Suzette Cook
Emma Thomas, 7, is a member of Girl Scout Troop 2315 in Newberry and she has a business plan for selling cookies during a pandemic.
Step 1: Make a video about the cause—with a little help from mom.
Donning her traditional uniform and beanie and holding a bright blue sign touting, “Girl Scout Cookies! 2021,” Emma shares the news of the cookie sale through a video that explains how the organization is planning to deliver the same tasty treats to loyal and new customers during a pandemic.
“As you know, it’s cookie season and all the Girl Scouts are very, very excited about selling cookies this year,” she says.
Excitement is typical, but pandemics are not. This year Girl Scouts like Emma are getting creative as they try to make sales amid a pandemic that is surging anew in Florida and other parts of the country.
In her video Emma explains that there are two ways to get cookies this year. One is to get them delivered via mail to your house and another is to have Emma drop them off in person.
Emma’s mom Nicole Thomas is helping promote the sale on Facebook by sharing the video and encouraging friends to support the cause.
“It’s that time of year again, it’s cookie season!” Nicole announced on her Facebook page. “Please help support Emma Grace and her troop!! You can order at the link below and have shipped directly to you or if you are local we can deliver!
According to the Girl Scouts of the United States of America website, the cookie sale is a way of raising money to give back to communities, because the funds will support the troops as they carry out projects.
“The 2020 Girl Scout Cookie season was challenging in so many ways because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the organization website states. “Yet Girl Scouts across the country stood tall and created countless moments of joy by donating cookies to thank frontline healthcare workers and first responders—and used the cookie earnings to give back and support their communities.”
Girl Scouts Cookie Care is a program that allows customers to order cookies for delivery or donate cookies from the comfort and safety of their homes.
“In the 2021 season, Girl Scouts will again embrace their entrepreneurial spirit by selling cookies through online platforms and innovative “virtual cookie booths” on social media (with parental supervision),” the website says. “Many girls will offer socially distant or contactless sales and delivery options. If local guidelines allow and it’s safe to do so, in-person sales may also be available in certain areas.”
The start of the Girl Scout cookie season is recognized nationally in January and lasts about a month. To see the variety of cookies offered and explore how to order them from Emma click here.
On the site, customers can donate cookies to local heroes and order them as gifts.
All the favorites are there: Lemon-Ups, Trefoils, Do-si-dos, Samoas, Tagalongs, Thin Mints, Girl Scout S’Mores and gluten free Toffee-tastic. There is an option to purchase cookies and have them shipped in a gift box as well.
Emma’s goal is 800 boxes and in her “My Cookie Story” she explains what she will do with the proceeds. “We plan on using the money we earn to have a community pantry.”
Emma’s campaign is already working. One customer, her Grandpa Eddie Scott, said Toffee-tastic cookies are his favorite and that he, “Just ordered 10.”
Click here to order cookies and help Emma reach her goal of selling 800 boxes. And watch Emma’s sales pitch here: