community cookie program representative manual

12014 Community Cookie Program Representative ManualGirl Scouts of Utah

Cookie Program 2013-2014

2014 Community Cookie Program Representative Manual2

32014 Community Cookie Program Representative Manual

IntroductIon

Who’s WhoHow to Contact UsWhat’s NeWImportaNt CookIe Dates

cookIe Program InformatIon

GIrl sCout CookIe proGramBenefits of the Cookie ProgramHelping Girls Reach Their Financial GoalsCookie Related Badges and Leaves

GeNeral INformatIoN5 Steps of Selling CookiesWho is Eligible to Sell CookiesWhere and How We Can SellRewards that Inspire SuccessAdvertising the Cookie Sale

methoDs of sellING GIrl sCout CookIes Using Online Resources to Market CookiesDaisies: Stay Especially Safe!Contacting Prospects ElectronicallyUsing Social MediaExploitationEndorsement

safety Comes fIrst IN GIrl sCoutINGVolunteer Essentials and Safety Activity CheckpointsBooth Sale RequirementsMoney Management

faCts about CookIesCookie Information and VarietiesCookies by the Carload

communIty cookIe Program rePresentatIve (ccPr) resPonsIbIlItIes CCprCCPR ChecklistCommunity Cookie Program RepresentativeCCPR AgreementsSelecting a Cookie Delivery StationHelping Juliettes Sell CookiesTroop Cookie Manager TrainingTroop Orders & Cookie Distribution

CookIe booth proCeDuresObtaining and Reserving Booth LocationsCorporate Donations

DIstrIbutIoN of reWarDs

DamaGeD CookIe proCeDures

samplesMoney and/or Cookie Receipt

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COnTEnTS


Who’s Who

Community Cookie Program Representatives, if you have a question about any aspect of the Cookie Program once you’ve been trained, please refer to the list below and contact the person handling the area of your ques-tion. Staff members are available weekdays (8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.) to answer your questions.

How to Contact UsGirl Scouts of UtahCouncil Resource Center (CRC)445 E 4500 South, Suite 125Salt Lake City, UT 84107801-265-8472 or 800-678-7809

After Hours Emergencies* OnLY: 801-483-3413*An emergency is defined as an incident that involves a fatality, a near-fatality, potential media attention, an incident that results in a 911 call, and/or an injury that results in immediate medical attention.

Cookie DepartmentWeb-based Date Entry, Delivery Stations, & General Questions Suzanne Parker Cookie Program Manager 801-716-5125 W 801-891-8395 C [email protected]

Web-based Date Entry, Cookie Booths,Deposit Slips, & General Questions Gloria Pell Bircher 801-716-5134 W [email protected]

Program DepartmentJuliettes Mindy Harmon Juliette Program Coordinator 801-891-8379 C [email protected]

Finance DepartmentBanking, Finance & Outstanding Debt Alex Eaton Chief Finance Officer 801-716-5744 W 801-656-9932 C [email protected]

Communications DepartmentMedia Contact Angie Hyde Director of Marketing & Communications 801-716-5137 W 801-712-3966 C [email protected]

Membership DepartmentPersonify (Membership) Robyn Masters CES Specialist 801-716-5152 W [email protected]

Intro

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Intro

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BOX ELDER

TOOELE

CACHERICH

WEBER

MORGAN

DAVIS

SALT LAKE

SUMMIT

WASATCHDUCHESNE

UINTAHUTAH

JUABCARBON

SANPETE

EMERY GRAND

WAYNE

SEVIER

PIUTE

SAN JUAN

MILLARD

BEAVER

IRON GARFIELD

KANEWASHINGTON

DAGGETT

Lynda Larsen (solid yellow & yellow stripes)Vounteer Services CoordinatorOffice 801-716-5128Cell 801-891-8377 [email protected]

Marelene Stansfield (solid blue & blue stripes)Vounteer Services CoordinatorOffice 801-716-5111Cell [email protected]

Leli Fotu (solid green)Vounteer Services CoordinatorOffice 801-716-5116Cell [email protected]

Volunteer Services Coordinators

What’s NeW

• 2014 Program theme: “What Can A Girl Do? A World of Good! I’ll Show You HOW (Her Own Way)”

• Cookie Mascot: Luna, the Arctic Fox

• Financial Literacy: Financial Literacy is a key component of the Cookie Program. To help promote Financial Literacy, the 2014 Cookie rally packets will contain financial literacy activities.

• national Girl Scout Cookie Weekend – February 7 & 8: This special weekend is a great opportunity for Girl Scouts and Girl Scout supporters to share with the community the importance of the Cookie Program and what it does for the girls and their communities. On February 7, Girl Scouts of Utah will celebrate and promote the 5 skills that girls learn while participating in the Girl Scout Cookie Program.

• Extended “Girl order-taking” time by onE WEEK: To support the national Girl Scout Cookie Weekend, Girl Scouts of Utah has extended the girl order-taking time by one week – January 18 – February 9.

• new Cookie Case redesign: Little Brownie Bakers is introducing a new cookie case design. Girl Scouts use their resources wisely. Therefore, the new cookie cases will be become available as existing case inventory is exhausted.

• Girl Scouts of Utah’s new method for submitting forms is online only.

• Girl Scouts of Utah has a new online Booth reservation program. The new program has enhanced features to help the public locate cookie booths.

• GSUSA has established a partnership with Wal-Mart Corporation regarding cookie booths. Wal-Mart Corporation is requiring council offices to contact Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club locations directly to obtain permission to hold cookie booths at their stores. (troops are not to contact Wal-Mart or Sam’s directly.) Available stores/shifts will be listed on GSU’s online Booth Reservation program for troops to reserve.

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ImportaNt CookIe Dates

Dec 16 Adult/Troop registration deadline (one of the requirements for troop awards)

Dec 20 Deadline to contact Juliette Program Coordinator if participating in the program

Jan 10 Deadline for troops to sign up for Cookie Compass Program (optional)

Jan 10 Deadline to order check endorsement stamps (optional)

Jan 13-17 Cookie Rallies Parent/Girl Training Verify troop rosters

Jan 18-Feb 9 Girl order-taking

Jan 20-Feb 7 Cookie Compass active

Jan 20 Deadline to reserve Delivery Station (for CCPR)

Jan 27 Web-based Booth Reservations begin at 8:00 A.M.

Feb 3 Additional web-based Booth Reservations available

Feb 7 national Girl Scout Cookie Day

Feb 10 Opt Out Program form due to GSU (if applicable)

Girl Orders due to TCM

Feb 10-12 Girls’ orders placed in GSU’s web-based cookie program

Feb 13-14 CCPRs verify orders

Feb 24-28 CCPRs inform TCMs of their cookie delivery date

Mar 1- 8 Community deliveries

Mar 1-14 Girl delivery begins (as soon as cookies received)

Mar 14-30 Cookie Booths

Mar 21 50% of cookie money due to council is deposited into GSU’s cookie account (one of the requirements for troop awards)

Mar 31 Girls’ money due to TCM

Apr 1 All cookie money due GSU is deposited into GSU’s cookie account

Apr 2 Troop Awards submitted online (if applicable)

Troops submit Troop Finance Envelopes to CCPR

Apr 4 CCPRs submit Troop Finance Envelopes to GSU (delivered/postmarked by)

Apr 15 Deadline to complete Cookie Manager Survey (link provided on GSU’s website)

May 1 Activity Credits mailed directly to girls

May 16 Cookie Celebration registration closes

June Cookie Celebration (TBA)


GIrl sCout CookIe proGram

What Can a Girl Do? With Girl Scout Cookies she can create a world of good! The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led business in the country and generates immeasurable ben-efits for girls and our community. All cookie proceeds stay in Utah. Girls set cookie goals to support their chosen activities for the year, to fund community service and leadership projects, to attend summer camp and to travel to locations near and far.

Many successful business women and community leaders say they got their start selling Girl Scout Cookies. Best of all, girls have lots of fun along the way!

Girl Scouts of Utah (GSU) wants to extend our thanks for volunteering to serve as a Cookie Manager. Your efforts are extremely important to the success of the Cookie Program!

Little Brownie Bakers®Little Brownie Bakers® (LBB) has been baking Girl Scout Cookies for over 35 years and is licensed by Girl Scouts of the USA.

LBB’s mission is to provide cookies and support services of the highest quality to Girl Scout councils so that the annual Cookie Program helps build a wide range of life skills for girls and generates income for troops and councils. Through their daily actions, they demonstrate their commitment to the principles of quality, integrity, respectfulness and innovation.

beNefIts of the CookIe proGramThe Girl Scout Cookie Program is conducted annually and is an important part of Girl Scouting. It teaches girls important life skills, provides a positive experience, and helps them build courage, confidence, and character, to make the world a better place.

The purpose of the Cookie Program is twofold:

1. To help girls develop five key life skills. • Goal Setting: As she sets cookie sales goals individually and with her team, creates a plan to reach

them, and develops Cooperation and Team Building Skills all along the way. • Decision Making: As she helps decide how her team will spend their cookie money, furthering her

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills that will help her throughout life. • Money Management: As she takes cookie orders, handles customer’s money and gains valuable and

Practical Life Skills around financial literacy.

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COOkIE PROGRAM InFORMATIOn


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• People Skills: As she learns how to talk to, listen to and work with all kinds of people while selling cook-ies. These experiences help her develop Healthy Relationship and Conflict Resolution Skills she can use throughout her life.

• Business Ethics: As she is honest and responsible at every step of the cookie sale. Her business eth-ics reinforce the Positive Values she is developing as a Girl Scout.

2. To generate income for troop activities. • Proceeds subsidize a wide range of girl activities. • Proceeds subsidize camp fees. • Proceeds provide scholarships/camperships for girls.

helpING GIrls reaCh theIr fINaNCIal GoalsThe Girl Scout Cookie Program is well known in communities, it’s likely that your girls will already know a bit about it and want to get out there to start selling as soon as possible. But it’s important that the girls have a clear plan and purpose for their cookie sale activities. One of your opportunities as a volunteer is to facilitate girl-led finan-cial planning, which may include the following steps for the girls:

• Set goals for money-earning activities. What do girls hope to accomplish through this activity? In addition to earning money, what skills do they hope to build? What leadership opportunities present themselves?

• Create a budget. Use a budget worksheet that includes both expenses (the cost of supplies, admis-sion to events, travel, and so on) and available income (the troop’s bank account balance, projected cookie proceeds, and so on).

• Determine how much the troop needs to earn. Subtract expenses from available income to deter-mine how much money your troop needs to earn.

• Make a plan. The troop can brainstorm and make decisions about its financial plans. Will cookies—if approached proactively and energetically—earn enough money to meet the troop’s goals? If not, discuss what plans need to change. In this planning stage, engage the girls through the Girl Scout pro-cesses (girl-led, learning by doing, and cooperative learning) and consider the value of any potential activity. Have them weigh feasibility, implementation, and safety factors.

• Write it out. Once the troop has decided on its financial plan, describe it in writing.

Remember: It’s great for girls to have opportunities, like the Girl Scout Cookie Program, to earn proceeds that help them fulfill their goals as part of the GSLE and to develop their financial and sales abilities. Try to help girls balance the money-earning they do with opportunities to enjoy other activities that have less emphasis on earning and spending money. Take Action projects, for example, may not always require girls to spend a lot of money!

For more information regarding Girl Scout Cookie Program and Finances, review Chapter 5 “Managing Group Finances” in Volunteer Essentials publication.

CookIe relateD baDGes & leafsGrow, learn and earn with cookies! Inspire girls to get the most from the Cookie Program by highlighting the cookie badges, leafs and pins that they can earn. Find out how to earn Cookie and Financial Literacy badges and leafs by reviewing “The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting.” For more details regarding the annual Cookie Activity Pin, visit http://www.girlscouts.org/program/gs_cookies/cookie_activity.asp


GeNeral INformatIoN

5 steps of sellING CookIes1. Set and Share team Goals: Goal-setting is a valuable life skill. Begin by helping girls brainstorm what they

could do with cookie proceeds. Then help them select two goals that inspire them – one for fun and learning and one for making the world a better place. Each girl writes her goal on her order card, where customers will see it.

2. Set Personal Goals: Inspire the girls to imagine how they can be even more successful than last year. What would they like to learn? Be sure to remind girls that achieving a team goal requires that every person achieve her personal goal.

3. Hold a Family Meeting: Adults need to understand the importance of an activity before they give it their full support. Engaging families in the Cookie Program encourages them to be involved and stay informed. Encourage girls to plan the family meeting, play leading roles and make it fun for everyone.

4. Sell Beyond Family and Friends: People love Girl Scout Cookies and are generally predisposed to buying them. Many women say their first business success was getting a “yes” from an unknown customer. Encour-age your girls to market beyond people they know.

5. track Your Progress and Celebrate Your Success: Using a goal tracker to watch sales grow keeps everyone focused on the goal. When girls reach their goal, remember to celebrate.

Who Is elIGIble to sell CookIesAll registered Girl Scout Daisies (kindergarten - grade 1), Brownies (grades 2-3), Juniors (grades 4-5), Cadettes (grades 6-8), Seniors (grades 9-10), Ambassadors (grades 11-12) and Juliettes may participate in this year’s an-nual Cookie Program.*

*If a girl and/or her family have an outstanding debt to Girl Scouts of Utah they will not be eligible to participate in the annual Cookie Program (including booths), receive activity credits, and/or activity scholarships, until the debt is paid in full.

Where aND hoW We CaN sell*• Within Girl Scouts of Utah’s (GSU) jurisdiction (the state of Utah and Wendover, NV)• Door-to-door• Authorized booth locations• Telephone sales• Businesses, if solicitation is allowed• Family and friends• ABSoLUtELY no IntErnEt SALES!

* Girl Scouts of Utah does not have any connections to help troops/girls send cookies to the military (domestic or overseas).

reWarDs that INspIre suCCessCommunity ProceedsCommunities (formally known as Service Units) will receive proceeds of 3¢ per box ordered by the troops in their Community. Communities who host OnE council-sponsored event during the membership year (October-September) and meet all requirements will receive a total of 5¢. Cookies purchased at the Girl Scout Shop are not included. In the fall, Communities who have a cancelled check on file with GSU’s Finance Department will receive funds as a direct deposit into their Community administration checking account.

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troop Proceeds and Awards• Troops will earn 40 cents per box sold.• Troops can participate in the following programs.* • 3% Goal Getter Program • Bling Your Booth Contest • Cookie Compass Program • Four Fifty 1 Program • Gift of Caring Program • Opt-Out Program • Super Troop Program

*For requirements and forms, refer to the Cookies tab on GSU’s website - www.gsutah.org.

Girl rewardsGirls earn activity credits, patches and other recognition items for their accomplishments. More information is located on the girl order card and parent/guardian permission letter.

2014 Girl Rewards36+ 36+ Participation Patch300-499 300+ Bar Patch & Free Admission to Cookie Celebration500-799 500+ Bar Patch, “Luna” the Arctic Fox & Wonder Wallet800-999 800+ Bar Patch, “Luna” the Arctic Fox & Mini Locker1000-2499 1000+ Bar Patch, “Luna” the Arctic Fox, Expressions Sticky note Music Journal & “Friends

Forever” Heart Pillow*2500+ 1000+ Bar Patch, “Luna” the Arctic Fox, Guitar Make-up Case, Color Graffiti

Basketball & iPad®*

*Girls who sell 1000+ boxes will receive an invitation to a special top seller recognition!

aDvertIsING the CookIe saleTroops have several tools available to assist them when informing the public about the Girl Scout Cookie Program. • Girl Scouts of Utah works with local media outlets to promote the program. • Girl Scouts of Utah will promote national Girl Scout Cookie Day throughout the council to encour-

age the public to order cookies and support Girl Scouting. • Girl Scouts of Utah features the Cookie Program on its website and provides the public two ways to

obtain Girl Scout cookies: • Cookie Compass* gives the public the opportunity to request cookies online with a troop. • Cookie Booth Locator lists the dates, times, and locations of troop booths. • Cookie costumes are available through the shop and service centers for use during booth sales.

Gift of Caring* provides the public an opportunity to donate Girl Scout cookies to others while supporting Girl Scouting at the same time.

*For more information about these programs and/or the forms, refer to the Cookies tab on GSU’s website - www.gsutah.org.

NOTE: Troops and parents need to remember that ALL MAJOR MEDIA OUTLETS (print, radio and television) are to be contacted ONLY by the council’s main office. The council office should be the major media’s main contact and official spokesperson and/or representative for our membership and volunteers.


methoDs of sellING GIrl sCout CookIes

Girls should be involved in all aspects of the cookie sale. Parents naturally want to help their daughters by selling cookies to co-workers and customers; however, adults may not conduct these activities. As this is a valuable learning activity for each girl, we encourage adults to assist girls by supporting them in this activity but not doing it for them. We hope parents and guardians will either bring their daughter to the office so that co-workers can meet and directly buy from her, or support her troop by providing transportation or assisting at a cookie booth.

Girls may use the telephone, emails and other online resources to alert friends and family to cookie sales, but they may not sell cookies by posting information and making financial transactions on an Internet Website.

usING oNlINe resourCes to market CookIesGirls are texting, calling, emailing, Tweeting, and Facebooking—and those are all effective ways that girls 13 and older can promote cookies. The following sections detail how girls can use electronic marketing, social media, and group websites to gather sale commitments from family, friends, and previous customers. But first, please keep in mind girls: • Must sign the Girl Scout Internet Safety Pledge (available at

http://www.girlscouts.org/help/internet_safety_pledge.asp) before doing any online activities and all online activities must be under the supervision of adults.

• Can market to and collect indications of interest from customers within Girl Scouts of Utah’s (GSU) jurisdiction. Refer prospects that come from outside GSU’s jurisdiction to the council finder at www.girlscoutcookies.org. Family members are the exception to this rule.

• Cannot collect indications of interest from customers prior to the start of the sale. • Cannot have customers pay online (such as PayPal or through a shopping cart function on

any website). • Cannot expose their own or any other girl’s email address, physical address, or phone number

to the public. When writing email messages or online announcements, girls should sign with their first name only, along with their troop number and council name – Girl Scouts of Utah.

For girls in fifth grade and above, have your troop visit Let Me know (http://lmk.girlscouts.org), a site addressing Internet safety for teens and tweens. Girls can even earn an online award for completing activities on this site.

GIrl sCout DaIsIes: stay espeCIally safe!Girl Scout Daisies are too young to be marketing online through their troop, parent or guardian websites, or so-cial media sites. For this reason, Daisies are allowed only to send emails when working directly with an adult who is using blind emails.

CoNtaCtING prospeCts eleCtroNICallyGirls may use Facebook, Twitter, text messages, IMs, and emails as online marketing tools to let family, friends, and former customers know about the sale and collect indications of interest. Cookie Program email is not intended to be spam (unwanted texts or emails), so remind girls to be sure that their messages will be welcomed by the receiver.

When girls are marketing cookies online, remind them to always use a group email address (such as [email protected]), an adult’s personal email address, or a blind email address (one that does not reveal the address to the recipient). In addition, be sure to discuss with girls the need to treat customer email addresses from current and past years—as well as phone numbers, IM addresses, Facebook accounts, Twitter handles, and mail ad-dresses—with respect; they are private and must be kept so.

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usING soCIal meDIa*A girl (or group of girls) over the age of 13 may work in partnership with an adult to market cookies online using the social media account (such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or LinkedIn) of the adult. Social media is a fun, fast way to get out an urgent message, such as, “It’s Girl Scout Cookie time!” Posting, tweeting, or pinning such a message will get the attention of friends and family.

Before girls use social media as a marketing tool, keep the following in mind: • Girls must have parental permission to use social media. • Girls must meet age limits set by the provider, which is 13 and above in most cases, as per the United

States Child Online Privacy and Protection Act and the Child Online Protection Act. • Any use of photos requires a photo-release form signed by parents/guardians of the girls pictured and

the signature of any adults pictured. • Any use of online video sharing sites (such as YouTube), where the video is representing Girl Scouts

or Girl Scout products, must follow specific requirements for that site, as well as GSU’s guidelines.* Girl Scout photo release forms must also be signed by parents/guardians and any adults pictured. (In other words, this is not an easy venture, but if you and the girls are willing, it’s worth the investment.)

*For more information regarding Girl Scouts of Utah’s social media guidelines, please contact GSU’s Communi-cations Department.

exploItatIoNSoftware designed to help groups raise money online or websites that link to troops’ home pages with the prom-ise of money in return are not authorized by GSUSA.

eNDorsemeNt Endorsements of online shopping malls or non-GSUSA products are not permissible. As written in the Blue Book of Basic Documents 2012, page 20, the policy of “Permission for Commercial Endorsements” states: “Per-mission to endorse commercial products or to give endorsement of such by implication must be obtained from Girl Scouts of the United States of America and shall be granted only when such endorsement is in keeping with the Girl Scout principles and activities.”

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safety Comes fIrst IN GIrl sCoutING

Volunteer essentials aND safety actiVity checkpoints Remember to follow all Volunteer Essentials and Safety Activity Checkpoints requirements and be sure girls understand and follow these safety rules.

1. Show You’re a Girl Scout: Wear the Girl Scout membership pin and/or Girl Scout clothing to identify yourself as a Girl Scout.

2. Buddy Up: Always use the buddy system. It’s not just safe, it’s more fun.

3. Be Streetwise: Become familiar with the areas and neighborhoods where you will be selling Girl Scout Cookies.

4. Get Permission: Parents and guardians must grant permission and be informed of the girls’ whereabouts when engaged in Cookie Program activities. Remember that each girl’s participation is voluntary.

5. Partner With Adults: Adults must accompany Girl Scout Daisies, Brownies and Juniors when they are taking orders, selling or delivering product. Girls, grades 6-12 must be supervised by an adult when selling door-to-door and must never sell alone. Adults should be present at a cookie booth at all times.

6. Plan Ahead: Always have a plan for safeguarding money—avoid walking around with large amounts of it or keeping it at home or school. Give proceeds to supervising adults who should deposit it as directed by Girl Scouts of Utah as soon as possible.

7. Do not Enter: never enter the home or vehicle of a person when you are selling or making deliveries. Avoid selling to people in vehicles or going into alleys.

8. Sell In the Daytime: Sell only during daylight hours unless accompanied by an adult.

9. Protect Privacy: Girls’ names, addresses, phone numbers or email addresses should never be given out to customers. Use a group contact number or address overseen by an adult for customers to request informa-tion, reorder or give comments. Protect customer privacy by not sharing their information except for the cookie sale. Girls should never take credit card numbers.

10. Be Safe on the road: Always follow safe pedestrian practices, especially when crossing at intersections or walking along roadways. Be aware of traffic when unloading product and passengers from vehicles.

11. Be ‘net Wise: Take the GSUSA Girl Scout Internet Safety Pledge before going online and follow the specific guidelines related to marketing online. Girl Scouts may not sell cookies using the Internet, including websites, chat rooms and auction sites, or broadcast emails to solicit sales. Girl Scouts cannot collect money online.

booth sale requIremeNts• Booth sales are a troop activity, not an individual girl/family activity.• Two adults, at least one of whom is a registered member of GSUSA, must be present at all times when Girl

Scouts operate a cookie booth.• A minimum of three but not more than five girls should be in the booth at any one time. Friends or tagalongs

should not be loitering around the booth. • Girls should never give out their names, addresses, telephone numbers, or email addresses to customers. The

adult Cookie Manager’s telephone number can be provided.

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moNey maNaGemeNt• Girls must have a plan for safeguarding the money they collect.• Girls should not carry around large amounts of cash. Money may be given to the accompanying or

supervising adult.• Girl Scout Daisies should not hold onto money. All money is held by their adult partner.• Cost - $3.50 per box; 12 boxes per case.• Method of payment is cash or personal checks made payable to Girl Scouts of Utah or GSU.• Money is only collected when cookies are delivered.• Do not keep a lot of money at the booth. Keep cash box hidden.• Be especially careful with the money box; make sure it’s under adult supervision and out of public sight. Ar-

range for cash to be removed from the site periodically. When you do travel with money, have someone accompany you to your vehicle and/or the bank.

• Report any suspicious people in the area to local security. • If someone takes money or cookies from your booth, do not attempt to physically recover the stolen items

and do not allow the girls to do so. Instead, get a good description of the offender(s), call 911, and alert local security (if applicable). Make sure girls know what to do in case of theft. Report any incidents to Girl Scouts of Utah. keep girls in a safe location until parents/guardians pick them up. Make sure girls know and understand what to do in case of theft.


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faCts about CookIes

CookIe INformatIoN aND varIetIes• Eight varieties of cookies (see order card or information provided in this manual)• All Kosher products – the highest quality rating available• All eight varieties contain 0g trans-fat

great cookies doing a world of good Your cookie purchase helps girls do great things!

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T H I N M I N T S ®

Crisp wafers covered in chocolaty coating made with natural oil of peppermint

S A M OA S ®

Crisp cookies coated in caramel, sprinkled with toasted coconut, and striped with dark chocolaty coating

TAG A LO N G S ®

Crispy cookies layered with peanut butter and covered with a chocolaty coating

T R E F O I L S ®

Traditional shortbread cookiesD O - S I - D O S ®

Crunchy oatmeal sandwich cookies with creamy peanut butter filling

D U LC E D E L EC H EBite sized cookies with milk caramel chips

T H A N K U B E R R Y M U N C H T M

Hearty cookies with premium cranberries and white fudge chips

S AVA N N A H S M I L E S ®

Crisp, zesty lemon wedge cookies dusted with powdered sugar

• NO High-Fructose Corn Syrup

• NO Trans Fats

• NO Hydrogenated Oils in Five Varieties

• NO Artificial Colors in Seven Varieties

• 100% Real Cocoa

• Nutritious Whole Grain Oats and Real Peanut Butter in Do-si-dos®

• Three Nut-Free Varieties

1 - 8 0 0 - 9 6 2 -1 7 1 8

All cookies baked by Little Brownie Bakers now feature the toll-free number for Kellogg Consumer Affairs right on the box. We are happy to be held accountable for the quality of our cookies.

G I R L S C O U T S C A R E !Although our use of palm oil is very limited, Little Brownie Bakers works to demonstrate good stewardship of our world’s natural resources by purchasing GreenPalm certificates to cover 100% of our global palm oil use. GreenPalm certificates support farmers switching to sustainable palm oil practices.

change lawssay thanks

teach others

SAMOAS, TAGALONGS, DO-SI-DOS and SAVANNAH SMILES are registered trademarks of Kellogg NA Co. THANK U BERRY MUNCH is a trademark of Kellogg NA Co. The GIRL SCOUTS name, mark and all associated trademarks and logotypes, including GIRL SCOUT COOKIES, GIRL SCOUT COOKIE SALE, THIN MINTS, TREFOILS, and the Trefoil Design,

®, TM, © 2013-2014 KELLOGG NA CO.

All products contain wheat, soy and milk ingredients. Do-si-dos and Tagalongs contain peanuts. Samoas contain coconut. Savannah Smiles and Dulce de Leche may contain tree nuts. Go to www.littlebrownie.com for the most current cookie information.

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CookIes by the CarloaDUse this guide to approximate how many cases of cookies will fit in your vehicle. The amounts assume the car will be empty except for the driver and uses all space except the driver’s seat.

Safety Note: Avoid carrying cookie cases and children in the passenger area of a vehicle at the same time.

Car type # of Cases

Compact car 23 Hatchback car 30 Mid-size sedan 35 Sport utility vehicle 60 Station wagon 75 Minivan (seats in) 75 Pick-up truck (full bed) 100 Cargo van (seats in) 200


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COMMUnITY COOkIE PROGRAM REPRESEnTATIVE (CCPR)

CCpr

CCpr CheCklIst• Review on-going emails sent by Girl Scouts of Utah’s (GSU) Cookie Department and Troop Cookie Managers

(TCM). Respond in a timely manner when requested.• Complete the position training.• Receive materials from Little Brownie Bakers, and assemble and distribute packets to each TCM at

TCM training.• Schedule/conduct TCM training.• Secure Community delivery site by January 20. • Insure site is convenient and suitable for unloading of delivery truck, as well as receiving, sorting and

distributing cookies. • Obtain a liability insurance certificate from GSU if requested by delivery site. Allow two weeks for pro-

cessing time; must be submitted no later than the cookie order deadline of February 10.• Help Juliettes sell • Help girls wishing to sell with troops • Help girls sell as Juliettes (no troop affiliation)• Monitor sale in web-based cookie program February 10-12 to ensure: • Troops are entering orders in a timely manner. • Troops are ordering and allocating booth cookies equitably (if applicable). • There are no obvious input errors.• February13-14: Enter late orders and make corrections in web-based cookie program. • February 24-28: notify TCMs of delivery date, time, and location. • March 1-8: Receive Community cookies: double count order, do not accept any damaged cases, and sign

delivery ticket for cookies received. • Distribute cookies to troops and issue M3 receipt(s); both CCPR and TCM should sign M3 receipt(s). • Assist troops within Community to sell leftover cookies. • Match with troops still holding booths and/or needing additional cookies. • Troop to troop cookie cost is $3.10 per box or $37.20 per case.• Support the TCMs as needed. • Complete Cookie Manager Evaluation no later than April 15. (Link provided on GSU’s web site.)• Receive Girl Reward items from Little Brownie Bakers and distribute to troops in May.


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CommuNIty CookIe proGram represeNtatIve (CCpr)CCPs are responsible for coordinating the annual cookie sale at the community level and accepting all account-abilities as stated in the Community Cookie Program Representative Position Description. As CCPR you will serve as the lead resource on cookies for the troops in your Community. You will be responsible for answering questions from Troop Cookie Managers (TCM), confirming orders are completed correctly, and ensuring dead-lines are met. Review the Girl Scout Troop Roster that lists the registered troops and girls in your Community to confirm the listed TCMs have been trained and have received cookie paperwork. This roster is emailed directly to CCPRs on a weekly basis.

CCpr aGreemeNtEach year a new Community Cookie Program Representative Agreement must be completed/submitted by the required deadline. A CCPR must be a current member of GSUSA and pass GSU’s criminal background check prior to the start of the sale. Agreement is located in the Cookies tab on GSU’s website – www.gsutah.org.

If during the Cookie Program the CCPR changes, a new CCPR Agreement must be completed/submitted by the new volunteer.

seleCtING a CookIe DelIvery statIoNAs a CCPR, one of your most important responsibilities is to secure a convenient, suitable location for receiving, sorting, and distributing Girl Scout cookies. Don’t wait until the last minute! Think QUAnTITY! An average two-car garage will hold approximately 1,000 to 1,200 cases of cookies. Remember, your location should allow easy unloading of the delivery truck. Volunteers should also be able to pick up their cookies easily. Consider an area fire station, vacant store, church, or school as a cookie delivery station. If the cookie delivery location requests a liability insurance certificate from Girl Scouts of Utah (GSU), request it nOW. It takes proximately two weeks to process. Contact CRC for assistance no later than the cookie order deadline of February 10.

helpING JulIettes sell CookIesThe Community Leadership Team has a responsibility to ensure that all Juliettes have the opportunity to par-ticipate in the Cookie Program. (Juliettes are Girl Scouts of all grade levels who are not affiliated with a troop.) To get a list of Juliettes in your Community, please contact your Member Placement Representative or Volunteer Services Coordinator. There are two ways in which Juliettes may participate in the program:

option A: Sell Cookies as a Juliette (no troop/group affiliation)If a Juliette would like to sell cookies independently of a troop, she needs to contact the council Juliette Program Coordinator prior to December 20. In Communities where there is a Juliette Representative, she/he will func-tion as the Troop Cookie Manager. In cases where that position is vacant, the council Juliette Program Coordi-nator will function as the Troop Cookie Manager. She/he will train the Juliettes and their parents and facilitate the cookie sale process. Parents/guardians of Juliettes selling cookies must attend a cookie meeting and sign a Parent/Guardian Permission Responsibility Form.Juliettes receive any girl rewards and activity credits earned. In addition, Juliettes who sell cookies will be invited to an activity at no cost at the conclusion of the cookie sale.

option B: Sell Cookies with a troop/GroupJuliettes may participate in the program by selling with existing troops with troop permission. Please notify the council Juliette Program Coordinator prior to December 20 of any Juliettes who will be selling with a troop. Parents/guardians of Juliettes who are selling cookies with a troop must attend a troop cookie meeting and sign a Parent/Guardian Permission Responsibility Form.

All funds collected must be turned in to the sponsoring troop under this option. Per the IRS, girls do not receive troop proceeds; proceeds earned remain with the troop. However, when troop proceeds are used to pay for a troop function, the Juliette should be invited to participate. Juliettes receive the girl rewards and activity credits earned.


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troop CookIe maNaGer traININGPrior to the SaleTroop Cookie Manager (TCM) training is one of the most important events for a successful cookie program. While several volunteers have been a TCM, this will be the first time for many. new TCMs may require more time to learn all facets of the program; some may require individualized support.

Schedule your training prior to the cookie sale. The best approach is to train in a group setting. The training needs to be scheduled with ample time for TCMs to train parents and girls. There will usually be some TCMs who cannot attend the training; therefore, plans should be in place for a make-up training session.

A suggested outline for training TCMs follows.

Advance Preparation• Set a meeting place, date and time. • Review the Girl Scout Troop Roster that lists the registered troops and girls in your Community. This roster will

be emailed directly to CCPRs on a weekly basis. • Invite TCMs, those with an “ * “ (asterisk) next to their names on the weekly roster and if possible, troop leaders. • Use the large envelopes (M-1) provided by Little Brownie Baker (LBB) to create a packet for individual troops.

Each troop should have its own envelope/packet (write troop number on envelope.) which contains: • Girl order cards (provided by LBB) – 2 for each registered girl* • Parent/guardian permission letters (provided by GSU) – 1 for each registered girl* • Money Envelope (provided by LBB) – 1 for each registered girl* • Money and/or Cookie Receipt (M-3) booklets (provided by LBB) – 2 booklets • Cookie sample (provided by LBB) – 1 box of cookies

*The weekly troop roster will indicate how many girls are registered with each troop.

on the Day of training• Arrive early to set up.• Make sure materials for your presentation are in order.• Prepare refreshments and display any additional cookie information.

At training• Do not give packets to unregistered troops that do not appear on the weekly Troop Roster report or TCMs who

have a “? ” next to their names on the weekly roster. They must stay for training and may receive their packet once an “ * ” (asterisk) appears next to their names. If a new troop registers after the troop registration dead-line, they may participate in the sale at your discretion.

• Do not give packets to anyone who has not been trained.• Have everyone sign in.

Welcome and IntroductionsGive the name, address and phone number of key cookie contacts in your Community* and introduce this year’s theme.

*Refer to the Who’s Who contact list.

overview • The purpose of the program is to provide girls with a great way to learn important and valuable life skills and to

generate income for the girls and troop activities.• All money raised by the girls remains in Utah and helps subsidize all services and girl activities, including camp

fees and scholarships/camperships.• Role and responsibility of TCM.• Product information and rewards (varieties and cost of cookies; troop proceeds).

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Motivating and training Girls• Review safety rules.• Discuss the importance of permission forms and parent responsibilities.• Set or review troop goals with girls.• Hold a parent meeting – use Girl/Parent Training Guidelines.• Stress the importance of due dates and not starting before the sale date. Girls/parents are on their honor.

(Girls who sell before the order taking date will forfeit ALL activity credits.)

timeline, Paperwork and Collections• review tCM dates and deadlines listed in this manual. Stress these deadlines must be met. Take extra

time to ensure troops understand what information/action is needed with each due date.• Review instructions and procedures for GSU’s web-based cookie programs (ordering cookies and booth res-

ervations). Remind TCMs of troop awards that are listed in the Cookies tab on GSU’s website.• Inform TCM of the procedure you have established for them to receive extra supplies.• Advise them of what they need to submit to the council at the end of the sale. (Validated bank deposits, par-

ent permission cards, unused deposit slips, etc.) CCPRs will receive Troop Financial Envelopes prior to cookie delivery. CCPRs distribute these envelopes when troops pick up their cookie order.

Stress to troops that if they have parents who have not completely paid their cookie bill to list them on the Troop Financial Envelope and include all M-3 receipts for cookies received and monies paid, by that parent.

Completion of Cookie order and Girl rewards• Girl order card and initial troop order: troop adds individual order cards, enters totals into GSU’s web-based

cookie program and confirms information is correct. Note: All sale information must be keyed into the web-based cookie program by the TCM or CCPR.

• Troop prints two* (2) copies of their web-based order form and brings a copy when picking up troop’s cookie order. Second copy stays with troop records.

• Troop prints* one (1) copy of their web-based girl rewards order. This document will inform troop what each girl earned.

*Must be done prior to TCMs being locked out of system.refer to the eCookie Manual for instructions on how to utilize GSU’s online cookie order program.

Delivery and Pick-UpRemind them of the cookie delivery week and review any information you may have related to delivery – time, date, and location if known, rules pertaining to pick-up site, directions to delivery site, etc.

Extra CookiesExplain the procedure of how a troop can obtain or dispense of extra cookies.

Booth SalesRefer to the Online Cookie Booth Locations Manual for instructions on how to utilize GSU’s booth reservation program.

CommunicationTCMs should contact you with questions, to order more supplies, and other related issues.

Questions and Answers

thank them for Volunteering!

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troop orDers & CookIe DIstrIbutIoNreviewing Cookie ordersTake extra time to review each troop’s online order for obvious input errors (an unusually large order of the new cookie, very large booth sale quantities, etc.) Confirm with the troop that the amounts seen in web-based cookie program are correct. This will eliminate future financial issues by preventing troops from accidentally ordering too many cookies. It is also important to ensure each troop has allocated booth sale cookies fairly and equitably to girls who participate in booth sales. Rewards and Activity Credits are awarded/ordered/issued according to what’s been assigned. Completing this screen will guarantee correct totals and receipt of rewards.

notE: CCPRs have the authorization to make corrections to troop paperwork.

Reminder: Troops are not able to return cookies and/or cancel their orders. Any cookies that are ordered and delivered to/by GSU cannot be returned to the baker.

receiving CookiesBe on hand to meet the delivery truck when it arrives. You will need to show the delivery person(s) where you want each variety of cookies stacked. They should be stacked by varieties. Helpful hint: Have them sorted in the same order as seen on the order card if possible.

Check each case for damage. Don’t accept any wet or badly damaged cases. If there is only slight damage to the outside of the case and the boxes inside appear to be fine, you may accept the case.

If you are short a case or have a damaged case, you can get these replaced by the driver to complete your order. Be sure that the number of cases you receive is the number of cases on the delivery ticket.

When the delivery of each variety is completed, you will be asked to count the cases and sign a delivery ticket showing that you received the total number of cases that you ordered. take your time and count carefully. Don’t accept the delivery person’s count. Sign only for the cases received.

If there is a shortage or damaged cases that cannot be corrected during delivery, note it on the delivery ticket prior to signing the receipt.

Volunteers at the delivery sites must be adults. Children are not permitted at delivery sites for their safety. All adult volunteers who assist at the delivery station must be currently registered Girl Scouts. For very large deliveries, arrange for extra help to sort cases by troops.

Once the delivery is complete, you will be ready to begin distributing cookies to the troops. Under no circum-stances should you allow troops to have any cookies before the delivery is complete. This could make your count inaccurate. Schedule volunteers to pick up their cookie orders after all cookies have been unloaded and counted by the CCPR.


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Distributing Cookies to troopsScheduling troops to pick up their orders may be decided in several ways. You may tell the troops to call you at a certain time to see if delivery is complete; you may arbitrarily set a time of day when they may pick up cookies; or you might call them when you’re ready for them to pick up the cookies. Decide before hand which way works best for you.

Be sure to tell your troops in advance how you will operate the delivery station so they will know what to expect. Also, ask them to bring plenty of help, leave children at home, and to bring a hand truck (dolly) if they have one. Remind them how many cases they will be receiving so that they can determine whether or not they need a sec-ond or third vehicle. (See vehicle loading guide in the “Cookies by the Carload” section of this manual.)

Troops should complete the following before loading their vehicle:• Troop counts and verifies the number of cases ordered and the number they have received. This should be

the same amount as listed on the troop’s web-based order form.• Both troops and CCPR sign and receive a copy of a “Money and/or Cookie Receipt” (M-3 form) indicating the

total number of cases for each variety of cookies each troop picks up. These receipts need to be kept with cookie paperwork and available to be turned in at the end of the sale.

never allow anyone to load cookies into their car until after you have counted everything and a receipt has been signed. Once the troop signs for their cookie order, they are responsible for the cookies. Girls may deliver their cookies as soon as they receive them. Suggestion: CCPRs have one to two designated volunteers to help with the counting and paperwork during the delivery.

thank the Delivery SiteSend a personal “Thank You” note and leave some cookies for the person who is in charge of your delivery sta-tion to thank them for the use of their facility. CCPR must purchase cookies that are used as thank you gifts.

CookIe booth proCeDures Booth sales help girls reach more customers. Cookie Booths are a troop/group activity (not an individual girl/family activity). Booth sales are a great way to increase your troop’s success. Remember, you must have the ap-propriate permission from authorities and Girl Scouts of Utah’s Cookie Program Department before the booth sale. Cookie booths are a troop activity for girls to:• Broaden their Girl Scout experience.• Apply toward Girl Scout leaf and badge requirements.• Increase troop sales by working as part of a team.

obtaining and reserving Booth LocationsCookie booth locations that are listed on Girl Scouts of Utah’s web-based cookie program are open to all troops and must be reserved online (no hand-delivered requests). Members of the Community Leadership Team or Troops are not to contact any of the businesses listed on the web-based cookie program.

If a location does not appear on GSU’s web-based cookie program, CCPRs can assist troops in obtaining a com-pleted and signed Girl Scout Cookie Booth Agreement form from the store/business manager. Submit form(s) to Cookie Program Specialist for approval at least five (5) business days prior to booth date.

Any location that offers safety, high traffic, and good visibility can be considered. not every location will allow booth sales, but it never hurts to ask! You can reserve booths for any day of the week that two adults and three to five girl members are available to staff each store’s door/entrance.

When CCPRs approach businesses to obtain permission to conduct a booth sale for the troops, be sure to pro-vide the manager/owner with the information provided in the Cookie Booth Letter, Rules, and Safety Information which is located in the Cookies tab on GSU’s website – www.gsutah.org.


If booth locations request a liability insurance certificate from Girl Scouts of Utah (GSU), obtain it nOW. It takes proximately two weeks to process. Contact CRC for assistance.

Refer to the Online Cookie Booth Locations Manual for instructions on how to utilize GSU’s booth reservation program.

Possible Booth Locations• Grocery stores• Concerts and plays• Sporting events• Car washes• Banks and credit unions• Places of worship• Universities and colleges

Illegal BoothsWhen the council office is advised of an illegal booth, staff is not always able to resolve the issue due to the loca-tion and/or travel time required. If a booth takes place at an unapproved location, does not meet booth requirements and/or is conducted before booth start date, volunteers have the permission to identify themselves as a Girl Scout volunteer and inform the adults at the booth of the rules and requirements and politely ask them to close their booth.

Corporate DonationsGirl Scout policy addressing corporate donations is in Girl Scouts Volunteer Essentials and states:“Donations from corporations generated by matching cookie sales may only be distributed at the Community level. These funds must be used only for girl program at the Community level.”

DIstrIbutIoN of reWarDsCCPRs will distribute to the troops the girl/adult participation/bar patches as well as all other individual/troop awards in May* with the exception of the top three sellers. The top 3 seller awards will be presented at the Cookie Celebration. If a girl is unable to attend the celebration, it is her responsibility to make arrangements with council to pick up her award.

The girl rewards report that the TCM printed in January/February will inform troops what each girl earned.

*iPad® will be distributed at the 1000+ party.

DamaGeD CookIe proCeDuresIntroductionIt is important that you, as a key product sales volunteer, “be prepared.” Please take a moment to review the procedures for reporting product complaints or other situations, and make preparations for handling such incidents. Some possible situations may require immediate attention of the Cookie Program Manager. They may even attract the attention of the local media. Prompt notification to staff is critical in handling the situation ef-fectively. In the food industry, product complaints are not unusual. Each year, we experience a small number of complaints (taste, crushed product, etc.).

ContainmentContainment – confining a difficult incident to the situation and the locale in which it took place is the key to the successful resolution of product complaints.

Unapproved Locations• Private homes• Apartments• Assisted living facilities• Residential club houses• Any other residential property• Fields or empty lots

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Basic Procedures• If you should receive a complaint about any product, remain calm and get the facts according to the “Cookie

Sale Complaint/Damage Form.”*• The council’s product policy is “satisfaction guaranteed.” Offer to exchange the product in question. Exchang-

es can occur with product from the Girl Scout Shop, the northern Utah Service Center (nUSC), or the Central Utah Service Center (CUSC). If you are unable to resolve the issue, call the Cookie Program Manager.

• In the event of a situation requiring immediate attention, notify the Cookie Program Manager. If you are uncer-tain as to whether the situation requires staff notification, contact staff. If the office is closed, please leave a detailed message and speak slowly and clearly. Include your complete name, phone number with area code and reason for the call.

• The Cookie Program Manager will notify all appropriate parties.• If it is determined that the product should be picked up, you or someone you designate must pick up the prod-

uct from the customer as soon as possible. Be sure to get everything relating to the complaint (packaging, box, etc.).

• The product must be returned to the council so that it can be forwarded to the bakery.• Refer all calls from the media to the Chief Development & Communications Officer.• The Cookie Sale Complaint/Damage Form and product should be sent to the council office as soon as pos-

sible after completion.

Remember: Your role is crucial in satisfying the customer and diffusing a potentially volatile situation. When in doubt whether you should notify someone, call the Cookie Program Manager.

*The form can be found in the Cookies tab on GSU’s website - www.gsutah.org.

samplesmoNey/CookIe reCeIpt

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Sample of when parent/girl receives cookies. (White copy stays with the troop; the yellow copy goes to the parent.)

Sample of when troop receives money from parent/girl to pay for cookies. (White copy stays with the troop; the yellow copy goes to the parent.)


Council Resource Center (CRC)445 E 4500 South, Suite 125

Salt Lake City, UT 84107

801-265-8472 800-678-7809