Opportunity Guide2015 Cookie Program

January 10–March 22, 2015

5Skills forGirls

When girls participate in the largest girl-led business in the world, they “earn and learn”—they earn funds for their Girl Scout activities while learning 5 skills that will help them in business and life.

Goal SettingGirls set cookie program goals and, with their team, create a plan to reach them. This matters because girls need to know how to set and reach goals to succeed in school, on the job, and in life.

Decision MakingGirls decide where and when to sell cookies, how to market their program, and what to do with their proceeds. This matters because girls must make many decisions, big and small, in their lives. Learning this skill helps them make good decisions.

Money ManagementGirls develop a budget, take cookie orders, and handle customers’ money. This matters because girls need to know how to handle money—from their lunch money to their allowance to (someday) their paycheck.

People SkillsGirls learn how to talk (and listen!) to their customers, as well as learning how to work as a team with other girls. This matters because it helps them do better in school (on group projects, on sports teams, and on the playground) and later at work.

Business EthicsGirls act honestly and responsibly during every step of the cookie program. This matters because employers want to hire ethical employees—and the world needs ethical leaders in every field.

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Why do these skills matter?Because when your Girl Scout has learned these skills, she’ll be poised for success in her career. Think about it: When employers interview job candidates, they all look for the same things. This is true whether the employer is a bank, high-tech company, hospital, publishing house, car dealership, accounting firm—or even the local pet store! They look for someone who can set goals and meet deadlines, works well with others, understands customers, influences others, as well as someone who is honest, trustworthy, and reliable.

Kick off the cookie season!

2015 Cookie RallyThis is the start of something amazing!

Kick off the Girl Scout cookie program with high energy and help

girls get the basics of the cookie program. It’s as easy as a Cookie Rally!

Amp up your cookie program with the Ultimate Cookie Party! Whether you join us

at one of our Council Cookie Rallies, have a traditional service unit rally, or a troop

sleepover, cookie rallies are designed to build skills and get results. No one can resist the power of dozens or even hundreds of girls

energized to start their cookie program!

Chillicothe Cookie Rally

When: January 3, 2015 from 9:00 a.m-1:00 p.m.

Where: Daymar College & Cavalier Skating Rink

Cost: $5 per person

Deadline: December 17, 2014

Will begin at Daymar College and then move to Cavalier Skating Rink to allow girls time to enjoy fun roller skating after the rally stations.

Columbus Cookie Rally

When: January 10, 2015

Sessions: 9:30-11:00 a.m., 12:00-1:30 p.m.,

2:00-3:30 p.m., 4:00-5:30 p.m.

Where: Columbus Zoo Activity Pavilion

Cost: $10 per person for non-zoo members

$5 per person for zoo members

Deadline: December 17, 2014

When not attending your cookie rally session, you are invited to visit the zoo for the day. Cost includes zoo admission and FREE PARKING!

Adults are required to pay to attend. Only registered rally attendees will be able to enter the rally.

NO TAGALONGS!

Your service unit may be hosting a Girl Scout Cookie Rally to kick off the season in your area.

INSIDER TIP

Cookie club patches will be available for purchase in your local Girl Scout Shop starting December 8, 2014.

INSIDER TIP

girl programsOneTOUGH CookieThe OneTOUGH Cookie Patch program highlights troops that go above and beyond the rest! By participating in Cookie Program meetings, activities, events, and more, your troop can earn this “knock-out” patch and be featured on the GSOH Product Sales Facebook page.

Materials and report forms can be found on our website at www.gsoh.org. Under Cookies & More drop down click on the Cookie Program tab, then scroll down to Programs & Events.

Just complete all 10 rounds and you can call yourself One TOUGH Cookie as you’re sporting this one-of-a-kind patch.

Report form due by March 25, 2015.

Cookie ClubCookie Club is an online club for cookie goal-getters! Through Cookie Club, girls ages 6-12 can practice goal setting skills, and learn tips for reaching individual goals. They will love watching their “cookie packages” stack up as they track their progress!Girl Scouts learn SMART GOAL steps:• Set and share troop goals• Set and share personal sales and learning goals• Hold a family meeting• Sell beyond family and friends• Track your progress to the top and celebrate

Girl Scouts learn how to SET GOALS:• Learning Goal: What would you like to learn during this program?• Cookie Package Goal: How many packages do you need to sell to accomplish your goal?• Service Goal: How can you use some of your cookie proceeds to help others?

ONE TOUGH COOKIE

Registering your troop is easy as 1-2-3!1. Go to cookieclub.littlebrownie.com.2. Select your role from the drop-down menu.3. Complete the requested information and proceed accordingly.

Do something amazing—become a Stellar SellerGirls who sell 800 or more packages of cookies will become a member of the Cookie Program’s elite club! Hard work, great marketing strategies, and dedication to excellence will help her achieve something amazing, and she’ll receive this one-of-a-kind patch.

Girls who achieve this success will be invited to our Council Stellar Seller Event.

girl programsCookie Business BlasterIt’s Your Future-Grab it! This program will be the spark to launch you into a great 2015 Cookie Program. We will dive into learning about what it takes to run a successful business. Girls will hear from local women business owners in the morning, then spend the afternoon learning tips and strategies to help boost their program. Crafts, games, and group activities will engage all girls. You can sign up for this program through CORA.

Who: JuniorsWhen: Sat., Nov. 22, 2014 from 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.Cost: $8.00 per girlDeadline: Wed., Nov. 5, 2014Location: Resurrection Evangelical Lutheran Church, Hilliard (Franklin Co.)

It’s A Girl BusinessHave you ever wanted to start your own business? Do you have a passion to be amazing throughout your cookie program? As part of this program, you will engage with women business owners and gain tips and strategies to help boost your 2015 Cookie Program! This program will help girls to complete parts of their Cookie Business badges. You can sign up for this program through CORA.

Who: Cadettes, Seniors, and AmbassadorsWhen: Sat., Dec. 6, 2014 from 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.Cost: $8.00 per girlDeadline: Wed., Nov. 19, 2014Location: Church of the Redeemer United Methodist, Columbus (Franklin Co.)

Cookie CreationsPre-heat your ovens and grab your cookie boxes, it’s time to get creative with cooking! Girls are invited to create an original Girl Scout Cookie creation based upon the 2015 Cookie Program Theme “There’s Something Amazing Inside”. This is a great opportunity to work on requirements from your legacy Cooking badge. Contestants should be prepared to bring their creation to the event, ready for judging! Ratings will be based upon taste, presentation, table design, and creativity. Cook-off rules and special “tips for winning” will be sent with the confirmation letter. You can sign up for this program through CORA.

Who: Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors, and AmbassadorsWhen: Sat., Feb. 7, 2015 from 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.Cost: $8.00 per girlDeadline: Wed., Jan. 21, 2015Location: Camp Ken-Jockety, Galloway (Franklin Co.)

Cookie BuzzA catchy tune is a great way to get people to remember a product. See how creative your troop can be by coming up with lyrics about selling cookies. See how much cookie BUZZ you can create on social media by sharing your song and gaining likes.

Enter the Cookie Buzz Contest! Cookie Buzz Contest Rules can be found on our website, gsoh.org/cookies-more/cookieprogram/programs-events/.

One weekly winner will be chosen and awarded the exclusive “Cookie Buzz” patch. All winners of the “Cookie Buzz” patch will be entered to win the grand prize, a Troop Pizza Party!

Bling My BoothEncourage your girls to bling out their booth with lots of creativity to help generate the energy and attention that will attract more customers and sales! Everyone who participates in a booth sale that “blings their booth” can receive this fun booth sales patch!

Enter the Bling My Booth Contest! Bling My Booth Contest Rules can be found on our website, gsoh.org/cookies-more/cookieprogram/programs-events/.

All Bling My Booth Contest entries must be decorated to celebrate the 40th Birthday of Samoas.

Prize-$50 Reward Card awarded to one winning troop per Service Unit plus each girl participating in the winning troop will receive the 2015 Bling your Booth patch!

girl programs

Girl Scout Walkabout WeekSunday, March 8–Saturday, March 14

The Girl Scout Walkabout is a week-long program! With cookies in hand, it’s tempting to head straight to the tried-and-true booth sale. Complement your booth success with a mobile approach. Include a cookie caravan at a local event or go door-to-door with a wagon walkabout.

First, find out from your service unit coordinator if the service unit is organizing a walkabout, and sign up for a neighborhood in your community! Second, load up the wagon with your cookies and hit the streets to reintroduce one of Girl Scouts’ longest traditions to the community!

2015

8-14

Walkabout, Booth Sales, and TGOC patches are available for purchase at your local Girl Scout Shop starting December 8, 2014.

INSIDER TIP

girl programsOperation Salute-Council Gift of Caring (OpSal)Girl Scouts have a long tradition of making the world a better place through community service. The Council and Troop Gift of Caring programs allow girls to do just that. The Council Gift of Caring Operation Salute (OpSal) encourages the girls to make a difference in their community. Council will deliver ALL packages to the men and women serving in the military. Unlike your Troop Gift of Caring, no pickup or delivery is needed. Simply collect and deposit $4 for each package sold. Your toop earns its profit, girls earn their girl rewards, and together we perform an amazing act! The TCPM will not need to enter which variety of cookie, simply enter the number of packages in the OpSal column on the girl order tab in eBudde.

Girls selling 3 or more packages of Council Gift of Caring cookies to benefit Operation Salute will automatically earn this patch.

Troop Gift of Caring (TGOC)To participate, girls: • Choose a charity• Throughout the Cookie Program, offer their customers the opportunity to

purchase additional packages of cookies to be donated.

The girls should be able to clearly identify the charity and share why their troop has chosen to donate to it.

Gift of Caring cookies can be sold at any time during the program. If GOC cookies are sold during the initial order period:• Money should be collected if no other cookies are being purchased. • If the customer is purchasing other cookies to be delivered, the money

should be collected at time of delivery.

GOC cookies can be sold at booth sales, too. • Encourage your Girl Scouts to decorate a donation box. • Have the girls prepared to answer questions about why they chose this organization and how they think it

will benefit the community.

PLEASE NOTE: GOC cookies at Kroger booth sales will be donated to Mid-Ohio Foodbank. Instructions for these procedures will be emailed to troops that sign up to participate at a Kroger Booth.

Participation in the Gift of Caring program is easy and keeping track of which girls in your troop participate is easy, too! There is a TGOC column in eBudde that allows the TCPM to indicate the number of GOC packages donated for each girl. The TCPM will not need to enter which variety of cookie, simply enter the number of packages in the TGOC column on the girl order tab. Troops should use their remaining inventory to fill these GOC orders.

PLEASE NOTE: Troops will need to place a cookie cupboard order if they do not have enough extra cookies to fulfill their TGOC cookie order.

Operation Salute

G S O H

the Girl scout Cookie activity pin

All girls who participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program are eligible to earn the annual Cookie Activity Pin. When they earn the pin, invite girls to share their accomplishments in each of the 5 Skills. Here’s how girls achieve the 5 Skills through the Girl Scout Cookie Program:

1. Goal setting Ƀ Set personal learning goals. What do you want to learn this year? What do you

want to do better? Share this with at least one other person or your group.

Ƀ Set personal sales goals for yourself based on your personal and group goals. Keep a record of your accomplishments each year!

2. Decision Making Ƀ Develop a basic business plan for your cookie sale.

Ƀ Work as a team with other Girl Scouts to decide when and where you’ll sell cookies and what you’ll do with the money you earn.

3. Money Management Ƀ Develop a budget for accomplishing at least one of the goals you set in the Goal

Setting step. Use this budget to help determine your sales goals.

Ƀ Be able to explain how the money earned in the Girl Scout Cookie Program helps you, your group, and your council.

4. people skills Ƀ Practice your “elevator speech” for customers about what you are selling, why you

are selling it, and why they should purchase it.

Ƀ Make a list of customers you will approach. Don’t forget people you sold to last year!

5. Business ethics Ƀ Discuss how living the Girl Scout Promise and Law applies to what you do in the

Girl Scout Cookie Program as a businesswoman.

the Cookie activity pin is available in august for purchase at your local store or through www.girlscoutshop.com. the pin is a different color every year.

Celebrating the 5 Skills with girls!

Cookie Toolkit 2012_OTP_v2_SBAreprint.indd 21 8/16/12 12:12 PM

From The 5 Skills for Girls booklet

F I N A N C I A L L I T E R A C Y B A D G E SC O O K I E B A D G E S

Daisy

Brownie

Junior

Cadette

Senior

Ambassador

Find out how to earn all these badges* by getting The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting and checking out your Financial Literacy and Cookie Business badges.

important dates1 2 3

Cookie Rally

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2015 Cookie Program BeginsCookie Rally

11 12 13 14Cookie Café

15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22Cookie Café

23Cookie Café

24Booth Signup

25 Booth SignupHand out Goal Getter Cards

26 Booth SignupEnter Initial OrderEnter Initial Rewards

27 28 29 30 31

1 2 3 4 5Cookie Café

6Cookie Café

7Cookie Creations

8Enter CREW Cupboard Order

9uCharge Activation

10 11 12CREWCREW Cupboard

13 CREW Booth Program CREW Cupboard

14 CREWCREW CupboardEnter GoalG Order

15 16 Cookie DeliveryEast & West Cupboards Open

17 Cookie Delivery 18 Cookie Delivery 19 Cookie Delivery 20 Cookie Delivery All Cupboards Open

21

22 23 24 25 26 27 National GS Cookie Weekend

28National GS Cookie Weekend

1 2 3 4

5 6ACH “Amount DueCouncil”

7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30

1 2 ALL Initial Order Cookies Delivered

3 4 5 6 7

8Walkabout WeekBegins

9ACH $1/box of Initial Order (IO)

10 11 12 13Opt Out Approval Form Due

14Walkabout WeekEnds

15 16Bling My Booth Entries Due

17 18Cookie Café

19Cookie Café

20 21Council Cupboards Close

22 2015 CookieProgram EndsAllocate Cookies

23 ACH $1/box of IOEnter Girl Rewardsand Payments

24 Submit uChargesCall GSOH Finance Dept w/ ODR Info.

25One Tough CookieReport Due

26 27 28

29 30Complete Survey

31

January

February

March

April