In the past nine years, Girl Scout Troop 1239 has sold more than 59,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies.
With five girls still left in the troop, they are making an even bigger push to sell cookies this year because they have their eyes on the prize.
They have saved $9,000 from cookie sales and the fall product fundraiser to put toward a goal set 10 years ago to go on a troop trip.
Since the price of airline flights, hotel rooms and tickets continues to fluctuate, it’s difficult knowing what the final cost will be.
Still, though, Macy Casner, Lorelai Dixon, Alyssa Fields, Maeleigh Banister and Charley Brewer are focused on selling as many boxes of cookies as they can so they can go to Universal Studios Florida in Orlando during fall break in October.
It will be considered a big reward for all of the time and effort they have put into Girl Scouts over the years. For Casner and Dixon, this is their 10th year in the troop, while Fields has been involved for seven years, and Banister and Brewer both have been in it for three years.
“I’ve been one that wanted to give them big goals, and so when we did our first goal-setting thing, I wanted them to dream really big,” said Missy Casner, who leads the troop with Holly Fields.
Ten years ago, Dixon said she wanted the troop to go to New York someday, while others suggested Colorado, a beach or Savannah, Georgia.
“Their ideas have changed over the years, but they want to do the big things,” Missy said.
With the small group now, Missy said it was hard to get a consensus on where to travel to, so she and Holly pared it down.
Missy learned about a behind-the-scenes experience at Universal, but it requires a group of at least 15 people. She, however, was able to work with Girl Scouts of Citrus in Orlando and set it up to where Troop 1239 could do a tour with a troop from that Florida council.
“They are going to get to meet some girls from down there, as well, which will be cool, and they like the idea of getting behind the scenes,” Missy said.
Troop 1239 also will visit two amusement parks and a water park. Each girl has at least one parent going with them.
“To be honest with you, us parents have worked just as hard helping (the girls) get the opportunities, so it’s kind of a troop family trip,” Missy said.
With Girl Scout cookie sales underway, Troop 1239 will use the money it raises to help cover expenses for the trip, including food and possibly transportation. Missy said they also could use money raised from the fall product fundraiser and may even do some other fundraisers.
“This is our last chance at selling cookies to have our cookie money help with this,” she said.
There are three ways to buy cookies.
Right now, there is a limited time $10 off shipping for nine or more boxes of Girl Scout cookies, which means you can ship nine to 12 boxes (one case of cookies) for $4.99. That runs through Jan. 25.
“You can’t ship hardly anything for $4.99,” Missy said. “No waiting, they get shipped and you can have them in two to 15 business days barring any carrier delays.”
Another option is to preorder online now and the troop can deliver them for free right after Valentine’s Day. Order before Jan. 25 if you want to preorder S’mores or Toffee-tastic. Both of those cookies are $6 per box, while Lemon-Ups, Trefoils, Do-si-dos, Samoas, Tagalongs, Thin Mints and the new Adventurefuls are $5 per box.
The online link is digitalcookie.girlscouts.org/scout/troop1239-208?fpkp=1.
“The sweet part about this option is you don’t have to have the money when we deliver,” Missy said. “We will just meet you in the Seymour Police Department lobby.”
The other option is to contact any of the five girls and they can write down your order on their paper order forms.
In previous years, the troop has used money raised from fundraisers to do fun activities as a reward for their hard work. That has included a session with Justin the Painting Horse, makeovers at a local salon, snow tubing and going to a water park.
In 2019, they earned a limousine ride to The Cheesecake Factory with the chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana based on their cookie sales.
“We have picked some pretty good things to do,” Missy said. “They have gotten to do things in Girl Scouts that they wouldn’t have gotten to do otherwise.”
The girls also have done a lot of giving back through community service activities. They have made bags for cancer patients and kids at a children’s hospital, volunteered at the Humane Society of Jackson County’s Dog Days Dog Show, made tic-tac-toe boards for local nursing homes and the cancer center and collected school supplies for children.
“They always want to help,” Missy said.
“We have fun while doing it, too,” Macy added.
Missy said the girls and their parents have not had to pay annual membership dues or buy badges over the years because the troop has raised enough money to cover those expenses. The only thing they have had to buy is a vest if they move up a level in Girl Scouts.
Now, they have a troop trip to work toward.
“I haven’t been to Universal in years. I loved it when I was a little kid,” Macy said.
“A lot of the girls have been to Disney, and so we were trying to do something different,” Missy said. “I hope that this is sort of like a culmination type project for them. It’s like, ‘Wow! All of my hard work did pay off because look where I’m at right now.’”
Meet the cookies
Adventurefuls: Brownie-inspired cookie with caramel-flavored crème and a hint of sea salt ($5)
Lemon-Ups: Crispy lemon cookies baked with inspiring messages to lift your spirits ($5)
Trefoils: Traditional shortbread cookies ($5)
Do-si-dos: Oatmeal sandwich cookies with peanut butter filling ($5)
Samoas: Crisp cookies with caramel, coconut and dark chocolate stripes ($5)
Tagalongs: Crispy cookies layered with peanut butter and covered with a chocolate coating ($5)
Thin Mints: Crisp, chocolaty cookies made with natural oil of peppermint ($5)
Girl Scout S’mores: Graham sandwich cookies with chocolate and marshmallow filling ($6)
Toffee-tastic: Gluten-free rich, buttery cookies with sweet, crunchy toffee bits ($6)
Help out
Girl Scout cookies may be ordered by contacting any of the five members of Troop 1239: Macy Casner, Lorelai Dixon, Alyssa Fields, Maeleigh Banister or Charley Brewer. They also may be purchased online at digitalcookie.girlscouts.org/scout/troop1239-208?fpkp=1.
People also can support the troop’s trip to Universal Studios by emailing Missy Casner at [email protected] or Holly Fields at [email protected].