Girl Scout Cookie sales build national and local community  

Big Sky Troop 3760 prepares for local cookie sales in late March 

By Sara Sipe EBS CONTRIBUTOR 

Beginning February and ending in April each year, “The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world,” according to the official Girls Scouts website. The organization’s cookie program, first established in 1917, has grown into a cookie empire topping $800 million in annual sales, and “the net proceeds from Girl Scout Cookie sales stay local… to fund activities for girls year-round as well as impactful girl-led community projects.”  

Sounds good, right? But what if you don’t have a community? Or if your community is transient?  

Enter the Girl Scouts Troop 6000 Transition Initiative.  

Established in 2017, Troop 6000 serves girls with families living in temporary housing and shelters in New York City. Hungry cookie shoppers can support Troup 6000 by purchasing cookies online, and with the proceeds Troop 6000 supports girls while they are transitioning from the shelter system into permanent housing, which can often take 18 months or more. The troop provides an opportunity for the girls to experience consistency, and to build community where none may exist. Troup 6000 will ship cookies anywhere in the country. To support Troop 6000 girls living in shelters, purchase cookies online. 

Local cookie fans can also support a troop a little closer to home. The Big Sky Troop 3760 was established in 2015 and currently serves girls ranging from kindergarten through 12th grade. Big Sky Troop 3760 is working to expand their presence in the community through educational opportunities, community projects and, of course, by selling cookies.  

Although troop membership and activity has ebbed and flowed throughout the years as Big Sky grows and changes, current local troop leaders Eric McCormick, Sanja Bergin, Maren Dunn, Corina Traxler, Kami Hussey, and “cookie mom” Susan Tso say Big Sky Troop 3760 is a great program for “any girl desiring to make friends, try new things, explore their interests, and develop leadership skills.” Benefiting from family and community business involvement, the scouts have gone fishing, learned about emergency medical services, and learned to plant and grow things. Other upcoming activities include learning art and rock climbing. 

In an email to EBS, troop leader Maren Dunn explained how cookie sales benefit the local troop.  

“The girls learn about entrepreneurship and team building. Among the rewards are funding toward Girl Scout Camp tuition and funding for the monthly outings [and] meetings.”  

Troop leader Erin McCormick added her view. “They gain confidence, learn to approach others in a professional manner, and take chances. Each girl sets a goal for their cookie sales and figures out a plan to reach that goal. They learn about money and work as a team at the cookie booths,” McCormick wrote. 

We get cookies. They learn skills. Now that’s a win-win for the whole community! 

In upcoming weeks, Big Sky Troop 3760 will host the following cookie sales. For those unable to attend, cookies can be purchased online to support Big Sky’s troop.  

March 23, 2 to 5 p.m. at Moonlight Lodge.  

March 24, 2 to 5 p.m. at Roxy’s Market.  

March 29, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Hungry Moose Market and Deli.  

March 30, 2 to 5 p.m. at Roxy’s Market.  

April 1, 4 to 6 p.m. at BASE.  

Sara Sipe is a former Brownie/Girl Scout and self-confessed Girl Scout Cookie connoisseur. She works for Outlaw Partners, publisher of Explore Big Sky.