IT’S GIRL SCOUT COOKIE SEASON: BUY A BOX, INVEST IN A GIRL

Girl Scouts will be out in the community selling Girl Scout Cookies at cookie booths Feb. 25-March 20, 2011. Visit the Cookie Locator at www.girlscoutsLA.org to find your nearest cookie booth. –Photo courtesy of GSGLA

Need a Thin Mint break? Help is on the way! Girl Scouts will be setting up shop throughout the Greater Los Angeles Area beginning Friday, February 25, tempting cookie lovers with eight varieties of Girl Scout Cookies, including the ever-popular chocolate, minty Thin Mint flavor. More than 28,000 Girl Scouts from Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles (GSGLA), which encompasses all of LA County and parts of San Bernardino, Kern and Ventura counties, will be out in the community in front of grocery stores, banks and other businesses. Need help finding cookies? Visit the Cookie Locator at www.girlscoutsLA.org to find your nearest cookie booth locations. The Cookie Program teaches girls business skills like goal setting, budgeting, marketing and sales. The majority of each $4 box of cookies goes to troops and GSGLA to fund programs and services for girls in the community. “To millions of girls throughout our history, the Girl Scout Cookie Program provides opportunities to explore new ideas and build their confidence and self-esteem through communicating with customers,” said Lise L. Luttgens, Chief Executive Officer for Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles. Since 1917, the Girl Scout Cookie Program has become a nationally famous program that has helped girls develop important leadership and business skills. In addition to supporting Girl Scouting, customers can also virtually purchase and donate Girl Scout Cookies through the Girl Scout “Gift of Caring” program, where cookies are delivered to US armed forces personnel throughout the world through Operation Gratitude and locally through the Bob Hope Hollywood USO. Cookies are also donated to partners, the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank and its affiliates and new this year, the Blue Star Mothers and Goodwill of Southern California. Go Country 105 FM is this year’s Gift of Caring program sponsor. This year’s cookie lineup features eight varieties of time-honored classics: the crisp, minty Thin Mints; the shortbread Trefoils; the chewy caramel Samoas; the Tagalong peanut butter patties; the peanut butter sandwiched Do Si Dos; along with the zesty Lemon Chalet Crèmes; the caramel-flavored Dulce de Leche; and the cranberry crisp cookie, Thank You Berry Munch. The Samoas is celebrating 35 years this cookie season! Stock up now; Girl Scout Cookie Season ends March 20. Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles serves 40,000 girls and young women, grades K-12, in partnership with more than 23,000 volunteers. For more information on how to join, volunteer, donate, reconnect, or find Girl Scout Cookies in your area, call 1 888 GSGLA 4 U or visit www.girlscoutsLA.org.

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