Welcome, Cookie Central, Troop Cookie Training, Troop & Girl Cookie Materials & Supplies, Cookie Cupboard Updates, Service Unit Online Training, Troop Training Toolkit, Cookie Rally Order Reminder
In this edition:
Up Next:
- Welcome Troop Leaders & Cookie Managers
- Cookie Central
- Troop Cookie Training
- Troop & Girl Cookie Materials & Supplies Shipping the Week of December 27
- Cookie Cupboard Updates
Reminders:
For Service Unit Cookie Managers:
Welcome Troop Leaders & Cookie Managers
Welcome to the first edition of The Cookie Press for troops! Our staff has been focused on designing a program to help your girls succeed in 2022. No matter how your girls participate this year, they will still gain all the benefits of the program: decision-making, money management, goal setting, and people skills. Each week, we are here to pass along program updates and give you those “just in time” reminders to keep you on track. Soon, you’ll be completing cookie training, receiving your cookie materials and supplies, and receive access to Smart Cookies, the online cookie management system. It’s a busy time of year but stick with us and we’ll keep you on task!
Thank you for sharing your time and talent to help equip girls with the confidence and know-how they need to dream big and do bigger! We know it’s bound to be another “koala-ty” Girl Scouts River Valleys Cookie Program.
Cookie Central
Your one-stop hub for all of your important cookie resources is Cookie Central. You’ll find quick links to online training, your Troop Cookie Manager Guidebook (coming soon), quick links to the Cookie Press blog, and Smart Cookies Guides. It’s a page you want to bookmark on all your devices. Make sure you direct your families to Cookie Central too! Families will find everything they need to help guide their girl’s cookie program participation, including resources like the Online Family Cookie Responsibility Form, Smart Cookies account set up information, and fun stuff like the girl rewards info. We continue to update Cookie Central now through Cookie Go Day (and beyond).
Troop Cookie Training
Completing cookie training each year ensures that you understand the important program updates, dates, and your role in helping your girls reach their sales goals. Your service unit cookie manager will be in contact with you to provide you with the details on your training options.
You’ll find our Online Troop Cookie Manager Training on Cookie Central next week! If you are a new Troop Cookie Manager, don’t forget to also review our Troop Cookie Basics Video first. This will help orient you to your role and responsibilities before learning more about the details of this year’s cookie program.
Troop & Girl Cookie Materials & Supplies Shipping the Week of December 27
Troop cookie materials will be shipping to Service Units the week of December 27. These materials include:
- Troop Cookie Companion (also found online now)
- Cookie Booth & Sales Kit
- Receipt books
- A package of Adventurefuls for girls to sample (the new cookie!)
- Girl materials (one per girl)
The girl materials that will be sent are:
- Order cards
- Reward fliers
- Family Guides
- Door hangers & business cards
- Money envelopes
Your service unit cookie manager will be in touch to coordinate picking up your troop materials.
Cookie Cupboard Updates
Cookie Cupboards – Metro Locations Needed!
Every cookie season Girl Scouts River Valleys leases five metro area Cookie Cupboards/Warehouses. These leased facilities allow us to support cookie replenishment for troops. We have leased three warehouses located in Burnsville, Blaine and Woodbury. We are in need of one warehouse in the suburbs near St. Paul (Roseville, Shoreview, New Brighton, Arden Hills). The other area we need to lease a warehouse is west of Minneapolis in suburbs such as Golden Valley, Plymouth, St. Louis Park or Hopkins.
Please review the Cookie Warehouse Flyer for more information.
Help Us Staff Our Cookie Cupboards
Staff working in the Cookie Cupboards play a vital role in the success of the Cookie Program every year. Staffing the 7 cookie cupboards this year is proving to be more of a challenge than ever before. As you are probably aware there are help wanted signs and advertisements posted almost everywhere we go. As a result, Girl Scouts River Valleys is not only relying on temporary agencies or Council staff to make this year a success, we are looking for members who might want to earn some extra income while supporting the largest entrepreneurial program for girls in the world!
Please check out the opportunities in the Cookie Program Positions Flyer.
Smart Cookies Registration Links
Troop leaders and cookie managers will receive their links to access Smart Cookies, the online cookie management system, the week of December 20. Watch for more details on the important first steps to complete in Smart Cookies in next week’s post.
Service Unit Online Training
Thank you to all of you who attended one of our Virtual Service Unit Cookie Training sessions this past week! We are so inspired by your creativity, thoughtfulness, and excitement regarding the program.
Just a reminder that, if you were not able to attend one of our virtual Service Unit Cookie Manager training sessions, or if you attended the training and wanted to refer back to the topics, our Girl Scouts River Valleys Service Unit Cookie Manager Online Training will be available next week. Remember that you must have attended a virtual training session or complete the online training as a part of your service unit level role. Plus, one of the requirements to earn the annual service unit proceeds is to have at least one service unit volunteer complete cookie training by February 1.
Troop Training Toolkit
Now that you’ve completed your Service Unit Cookie Training, it’s time to train the troops! Connect with your troops to inform them of their training opportunities, whether you’ll be holding a an in-person training or directing them to online opportunities. Use our Troop Training Toolkit to determine the option that will work best for you. The goal is to provide troops with a high-level overview of the Cookie Program, why it’s important, what participation does for the girls, and general “how to’s.” In the training toolkit, we’ve included a training outline, training tips, and a presentation to lead you through the discussion. During training, don’t forget to direct troops to the Online Troop Cookie Responsibility Form. Forms are due by February 1.
Service Unit Cookie Rally Cookie Order Reminder
If you’re hosting a Service Unit Cookie Rally for troops and girls in your area, this is your friendly reminder to order your cookies and optional rewards kits! You’ll find more info (including virtual rally resources) in the first Cookie Press post. No late orders will be accepted, so be sure to place your order by Tuesday, December 21.
