Girl Scout Cookie Sales

[VentureScoutNY]

I am not too familiar with the Girl Scout Program. But like most people I love Girl Scout Cookies. I was reading in the Providence Journal Sunday edition 3/14/04 that last year the Girl Scouts made $400 Million dollars through Cookies sales. Maybe its just me, although I doubt it, but thats some serious money. Lets break that down, 1 million is 100, 100 thousands... cough cough... AMAZING. Talk about a great fundraiser! In fact, I will be spinning off a thread in Fundraising after this to discuss popcorn..

 

What does the organization do with all this money?? Again, I am not too familiar with the Program but I don't think they have as many camps and programs to pay for like the BSA has. And the amount of Girl Scout camps must be few and far between since I have only heard of one that all the girls go to in my area. And the girls I know only go camping a few times a year.

 

So basically, I'm just curious where does all that money go? Is their organization that big and profitable? I don't know. Enlighten me.

 

VentureScoutNY

 

[ScoutNut]

What do Girl Scout councils do with all of their Cookie money? The same things that Boy Scout councils do with their popcorn money! They pay for staff salaries, upkeep and expenses at council offices and council camps, camperships, financial assistance, and, of course, programing.

 

That 400 million does not go to National GSUSA. The profit earned by each council's cookie sale stays in that council. Just like BSA's popcorn profit stays with each council. Like BSA, some GSUSA councils do very well with product sales and others struggle to find the funds they need.

 

Most GSUSA councils have at least 1 camp and 1 main office. Many have more than one. My council has 4 camps and 2 offices. We have summer camp programs at all 4 camps and troops can utilize the camps at "off" times for troop camping, day use, meetings, events, trainings, etc.

 

The "offices" are actually service centers that house council offices, shops and numerous program areas. The Service Center nearest me has a computer center where girls can go to work on computer related badges, a library where troops can borrow program materials, and rooms (w/kitchen facilites) for meetings, trainings, events, and troop sleepovers.

[NWScouter]

It is also my understanding that GS do not have an FOS program like Boy Scouts, so the cookie sales is the major fund raising push for their councils. Also the units get a much lower percentage that the BS units get for popcorn. Every GS also has to sell and they can't have any other fund raising. I may be wrong please correct my information.

[ScoutNut]

It depends on the council, but I believe that most have an annual solicitation program, of one kind or another, for their members and their families. In my council it is called "Family Partnership". Many councils also have 1 other council product sale during the year. Some councils do Girl Scout calendars some do magazines/nuts/candies.

 

Like BSA, Girl Scout council sponsored product sales are not mandatory. Neither Troops or individual girls are forced to sell cookies or magazines. However, if a Troop wants to get permission to hold a money earning event they must participate in all of the council product sales first. This does not mean that every girl in the Troop must sell. It means that the Troop must sell something. It can be the basic minimum, everything they can get their hands on, or anywhere in between.

 

My girls wanted to do a fundraiser to help purchase supplies for their Girl Scout Gold Award project. We re-uped some of our magazine subscriptions and sold a few cans of nuts. Very minimal and low key, but we did earn about $100. We did a bigger push with the cookies for our regular Troop funds. This allowed the girls to do gift wrapping at our local Borders Bookstore to earn Gold Award funds.

[purcelce]

"is also my understanding that GS do not have an FOS program like Boy Scouts"

 

GSUSA has a FOS type program. I got a call from my Neighborhood Chairman last night. Was glad to donate.

 

 

[Campfire Fairy]

The 2 girl scout camps in my area have summer programs as well asorganized winter camping. The winter camping programs run Friday nights-Sunday afternoons and the activities vary. There are Mom-and-Me weekends, where each of the scouts (typically Brownies) brings their mom, and a similar weekend with dads. There are open-scheduled weekends when troops can reserve units for winter camping to earn badges, or just for fun.

 

Both camps also contain ropes courses- low ropes at one, high at the other, unless things have changed since I've last heard. And I can tell you for a fact that non-girl scout groups can utilize the ropes courses and camping facilities, because my Venture crew is looking to plan a COPE course weekend at one of the camps, and we were assured that the male crew members wouldn't be slapped in the face and sent home before even stepping foot beyond the gate. From what I understand, the camp director seemed to kind of like the idea of sharing the facilities with a branch of the BSA.

 

If you ask me, it's about time the BSA and GSA started working together.