Cookies sales not crumbling

Molly Shore

Life is sweet for Cadet Girl Scout Alison McKinley of Luther Burbank

Middle School. In this year’s Girl Scout cookie drive, the

13-year-old Burbank girl sold the most cookies in all of the San

Fernando Valley -- a record-breaking 3,046 boxes.

Alison set out to sell 2,000 boxes, but after reaching that mark

she focused on 3,000.

“I set that goal and reached it and passed it,” she said. “It’s my

lucky year, I guess.”

Alison’s dad, Stephen McKinley, said his daughter’s success is no

accident.

“It took a lot of determination and a lot of trips around the

block,” he said.

McKinley added that his daughter also did a lot of “boothing,”

referring to the many hours Alison stood outside stores at the Empire

Center and at Vons Market on Pass Avenue selling to customers going

into and out of those establishments.

For her efforts, Alison won script to pay for a week’s stay at the

Girl Scouts’ Camp Lakota bordering Los Padres National Forest, her

dad said.

Four other local Girl Scouts sold more than 1,000 boxes of

cookies.

Kelcey Soderstrom, 14, a Jordan Middle School student, sold 1,303

boxes. The secret to her success? “You just kinda be aggressive, sort

of,” she said. “Everyone in the neighborhood knows me. ‘Oh, you’re

back again,’ they said when they saw me.”

Alyson Taylor, 9, who attends Bret Harte Elementary School, sold

1,003 boxes of cookies. She sold cookies last year, but said, “I did

a ton better this year.” Alyson credits her large number of sales to

hard work.

Alyson’s classmate, Nicole Williams, 9, sold one less box than her

friend.

Her mother has two jobs and attends school, and she sold cookies

at all three places, Nicole said.

Genevieve Armstorff sold 1,401 boxes, but was unavailable for

comment.