never bought a single box

But I'm sick of the attempts

[Heidi]

21. Then tell them that

and let it go. Girl Scout cookie sales need not haunt your work days, JVS.

[hfojvt]

88. they aren't

It is his conscience doing that. It is calling "Ebeneeeezer. Ebeneeezer, you old scrooge. You shoulda bought some girl scout cookies."

[Heidi]

92. hfojvt,

you're a smarty-pants. :spray: (I like that about you. :evilgrin: )

[YellowRubberDuckie]

3. I'm with you all the way...

And dammit, If I'm going to give to charity, I'm going to do it myself. I'm not going to have it taken out of my check!
Duckie

[JVS]

4. Fuck yeah!

[derby378]

5. They're on the Religious Right's blacklist...

That means the Girl Scouts and their cookies are friends of mine.

[JVS]

12. So is Hamas.

Does that make them your friend too?

[CBHagman]

122. My, we're grumpy tonight.

Okay, JVS, I can understand the exhaustion due to requests for money. I can understand feeling pressured.

But frankly, I tend not to feel pressure to buy merchandise from co-workers. It's the charity donations I can't seem to say no to.

And with Girl Scout cookies, I actually enjoy the buying, especially if it's directly from the Girl Scouts themselves and not an adult. Like Heidi, I bring most of them to work and they are duly eaten up. Problem over till next year. Since you get something for your money, it doesn't feel like an obligation.

I do say no to most such sales attempts.

[LostinVA]

6. No, because it's the only way the GSA makes any money

And, I was in the GSA. Back then, we sold our cookies on our own, now it's too dangerous for kids to do (it was probably too dangerous then, too). I loved the SCouts,a nd think it's a great organization for girls.

Of course, I respect it annoying you, but I'm too busy eating shortbread cookies to care...

[JVS]

7. Someday when I can, I'll have people fired for selling shit at work

It will be sweet indeed!

[xmas74]

16. Thank you.

Former GS and now a leader.

We still expect the girls to try to sell on their own as much as they can. Friends, family, neighbors-the girls should be using their sales pitch themselves and not expecting an adult to do it. But some adults would prefer to do it for the girls.

Donations of time, equipment and money are down so we need the extra boost from sales more than ever. More girls are applying via scholarship-their families just cannot afford the dues or the enrollment. And GS hates to turn away any girl because of their finances.


(Just for the record-dumbest thing I ever did but it earned me the most cookie sales. I put the order forms in area bars and went to a couple of frat houses to sell late at night. Turns out drunks and stoners love to order cookies and in mass quantities!)

[crispini]

106. Bwahahahahahahaha!

How OLD were you when you did that? That's hysterical!

-- signed, former Scout who put in her time selling boxes door to door and was damn proud of my 100 box patch, too!

[xmas74]

107. Nine.

I was a smart kid. And I won a VCR for that bit of brilliance, along w/ a resigned headshake from my leader.

The next year my best friend at the time sent her older sister to the dorms to sell cookies at midnight. She wore her cheerleading uniform. Guess who won that year?

[crispini]

112. Dang, a VCR!

they weren't quite that highrolling when I sold cookies, IIRC.... Funny story.

[xmas74]

117. Council was out of Milwaukee.

And an electronics store donated the VCR.

We were probably the first family on the block to have one.

[Gormy Cuss]

40. Now the cookie sale has turned into nothing but a moneymaking idea

Girls selling cookies directly learned something useful in the process -- how to present the product and scouting, how to record sales and calculate prices, how to deliver the cookies with a smile and a thank you. For a 10 year-old that is an empowering experience. What's the lesson in having your parents bring a sign-up sheet to work? Adults will do the work for you?

As for too dangerous, parents can mitigate risk to the child now as they did years ago. The scouts I knew were under strict instructions on which streets and sometimes which houses were acceptable and that was back in the dark ages. Where I live now there are GS selling door to door in the neighborhood (always with a parent nearby.) Some troops set up tables in public areas to hawk them. These girls are acting in the spirit of the cookie madness. I know that the cookie sales are the main source of fundraising but having parents sell cookies just isn't the same. Scouting is a great organization for building self esteem in young girls but the cookie sales sadly are not part of that for many scouts.

[xmas74]

93. Exactly.

What lessons are the girls learning from having mom and dad sell for them? None.

We informed our girls in Nov that cookie season was upon us and that we wanted them to do the sales themselves. Only one parent has tried to cross us. This is the same parent who tries to do the work for his daughter so that she can have the most badges. We've quit playing that game w/ him a long time ago and are now in the process of finding ways to make sure his daughter has to sell some of her own cookies.

Sure, we need the money but we also want the girls to have the experience.

[graywarrior]

8. It's drug dealing.

You know it is. Once you start on those fucking cookies, it's weeks of chocolte smudges around your hands and face because you CAN'T STOP! Girl Scouts are drug dealers with badges!

[JVS]

11. Word!

[hfojvt]

89. Girl Scout Cookies

just another gateway drug! Film at 11.

[leftofthedial]

9. swallow your righteous indignation

and buy some Trefoils already.

[JVS]

10. Never!

[xmas74]

26. I can sell you some right now.

I have a shitload of whatever flavor you'd like in my basement. And our share of the profit helps send ALL of our girls to camp and to help pay for registration dues for girls who could otherwise not be members.

Some parents take it too far but it really is for a good cause. It does help the girls get camping equipment since no one seems to donate it to us-most camping donations go to the Boy Scouts.

And if you don't want to eat the cookies here's what one woman does: She donates a couple of boxes every year to groups like Meals on Wheels, a local food pantry or the area senior center. The girls get their sales and a group of people who wouldn't be able to afford the cookies get to have some too.

[JVS]

29. See People! Even in my thread about this, someone tries to sell to me!

It's inescapable!

[xmas74]

33. But I knew you wouldn't buy.

Truthfully, I'm ready to swallow the money and donate the cookies. Every year we have people who order and then do not pay up. It hurts the girls since we have to sell what's been ordered somehow or we have to pay out of pocket for them.

If I really wanted to sell them to you I would have sent my niece and my daughter to you. Try saying no to two little girls w/ long blonde hair and huge blue eyes in their cute little uniforms telling you about how excited they will be to go to camp this summer w/ the money they earn from cookie sales!

[JVS]

37. Now that really does suck. People who order and then don't pay are bad!

[xmas74]

45. Best solution for you:

Tell your coworkers that you only order from the girl personally. You are less likely to be hit up by the coworker that way. Plus, it teaches the girl the lesson that she is supposed to learn in the first place-sometimes you have to work to get something that you really want.

Or better yet-call your local council and ask them how to contact a troop in your area that has low cookie sales and could really use the extra sales. There are troops in poorer areas that don't always do well w/ sales and they'd be glad to have someone buy from them. That way, you know exactly where the money is going and that it will help the girls that need it the most. Then you can bring in your own order form and, if someone asks you to buy from them state "I'd love to but can't. I'm supporting Troop xxxx this year. They really need the money for dues, equipment and camp fees. If you have a few extra dollars they'd love to have someone buy a box from them. They don't make very many sales and it would be awful if these girls couldn't afford to attend camp and cookie sales is the only way they can go this year."

Once your coworkers find out that you support another troop they will usually leave you alone. They don't want to be suckered into another sale. And, if a few coworkers decide that your troop really could use the sales-so much the better. You'd have the eternal gratitude of young women who might not have the chance to be involved in any activities otherwise. And you'd get recognition as a GS volunteer.

[OhioBlue]

55. my friend's little girl's troop

gives you the option of buying an extra box to send to service men and women serving over seas. I thought it was a great idea.

[xmas74]

67. Some do that too.

There are lots of different options-including donating the money outright and not buying a single box. We have a couple of people who do that. They give the girl a twenty and tell them not to order any cookies-it's just an outright donation.

One of the area troops has the option of ordering another box and donating it to a local nursing home. That's also a wonderful idea-they bring in regular and sugar free cookies to the elderly on the first day of delivery and spend a few hours w/ them.

Cookies help the GS but if they can bring some cheer to others that only makes it even better.

[philosophie_en_rose]

13. It's a good cause, gone wrong.

The Girl Scouts are a progressive organization. They encourage leadership and self-worth (they also do not ban lesbians). I admire the little cookie sellers, who often stand in the cold to peddle thin mints.

However, I dislike being approached by people at work. It's one thing for someone to make a general announcement (Hey everyone, my daughter is selling cookies, if you'd like to buy some). :) However, I don't like being put on the spot. Some people take rejection of fattening cookies as rejection of their children. :eyes:

I will say that girl scout cookies are good stuff, though. And the girl scouts are a private organization.

It really bothers me when schools coerce kids into peddling stuff the voters are too cheap to fund - i.e. books.

[JVS]

15. Those cookies are over-priced

[philosophie_en_rose]

19. Now that America is addicted, they can jack up the price.

:) I know people that keep mass quantities of them frozen and eat them all year long.

[graywarrior]

20. Who makes them, anyhow? anyone ever research the source?

[JVS]

22. Probably some abominable sweatshop in Ecuador

[JVS]

23. Post 18 might have a lead

[philosophie_en_rose]

30. ABC/ Interbake Foods and Little Brownie Bakers

http://www.girlscouts.org/program/gs_cookies/faqs.asp#earnawards


Q: Who bakes Girl Scout Cookies?

A: Two commercial bakers are licensed by the national Girl Scout organization, Girl Scouts of the USA, to produce Girl Scout Cookies: ABC/Interbake Foods and Little Brownie Bakers.


http://www.littlebrowniebakers.com/

http://www.girlscoutcookiesabc.com/

[RubyDuby in GA]

118. As a former GS, who disagrees about the whole cookie thing, I'll agree

with you about this. Way back in the day when I had to sell them by myself, they cost fifty cents a box. Now they're $3.50 a box and have less cookies in them.

Still, I've got 6 boxes of Do-si-does on the way........do not get between the pregnant woman and her peanut butter cookies!!!!!!!!! :)

[fortyfeetunder]

124. $3.50 where you are? Out here they are $4/box!

Holy smokes, variability...
And (sigh) I remember them when they were 50 cents a box too.

[grace0418]

102. There's a right and wrong way to do it.

Like you said, a general announcement is fine. We have a "social" email list at my office for stuff like this. So people send out a social email saying "Hey, my daughter is selling GS cookies. I've got the form in my cube and another in the cafeteria." If you want some, you can stop by and sign up. No big deal. I don't mind that approach at all.

But when people start coming around to my cube sticking the forms in my face. NO WAY.

[OhioBlue]

18. no - I don't mind it

it is Girl Scout's fund raiser. Besides, when I see a dad that works in the factory stop in my office, chat a bit and ask if I want to buy some cookies from his daughter, I kind of like it. I'm glad he feels comfortable enough to come in, chat and ask and I think it's cute that a macho guy is selling girl scout cookies.

Generally, people in my office building just put pamphlets in the break room when their kids are selling something - no pressure, just sign up if you want to buy something. And, the scout cookies are only $2.50 and it kinda creates some goodwill with your fellow workers. No big deal to me.

[JVS]

25. Wait, are you saying that you know someone who works in the factory...

of this racket? The place where the actual cookies are made?

[OhioBlue]

48. no - silly

just a guy that works in a factory, came in a few weeks ago, chatted about NASCAR and kind of sheepishly asked me if I wanted to buy some cookies from his daughter.

I just thought it was cute that the macho guy with the callouses on his hands was trying to help out his daughter. Of course I bought some. I'm sure his little girl has him wrapped around her little finger.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

35. Hey! Your area has cheaper Girl Scout Cookies!

No fair!

(they're $3.50/box here)

[Pithlet]

41. Same here.

But worth every penny. I'm all out of thin mints already :cry:

[JVS]

44. Try Keebler's Grasshoppers

They're similar and cheaper

[Pithlet]

63. They're good, but they're not the same.

I do still have Edy's Thin Mint icecream left, though. That's something.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

53. I still have 3 boxes of thin mints left.

It was the 2 boxes of Samoas that went too quickly this year.
I feel like a pig.

[OhioBlue]

49. oops - I think you're right

I think they were $3.50

[xmas74]

50. Different areas can charge different prices sometimes.

In my neck of the woods they are $3.50 a box.

[reyd reid reed]

58. 3.00/box here

I didn't know that the price varied by region.

People aren't allowed to actively sell Girl Scout cookies where I work. Used to be but I guess, last year, someone complained so we all got a memo saying we couldn't sell any of our kids' fundraising stuff. The most we can do now is put a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board by the bathroom.

I ordered two boxes that way, though. This is the first year EVER that I can remember no little girls coming to my door. Even when my daughter sold them herself, I always bought at least a box from each girl who knocked. Rarely, if ever, from a parent, though.

And I always ended up having to pay out-of-pocket for a TON of cookies that people skipped out on.

[xmas74]

76. I still have 15 boxes left.

Most I was able to sell, whether through inquiries at work and church or as a trade w/ another troop.

And price does vary-my cousins stated that they paid more than we did. Makes sense-they can vary by cost of living and production. If production is higher in that region they have to make it up somewhere.

And we aren't allowed to actively sell at work either. I'm not even supposed to mention that I'm a leader even though I sometimes have to take days off for just that reason. But everyone at work knows I'm a leader so they come to me when no one is knocking on their door. I get their address and find out when they will be home then pass it on to a girl who lives nearby for her to make the sale. If none of them want to then I take my niece over since my daughter is not old enough this year for sales.

[Orangepeel]

24. "pimping" them?

What exactly do you do with your Girl Scout cookies, JVS?

[JVS]

27. "Oh you know you want them, they're sooooo good"

"C'mon 2 boxes for $5" etc.

[xmas74]

31. Now that would make me mad.

My co-leader and I expect the GIRLS to try their best to make the sale-not the parents.

[emmajane67]

28. My boss just went to the U.S. and brought us back 2 boxes...

Have you ever read the ingrediants on those things!!!
Not to mention the culturally dubious 'Samoas' cookies.

[graywarrior]

32. OK, I found it. Here's who bakes them

The national Girl Scout organization, Girl Scouts of the USA, approves and licenses the bakers of Girl Scout Cookies. At the bakeries, the cookies are produced by American labor union members from American-grown agricultural products and wrapped in American-made packaging materials.

The approved bakers work directly with local Girl Scout councils. Each one of our 300-plus councils selects which baker it will work with and sets the price per box in its area. Currently two licensed bakers supply local Girl Scout councils with cookies for girls to sell: ABC/Interbake Foods and Little Brownie Bakers.

[philosophie_en_rose]

36. GSA is pro-union, pro-girls, pro-safety - worth $3.50 a box to me.

According to the GSA, they even work with their vendors to investigate whether their chocolate is cruelty-free.

I think the cookies are generally gross (except for the lemon sandwich cookies that they've discontinued :cry:), but it's even tax deductible to buy cookies and leave them with the troop or to a shelter.

The girls aren't responsible for "cookie moms."

[NashVegas]

34. Nope, Never

Pass the Tagalongs.

[Frank Cannon]

38. I would if the cookies weren't so GOOOOOOOOOD

Thank God they only sell Samoas and Thin Mints once a year.

[tjdee]

39. 1)The fundraisers are out of control, and 2)those cookies are awesome.

School/activity fundraisers have become insane. My kid's dance school has already had two (since September), her school I think is doing one now.... how much money/friends do they think people have?

Maybe if our taxes were funding our schools instead of bullshit wars, we wouldn't have this overdoing of solicitation. It's ridiculous.

[xmas74]

46. Try being the cookie mom.

It really sucks but there is no way around it this year.

I'm also the mom who does all the fundraisers at school, sport fundraisers, etc.

Not enough funding and not enough donations right now to GS. The girls are hurting.

[tigereye]

54. cool on you, Xmas!

:thumbsup:

I was a Scout for years when I was a kid. The cookies are cool and the GSA is cool and a great way for girls to experience and learn new things.

[xmas74]

60. I was a GS too.

Now I'm an adult volunteer(co-leader of a Daisy troop and a volunteer for a Junior troop). For the money I think it's one of the best programs you can get a child involved in.

And to those who don't like how things are right now: the only way you can change it is to get involved. You have to prove that not everyone thinks the same way as a select few. It's the little changes on the local level that can later make a huge impact at national offices.

BTW-supporting GS is a fantastic way to piss of a fundie right now. National HQ and the fundies hate each other.

[tigereye]

75. it's a shame that the Boy Scouts aren't as progressive =

all my brothers were Boy Scouts, but my husband really has a problem with the BSA's homophobic attitudes. I really would love for my son to be involved with a BS troop, if we could find a progressive one.

[xmas74]

78. Find out who the leaders are around there

and talk to them. One of them might be more progressive than you realize.

Or start your own troop. It's not as hard as you think and you can easily work some progressive values into the meetings.

[tigereye]

81. yeah the ones right near here are heavily Capitalistic

almost verging on being a training ground for businessmen. That's not all bad, but since my kid goes to a progressive school, it's not quite what I was looking for. Maybe we should start a troop at school - I never thought of that.

[xmas74]

83. Contact your local council and get the info.

Advise them that you want to focus heavily on service projects to your community and that you feel that your troop would be a benefit not only to the community but to Scouts as a whole. And advertise at school and local progressive churches (yes, there are a few out there!)-one of the churches might let you use their facilities for free and offer up a good volunteer base for various activities.

Scouting is about the kids but it's also about the volunteers. It's only as good as the volunteers are. Also, talk to a few area nursing homes about maybe having meetings there. There are quite a few older residents who would love to have kids there on a weekly basis and who have a wealth of experience that they would be only too glad to volunteer. Some of the best troops have had elderly volunteers.

[tigereye]

119. ya know I would never have thought about having one at a

nursing home, that's a really cool idea. :)

[xmas74]

120. Contact the activity director

and find out if the home is appropriate for a pack. If s/he thinks so s/he will ask the residents if they would be interested. Some might-they love the interaction, if they are young scouts.

[GreenPartyVoter]

56. The principal has put a limit on how much each group can do fundraising...

so different teams can get uniforms different years and so forth. Even so, it's hard to come up with the $. I put my cheer stipend back into the cheer account so I can pay for my camp fee but also have some $ handy as the team needs it.

[xmas74]

61. That is a good idea.

It's especially nice for the girls organizations. Most people donate to the most well-known club or organization. If they can't fundraise nonstop other groups have half a chance to earn some money.

[GreenPartyVoter]

74. Yeah, my hubby wasn't happy about it because we could really use the

$$ but I pointed out I would have ended up begging for it back piecemeal anyway.

[xmas74]

79. Very true.

Some groups do well at fundraising just by the nature of the group while others make almost nothing. This policy is about the only way to really even the playing field.

[GreenPartyVoter]

84. Yeah, it;s very true. Esp here in our tiny town. Just not enough of a

population to financially support all the cool stuff our kids want to do.

[xmas74]

85. We have a decent population

(about 20,000 before the military base and the university) but they always support the same thing. Football. Baseball.

Not enough support for the other groups by any means and not enough to women's clubs and organizations.

[GreenPartyVoter]

87. We have 700, plus about the same at the Maritime Academy

[tjdee]

57. Oh I know.

I was the fundraising mom last time, and it sucked. It makes the parents do the heavy work, and look like the scary people you have to hide from LOL.... I feel for you.

[xmas74]

62. We just have some lazy parents.

They want the money but refuse to put the time in. And there are some scary people out there to deal w/!

[Beware the Beast Man]

42. Fuck you, man, Thin Mints rule!

:P

[JVS]

43. Grasshoppers forever!

[graywarrior]

47. The Thin Mints have drugs in them

They must have. You cannot stop once you start, then when cookie season is over, you jones for them for months.

[JVS]

51. It's the addictive chemical KFC uses to make you crave it fortnightly

[tigereye]

52. no

I love the cookies and there don't seem to be any Scouts in my neighborhood. My husband always orders some at work, too.

[MsUSA]

59. I was a girl scout, and had to sell my own......my parents

wouldn't think of selling "my" cookies. A lesson well learned. I hated going around our neighborhood.....hated it, only sold about 20 boxes or so. No top seller here, but did learn that I had to do for myself.

[1gobluedem]

64. I'd rather buy them at work

Where my co-worker just puts his daughter's sales sheet in the kitchen and doesn't pressure anyone at all than to be continually accosted outside every grocery store in the city for about a month. All of my grocery stores (I shop at three) allow group after group to sell outside their doors. The cub scouts peddling popcorn are particularly annoying -- very aggressive.

I got kicked out of Girl Scouts when I was 12; I wonder if they would still sell me the cookies if they knew?

[JVS]

66. What did you get kicked out for?

If you don't mind me asking

[1gobluedem]

68. I was too rowdy

My whole patrol got kicked out and the leader was busted down to Brownies. Quite a scandal for its day and our relatively small town but actually pretty tame.

[progmom]

108. ha!

:rofl:

I love it. You got kicked out of the girl scouts. :rofl:

[1gobluedem]

110. You didn't know that?

Does it make up for my liking Miller Lite? :beer:

[progmom]

116. no

:D

But you have other redeeming qualities, so we'll be ok.

[xmas74]

69. If you lived around me

I'd gladly sell you some.
I'd let you volunteer too. We need some decent volunteers who are not afraid to speak their minds!

[graywarrior]

71. Hey, I got kicked out when I was 12 too!

[1gobluedem]

99. What was your transgression?

Were you too rowdy too?

[graywarrior]

103. Yeah. Class clown and instigator.

When it came to the Marion Award, I was a total pain in the ass. The final straw was a camping trip. They called my mother to come get me at 2 am. Note: my mother did not drive so they were stuck with me. That was my final boot.

[auntAgonist]

65. Just say NO thank you!

There's bigger issues in the world. Why let it bother you?
aA

[imperialismispasse]

70. Hell no I love those cookies

I start badgering one of my employees about January because I know her daughter sells them. I can't wait until that order form comes around. Apparently there are enough people who feel like this on this thread that you can see why they kepp bringing the forms in. Lots of people want them. You will just have to suck it up and deal dude. :D

[Missy Vixen]

72. It's not just co-workers

try the UPS guy. Yes, our UPS guy came in with a "reservation list" two weeks ago. DH bought ten boxes last year because he works with five different people whose daughters are selling cookies. If this was not enough, I was accosted by the neighbor's daughter outside of the local Safeway.

I've started just giving the money equal to the cost of a box of cookies and telling them that I don't need the box of cookies. Perhaps they could be donated to someone else...

Julie

[xmas74]

95. you can ask your troop leader to danate the boxes

to a homeless shelter, a nursing home or some donate to service personnel serving overseas. They can do any of those options.

[kick-ass-bob]

73. I have raffle tickets to sell for my son's school! Anyone want any?

:evilgrin:

[GreenPartyVoter]

77. Only if the prize is a big Bose wave cd player and I have a

1-in-1 chance to win.

[kick-ass-bob]

80. No, but we have an "electronic shoot out in-home basketball game"

One in one chance to win for $1?

I don't think so...

:bounce:

[GreenPartyVoter]

82. I need a very loud radio for my cheer team. I don't think they want the

shoot-out thingy. Well, actually they would because they are also on the b-ball team, but still it wouldn't be much use for dancing to. *l*

[Sequoia]

86. Last year I got some from a co-worker

and my chocolate mint cookies were melted together and she wouldn't give me a replacement box so this year I said no. I will get them from my daughter's friend instead.

[Left Is Write]

90. I didn't get any cookies last year...

because no one brought in their sales form to my husband's office, no one brought one to church, and no one came to my door! Damn.

My daughter is a Girl Scout, but this is her first year, and she's a Daisy Scout (kindergarten). Daisies don't sell cookies, so I will have to hope someone knocks on the door or that one of my husband's colleagues brings in a form.

I was a Camp Fire girl. We sold candy (stuff like peanut brittle). Try being a Camp Fire girl selling candy in a neighborhood full of Girl Scouts with cookies!

[xmas74]

96. We'll both be selling cookies next year!

DO NOT, under any circumstances, volunteer to be the Cookie Mom. It is the biggest nightmare you will ever face.

I'm a Daisy coleader and a Junior asst. leader. I was stuck w/ Cookie Mom this year because no one would do it. I've already stated that it will never happen again. I prefer to be the camping mom.

[Left Is Write]

101. I have been duly warned by other friends of mine also...

I will not volunteer to be the Cookie Mom.

All of us in our troop are new to Girl Scouts (none of the other mothers has had any older daughters involved), so we're learning right along with the co-leaders.

[xmas74]

105. Camping is cool.

World Thinking Day is great.

Just stay away from the cookies if you don't want a messy house and the headache of dealing w/ decent sums of money (in the thousands). Cookie Mom handles all the order forms, receives the delivery of all the cookies, divides them up, hands them out to the girls, gets the money and has to deal w/ those that no one will claim.

It sucks.

If they have a local day camp this summer you can volunteer and not worry about a babysitter for your younger child either. They are welcome to come along (as tagalongs), either boys or girls. Day camp is cheap for what all they do and it's a great time for the girls.

[hfojvt]

91. Girl Scout Cookies!!

Do you know where I can score some?

[JVS]

94. I'm afraid you'll have to resort to kidnapping

[hfojvt]

109. bah! At the Girl Scout office

in Mason City, Iowa. They sell them year round.
But that's a long drive.
There must be local offices all over the country
who do the same thing, but the money probably goes
to pay their light bill.

[xmas74]

111. Mid-Continent Council is in KC.

They usually have a decent supply.

(BTW-it's technically called Mid Continent but every refers to it as Heart of America)

Mid-Continent Council's offices are located at The Bette Jordan Service Center in eastern Kansas City, Missouri.

8383 Blue Parkway
Kansas City, Missouri 64133
phone: [phone]
fax: [phone]
e-mail: [e-mail]

[xmas74]

98. Do you want me to put you on my list for next year?

It can be done.

I can meet you in KC next Nov w/ two of the cutest little blonde hair, blued eyed Brownies and Juniors you've ever seen to do the sales pitch. (I'm partial since they are my niece and my daughter).

November-mark it on your calendar.

[JVS]

100. Wouldn't that be a violation of another troop's "turf"?

I would be very careful if I were you. You're playing with fire.

[xmas74]

104. Nope.

The money actually goes to Council first, then the troop. In my case, it goes to Heart of America, then our local council then our troop.

Besides, I know of girls who sell to family and friends all over the US. If he doesn't have anyone to sell to him he can join my list. My girls are poor and need the money. I'm paying for fees for two of them already. Their families cannot afford the dues and I don't want them to quit for financial reasons.

Besides, I used to be a jailer. Any parent wants to duke it out-let them. They didn't research their market.

I win.

(on edit-it's still cool. He would be in my district-Heart of America. I think they'll be happy to have the other sale)

[Bzzzz]

97. I'm plenty sick...

of all the crap our employees peddle for their kids. I work at a bank and it's ridiculous to go into our break room, because it's always covered with order forms for this and that, or candy bars in boxes, popcorn, candles, etc. I and my husband never sold items for our kids. We always told them that they were the ones participating and they were doing the selling.

[Midlodemocrat]

113. My daughter sells cookies, but only to me

and a few friends that insist that she come by so that they can buy some. I don't let her go door to door, and since we both work from home, selling them at the office is out. I wouldn't let her sell at our offices anyway, because we are both bosses and that wouldn't be fair.

[sbj405]

114. At least GS cookies are good, it's the Sally Foster shit I hate

Crappy, overpriced stuff.

[MissMillie]

115. Not one person has approached me

which is both good and bad.

I love the shortbread cookies.

If someone approaches me, I'd have to buy some. That would be good. No, that would be bad....

[RPM]

121. Say you are on a diet....

then get 2 or 3 of those kick ass burittos in collegetown.

word!

[Tallison]

123. I'd rather girls sell them through parents' offices than door to door

Safety-wise, at least.