UNC students and local residents can get their Thin Mint fix until the second week of March, thanks to the Girl Scouts of Orange County.
Sierra Richmond, sales manager for Orange County and a Girl Scout troop leader, said there are about 40 troops selling cookies in the county. And she said cookie season is going well.
“I think our cookie sales have been up just a little bit compared to last year,” she said.
But Girl Scout cookies are about more than just satisfying sweet teeth.
“It’s cookie season right now, and this year’s theme is, ‘What can a girl do?‘” said Elaine Penny, membership director for the Orange County Girl Scouts.
Penny said selling cookies gives the Girl Scouts an opportunity to learn how to manage money and communicate with others.
“It’s not just about selling cookies to make the money,” she said.
The scouts sell cookies door-to-door or at cookie booths, Penny said, exposing the girls to customer service, money management and business skills early on.
Some of the funds from the cookie sales are given back to the troops, who decide what to do with the profits — like taking a trip or engaging in a service project.
“Girl Scouts is very girl-led,” Penny said.
Krista Park, the communications and marketing director for the N.C. Coastal Pines chapter of Girl Scouts, said selling cookies means a lot to the girls.
“It’s selling the cookies that really make them feel like a Girl Scout,” she said.
Parks also said even as times change, membership continues to grow and girls are still interested in joining the organization.
“I think as Girl Scouts has changed over the years, it is keeping its relevancy,” she said. “Those traditions are still there.”
As far as traditions go, Richmond said people love Girl Scout cookies as much as ever.
“Thin Mints are always one of the most popular,” she said.
Richmond said the classic Thin Mints, along with Caramel deLites and Peanut Butter Patties, are among the most popular cookies.
The Orange County Girl Scouts are also marketing a new cookie this season — the Mango Crèmes with Nutrifusion.
“It sounds fancy, doesn’t it?” Richmond said.
But Richmond said the new cookies are never as popular as the traditional choices.
“People want to go with their good old standbys,” she said.
No matter the cookie, the demand is constant.
Richmond said Girl Scout troops in Orange County often request to set up cookie booths on Franklin Street or on UNC’s campus. These booths, she said, are often some of the most successful.
“Those are the hot booths,” she said.
To get the day's news and headlines in your inbox each morning, sign up for our email newsletters.
