Girl scouts ready for cookie season

Already a Girl Scout cookie sale veteran, Gabi Doolin has a winning strategy – and more importantly a safe one.

“We sell to people that we know,” she said.

Gabi, 8, and about 300 other scouts from five nearby schools attended a “cookie rally” Monday night at Grant Wood Elementary School in southeast Cedar Rapids. With annual two-week Girl Scout cookie sale beginning Friday, organizers wanted to remind the girls of sales goals, skills, and safety.

“They still have to be responsible for getting the money and their orders in to the council,” said Kerri Leu, cookie service manager for the 22 troops attending Monday's rally.

Each troop of about 15 girls gets 45 cents for each $3.50 box of cookies sold, Leu said. She estimated the sale earns each troop about $500 for activities and supplies. The cookies will be delivered in early March.

While Leu helped troop leaders acquaint themselves with the Girl Scouts' online ordering system, the scouts - Daisies, Brownies, and Cadets in kindergarten through middle school - played games and reviewed sales and safety information.

Leu admitted the sale's midwinter timing isn't the best for door-to-door sales, Gabi and other scouts have a strategy for that, too.

“My dad took (the order form) to work, my mom takes them to work, and I take them to school,” she said.