IT'S GIRL SCOUT COOKIE SEASON: GET A BOX, GIVE A BOX

Thousands of Girl Scouts donate cookies to our U.S. servicemen and servicewomen

Area Girl Scouts will unload more than 5,000 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies on Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at the Bob Hope Hollywood USO at LAX. This is the first phase delivery of the Girl Scout's Gift of Caring Program, where cookie customers donate boxes of the delicious treats to US service men and women serving here and abroad. The Gift of Caring partners include the USO, Operation Gratitude, which sends care packages to U.S. soldiers stationed overseas, and the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank and its affiliates. Last year, more than 80,000 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies were donated to the Gift of Caring.

Thousands of Girl Scouts to set up shop throughout LA County and surrounding areas 

Los Angeles County – Need a Thin Mint break? Help is on the way! Girl Scouts will be setting up shop throughout the Greater Los Angeles Area beginning Friday, February 25, tempting cookie lovers with eight varieties of 2010 Girl Scout Cookies, including the ever-popular chocolate, minty Thin Mint flavor.

More than 26,000 Girl Scouts from Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles (GSGLA), which encompasses all of LA County and parts of San Bernardino and Kern counties, will be out in the community in front of grocery stores, banks and other businesses. This year, the organization has introduced texting technology to support the search for the annual favorites. Customers can text their zip code to gs@girlscoutsla.org or visit the Cookie Locator at www.girlscoutsLA.org to find the nearest cookie booth locations.

The cookie program teaches girls business skills like goal setting, budgeting, marketing and sales. The majority of each $4 box of cookies goes to troops and GSGLA to fund programs and services for girls in the community. To millions of girls, the Girl Scout Cookies Program provides opportunities to explore new ideas and build their confidence and self-esteem through communicating with customers.

Since 1917, the Girl Scout Cookie Program has become a nationally famous program that has helped girls develop important leadership and business skills. In addition to supporting Girl Scouting, customers can also purchase and donate Girl Scout Cookies through the Girl Scout “Gift of Caring” program, where cookies are delivered to US armed forces personnel throughout the world and locally to the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank and its affiliates.

This year's cookie lineup features eight varieties: time-honored classics the crisp minty Thin Mints, the shortbread Trefoils, the chewy caramel Samoas, the Tagalong peanut butter patties, and the peanut butter sandwiched Do Si Dos. The 2010 program also includes a new take on the zesty Lemon Chalet Crèmes, and the Dulce de Leche, plus the new cranberry crisp cookie, Thank You Berry Munch. Stock up now; Girl Scout Cookie Season ends March 21.

The 2010 GSGLA Cookie Program Community Partners are Go Country 105 FM and Harris Office Products who have generously donated in-kind goods to support the Gift of Caring program.  

ABOUT: Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles serves approximately 45,000 girls and young women, grades K-12, in partnership with more than 22,000 volunteers.

GSGLA is committed to the extraordinary legacy of Girl Scouts and its mission to build girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place.

For more information on how to join, volunteer, donate, reconnect, or find Girl Scout Cookies in your area, call 1 888 GSGLA 4 U or visit www.girlscoutsLA.org.