Newton Citizen

Photo by Kristen Ralph

COVINGTON -- It's everybody's favorite time of year -- Girl Scout cookie sales are in full swing.

Since earlier this month, area Girl Scouts have been taking pre-sale orders for their popular cookies.

"What people like most about Girl Scout cookies is that they are both very good and very unique," said Kathy Nealy, co-leader of Troop No. 10545, along with Mechelle Geiger. "It's like a treat that you can get only once a year, though they do freeze great."

She said the girls are collecting pre-sale orders from mainly family and friends and cookies will be delivered in mid-February. Afterward, the community should expect to see the Scouts selling cookies at public locations like Walmart, Kroger and other stores.

This year, customers have only six choices of cookies. The Scouts no longer offer Thank U Berry Munch cookies -- a cookie with creamy, white fudge chips and real cranberries -- or the Dulce de Leche cookies -- a sweet, bite-sized cookie with milk caramel chips.

"I don't know the exact reason for the change, but we are excited to be focusing our sales on the six best-known, traditional cookies offered by the Girl Scouts," Nealy said.

Cookies offered include proven customer favorites -- Samoas, Trefoils, Thin Mints, Tagalongs, Do-Si-Dos and Lemon Chalet Cremes.

"The girls learn a lot through cookie selling," Nealy said. "They learn how to identify a goal, determine sales needed to reach that goal ... and set a plan to reach that goal."

They also learn that they must prioritize and agree, as well as social skills, Nealy said.

Even through Girl Scouts are most known for their cookie sales, Nealy said scouting involves much more than that.

"We really help the girls gain a sense of community and how they can make an impact in their own way ... through various community projects that the girls themselves identify," Nealy said.

Activities may include simply drawing pictures to decorate the local homeless shelter and singing songs at a local church for the younger troops.

"As they get older, their projects will become more challenging but always fun," Nealy said. "I will forever remember my final Girl Scout project in high school and the moment I received my award. I want our girls to have those same memories."