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From outdoor challenges to tae kwon do. . . cookies have taken us on Girl Scout adventures that have taught us we

are strong and capable. – GS Troop 2471, Dallas, TX

How much time do we have? What do we care about most? What makes sense for us? We

make our own decisions about how to spend cookie money, and decisions aren’t always easy. – GS Troop 1299, Louisville, KY.

Learn more and see what a girl can do by visiting littlebrownie.com.

With your guidance and the power of Girl Scout Cookies, girls can make positive changes in the world around them. A girl can speak for those less fortunate, foster changes where they’re needed and have a true impact close to home, and even on the other side of the world. This Cookie Season, encourage girls to set high goals and use some cookie money to make the world a better place. They will grow in ways you never dreamed possible.

WHAT’S NEW THIS YEAR? • Online blog especially for busy volunteers – with lots of exciting, free activities and ideas • Inspiringnew video stories about real girls making a difference with cookie money • New cookie boxes highlighting the skills girls learn in the Girl Scout Cookie Program • First-ever virtual event: The National Girl Scout Cookie Sleepover, Jan. 12, 2013

Create a world of good!

Technology tools made

reaching goals so much easier. We used Facebook to spread the word and took orders online. – Taylor and Jordyn, GS Cadettes, Columbus, OH

When we wanted to go to Europe, we

made a plan for cookie income and a budget for how

we would make the most of every penny. We did more free stuff while we were

saving up. – GS Senior Troop 1874,

San Antonio, TX

G I R L S C O U T C O O K I E S D O A WO R L D O F G O O DYes,theGirlScoutCookieProgramislotsoffun.It’salsothelargestgirl-ledbusinessinthecountry and helps girls develop five key business and leadership skills that last a lifetime: 1. GOAL SETTING as she sets cookie sales goals and makes a plan to reach them 2. DECISION-MAKING as she decides how her team will spend the cookie money 3. MONEY MANAGEMENT as she takes orders and handles customers’ money 4. PEOPLE SKILLS as she learns to talk and listen to all kinds of people while selling cookies 5. BUSINESS ETHICS as she is honest and responsible every step of the way

H OW TO U S E T H I S G U I D E Inside,you’llfindsimplestepsthatleadtocookiesuccess.Cutoutthepostersanduse them at booth sales and other locations to get the word out.

5Skills forGirls

What can a

girl do?

called Show You Care to send cookie care packages to military serving overseas. Every year, I set bigger and bigger goals. Last year, I sent 1,200 care packages. My business team is my friend and my grandfather. – Kate, GS Cadette, Reston, VA

I started a non-profit business

robotics camp for girls.

In Girl Scouting, I fell in love with science. I’m using cookie money to fund my Girl Scout Gold Award project, which is a

— Haley, GS Ambassador, San Antonio, TX

help keep the bay cleanIt’s fun to think that cookies can

Selling cookies started us on a path that led to Tanzania, Africa, for a mentorship on philanthropy and sustainable travel.Getting to know the people in the schools, orphanages and clinics really opened our eyes to new ideas. – GS Senior Troop 4106, Herndon, VA

learned about othercultures

We visited Our Chalet in Switzerland. We met girls from many other

countries and

– GS Troop 3288, Baltimore, MD

Selling cookies got us used tobeing entrepreneurs,

and eventually our troop used our cookie money to start our own business called Sweetie Pies. We use a certified kitchen, buy ingredients in bulk and do all our own marketing. – GS Troop 40392, Snohomish, WA

www.littlebrownie.com to see these stories come to life in video! Get inspired by Girl Scouts and volunteers from around the USA.

In the city, it’s hard to find fresh vegetables. We used cookie money to

plant an urban gardenthat benefits a family living in a Habitat for Humanity house. – GS Troop 1008, Louisville, KY

for everyone to enjoy. – GS Cadette Troop 31213, San Francisco, CA

Cookies led to my Girl Scout Gold Award project, which has been one of the

most rewarding experiences of my life.

I had paint parties that resulted in over 500 colorful ceiling tiles for the hospital pediatric

unit. These ceiling tiles have the power to wash away

sadness and allow hope to take its place.

– Skye, GS Ambassador, Huntington, WV

help girls create

Checkoutthefun,easy-to-followonlinetrainingthatgives you everything a volunteer needs to know about Cookie Season and how to help girls get the most fromtheirexperience.It’savailable24/7soitfitsyourschedule.You’reaVIP—a Very Inspir ing Person!

Go to www.littlebrownie.com

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Every girl is different. And every girl in this troop earned her Girl Scout Gold Award. From raising Down syndrome awareness to developing reading programs, they used cookie money to lead projects that are making a difference.

Girl Scout Cookie Program Safety Guidelines for Girls: •WeartheGirlScoutmembershippinand/orGirlScoutclothingtoidentifyyourselfasaGirlScout. •Alwaysusethebuddysystem.It’snotjustsafe,it’smorefun. • Become familiar with the areas and neighborhoods where you will be selling Girl Scout Cookies. • Adults should be present at a cookie booth in any public place at all times. • Alwayshaveaplanforsafeguardingmoney—avoidwalkingaroundwithlargeamountsofitorkeepingitat

home or school. Give proceeds to supervising adults who should deposit it as directed by your Girl Scout council as soon as possible.

• Never enter the home or vehicle of a person when you are selling or making deliveries. Avoid selling to people in vehicles or going into alleys.

• Sell only during daylight hours, unless accompanied by an adult. • Do not give out girls’ names or contact information. Use a group contact number or address overseen by an

adult for customers to request information, reorder or give comments. Protect customer privacy by not sharing their information except for the product sale. Girls should never take credit card numbers.

•Follow safe pedestrian practices. Be aware of traffic when unloading product and passengers from vehicles. • TaketheGSUSAInternetSafetyPledgebeforegoingonlineandfollowthespecificguidelinesrelatedto

marketing online. Girl Scouts cannot collect money online. For more information, check out www.girlscouts.org/cookies.

• All girls can use CookieClubTM email tools to inform friends, family and former customers within council ZIPcode(s)whentheyaresellingcookies.

• FollowGSUSAguidelinesforusingsocialnetworkingsites(suchasFacebook,Twitter,MySpace,YouTube,Flickr)formarketingand/orcollectingGirlScoutcookiecustomercommitmentsonline.

S O U R C E : G S U S A

FOLLOW the Five Steps to Cookie Program Success!

With a troop goal of earning enough cookie money for their Girl Scout Gold Award projects and a trip to Europe, Troop 90358 had serious fun with their drive-through cookie booth — selling more than 10,000 boxes in one year. Investing in a tent and heater helped them brave the elements.

One of the most important lessons you can teach a girl is how to set a challenging goal and reach it. Just imagine how far she’ll go in life if she knows that, step by step, she can achieve her dreams.

Encourage girls to set two kinds of group goals: •Whatcanwedowithourcookiemoney to help others? •Whatcanwedowithourcookiemoneyfor fun and learning?

IT’S TIME TO SHOW OFF!*Girls can show customers what a cookie can do by

making their own t-shirts promoting their service goals.

They could use a commercial service or just fabric

markers and t-shirts. Encourage girls to wear their

shirts often. Customers want to help girls succeed!

A L S O O N L I N E ! • Energetic goal-settinggames • Decision-makingfun • Girl-friendlytools for estimating costs

* Avoid using other organization logos or stating that you are fund raising for other organizations.(SeeGSUSAMoneyEarningGuidelines).Usebroadtopics,suchas...”build a community garden” or “help others learn to read” rather than name specific organizations. Do not use the GS logo in your design without council permission.

set group goals

A L S O O N L I N E !• Simple ways to help girls set personal goals

set personal goalsEach girl wants to know how she can make the group successful. How many boxes does she need to sell? Guide her toward the answer.

For Natalie, Girl Scout Cookies lead to big adventures. On exciting Destinations trips, this top-seller has been dog-sledding, horseback-riding and canyoneering. She completed her Girl Scout Gold Award project in Tanzania, where she taught children English and math skills using jump-rope games.

All girls love puppies, but these Girl Scouts turned their passion into a Girl Scout Silver Award that made a difference. Using their cookie money and drawing upon the skills they use selling cookies, they traveled to the state capital to lobby their representatives. The result: Texas now has a law regulating puppy mills.

Even though the girls may have been selling cookies for years now, they need to know they don’t have to handle cookie sales alone. Adult family members can still play important roles, especially if girls are pursuing a big goal. Hold a family meeting to kick off the season. In addition to parents, suggest that girls invite grandparents, brothers, uncles, cousins. . . anyone who might help this Cookie Season. This enthusiasm can be contagious!

Be sure adults learn these essential facts: • TheCookieProgramisauniqueandvaluablewaythatGirlScoutslearngoal

setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics skills.

• Thegirlshavesettheirowngoals.(Invitegirlstospeakabouttheirgoals.) • Inadditiontobeingamoney-earningprojectforourgroup,theCookie

Programsupportsallofthegirlsinyourcouncilandmakesitpossibleto providegirlprograms,low-costcouncilevents,trainingandresources.

• Familiescanhelpbyreturningpaperworkinatimelymanner; listeningtogirlspracticetheirsalestalk;assistingwithtaking phoneorders;takinggirlstotheirworkplacesforsales; chaperoningcookiebooths;andhelpingtodelivercookies.

hold a family meeting

A L S O O N L I N E ! • Great ideas for family meetings • Family support flyers

Encourage the group to construct an inventive way of tracking their sales. They can use the poster below or develop their own digital tool. As sales add up, everyone can see how close they’re getting to the goal. Be sure girls have a plan for how they will celebrate their success when Cookie Season is done.

This group of creative entrepreneurs used their cookie money to start a thriving pie-making business. With Girl Scout Cookies, Sweetie Pies and lots of business smarts, these girls help their community while having a great time. They even attended the Olympics.

track progress and celebrate success

Girl Scout families and friends make great cookie customers! But many other customers are waiting for their favorite treats that are only available once a year. If girls plan to reach an ambitious goal, they will need to expand their circle of customers.

Cookie Club – the fastest, easiest way to reach high goals!When girls join the online Cookie Club, they can send safe emails asking customers to buy cookies. Customers use an online order form to return cookie orders, which are recorded automatically in the girl’s Cookie Club account.

Girls are not allowed to accept online payment, but they can use the Internet to pump up their sales! Girls personally deliver cookies and collect payment.

A L S O O N L I N E ! • Tons of great booth ideas • Selling strategies for big results

sell beyond family and friends

CookieLocatorGirl Scout cookie customers can use their iPhones or Android smartphones tostayjustaclickawayfromtheirfavorite treats. The app can be downloaded free by simply calling

**GSCOOKIES(**472665437) from a mobile phone. The app also is available in the App Store and Android Market.

• FIND the booth sale closest to your GPS location or by zip code or city and state

• CHOOSE the times you want to shop

• MAP your way• ADD the sale date to your calendar• TRY OUT new cookie recipes and

create a shopping list • SIGN UP for email alerts about

upcoming booth sales• DISCOVER your cookie personality

and tell the world about it• SHARE sale locations and more

with friends on Facebook, Twitter andemail!

NO SMARTPHONE?Just go to www.littlebrownie.com and click on Cookie Locator to find cookies fast. Or, go togirlscoutcookies.org, the official GSUSA Website for connections to council websites across the country to find cookies.

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NEED COOKIES? FIND US on our Cookie LocatorTM mobile app

Data and messaging rates may apply.FOR ANDROID FOR iPHONE

This Cookiehelps fund a camp for city kids.

This Cookiecheers up soldiers overseas.

This Cookieteaches girls how to manage money.

Every Cookie Has a Mission:TO HELP GIRLS

DO GREAT THINGS

Find your cookies at GirlScoutCookies.org

© 2012 Girl Scouts of the United States of America. All Rights Reserved.

TAGALONGS® TREFOILS®

DO-SI-DOS®

SAMOAS®

THIN MINTS®

Girl Scout Cookies®

HELP GIRLS DO GREAT THINGS!The Fabulous Five cookie varieties are once again helping girls do great things.

Go online to learn more about all the delicious Girl Scout Cookies from Little Brownie Bakers.www.littlebrownie.com www.girlscoutcookies.org

High tech led to high sales for this troop. Using the latest in cookie technology and some good old-fashioned Girl Scout innovation, these top sellers braved all kinds of weather to reach their goals of helping local women and traveling to Europe.

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Share Your WorldDo your girls have a great Take Action project funded by cookie money? We want to hear about it! Encourage them to submit a short video or photo essay. It just might be featured during the National Cookie Sleepover. Go to www.littlebrownie.com to learn more.

Pull out those fuzzy slippers and sleeping bags and join Girls Scouts from across the country for a brand new kind of cookie fun and learning. Meet inspiring girls with amazing goals, get great ideas for pumping up sales, be the first to see the new cookie boxes and enjoy lots of fun, interactive games. Stream all the action to wherever girls are — the living room, backyard, school gym or anywhere with an Internet connection.

Don’t miss a minute of the excitement. Learn more and sign up for the volunteer blog today at www.littlebrownie.com.

SLEEPOVER!JANUARY 12, 2013

NATIONAL Girl Scout Cookie

Announcing the first ever...