I've been posting this around the web. Keep up that good resolve folks.
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About the Girl Scout Cookies - You all should just give a donation during the booth sales (starting in a few weeks). If you donate $1.00, the troop keeps all the money and it's equivalent to selling 2 boxes. (In the Washington, DC area, the troops get $0.50 per box. It varies around the country.) Also, if you bought boxes you don't want, donate them to a senior center or hospital or even a homeless shelter or food pantry. I'm sure they'd welcome the treat. (You could even give them to a place that visits shut-ins.)
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The girls do get incentives for selling the cookies (in DC they get little katchkas and a patch but they LOVE them-I've had girls cry because they didn't get the one they wanted.). So if you feel guilty and want to help the girls, but would feel guiltier eating the cookies, buy the cookies then donate them, or give them to friends that will promise to take them far away. For some of you, taking them to work would not be good if you have no willpower like me.

Otherwise, when you are getting bombarded at the grocery store/mall/office building lobby/etc. in the next few weeks, pull the wallet out, but say no to the cookies.

Just letting you know your options. As a former Brownie Leader/current Troop Advisor, I'm trying to encourage you to STILL support your troops, but in a way that is not detrimental to your WOE.
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Good luck to all. When you feel a waiver coming along, remember "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels" (INCLUDING Girl Scout Cookies!)

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*Rondaren*

[This message has been edited by Rondaren (edited 02-22-2001).]

Too late for me!

My adorable little niece Madeline is a Girl Scout and she already hit us up for a whopping eight boxes between Jim and I. She was pretty crafty about it...she came to us separately, and I bought cookies that Jim likes, then Jim picked out the ones he liked, so we're ending up with mostly Thin Mints.

Jim's going to keep his at work locked in his desk. My boxes I'll just open up and put in the kitchen at work. They'll be gone in 20 minutes!!!

MrsJim
265/155/145

PS Madeline was going for the 1000 box prize which was all the tchotkes PLUS a week at the GS Camp of her choice AND an invitation to a special GS day at WaterWorld! I have to ask her how close she came to that figure - I think she sold at least 300 boxes.

That is a great idea! I had never thought to just donate money and let the girls keep the cookies. Thanks for the tip!

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"A dollar for your thoughts" ~Marilyn Monroe

I don't eat them that often but I always purchase. My plan lets me indulge (in moderation of course) in sweets like the Girl Scout Cookies.

Girl scout cookies are easy for me to pass on I have real trouble with those after eight mints, even though I am not supposed to be eating dairy. I only sneak them when no one is looking.

Rondaren: thanks for information, I never thougt of donating..I will remember that next year, my daughter was a Girl Scout, it is a good organization, I like to help out.

I purchased about 6 boxes this year, it is hard to say no to the parents and children.

thanks again...

Last year, my daughter was a Brownie (also in the Nation's Capital council, Rondaren)--thank heaven the meetings conflicted with violin this year and she chose the violin!

The DC area Brownies have a program where you can actually pay for cookies for the TROOP to donate. I can see that just giving them a buck for the troop would be more efficient, but if the girls just HAVE to SELL BOXES OF COOKIES, ask about the "cookies for caring" (something like that) program. They keep track of the boxes bought and then deliver them to someplace like a women's shelter, the Children's Inn at NIH, etc.

Yeah. I forgot about the "Cookies for Caring" program. Last year my troop sent cookies to the USS Eisenhower. The crew LOVED that! Good thought Bumpy.

That gives you three options:
1. Donate
2. Buy and donate cookies.
3. Sponsor a box and let the troop donate.

(If the troop isn't doing the "Cookies for caring" program, you can always tell them to give the box of cookies to their meeting place as a gift.)

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*Rondaren*

[This message has been edited by Rondaren (edited 02-27-2001).]

Got rid of my cookies!!! I had taken preorders from people at work for my niece, but there were more than a few people who ignored my email in January, so when they saw me passing out the cookies, asked if I had any extras. They were gone in five minutes!! Yee haw!

Maybe I'll be able to pass this GS Cookie season with nary a Thin Mint passing my lips...

MrsJim
265/155/145

For the first time this year, I've discovered that Girl Scout cookies keep for more than two days! I've never kept a box in my house longer than 48 hours, so I simply didn't know. But this box of thin mints has been around for well over a week, and it's not even half gone. Amazing.