Girl Scout Cookie Super Seller Provides Inspiration For Annual Program

    VENTURA, CA, January 16, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- At the onset of the annual Girl Scout Cookie season, sixth-grader Katelynn Gervais, last year's Super Cookie Seller for Girl Scouts of California's Central Coast, is looking forward to hitting her goal of selling 2,500 boxes of cookies this year as the traditional sale to support girls kicks off Saturday, January 16th throughout the council's six coastal communities ranging from Ventura County in the south to Santa Cruz County in the north.

Girl Scouts of every grade-level including Girl Scout Daisy, and teens through Girl Scout Ambassadors, will be participating in the Girl Scout Cookie Program from January 16th - March 22nd. Eight delicious varieties are available this year for $4 a box including: Thin Mints, Trefoils, Do-Si-Dos, Samoas, Tagalongs, Lemon Chalet Cremes, Dulce de Leche, and new this year, Thank U Berry Munch--all with 0g of trans fat.

For Katelynn, achievement of Cookie Hall of Famer is both a personal and family goal as Katelynn's aunt and troop leader is also a former super seller. When asked about her lofty goal, Katelynn outlined the plan--one of the outcomes of the program. "Before we receive cookie order forms, our troop writes down goals on a chart." "We've used the cookie money for a beach clean-up, and for the Salvation Army Giving Tree where we took $200 and bought gifts and toys for a boy and a girl," Katelynn continued. "It was nice to know that we were taking our own money and spending it on kids who needed it more than us."

"Katelynn's troop is a great testament to the program as every cookie has a mission," says Jacqueline Rains-Turk, council CEO. "Girls decide how to spend the money they earn which has included projects ranging from providing homemade blankets to a homeless shelter, a new garden for a group home, or to fund attendance at a career exploration event. Also vitally important, cookie funding allows councils to provide girl scholarships for summer camp, activity registration fees, transportation, and much more."

The experience lasts a lifetime. Through the Girl Scout Cookie Program, girls develop no less than five essential skills: goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics.

"Buying a box of Girl Scout Cookies is putting money into our council and with that we get to participate and do a lot more for our communities," adds super seller Katelynn Gervais. "It gives us the opportunity to get out there and help--stuff that we wouldn't be capable of doing."

Girl Scout Cookie booths will be available beginning February 26th through March 21st. During this time, Girl Scout Cookie fans can find cookies by using the automated COOKIE BOOTH LOCATER on the council website at www.girlscoutsccc.org.

For Girl Scout Cookie product information, please contact Joanie White, Director of Product Sales at 800-822-2427.

Girl Scouts is the world's preeminent leadership development organization dedicated to helping build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

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