Comments on: Springtime: Where I Crush the Souls Of Girl Scouts http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/03/18/springtime-where-i-crush-the-souls-of-girl-scouts/ Green and Natural Parenting for Eco-Friendly Families Thu, 24 May 2012 17:04:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Adrian Johnson http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/03/18/springtime-where-i-crush-the-souls-of-girl-scouts/#comment-26266 Adrian Johnson Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:23:25 +0000 http://ecochildsplay.com/?p=3389#comment-26266 You're concerned about preservatives? Worry about something worse: GM corn, and it the corn syrup made from it– and it won’t be labeled as such. UK and Europe ban GM crops and foods, for prudent reasons. Girl Scout cookies will, this time next year, contain GM corn syrup as ingredient, as most baked-goods in the USA use corn syrup as sweetener. Studies show that GM corn products cause liver and kidney damage in test animals after only three months consumption. Reasons not to buy “Girl Scout” cookies: 1) the cookies have more than one unhealthy ingredient. 2) The Girl Scouts no longer have the values they did a generation ago: they push Planned Parenthood and pro-gay, lesbian, and transgendered agendas; and are intolerant of the Christian values of those who protest the PC politicization of the Girl Scouts. The alternative? “American Heritage Girls” now have the values the Girl Scouts lost and the "AHG" fundraising is more ethical. You’re concerned about preservatives? Worry about something worse: GM corn, and it the corn syrup made from it– and it won’t be labeled as such. UK and Europe ban GM crops and foods, for prudent reasons. Girl Scout cookies will, this time next year, contain GM corn syrup as ingredient, as most baked-goods in the USA use corn syrup as sweetener. Studies show that GM corn products cause liver and kidney damage in test animals after only three months consumption.

Reasons not to buy “Girl Scout” cookies: 1) the cookies have more than one unhealthy ingredient. 2) The Girl Scouts no longer have the values they did a generation ago: they push Planned Parenthood and pro-gay, lesbian, and transgendered agendas; and are intolerant of the Christian values of those who protest the PC politicization of the Girl Scouts.
The alternative? “American Heritage Girls” now have the values the Girl Scouts lost and the “AHG” fundraising is more ethical.

]]> By: Amy http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/03/18/springtime-where-i-crush-the-souls-of-girl-scouts/#comment-26243 Amy Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:49:13 +0000 http://ecochildsplay.com/?p=3389#comment-26243 I am the mother of a girl scout, the daughter of a girl scout and the granddaughter of a girl scout troop leader. It breaks my heart to say this, but girl scouts has turned into a cookie selling machine. My daughter learns so much more through her brothers' cub scouts/boy scouts. Camp is a wonderful thing, but doesn't make up for the rest of the year, where there is intense focus on selling cookies. The profit margin of this non-profit organization is scandalous. This year our council switched from taking orders early, and filling those order after the New Year to a model where the troops estimate how much they are going to sell, order cookies, and try to sell them all. We were encouraged to order lots of cookies. Our troop sold 1100 cookies. We have 300 cookies left and our sale period ends in a week and a half. At this point we OWE council money. That's right! We sold over a thousand boxes and are coming out with a net loss. We brought in $550 ($.50 a box) and we owe council $900 ($3 a box). What kind of non-profit takes money from little girls? We will be unable to sell these cookies after the sale ends. I love scouting, I love my children being involved with patriotic/outdoors oriented organizations. I fully support fundraising. This is not fundraising. This is a big business run on the backs of volunteers who are poorly trained. We are given an hour long training which basically consists of "getting excited", learning how to take checks, and answering questions (it's difficult to ask what you don't realize you don't know). Afterwards these cookie managers are expected to run a small part time business. Inventory, distribution, accounting, sales, etc, all done by parents who are trying to fit in a life around the sale. This is not impossible. What is ridiculous is that a person could devote hours to the running of this volunteer small business for the sake of the kids just to come out in debt to the Girl Scout council. We would have been better off asking for donations. I am the mother of a girl scout, the daughter of a girl scout and the granddaughter of a girl scout troop leader. It breaks my heart to say this, but girl scouts has turned into a cookie selling machine. My daughter learns so much more through her brothers’ cub scouts/boy scouts. Camp is a wonderful thing, but doesn’t make up for the rest of the year, where there is intense focus on selling cookies. The profit margin of this non-profit organization is scandalous. This year our council switched from taking orders early, and filling those order after the New Year to a model where the troops estimate how much they are going to sell, order cookies, and try to sell them all. We were encouraged to order lots of cookies. Our troop sold 1100 cookies. We have 300 cookies left and our sale period ends in a week and a half. At this point we OWE council money. That’s right! We sold over a thousand boxes and are coming out with a net loss. We brought in $550 ($.50 a box) and we owe council $900 ($3 a box). What kind of non-profit takes money from little girls? We will be unable to sell these cookies after the sale ends. I love scouting, I love my children being involved with patriotic/outdoors oriented organizations. I fully support fundraising. This is not fundraising. This is a big business run on the backs of volunteers who are poorly trained. We are given an hour long training which basically consists of “getting excited”, learning how to take checks, and answering questions (it’s difficult to ask what you don’t realize you don’t know). Afterwards these cookie managers are expected to run a small part time business. Inventory, distribution, accounting, sales, etc, all done by parents who are trying to fit in a life around the sale. This is not impossible. What is ridiculous is that a person could devote hours to the running of this volunteer small business for the sake of the kids just to come out in debt to the Girl Scout council. We would have been better off asking for donations.

]]> By: Helen http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/03/18/springtime-where-i-crush-the-souls-of-girl-scouts/#comment-24304 Helen Thu, 18 Aug 2011 17:56:17 +0000 http://ecochildsplay.com/?p=3389#comment-24304 Ha! Ha!

]]> By: Jennifer Lance http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/03/18/springtime-where-i-crush-the-souls-of-girl-scouts/#comment-22666 Jennifer Lance Wed, 23 Mar 2011 23:32:15 +0000 http://ecochildsplay.com/?p=3389#comment-22666 Good points! Good points!

]]> By: Abigail http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/03/18/springtime-where-i-crush-the-souls-of-girl-scouts/#comment-22663 Abigail Wed, 23 Mar 2011 20:37:03 +0000 http://ecochildsplay.com/?p=3389#comment-22663 Nobody's commented on the potential gender stereotyping involved in having girls sell cookies. Do the Boys sell cookies? Not sure if they do or not, but if so, it's definitely not as engrained a tradition as buying cookies from the Girls. I agree with those who think there's probably a better way to raise money. One that doesn't involve continuing our society's addiction to junk food, teaching that it's OK to work for a negligible profit, and promoting the stereotype that women really belong in the kitchen... ;) I'll give cash directly to the group rather than buying cookies. Nobody’s commented on the potential gender stereotyping involved in having girls sell cookies. Do the Boys sell cookies? Not sure if they do or not, but if so, it’s definitely not as engrained a tradition as buying cookies from the Girls. I agree with those who think there’s probably a better way to raise money. One that doesn’t involve continuing our society’s addiction to junk food, teaching that it’s OK to work for a negligible profit, and promoting the stereotype that women really belong in the kitchen… ;)
I’ll give cash directly to the group rather than buying cookies.

]]> By: angie http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/03/18/springtime-where-i-crush-the-souls-of-girl-scouts/#comment-10691 angie Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:57:01 +0000 http://ecochildsplay.com/?p=3389#comment-10691 I didn't realize that it was up to the councils how much the girls got of the percentage earned from cookie sales. Makes more sense now b/c I noticed a big difference in dues and activities between CA and OR. If girl scout cookies are bad for us, does that mean the Dreyers Girl Scout Cookie ice cream is too? I didn’t realize that it was up to the councils how much the girls got of the percentage earned from cookie sales. Makes more sense now b/c I noticed a big difference in dues and activities between CA and OR.

If girl scout cookies are bad for us, does that mean the Dreyers Girl Scout Cookie ice cream is too?

]]> By: Coni http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/03/18/springtime-where-i-crush-the-souls-of-girl-scouts/#comment-10690 Coni Fri, 01 Jan 2010 21:32:45 +0000 http://ecochildsplay.com/?p=3389#comment-10690 VERY OFFENSIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM A GIRL SCOUT AND I AM SICK AND TIRED OF PEOPLE PUTING DOWN GSUSA ON THE WEB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you. VERY OFFENSIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM A GIRL SCOUT AND I AM SICK AND TIRED OF PEOPLE PUTING DOWN GSUSA ON THE WEB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you.

]]> By: cecilia http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/03/18/springtime-where-i-crush-the-souls-of-girl-scouts/#comment-10665 cecilia Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:23:25 +0000 http://ecochildsplay.com/?p=3389#comment-10665 I am a GS leader and those cookies are more that is 43 to 63 cents per box, that is what goes to the troop, there is a part that go to our council and of course to GSUSA. You are focused on one part, just the girl or troop when you should get a bigger picture, this helps out our council which pays for girls to be in a troop who can not afford it. the money goes farther than you lead people to believe. Not one girl scout is made to participate in cookie sale, not one mother is made to have thousand of cookie boxes in her living room, nor one father made to help his daughter deliver those cookies. You obviously do not get the "girl scout way" I am a GS leader and those cookies are more that is 43 to 63 cents per box, that is what goes to the troop, there is a part that go to our council and of course to GSUSA. You are focused on one part, just the girl or troop when you should get a bigger picture, this helps out our council which pays for girls to be in a troop who can not afford it. the money goes farther than you lead people to believe. Not one girl scout is made to participate in cookie sale, not one mother is made to have thousand of cookie boxes in her living room, nor one father made to help his daughter deliver those cookies. You obviously do not get the “girl scout way”

]]> By: Brigid http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/03/18/springtime-where-i-crush-the-souls-of-girl-scouts/#comment-10657 Brigid Sat, 28 Mar 2009 19:01:27 +0000 http://ecochildsplay.com/?p=3389#comment-10657 I was a Girl Scout leader and I hated the cookies. Our local council expected each girl to sell a quota, something like 50 boxes. Now, there are three ways you can do that; You can go door to door You can sell cookies to your friends and relatives, putting them on the spot You can get Mom or Dad to sell them at the office It doesn't seem to me that any of these strategies teaches our children a good lesson. It's not OK to go to a stranger's house, embarrass your neighbors into buying something they may not want, or get your parents to do the work for you. Furthermore, the girls get prizes for selling the cookies--a patch for selling just one box, big teddy bears and other desirable items for selling 50 or more. Our troop had an awards ceremony, and it was heartbreaking to see the girls who hadn't sold a ton of boxes crying because they didn't get the good prizes. This included my children; my job would not permit me to sell cookies at work, so they had to make do with a what grandma, aunts, neighbors, and I were willing to buy. Cookie-selling may encourage entrepreneurship, but not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur and the fact is that any such system sets up a few winners and lots of "losers." Not everyone can sell 100 boxes of cookies. I believe that since I left the fold, my local Girl Scouts have de-emphasized individual sales and focus more on booths, which aren't as bad--it's more of a group effort, which I think is appropriate. Still, to this day I can't stomach the damn cookies. They really need to rethink the entire program; one other bad lesson that it's teaching is that it's OK to work for peanuts. I was a Girl Scout leader and I hated the cookies. Our local council expected each girl to sell a quota, something like 50 boxes. Now, there are three ways you can do that;

You can go door to door

You can sell cookies to your friends and relatives, putting them on the spot

You can get Mom or Dad to sell them at the office

It doesn’t seem to me that any of these strategies teaches our children a good lesson. It’s not OK to go to a stranger’s house, embarrass your neighbors into buying something they may not want, or get your parents to do the work for you.

Furthermore, the girls get prizes for selling the cookies–a patch for selling just one box, big teddy bears and other desirable items for selling 50 or more. Our troop had an awards ceremony, and it was heartbreaking to see the girls who hadn’t sold a ton of boxes crying because they didn’t get the good prizes. This included my children; my job would not permit me to sell cookies at work, so they had to make do with a what grandma, aunts, neighbors, and I were willing to buy.

Cookie-selling may encourage entrepreneurship, but not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur and the fact is that any such system sets up a few winners and lots of “losers.” Not everyone can sell 100 boxes of cookies.

I believe that since I left the fold, my local Girl Scouts have de-emphasized individual sales and focus more on booths, which aren’t as bad–it’s more of a group effort, which I think is appropriate. Still, to this day I can’t stomach the damn cookies. They really need to rethink the entire program; one other bad lesson that it’s teaching is that it’s OK to work for peanuts.

]]> By: Terry http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/03/18/springtime-where-i-crush-the-souls-of-girl-scouts/#comment-10666 Terry Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:37:05 +0000 http://ecochildsplay.com/?p=3389#comment-10666 I was a girl scout and now a leader. I have sold for schools and scout- boy scouts and girl scouts. Everyone remembers the cookies they sold as a girl and has their favorites. We don't make a ton of money but the girls work together for trips or events. I would rather sale a box of cookies for $3.50(in our area) then the 15 box of microwave popcorn. Talk about preservatives and chemicals in them. Thanks for doing a donation. I was a girl scout and now a leader. I have sold for schools and scout- boy scouts and girl scouts. Everyone remembers the cookies they sold as a girl and has their favorites. We don’t make a ton of money but the girls work together for trips or events. I would rather sale a box of cookies for $3.50(in our area) then the 15 box of microwave popcorn. Talk about preservatives and chemicals in them.
Thanks for doing a donation.

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