Cute Cookies Collect Cash

It’s not unusual at this time of year to see gaggles of Girl Scouts out en masse peddling those devilishly delicious cookies. But troop 820 has a decidedly eye-catching edge to their savory sales pitch.

Dressed as their favorite cookie, they can be found this Saturday, March 24 outside Washington Mutual bank at 2314 Honolulu Ave. from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. offering the final boxes of cookies for this year.

According to the owner of the outfits and Girl Scout leader Carol Olen of Sunland, the costumes were donated several years ago by Little Brownie Baker, one of the official bakers of Girl Scout cookies.

Though cute, the costumes are not the only thing that Olen brings to scouting.

Not having any children of her own, she still embraced the scouting program and the values it instills in its members. She has been involved in Girl Scouts for 24 years and is also a scout master with the Boy Scouts. “I think it’s a wonderful program,” she said. “It allows them [the kids] to learn and fail in a safe environment.”

Selling the cookies is an incentive program for the girls that includes prizes or an increased portion of the proceeds from sales.

Olen said that the girls have received an enthusiastic response everywhere they have been selling; however, like all good things, the sale of cookies — and the sight of girls that dress up like them — will come to an end this Sunday … at least for this year.