Girl Scout Cookies Then & Now

Today is Girl Scout Day.  Were you a Girl Scout?  A Brownie?  A Cadet?  I was!  And I loved every minute of it!  The only reason I didn't go on to do the Senior Scouts was that their meetings conflicted with the times I could volunteer as a Candystriper.  And, since I wanted to be a nurse, I chose Candystriping over Scouting at that point in time.  When my girls were in elementary school, I became a leader.  And I loved every minute of that experience as well.

A few years ago my parents loaded two very heavy boxes into my trunk.  These boxes were "attic treasures" they told me.  It wasn't until a month or two ago that I opened up one of those boxes to find my Girl Scout sash with all of its pins, stars, and badges proudly displayed...and my handbook looking all tattered and worn.  I sat for hours looking through the handbook -- gazing at the now unfamiliar handwriting of a school girl.  Remembering some of the moments in Girl Scouts that I hadn't thought of in ages was a great walk back in time.

When I was a Brownie and young Girl Scout, it was encouraged that we go door-to-door to do our cookie selling.  It was from those early cookie sales that I learned to be an organized business person.  I'd set up the dining room table as my "office."  (Afterall, we only ate at that table on major holidays.)  With order forms and pencils in hand and the phone and phone book next to me, I called as many of the people I knew from church and other community organizations to take their orders over the phone.  Then, I'd head down the street, knocking on doors right and left. 

This was a time when you actually took orders and then waited for your order to be delivered, delivered the cookies and collected the monies.  None of this setting up a card table outside a store with cookies in hand for immediate gratification like we have now.  And, of course, this was a time when the cookies were not nearly as pricey as they are now -- I can't remember the exact price but I seem to remember they were less than a buck a box.  For several years I was one of the top sellers in our troop selling more than two hundred dollars' worth - and at less than a dollar a box that's ALOT OF COOKIES for a little girl to deliver. 

My parents were great about NOT jumping in to help unless they saw I was in need of their assistance.  I would take the order forms (again), bag up the orders and head out with several orders loaded in my brother's Radio Flyer wagon to complete the process. 

In doing research for several projects, I happened upon a very interesting bit of trivia.  I learned that the first Girl Scout cookies were made in Philadelphia - which was very near my hometown.  How is it that I never knew that, I wonder? 

All this reminiscing about Girl Scout cookies has me craving a few.  And it just so happens that I have a couple boxes in my kitchen.  Hmmmm which will it be?  The ever popular Thin Mints, the new Thank You Berry Much, or the ooey gooey Samoas? 
If you'll excuse me now, I think a nice tall glass of cold milk and a couple Thin Mints are calling my name!  Which one is your favorite?