All Aboard the 2023 Cookie Cruise!

On May 7 and June 11, 2023, Girl Scouts who sold at least 500 boxes of cookies this past cookie season got to celebrate their hard work on the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana Cookie Cruise.

Over 1,250 Girl Scouts were able to attend the Cookie Cruise. Girl Scouts had three boats for both days, and each boat had multiple dance floors with a DJ. The DJs kept the enthusiasm high as Girl Scouts danced with their family and friends from across the council the entire time.

To sell 500 boxes of cookies is an incredible accomplishment. Through the Girl Scout Cookie Program, Girl Scouts can sell cookies door-to-door, online, at cookie booths, or by reaching out to friends and family.

“My favorite part about selling Girl Scout Cookies is seeing the smiles on people’s faces when they buy them,” said Girl Scout Emeliya from Troop 75677.

Through the cookie program, Girl Scouts also create goals to provide new experiences for themselves and their troop.

“We had four Girl Scouts whose goal was to get on the Cookie Cruise, and all four Girl Scouts reached their goal and were able to attend. One girl was about 200 boxes short of her 500 goal, and during our last booth sale, all the girls worked together to make sure she reached her cookie goal. It was so amazing seeing them work together,” said troop leader Kristina of Troop 75924.

When Girl Scouts participate in the cookie program, they do much more than help their customers stock up on delicious treats — they learn how to run their own cookie business! The cookie program gives Girl Scouts all the tools they need to sharpen their skills in goal setting, decision making, money management, interacting with customers, and business ethics, to set themselves up for success today and in the future.

“So often girls are taught about being a princess or a diva, and while those things are fun, there is so much more that Girl Scouts offers. I wanted my girls to be well-rounded in their experiences and develop their leadership skills through Girl Scouts,” Kristina added.

Although the 2023 cookie season is over, the skills learned will continue to last and strengthen throughout a Girl Scout’s life. From being a leader at Girl Scout camp to going into her first interview with confidence, courage, and character, each cookie box sold opens limitless possibilities.

P.s. The 2024 Fall Product Program will return in just a few more months, where Girl Scouts can continue strengthening these essential skills! More information is coming soon.

Click here to view the May 7, 2023, Cookie Cruise photos.

Click here to view the June 11, 2023, Cookie Cruise photos.

Troop Uses Cookie Proceeds To Create Memories That Will Last A Lifetime

Troop proceeds from selling cookies can be used for fun, like taking a trip to Disney World!

Troop 35580 recently returned from a five-night, six-day trip visiting Disney Springs, Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. When visiting Animal Kingdom, girls earned their Animal Habitat patch to enhance their Girl Scout experience.

“We saw the true meaning of sisterhood. They (Girl Scouts) all showed their courage and strength. Many of the girls stepped outside their box and rode rides they would have never ridden at all the parks,” said Troop Leader Kailey Gernenz.

The troop paid for this trip with the proceeds collected from selling 22,925 boxes of cookies over the past three years.

“Like Walt Disney says” IF YOU CAN DREAM IT, YOU CAN DO IT.” That is what got us to Disney,” said Kailey.

The troop made many great memories and has set another goal for 2025 to return and go to Sea World.

Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana created a plan to help troops continue to reach their cookie goals.

For every online shipped order (Digital Cookie, Ship-to-Customer) placed and paid for by a customer between February 27 and March 20, the troop will receive $1.15 ($1.25, if the troop opted out of rewards) per package as troop proceeds.

Girl Scouts, remember to email your customers on February 27 with your new Digital Cookie link.

How to Make Girl Scout S’mores® Brownies

December 8 is National Brownie Day, and we have the perfect brownie recipe for you! Take your brownies to the next level by making Girl Scout S’mores® Brownies. These brownies are a combination of, you guessed it, Girl Scout S’mores® cookies and your favorite brownie mix – coming together to create the most divine chocolatey goodness your taste buds have ever feasted upon!

Now please keep in mind that Girl Scouts GCNWI is not a professional cooking blog, and this recipe may need a little tweaking given how many cookies you have available, the brownie mix you have, etc., but the best part is that they are made with love!

Get the recipe below and enjoy baking these delicious Girl Scout S’mores® Brownies. Share with us how yours turn out!

Ingredients

This recipe will make approximately 12 large or 24 small Girl Scout S’mores® Brownies.

Bottom Layer

2 boxes of Girl Scout S’mores® Cookies
1 stick of unsalted butter

Brownie Layer

1 box of your favorite brownie mix, follow instructions on box
¼ cup of vegetable oil
½ cup of water
1 Egg

Top Layer:

1 bag of mini marshmallows
Optional: Girl Scout S’mores®
Optional: Hot fudge

Other Supplies

2-3 large mixing bowls
Rolling pin
Zip-loc gallon bag
Spatula
Cookie scooper
Muffin tin
Baking cups

Directions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and line your muffin tin with baking cups.

Step 2: Prepare the crust. Combine both packages of Girl Scout S’mores® in a gallon size zip-loc bag. Use a rolling pin to break the cookies into crumbs. You can also use a food processor. Once cookies are crushed into crumbs, transfer into a medium mixing bowl. Place 1 stick of butter in a microwave safe mixing bowl and melt in the microwave, stir every 15 seconds. Add melted butter to cookie crumbs and mix thoroughly.

Step 3: Depending on the size of your muffin tin, place ½- 1 scoop of crumb and butter mixture to each baking cup. Flatten the mixture so it creates an even layer.

Step 4: Prepare the brownie mix as directed on the brownie mix box.

Step 5: Add the brownie mix on top of the cookie crust and allow mix to settle.

Step 6: Bake for 30 – 45 minutes, depending on the size of your brownies.

Step 7: Once out of the oven top with 3 mini marshmallows.

Step 8: (Optional) Add a Girl Scout S’mores® cookie on top of the marshmallows. Drizzle hot fudge over the brownies once cooled.

Step 9: Enjoy!

Girl Scout Senior Madison Uses Cookies for Community Service!

Girl Scouts can do incredible things, especially when they have the drive to do good and make the world a better place with ingenious and creative solutions. Girl Scout Senior Madison is one of these awesome Girl Scouts! Madison shared her story of developing the ThinMints4ThickSocks initiative, aimed at providing support and comfort to community members struggling with homelessness.

Read on to learn more about Madison’s story and her community service efforts, in her own words, and learn how Girl Scout Cookies do good for communities and more!

My Girl Scout origin story started when I was in pre-K. I frequently saw my sister, who is 8 years older than me, leave to go to Girl Scouts. I wanted to be a Girl Scout so desperately, I would often sit in the same room to watch their meeting.

Eventually, I was able to [be] a Daisy and it was the best day ever. I got to do cookie sales, meet new friends, do community service, and spend time with my peers at Girl Scouts. I’m continuing my Girl Scout journey in my freshman year of high school. Girl Scouts has been an enriching experience, providing me with an opportunity to fulfill my full potential in life.

According to several news articles and reports, socks aren’t frequently donated to homeless shelters and are often in high demand. ThinMints4Thicksocks is an initiative that I created to provide socks to the homeless by allowing the public to donate a new pack of tube socks in exchange for a box of Girl Scout Cookies. Rather than buying a box for five dollars, people bought a box by donating a pack of new socks. We then donated all the socks we collected and gave them to homeless shelters.

I created this project because the pandemic presented a challenge for the 2021 cookie season. Because I couldn’t conduct business as usual, I decided to think outside of the box and create a way to combine this cookie season with a charitable drive, assisting people impacted by the pandemic and driven to homelessness.

ThinMints4Thicksocks directly provided socks to the homeless, which aren’t in adequate supply in some homeless shelters locally and across the nation. I was motivated to pursue this project because I realized the positive benefit it would have in the community in helping disadvantaged people, like the residents of Chicago’s UCAN facility, which is social service agency serving over 10,000 individuals annually through compassionate healing, education, and empowerment.

By raising awareness of the shortage of socks, I believe ThinMints4ThickSocks will continue even after I’ve finished working on the project, by inspiring others to continue donating socks, and other much needed items, (like thermal underclothes, toiletry items, etc.). My plan was to plant a seed and my hope is that it will provide an abundant crop of caring.

I wish others knew about how Girl Scouts is preparing me, and other girls, to assume leadership roles in our future endeavors. Girl Scouting gives me a sense of responsibility and community. Girl Scouts is not just about selling cookies, or community service projects. Many of my closest friends are Girl Scouts. We’ve maintained our friendships through mutual respect, trust, and honesty, which are all promoted in Girl Scouting.

Thank you to Madison!

Learn About Cookies

Welcome to the Girl Scout Cookie Program, the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world. The Girl Scout Cookie Program helps your girl succeed today and prepare for future success. With every box she sells, she builds on 5 essential leadership skills she can use for a lifetime.

Participating in the cookie program powers Girl Scouts’ adventures throughout the year as they learn key business skills to excel in future careers and in life. By participating in different sales methods, girls gain more skills, including: goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics.

Stay up-to-date with 2022’s Cookie Program when you register to be a Girl Scout! Join today!

Want to order cookies? Try our new Adventureful cookie! (For a limited time only!)

Girl Scout Gifts A Trip to Disney!

Chicago, Illinois (May 17, 2019) — a day that forever changed the life of a young boy from Dolton, Illinois.

Today we have a special shout-out for a special Girl Scout. Junior Girl Scout Anne Nelson, 11, had a “simple” goal – sell 5,000 Girl Scout cookies to earn a trip to Disney World. But the goal wasn’t to do this for herself. Anne, inspired by a lesson in class about generosity, wanted to gift the trip to another child.

“Everyone should be kind to other people and generous because if someone wants to go somewhere or do something and they never have a chance to do it, it would make them feel amazing to do it.”
Anne N.

The Heart Behind the Gift

Anne went above and beyond those 5,000 boxes required to earn the trip for two to the ‘happiest place on Earth’ and is now a member of the Cookie CEO club at the council. Cookie CEOs are the top five local Girl Scouts who sell the most cookies during the season. With Anne selling more than 6,000 boxes total, she sets a wonderful example of diligence and dedication.

Anne’s mother, Michelle Nelson, encouraged her daughter’s dedication to her cookie sales endeavor, but even she was surprised by Anne’s desire to give back in such a grand way. “Anne learned about the needs of those less fortunate than others and it really resonated with her. She decided she want to give this trip away to a kid who wouldn’t be able to go otherwise, and she worked so hard to make it happen,” said Michelle.

The product team at Girl Scouts GCNWI was just as surprised, with this being the first time in the council’s history where a cookie program participant shared her travel reward so grandly. “Anne told our product team early on that this is why she was working so hard to sell 5,000 boxes and we are so glad to see that with Courage, Confidence and Character, any girl can meet and exceed her goals!” said Susan Rakis, Director of Product Program.

Anne’s surprise reveal took place on Friday, May 17^th at the Disney Store located inside the Chicago Ridge Mall. Joined by her Girl Scout troop, family and friends, Anne was able to surprise the young boy, age 11, with a special Disney inspired video, detailing his gifted trip to Orlando.

When asked what she hopes to share with others about her gift she said, “I want all kids to know that they can do big things because kids have big hearts and enough in them to make a change. One small thing can make a big difference.”

Next year she hopes to sell 5,000 more boxes of cookies to give the Disney trip to another child in need and she encourages her fellow Girl Scouts to do the same, “What I like best about Girl Scouts is helping people. Helping other people makes me feel like I am making a difference and it can help to inspire other people to help out as well.”

Check Out Anne on ABC7

Interview with Anne

What are your selling goals for next year?
Next year I want to sell 5,000 boxes of cookies and I want to give the trip to another kid who is sick because, many of the kids in Dolton and Riverdale do not have the chance to travel and I want to give a sick kid the trip so they can forget about being sick for a few days and have fun like regular kids.

Anything else you’d like to share?
Never give up on something you want.

What do you love most about being a Girl Scout?
What I like best about Girl Scouts is helping people. Helping other people makes me feel like I am making a difference and it can help to inspire other people to help out as well.

What inspired you to donate your cookies/trip to a Girl Scout? And how close are you to your goal?
I felt inspired to donate my trip after seeing a commercial with sick kids in it. It really made me sad for them because of how much they have to go to the hospital. It made me want to help someone.

What would you like everyone to know about your donation initiative?
I want all kids to know that they can do big things because kids have big hearts and enough in them to make a change. One small thing can make a big difference.

Why should other Girl Scouts consider donating their rewards?
Girl Scouts all over should consider donating their trip and other prizes because there are so many kids who are sick, poor, or going through tough times. Donating to needy kids will brighten their day because they know someone cares about them. It feels good to help out other kids and their families

Giving Back—it’s in a Girl Scout’s DNA!

Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

Learn more about becoming a Girl Scout and spread the word!

Your Go-To Place for Cookie Season Tips Just for YOU…

Now is the perfect time to join the Girl Scout Cookie fun! This time of year, there are more ways than ever to participate and reach your goals! Plus, don’t forget that rewards are cumulative, so keep your eye on the prize!

Is your troop hosting cookie booths? Are you selling online with Digital Cookie? Did you know you can still take orders through the Goal Getter Program?

Girl Scout Cookies are in demand! Hosting a cookie booth is an excellent way for girls to achieve their goals, while bonding with sister Girl Scouts!

Troop leaders sign up for booth sites and can order cases of cookies to stock booths through eBudde. Sign up now!

Check out the 2021 Cookie Cupboard Schedule »

Use these 5 tips to make sure customers can easily find and buy cookies from you!

1. Be Visible! Share the online Cookie Finder, so customers can see where booths are happening. Bling your booth to stand out even more! Create a theme and special signs or get shop swag for your cookie season. You can even dress up in a cookie costume; check with a Gathering Place location for availability!

2. Go Digital! Accept credit card payments using the Digital Cookie Order Card app! Download the app today: App Store | Google Play

Note: Friends and family who want cookies shipped directly to them can order from your Digital Cookie site!

3. Time It Right! Host a booth on National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend, Feb. 19-21.

4. Show Off Cookie Varieties! An attractive display will attract customers. Offer free, bite-sized samples and consider themed bundles, grouping a few boxes together with ribbon and a bow.

5. Don’t Give Up! For customers not interested in buying cookies for themselves, you can always ask if they would be willing to donate cookies through the Gift of Caring program.

6. Look to Your Fellow Girl Scouts for Inspiration! Step out of your comfort zone and find innovative ways to share the Cookie Program with new customers. Check out Maddie’s cookie presentation to her dad’s coworkers at iHeartMedia!

Ask your parents/guardians, family, and friends if you can make a sales presentation of your own at their place of work.

Or make a “pitch” video of your own and be creative! Take an example from viral sensation and Greater Los Angeles Girl Scout Kayla:

Only Girl Scouts can sell Girl Scout Cookies, and customers are eagerly awaiting! While friends and family are a great place to start, get creative with selling techniques. You’ll exceed your goals and power even more awesome Girl Scout activities.

Help Girl Scouts Break a World Record

Join Girl Scouts, the Chicago Wolves and your community for a family-friendly event with Girl Scout Cookies and hockey activities at Allstate Arena.

Do you want to set a world record? This is your chance! We know every G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risktaker, Leader)^TM is amazing, and we can make it official. Like, Guinness World Record official.

3…2…1…DUNK! Be officially amazing.

We need YOU! Help us attempt to collectively dunk more cookies in milk than ever before. We’ll take the lead to break a Guinness World Record and kick off an amazing 2018 Girl Scout Cookie Program!

The day includes interactive cookie activities; hockey activities for the whole family; meet-and-greet with Chicago Wolves mascot Skates; skate on the ice (skate rental is not provided); and performances by Carly and Martina, plus much more!

To learn more and buy your tickets, click here!

Chicago Girl Scout Sells More Than 30k Boxes of Cookies

What does it take to be one of the top Girl Scout Cookie sellers in the country?

A lot of hard work, dedication and help – at least that’s the recipe for success according to Giada Gambatese, the 9-year-old Chicago Girl Scout Junior who sold 30,120 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies earlier this year.

“It’s pretty cool,” she said.

Giada, who was also Girl Scout of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana’s top seller last year with more than 13,000 cookies, credits her record-breaking sales to some serious tech savviness. She recorded videos asking for donations to the council’s Gift of Caring Program, which sends Girl Scout Cookies to organizations that bring comfort to the women and men serving in the armed forces.

“My Papa [grandfather] was in the Marines and he helped me, so I want to help others,” said Giada.

Then she sent emails and letters to potential customers and followed up with phone calls. Afterward, she created handmade thank-you cards to everyone who donated to Gift of Caring.

“We wanted to up the ante this year so we targeted her Papa’s local President’s Club of which he is a member,” said Giada’s mom, Gianna Franzia. “All of the members are remarkable companies and were eager to donate knowing it went to aid our men and women in the armed forces.”

Originally, Giada wanted to sell 20,000 boxes, but when she heard about other Girl Scouts across the country selling more than that, she tapped into her inner entrepreneur and kicked her sales strategy into high gear with a bit of PR.

In March, Giada appeared on The Steve Dahl Show in Chicago to talk about her business approach and saw a boost in sales.

“It was really fun and cool to talk into the microphone,” she said.

Nancy Wright, CEO of Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana, poses with Cookie CEO Giada Gambatese

Giada, whose favorite Girl Scout Cookies are Thin Mints and S’mores, is also considered a Cookie CEO, which celebrates the top five cookie sellers in the council. Cookie CEOs enjoy a busy day at the GSGCNWI’s Chicago office meeting with the council CEO, Nancy Wright; holding an all-staff conference call, lunch and much more.

“My favorite part was meeting the CEO, she’s really nice,” Giada said.

Next year, Giada wants to 100,000 boxes of Girl Scouts of Cookies. And for other Girl Scouts who want to become Cookie CEOs, she has the following advice.

“Have help, set a goal and have fun,” Giada said. “And when you’re selling cookies, be organized. It takes time to do everything, so be patient. My mom always says ‘nothing happens overnight.'”

To learn more about the Girl Scout Cookie Program, visit girlscoutsgcnwi.org.

Song and Sisterhood Abound at Easterseals Academy Girl Scout Troop

More than 100 years ago in Savannah, Georgia, Juliette Gordon Low founded Girl Scouts on the belief that girls can change the world.

Today, that principle is alive and well at Girl Scout Troop 25226’s monthly meetings at Easterseals Academy, which serves people and families with disabilities in the Chicagoland and Rockford region.

“Autism disproportionally affects boys, which means there’s already a small population of girls here,” said Jamie Fagerburg, an occupational therapist at Easterseals. “Girl Scouts is a great way to bring the girls together.”

Every meeting, the students start by reciting the traditional Girl Scout Promise and Law.

“On my honor, I will try…”

Afterward, the girls practice the official Girl Scout handshake and receive their sashes so they can continue earning petals, which are the special Daisy version of badges earned by older Girl Scouts.

“We created this structure and stick to it so the meetings are predictable for the girls,” explained troop leader Carrie Browne. “They really enjoy a lot of those rituals. When we call everyone’s name to get their sash, they cheer for each other.”

During their February meeting, the girls earned their clover petal for using resources wisely. After watching a brief video about recycling, they decorated pots and planted seeds for a vegetable garden.

“There’s a particular who typically has a difficult time in groups, but in Girl Scouts, she’s the happiest you’ll ever see her,” said Libby Puckett, a speech language pathologist at Easterseals. “She’s clapping and smiling, she’s beside herself with happiness. So it’s great to see how Girl Scouts affects her overall demeanor.”

The troop started meeting a little more than a year ago and, since then, the girls have sold Girl Scout Cookies, participated in a campout and visited the Lincoln Park Zoo, just to name a few activities.

“One of the reasons our troop has been so successful is because of the staff participation,” said Browne. “They’re really invested in it and they enjoy it as much as the girls.”

And the girls appreciate the sisterhood and solidarity Girl Scouts offers them. At the end of the meeting, everyone joins hands in a Friendship Circle and sings the chorus from Rihanna’s hit song “Umbrella.”

“When the sun shine, we shine together/ Told you I’ll be here forever/ Said I’ll always be your friend/ Took an oath, I’mma stick it out until the end.”

“Girl Scouts really provides the closest thing to what their peers are typically doing,” said Fagerburg. “It gives them opportunities for social exchanges in an environment with girls with similar disabilities. They’re in it together.”

To learn more about Easterseals, click here. To join Girl Scouts or become a volunteer, visit girlscoutsgcnwi.org.

Why I’m Giving Back to Girl Scouts

All of my friends were doing it. Admittedly, that isn’t a great reason for choosing something you would spend the next decade or so doing, but it is the reason I joined Girl Scouts as a kindergartner. That, and I really wanted to do all of the craft projects.

While the allure of plaster of paris and friendship bracelets was enough to get me involved, it was the different badges that kept me interested. Each badge opened up something completely new to me. Learning canoeing and archery at summer camps. Participating in World Thinking Day. Attending a ballet for the first time. Running a cookie booth at our town’s annual holiday parade. Restoration projects at the Dunes.

Being a Girl Scout allowed me to have so many different experiences, some that I may have never tried on my own. Each badge and project we pursued was our choice. Each of us had a voice and our opinions mattered. Our troop leaders guided us and facilitated the projects, all while making us feel like the ones leading.

On #GivingTuesday, my inbox was filled with appeals from worthy causes, but the Girl Scouts email stuck out to me. I hadn’t thought about my time as a Girl Scout for a while (beyond my annual cookie order). Reading the email, I was reminded of what I loved about Girl Scouts: friendship, opportunity, empowerment. Girl Scouts has helped so many girls become leaders in our world today, including myself. Though my donation was not large, I know it is still meaningful. Even a small donation can have a huge impact on a girl’s life.

And that is why I’m giving back to Girl Scouts. So other girls can explore the world. So they can discover something new about themselves. So they can feel free to be curious. So they can become the leaders they are meant to be. And because of how much Girl Scouts gave me.

Hayley Trezzo is a Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana alumnae and Gold Award recipient.

To join or become a volunteer, visit girlscoutsgcnwi.org.

Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana Blog

Building girls of courage, confidence and character

Tag: Girl Scout Cookies