Patriotism plays role in Scouts’ cookie sale

Rebecca Malone

Friday, Jan. 18, 2002 | 4:33 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION

Girl Scouts officials hope that the surge of patriotism since Sept. 11 will help this year's cookie sale drive, which begins today.

"Our cookies are an all-American food and these are all-American girls," Toni Carey, a Girl Scout official, said. "We are hoping that people will see that, by buying cookies, they are helping support the future of these girls, especially after Sept. 11."

The area's Girl Scouts have set their goal high: They want to sell 75,000 cases of cookies, a 12 percent increase over the 66,377 cases sold last year, Carey said. That was a 3 percent increase from the previous year.

The annual kick-off carnival to launch the 2002 cookie sales was held Jan. 12. The theme for this year's kick-off was "Go There, Every Girl, Everywhere." The carnival is designed to get the girls enthusiastic about selling cookies and prepare them to start taking cookie preorders.

The cookie preorders start today and go through March 17. Preordered cookies will be delivered in early March. Those who forget or neglect to put in orders can still get them March 1-17 at booths in front of supermarkets and other locations throughout the Las Vegas Valley.

In celebration of the 90th anniversary of Girl Scouting, a new cookie will be introduced, named after an old Girl Scout tradition -- friendship circles. The Friendship Circle cookie is made with chocolate filling between two vanilla cookies and is imprinted with the word "friend" in more than six languages.

In friendship circles, girls have arms crossed over one another in the circle, holding each others' hand. It represents the unbroken chain of friendship in the organization.

The cookies were designed for the same reason, to promote friendship and diversity among Girl Scouts and the community, Kathy Donato of the Girl Scouts said.

Other cookies that will be available are Thin Mints and Caramel deLites, the two national top sellers, Peanut Butter Patties, Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Shortbreads, Lemon Pastry Creams and Animal Treasures.

Any questions about cookie sales or Girl Scouts in general, call Girl Scouts of Frontier Council at 385-3677.