March 29, 2024

It’s Girl Scout Cookie season

Technology, health and safety measure and a new cookie flavor make 2021 cookie sales a whole new world for the Girl Scouts

Clarke County has 17 Girl Scouts with 14 in Osceola and three in Murray with three leaders total. These girls are ready to sell Girl Scout Cookies with a twist this year. With COVID-19 safety restrictions being enforced the girls will still be stationed at booths around town to sell the famous treats.

The Girl Scouts will be selling a new cookie this year called the Toast-Yay! cookie. It is French toast inspired and dipped in icing. Sales began February 1 and with booth sales beginning February 12. Sales end March 28.

At booths around town the Girl Scouts will sport masks and gloves as well as a partition between Scouts and customers to keep everyone safe. Booths and sign up sheets for cookies can be found at businesses all around Osceola and can be found most easily by downloading the Girl Scouts Cookie Finder app.

By downloading the app and typing in the zip code a list of where and when cookies will be sold in the area is always available. The app is free on iOS or Android devices. For those without a smartphone, the Girl Scouts Cookie Finder is also available at girlscoutsiowa.org/findcookies. By ordering online from the local troop orders can be shipped to a residence or donated to first responders and local causes.

While not available in Osceola, the Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa are participating in a collaboration with food service delivery platform Grubhub. This service is available in Des Moines, Ankeny, Ames and Souix City.

“With living an a small community they [online and delivery services] don’t seem to affect our sales at the booths,” said Sheena Duff, a leader at the Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa. “Our communities are very supportive of local girl.”

When the the local Girl Scouts sell a box of cookies five cents of it goes to help pay bills for the Troop 78 Girl Scout House which allows the girls to have a safe environment to hold meetings.

“What I like about being a Girl Scout is that we go to cookie kick-off’s and the trips we take,” said Essa Jones, 11, a Troop 78 Girl Scout. " We are trying to get enough money to go to Kansas City to go to Worlds of Fun and Osceans of Fun.”

“The sales teach the girls how to run a small business, even down to paying bills,” said Duff. “We as leaders strive to help make strong independent female leaders for Clarke County’s future. We hope that girls take the information that they have learned in Girl Scouts into adulthood and become very successful.”

The local Girl Scout house has been in use since December 1937. Through Girl Scout cookies the girls learn how to budget bills into their income. This has been one of the few fundraisers that have kept the house in the Girl Scout name. Clarke County is the only Service Unit to have their own house to hold meetings in the Greater Iowa Council.

Tyra Audlehelm

Tyra Audlehelm

I grew up in Osceola and live here still with my husband and son. I graduated with my Bachelor degree in Journalism and Mass Communications in 2017. I have work at the OST since January of 2018.