Girl Scout cookie sales spread the love around the neighborhood

Published 1:30 am Sunday, March 5, 2017

This week when you go grocery shopping you will probably walk past a tiny table laden with cookies, and a Girl Scout shivering in the cold who hopes you will buy a box for $5.

Don’t feel guilty for binging on Thin Mints. All of the profit stays in Western Washington supporting the girl’s troop, as well as local service units and camps like Robbinswold and River Ranch. Indulging in Girl Scout cookies is one of the sweetest ways to promote girl-empowerment in the Pacific Northwest.

I got a taste of what that empowerment meant when I accompanied my daughter during her door-to-door sales in February. In the evenings from 5:15-6, she put on her sash, adjusted her beanie and double knotted her light-up sneakers. My 7-year-old meant business.

“Selling cookies is my favorite part of being a Girl Scout,” she told me. It took the first 10 houses for her to consistently remember to say hello instead of launching straight into her enthusiastic sales pitch. Aside from that, she was courteous, friendly and careful about honoring “No Soliciting” signs.

Once when we approached a driveway, an adorable black dog named Kaylee ran up to us, rolled over for a belly rub, and promptly peed herself, right next to my daughter’s light-up sneakers. My Brownie was nonplussed. She showered the dog with love and sold Kaylee’s people a box.

At other homes, we encountered conversations such as: “My Mom was a leader for 30 years,” or “How old does my daughter have to be before she can join a troop?” Quick answer: Five-year-olds can become Daisies.

Every interaction with the public reminded my daughter that she was representing a larger organization, and she was proud to be on official duty.

For my part, chaperoning my daughter gave me a deeper understanding of my neighborhood. First, I love my neighbors — but I already knew that. So many of them were generous and encouraging that my daughter never got discouraged no matter how many people said no. Second, it turns out that the houses that go “all out” for trick-or-treaters on Halloween are usually excellent Girl Scout cookie customers. So are the families with Smith Brothers Farms milk boxes on their porches.

Speaking of porches, I was shocked at how easy it was to tell who was home and which houses sat empty. Hardly any houses had automatic lights, and when we came across that safety feature, the sudden spotlight made us jump. Dogs barking wildly at the doorbell also caught our attention.

We were there to sell cookies, not burglarize homes, but it was a good reminder of the simple things people can do to stay safer. Post a security system sign, turn on some lights and throw a pair of men’s shoes next to the doormat so your porch doesn’t look abandoned.

I may be the adult in this entrepreneurial duo, but cookie selling has taught me some life lessons, too.

Jennifer Bardsley is author of the books “Genesis Girl” and “Damaged Goods.” Find her online on Instagram @the_ya_gal, on Twitter @jennbardsley or on Facebook as The YA Gal.