LAPLACE – Since January 12, Girl Scouts across southeast Louisiana have been taking orders for those delicious Girl Scout cookies as they participate in a program that has truly evolved into the nation’s premier business and economic literacy initiative. “The Girl Scouts are famous for their annual cookie sale,” said Hem Sheth, the Girl Scout Council of Southeast Louisiana’s product sales director, “but their reputation is well earned. Many of today’s businesswomen credit selling Girl Scout cookies as their first step toward successful careers.”

According to Sheth, through this yearly ritual Girl Scouts learn to set goals and develop a plan for reaching those goals. Under the watchful and experienced eye of Girl Scout volunteers, they gain first-hand experience in handling money, taking orders, tallying sales and arranging for deliveries. From beginning to end, the Girl Scout Cookie Program activities are a tested and proven training ground for future business owners, corporate executives and entrepreneurs.

The Girl Scouts’ motivational cookie sale theme for 2008 is “Make It a Hit,” with the emphasis that a successful hit doesn’t just happen, it’s made … through imagination, rehearsal, commitment, teamwork and the sharing of every person’s unique talents. This year the Girl Scouts are offering two new cookies: a delicious sugar-free Chocolate Chips cookie and Lemon Chalet Cremes, a vanilla sandwich cookie with a hint of cinnamon-ginger spice and a zesty lemon creme. Cookies are $3.50 per box upon delivery and are preservative-free, kosher and with zero trans fat per serving. All cookie sale proceeds remain within the local Girl Scout Council, a portion of which goes to Girl Scout troops to fund troop activities and to the Council to fund recruitment and training of adult volunteers, maintain camp properties and support Council-wide initiatives.

Many Girl Scout troops also elect to participate in the Gift of Caring community service project in which girls encourage customers to buy cookies for donation to a non-profit organization selected by the troop.

Cookies will be delivered beginning February 23 and will be sold at various booth locations throughout the 13 parishes served by the Council until March 9. For more information about the Girl Scout Cookie Sale, please call the Girl Scout Council of Southeast Louisiana at (504) 733-8220 or (800) 644-7571.