What Do We Want? Girl Scout Cookies! When Do We Want Them? Now!

Girl Scout Cathryn Schneider is a little girl with a big goal. Last year, the fifth-grader sold the second highest number of boxes of Girl Scout cookies in the Indian Heights Service Unit, encompassing 33 troops  and over 300 girls within School District 197.  Only a fourth-grader at the time, Cathryn finished just behind a high-school senior in sales totals by only 40 boxes.

"Cathryn's original goal last year was to sell 500 boxes, but she ended up selling 721," said her mother, Amy Schneider. "This year, she is determined to sell 1,000 boxes because if she does, the incentive award from the Girl Scouts is a netbook."

Cathryn, a member of Troop 50239 at St. Joseph's School in West St. Paul, is nothing if not determined. During opening weekend last year, she spent close to 10 hours going door-to-door taking cookie orders, so this year when the 2011 Girl Scout Cookie Program officially launches on Saturday morning Feb. 5, she is going to be out knocking on doors at 10 a.m.

"She's very excited about reaching her goal and I'm all for it. I'm a parent who is very supportive of that kind of determination," said Schneider. "We really have it down to a science."

The iconic boxes of mid-winter treats might be an even hotter item this year since they can now be purchased right on the spot, meaning you  can pop open those Thin Mints before the Girl Scout even gets to the bottom of your front steps.

According to Schneider, who is the co-leader with Laura Vitelli of Cathryn's troop, as well as the Indian Heights Service Unit manager, the new point-of-purchase change was implemented for a few reasons.

"Hopefully, it is going to increase sales since people won't have to wait for their cookies," she said. "It also might be easier for families because they won't have to go back a second time to people who ordered cookies.  It can all be done at once."

There will be three door-to-door sales weekends before the launch of the Cookie Booths;  local businesses such as Rainbow Foods and Wal-Mart are allowing troops to schedule a time to come in and sell cookies at a table in front of their stores beginning Feb. 18.  There is even an online Cookie Booth locator (and a smart phone app) available at www.GirlScoutsRV.org  so you can find sites around the Twin Cities where cookies will be available.

Prices and varieties remain the same this year:  Samoas, Trefoils, Thin Mints, Tagalongs, Do-Si-Dos, Lemon Chalet Cremes, Dulce de Leche and Thank U Berry Munch cookies are all available for $3.50 per box. Proceeds from cookie sales will help support many local programs and activities for the Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys; in 201o, over 4.5 million boxes of cookies were sold and more than $2.5 million raised by River Valleys Girl Scouts.

Troop 50239, which has nine girls, is currently working toward earning bronze awards and has designated "helping the environment" as its special project. The troop has also used past cookie proceeds to make charitable donations to organizations like Feed My Starving Children.

"I think selling cookies helps the girls develop business and leadership skills," said Schneider. "It is a great experience for them."

Driving slowly along neighborhood streets in a car loaded down with boxes of Girl Scout cookies will also be an experience for Cathryn's mom.

"The early bird catches the worm," she said with a laugh. "We're going to be ready."