Look for girls at your door starting Jan. 11

What's really inside a box of Girl Scout Cookies®? Yes, you will find your favorite Tagalongs®, Thin Mints or Samoas®, but a box of Girl Scout Cookies represents a lot more than the cookies themselves.

When someone purchases a box of cookies, they are supporting local Girl Scout troop and council activities, as well as helping girls gain valuable skills and knowledge that build self-confidence and help girls develop their own personal leadership style.

The Girl Scout Cookie Activity, an integral part of Girl Scouting's Business and Economic Literacy initiative for girls ages 6-18, helps girls learn to set goals, communicate, manage money, work as a team, plan a strategy to achieve goals, and make and stick to a budget. Many of today's successful women have credited their early business skills to this program, making it the premier business and economic literacy training program for girls in the United States.

"The Girl Scout experience is very unique. We prepare girls with practical skills that will get them far in life," said Virginia L. Mason, president and CEO of Girl Scouts of Colorado. "It's very exciting for me to meet girls and successful businesswomen every day who are learning and growing because of what they gained from the Girl Scout program."

Just like most successful businesswomen, Girl Scouts have continued to listen to their customers and, this year, will again be offering a full product line of zero grams of trans fat per serving cookie varieties. Additionally, there's a new sugar-free offering. This year's Sugar Free Chocolate Chips have all the taste of this classic favorite, with none of the sugar. An additional new offering this year is a lemon-flavored variety. The new Lemon Chalet Cremes™ are delicious vanilla sandwich cookies that have a hint of cinnamon-ginger spice and a refreshing zesty lemon creme filling. Also new this year is a way for Girl Scouts to sharpen their business skills. Girl Scouts will have the opportunity to use a new Internet cookie goal setting club that will allow them to track their goals throughout the sale.

Across the state, Girl Scout Cookies will be on sale from Friday, Jan. 11 to Sunday, March 9. Girls will be taking door-to-door orders and conducting Booth Sales at retail locations. Booth Sales run from Friday, Feb. 15 to Sunday, March 9. Customers can select from eight delicious cookie varieties this year: All Abouts, Do-Si-Dos®,Lemon Chalet Cremes™, Samoas®, Sugar Free Chocolate Chips, Tagalongs, Thin Mints and Trefoils. All Girl Scout Cookies cost $3.25 per box, and all money raised supports girls in Girl Scouts of Colorado, with a portion of the money going directly to the Girl Scout troop. Last year troops in Colorado earned roughly $2 million for troop activities, such as service projects or other exciting trips.

Making the world a better place is central to the Girl Scout mission. So during the cookie activity, Girl Scouts will continue to honor the non-profit organizations, armed forces and uniformed personnel who are so important to our community through Girl Scouts' Gift of Caring/Hometown Heroes Program. Through this program, customers have the opportunity to purchase a box of cookies to donate to Girl Scouts' heroes - a perfect solution for those who pass on the tempting treats! All Gift of Caring/Hometown Heroes purchases are tax deductible and benefit both the troop and the heroes. Last year's program across the state netted nearly 100,000 boxes for hundreds of different community organizations.

Please call Girl Scouts of Colorado at 303-778-8774 or 1-866-827-7033, ext. 331, or go to www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org for more information about ordering cookies. For more information on being part of the fun and friendship of Girl Scouting, call 303-778-8774 or 1-866-827-7033 or visit the council Web site at www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org and click on "Join Us."

Girl Scouts of Colorado is where girls throughout the state gain courage, confidence and character alongside a group of girls who will be their friends for life. It's a safe place for girls to explore their world, develop an understanding and empathy for others and take action to make the world a better place. Girls are guided by committed, caring adults who make learning fun. No other activity helps each girl achieve her personal leadership pathway like Girl Scouting. Girl Scouts has been the nation's leading expert on girls for nearly 100 years. For more information or to volunteer, visit us at www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org or call your local service center at 303-778-8774 or 1-866-827-7033.

It's important to be friendly
By Kristen Zwiers, 14, of Troop 2761 from Castle Rock

One secret to cookie success that I have experienced includes always being very friendly. When I go to sell cookies I always smile and politely ask the person if they would like to order some Girl Scout Cookies. If they say no, I simply thank them for their time and leave. If they say yes, I thank them for their order and tell them when the cookies will come in. When the cookies come in I always attach a note stating what they ordered, how much they owe and thanking them for buying Girl Scout Cookies. Being friendly always helps with the success of Girl Scout Cookie sales.