Troop ‘cares’ about cookie sales

Laguna Beach Girl Scouts from Troop 145 are racing to sell as many cookies as they can using the “Care to Share” program, in an effort to make a San Francisco trip in the spring.

The “Care to Share” program allows people to buy cookies for U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. They can also purchase cookies for seniors in nursing homes.

Girl Scout Olivia Jenkins, 11, said she thinks the program is a neat alternative for Laguna Beach cookie buyers.

“It’s cool because you actually get to help people that don’t get the cookies at the cookie times,” she said. “We get to take the cookies to nursing homes and people overseas, so it’s really nice.”

Olivia’s mom and the troop’s co-leader, Lisa Jenkins, said the program gives the girls a chance to gain a new appreciation for their community and it makes a great impact on soldiers to get an item that reminds them of home.

All the girls in the troop are aiming to sell 500 boxes each so they can raise enough money to go to San Francisco on May 6, where they’ll have their Cadette bridging ceremony on the Golden Gate Bridge.

“My whole troop is excited,” Olivia said about the trip.

So far Olivia, a top cookie seller in her troop, has sold about 170 boxes.

The troop will also be in the Patriots Day Parade on March 3.

joanna.clay@latimes.com

Twitter: @joannaclay