By Monique Roth
L’Observateur

LAPLACE — For most of the country, seasons are periods in a year marked by specific weather conditions and temperatures, with transitions to and from each marked by beautiful sights such as snow or changes of the colors of falling leaves.

For other people, such as those who live in South Louisiana, mentioning the word “season” will more than likely illicit people referring to food-centric times such as “gumbo season,” “king cake season” or “crawfish season.”

Once such beloved food-themed season is underway now, as the over 450 Girl Scouts in the River Parishes are in the throws of an annual treat: Girl Scout cookie season.

Cookie classics like thin mints and samoas are being joined this year by two new cookie varieties, as for the first time in Girl Scout history, gluten-free cookies will be available.

The gluten-free offering includes toffee-tactic, described as buttery cookies with toffee bits.

The second new cookie is Rah-Rah Raisin, an oatmeal raisin cookie with whole grain oats, raisins and Greek yogurt–flavored chunks.

“The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest, most successful girl-led business in the world, and its power to teach girls business and financial skills that will serve them throughout their lives is unrivaled,” Anna Maria Chávez, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA, said. “Every year, nearly 1.5 million Girl Scouts sell about 200 million boxes of cookies — close to $800 million worth; and every year, our young cookie entrepreneurs reinvest that money into troop activities and projects that make their communities and our world a better place.”

Changes in the way people can satisfy their sweet tooth craving through Girl Scout cookies has changed drastically in the past few years, Marianne Addy, vice president of communications and marketing for Girl Scouts Louisiana East, said.

Addy said instead of relying solely on door-to-door sales, cookie seekers can now utilize a Cookie Finder app, which makes supporting Girl Scouts and finding your favorite cookies a snap. The free app is available for iOS or Android phone or mobile devices by searching “Girl Scout Cookie Finder.”

She said patrons can use the app to find the cookie booth closest to them (including the time, date and location of the sale). Girl Scouts will sell cookies at booth locations from Feb. 27 – March 15.

Another way to find local sales, she said, would be to log onto girlscoutcookies.com and use the “Find Cookies” search box to search a zip code.

Addy said there are three local service units, a network of Girl Scout troops and volunteers for support and localized activities, in the River Parishes.

The St. Charles Parish Service Unit is the largest, with nearly 300 girls and 31 troops in operation.  In St. John the Baptist Parish, there are 150 girls and eight troops, while in St. James Parish there are two troops totaling 10 girls currently active.

Advances in cookie payment options should also make cookie buying easier this season.

“This will be the first year that our troop will be having a debit card option, and I am certain that it will help our sales,” Jodi Luna, a Girl Scout Troop Leader of 24 girls in LaPlace, said. “Many people, including myself, do not carry much cash, so this is a great option.”

Luna said money from cookie sales goes to two places, with a percentage going to the Girl Scouts Louisiana East Council and the rest remaining within the local troop.

“The percentage allows them to pay for maintenance on our campgrounds and provide leadership training at little or no cost to the volunteer,” Luna said. “The percentage that remains in our troop is used mainly for camping trips, but it also allows us to do other activities as well.”

Luna said community participation in events such as cookie sales is important because it helps Girl Scouts gain valuable business lessons.

“Girl Scouts are out there knocking on doors and working at booth sales to increase their own sales and reach personal goals that they have set for themselves,” Luna said. “Selling cookies is each girls own little business, and they are in charge of it.

“A person saying ‘yes’ to a little girl selling cookies boosts confidence tremendously.”

Girl Scouts Louisiana East serves girls in grades kindergarten through 12th in the River Region. For more information about Girl Scouts, call the council office in New Orleans at 504-733-8220, in Baton Rouge at 225-927-8946 or visit gsle.org.