February 6th, 2021 is a very significant date to remember. On this day, Cottage Grove residents must have their Abraham Lincoln’s prepared and their palettes cleansed from breakfast. One may ask, “What is so important about that Saturday?”

To which The Journal would respond, “It will be Girl Scout Cookie time!”

Thus far in the pandemic, Girl Scouts within The St. Paul Park, Newport, and Cottage Grove (SaNeCo) Service Unit have transitioned from in-person to virtual activities. Before March of 2020, The SaNeCo Service Unit threw one event per month for individuals and troops. This has continued even after the outbreak of COVID-19. On a monthly basis, local troop leaders attend Zoom calls to brainstorm ways to engage their scouts via the internet. As a result, the service unit has developed several opportunities over the past few months. Take the “She & Me (Mother/Daughter) Spa Event”, for example. During this Zoom call, a MaryKay Consultant displayed procedures for makeup and hands to participating Girl Scouts and their moms. The service unit has also set forth a virtual star-gazing event amidst the pandemic. Girl Scouts were able to observe constellations and live satellites in the safety of their home. In short, COVID-19 restrictions have not paused the entertainment and enrichment of local Girl Scouts. Amanda Nobello and Jillian Deppa volunteer within The SaNeCo Service Unit. They summarized, “The pandemic has definitely caused a shift in how we manage our Service Unit but we are still pushing to stay active and provide support to our Troops.”

Now, the Girl Scouts are about to experience another “shift”; they will be selling cookies during a pandemic. Fortunately, they have the guidance of The Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys (GSRV) Council at their discretion. On their website’s Cookie Program Knowledge Base, the GSRV Council presents fifteen different safe ways for scouts to approach their cookie participation. Each option is sorted under one of three categories; Online Cookies, Hybrid Cookies, and In-Person Cookies.

Girl Scouts residing in St. Paul Park, Newport, and Cottage Grove may sell cookies in whichever format they prefer. For example, some may follow the In Person Cookies model by operating cookie booths inside of local businesses. “The Girl Scouts have a community partnership with Cub Foods and our Council and Troops are also working to secure additional booth locations,” Nobello and Deppa stated.

For the ladies who are more comfortable pursuing the Online and Hybrid Cookies frameworks, something they can do is host “virtual booths”. Nobello and Deppa described this new and noteworthy concept to The Journal. First, troops or individuals can schedule virtual booths on a social media platform of their choice. Then, they will advertise and sell cookie boxes to their viewers. Once customers place an order and pay online, they can arrange a plan with the Girl Scout(s) to redeem their cookies. Purchases can either be shipped, which follows the Online Cookies format, delivered by the Girl Scout to the customer’s home, or picked up by the customer at the Girl Scout’s porch. These last two actions are considered Hybrid Cookies models.

One last special way in which Girl Scout Cookies may be distributed in Cottage Grove this year is through a partnership with a food delivery app. Nobello and Deppa hinted at this possibility, “We’ve also heard of a partnership with GrubHub so customers can order cookies for delivery and girls will receive credit.”

Hybrid and Online Cookies are vending models that are being attempted for the very first time in Girl Scout History. Therefore, the GSRV Council has assembled ways to support these formats’ participants. To begin with, The Council has promised to cover half of the shipping costs for virtual orders that consist of more than five boxes. Another commitment they are making is to cover credit card fees “so girls are able to eliminate the exchange of money”. Lastly, The Council has assigned each Girl Scout a QR code. Once selling starts, girls can have consumers scan them, place their order, and pay.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in these changes to 2021’s Girl Scout Cookie Season. However, there is still one final alteration worth mentioning. Behold, the “Toast-Yay!” It is a brand new treat that will hit the market this February. GSRV describes it as a “delightful toast-shaped cookie full of French toast flavor with our signature trefoil on top.” The SaNeCo Service Unit believes that it will gain popularity in the region. Nobello and Deppa exclaimed, “Thus far, we have a lot of positive reviews on the new cookie. They are a crunchy, yummy treat…We think they will definitely be a hit.”

Although many changes to the Girl Scout Cookie Season will take effect this February, many aspects of the fundraiser will be left untouched. For one, the Girl Scouts will still learn the five essential lessons. These include goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics. Also, purchasing Girl Scout Cookies in 2021 will fund a magnificent cause as it did in past seasons. Cottage Grove residents will still get to support young women in close quarters to them. GSRV explains on their website, “…proceeds from your purchase stay local, [and] you help the awesome entrepreneurs who sell Girl Scout Cookies in your community power new experiences for themselves and their troop…When you support her success through the Girl Scout Cookie Program®, you’re narrowing the entrepreneurship gap between women and men by nurturing that go-getter spirit early on and equipping her with the confidence and know-how to dream big and do bigger.”

Lastly, The Journal is thrilled to report that Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Patties, Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Caramel deLites, Shortbreads, Lemonades, and gluten-free Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies are here to stay in 2021. Girl Scout S’mores will be available, too. However, Nobello and Deppa want the community to prepare for the cookie’s retirement. “This is also the last year for the S’mores cookies so S’mores lovers will need to stock up!” they suggested.

If readers find themselves desiring to impact or financially support The Girl Scouts of SaNeCo, there are opportunities for them! Nobello and Deppa summarized, “The largest community support comes from supporting Girls on Cookie Sales either by purchasing or donating as well as local businesses who support by allowing Cookie Booths at their locations… Another impactful contribution by our community is simply to continue to spread the word and share information about Girl Scouts as well as activities that our troops are participating in.”

Girl Scout Cookies will enter Cottage Grove’s market on February 6th. For more information about The Girl Scouts of St. Paul Park, Newport, and Cottage Grove, one can navigate to this Facebook Page: @GirlScoutsSaNeCo .