Those Thin Mints, Tagalongs, and Do-si-dos are going to cost more when Girl Scout cookie season resumes next year in January.
But not to worry. No doubt, Girl Scout cookies will continue to sell – and people will continue to buy.
There was a good reason for the price increase, said Carol Dedrich, CEO of Girl Scouts San Diego.
“For the first time in eight years, Girl Scouts San Diego made the decision to adjust the price of Girl Scout cookie packages to $6 for all varieties beginning in the 2023 Girl Scout cookie season,” she said. “The adjustment is one of the ways our council is working to offset the significant effects that the pandemic and inflation have had on funding for our programming.”
All Girl Scout cookie proceeds stay in San Diego to fund troop activities and service projects. Earnings also support camps, volunteer training, and the financial assistance that keeps Girl Scouting available and affordable for all.
Dedrich pointed out Girl Scouts San Diego empowers 23,000 girls and adults in San Diego and Imperial counties each year through programs that build business and life skills and promote explorations in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), the outdoors, and more.
Added Dedrich: “Our array of enriching summer camps taking place right now are among these. The Girl Scout cookie program builds girls of courage, confidence and character, as well as building a better future for themselves and the world. One-hundred percent of proceeds stay in the San Diego and Imperial Valley communities. We appreciate our communities’ continued support through the purchase of these special treats that not only taste good but also do good.”
Girl Scouting is a tradition for many, and a lifestyle for some. Such is the case with Jessica Uhrig and her daughter, BellaRose, who is entering her 10th year in the Girl Scout cookie program and 11th year as a Girl Scout. BellaRose is an independent Girl Scout, a fifth-generation resident of La Jolla/Pacific Beach, and a third-generation Girl Scout.
Her grandmother, Caroline Linda Thompson, was a Girl Scout in the 1950s at Pacific Beach Elementary, Muirlands Middle, and La Jolla High. BellaRose’s mother, Jessica Uhrig, was also a Girl Scout and has also led BellaRose’s troop.
BellaRose says she loves every aspect of Girl Scouting, especially the cookie program. “I’ve sold them in the rain, the heat, and all kinds of weather,” she said adding, “It has always consistently stayed so fun and been such a good experience for me. I’ve learned really great management skills from an early age, which are always going to stay with me and I will be able to use them in my everyday life.”
BellaRose earned her way to Girl Scout camp every summer using “cookie rewards.” She has received a Lifetime Achievement Award for her cookie sales.
“I’ve had the best experience ever,” said BellaRose, who has been a Girl Scout since kindergarten. “Currently, I am an ambassador of Girl Scouts. It really focuses on the ways you can give back.”
The Girl Scout said the organization has helped her polish her public speaking and has allowed her to attend multiple camps. “It’s helped me to have bonding experiences,” she said. “I always love giving back, and Girl Scouts gives me the opportunity to do that.”
Asked if she’d recommend Girl Scouts to others, she replied, “Absolutely. These have been the best 11 years of my life. I’ve made friends I’m going to keep forever, learned and grown as a person. Girl Scouts is such a good opportunity to learn skills that you keep with you.”
The sale of Girl Scout cookies has made an indelible impact on the millions of Girl Scout alumnae who have sold them. In fact, 57 percent of Girl Scout alumnae in business say the program was key in the development of their skills today.
