If you bought Girl Scout cookies this spring, there’s a good chance you bought a box from Troop 558 in Peoria.
Of the 2 million boxes of cookies sold this year by the more than 20,000 girls in 90 communities that make up Girl Scout Arizona Cactus-Pine Council throughout central and northern Arizona, Troop 558 of Peoria sold the most in the entire state.
Through the 2020-21 season, the troop sold 34,468 boxes, which is the most ever for this troop. They sold 27,052 a year ago.
Troop 558 features four levels of Girl Scouts: Daisy, Brownie, Junior and Cadette.
“To generate sales many girls printed door hangers to hang on neighbor doors and added the QR code to the girls cookie sales site to them,” troop leader Kay Lacis said in an email to The Peoria Independent. “Some parents used a Cricut machine to print the QR code to stick to their cars. Some set up lemonade-stand style booths in their neighborhoods or walked door to door.”
With the proceeds, the girls plan to go to Spacecamp in Huntsville, Alabama, and Camp Surf in San Diego once United Getaways resumes Surf Jamboree trips. Last year Troop 558 members earned Disneyland and half of Spacecamp.
The Troop also donated 250 boxes to Trevor’s Vision and fed the homeless. They gave seven (70-box donations) to girls who offered to deliver to charities that mean a lot to them, which included Cactus Park Police Precinct, Peoria Fire Station No. 3, A New Leaf Family Care, Billy’s Place, Peoria Police Station on Lake Pleasant and Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center.
The whole experience made an impact on the girls, Ms. Lacis said.
“They learn how to carry a conversation with adults, upsell, advertise product, product display, product knowledge, prompt donation as an option, how to charge a credit card or take payment on an app or on a point of sale device and how to count money and make change,” she said. “We asked a Spanish speaker to talk to the girls before cookie season to prepare them to speak Spanish when needed to help with sales.”
Four troop members (Cybelle, Sophia, Scarlett, Cora) sold more than 5,000 boxes and received the grand prize, a week trip to Hawaii.
Steve Stockmar
News Editor | Sun Life Magazine & Arts & Entertainment
YourValley.net
@stevestockmar
sstockmar@iniusa.org
Meet Steve
Steve Stockmar joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2017, and has been an Arizona journalist for almost 30 years. He serves as editor of Sun Life Magazine and contributes to West Valley communities where he focuses mostly on arts & culture, education, and profiles of neighbors making a difference.
Community: Every season Steve serves as a “buddy” with the Miracle League of Arizona in Scottsdale, has volunteered his time with Family Promise in Glendale, and previously served on the Ghostlight Theatre board in Sun City West.
Education: Graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a Journalism major and English minor.
Random Fact: Steve once won a 50-player live Texas Hold ’Em poker tournament.
Hobbies: Anguishing over his beloved Chicago Cubs and Bears; listening to Beatles and Grateful Dead music.
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