Election Week Cookie Sales
November 4 - 13, 2022
Election Week Cookie Sales (EWCS) is a limited fall cookie sale that is part of our council’s Girl Scout Cookie Program®. EWCS offers customers a chance to stock up on their favorite Girl Scout Cookies and is an opportunity for Girl Scouts to help build their troop treasuries so they can participate in programs and events they help choose. It is also an opportunity for Girl Scouts to gain experience in the five skills of the Girl Scout Cookie Program—goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics—and learn to think like entrepreneurs.
Fast Facts 
· EWCS can be held from November 4 - 13, 2022.
· The following cookie varieties will be available: Adventurefuls™, Lemon-Ups®, Trefoils®, Do-si-dos®, Samoas®, Tagalongs®, Thin Mints®, and Girl Scout S’mores®. All cookies are $5 per package EXCEPT Girl Scout S’mores, which are $6 per package.
· Girl Scouts should offer customers the opportunity to purchase cookies for the Cookies for Heroes Program.
· Payment to the council will be via ACH payment from the troop’s bank account on November 29, 2022. Participating troops, including troops that have Girl Scouts participating in EWCS with their families, must submit an ACH authorization no later than October 21, 2022.
· Participating Girl Scouts may qualify to earn a limited edition 2022 Election Week Cookie Sale patch.
· Reserving cookies - A troop co-leader OR troop cookie manager needs to reserve cookies and indicate how the troop or Girl Scout with parent/caregiver will participate in EWCS by completing the EWCS Sign Up. The deadline for submitting this form is Tuesday, October 4.
Helpful Tips
For Troops
- Offer the various EWCS options to your troop. Some options are ideal for a girl and her family to pursue independently.
- In-person booths at local businesses, polling places, or community events must be coordinated with the service unit manager, service unit cookie manager, or service unit booth coordinator.
For Girls and Families
- Determine which EWCS options appeal to you and your Girl Scout(s).
- Be sure to communicate with your troop leadership how your Girl Scout will participate so you have access to pertinent safety information, how/when/where to pick up cookies, and how to submit payment to the troop for the cookies sold.
Ways to Participate
In-person Booth Sales
In-Person Booth Sales
In-person booth sales are pop-up-style cookie shops where a troop sells cookies directly to the public. EWCS in-person booth sales are generally held in front of polling places, local businesses, or at community events with high foot traffic. Booth sales can also be held in a Girl Scout’s neighborhood (think lemonade stand at the end of the driveway/in front of the home) or at a parent/caregiver or other adult’s workplace.
In addition to the guidelines listed below, see the suggestions in the drop-down menus below for how to hold different types of in-person booth sales this EWCS.
Regardless of the type of in-person booth sale (Troop Booth Sale, Family Booth Sale, and Drive-thru Booth Sale), the following applies:
· Girl Scout Cookie booths CAN NOT be held in partnership with businesses, organizations, or events that a girl cannot legally patronize, including bars, breweries, tobacco stores, liquor stores, marijuana dispensaries, etc.
· Booth sale sites are handled at the service unit level. The troop/Girl Scout/family MUST follow the service unit’s guidelines for holding a booth sale, including following procedures for identifying and confirming the booth site location and adhering to any time frame/limit for the booth sale, if applicable. Contact the service unit manager or service unit cookie manager to start this conversation. Note: The council does NOT secure or approve booth sites.
· Booth sales can only be held within the service unit’s boundaries. If a troop/Girl Scout/family wishes to have a booth sale in a different service unit, they must contact the service unit volunteer managing booth sales in their home service unit for assistance. Your service unit cookie manager will need to obtain approval for a booth sale in a different service unit.
· Wash hands frequently or have hand sanitizer or wipes available to clean hands and tables.
· An adult needs to accompany Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors participating in EWCS and provide supervision when all Girl Scouts are participating in EWCS, including when using social media.
· Girls should never provide their last name, phone number, or personal email. Instead, provide contact information for a troop adult, parent, or caregiver.
· Volunteers and Girl Scouts participating in EWCS should follow local and state guidelines regarding Covid-19.
· Adults should handle all payments (electronic or cash) and be responsible for all cash received. This guidance pertains to in-person troop booth sales, family booth sales, and drive-thru booth sales.
· Troops must provide all needed materials for the booth sale, including a table, table covering, signage, hand sanitizer/wipes, and starter cash.
· If accepting credit cards/electronic payments, the troop must bring a credit card reader or mobile device. Note: The Digital Cookie mobile app is not available for EWCS.
· Girls must always be present. Adults may assist but not sell Girl Scout Cookies.
· At least one adult must be registered and have a current background check on file with GSOFCT.
· Ensure the table does not block pedestrians, bikes, or cars around your booth. Ensure your booth setup does not block a business’s entrance.
· Cookies should be stored off the ground. Take empty cookie cases with you at the end of the booth sale.
Types of In-person Booths
Troop Booth Sale
Organized at the troop level and is open to all Girl Scouts in the troop.
· At least one adult must be registered with GSOFCT and be an approved volunteer.
· Troop volunteer(s) must work with the service unit to identify and confirm a booth location.
· Suggested materials: table, table covering, signage with cookie pictures and prices, Cookies for Heroes flyer and wrapped box, signage with payment options, and a cash box with starter funds.
· If accepting credit cards, bring a credit card reader or mobile device, if applicable. Note: The Digital Cookie mobile app is not available for EWCS.
· Consider having Girl Scouts wear DIY cookie costumes to attract customers. Check out Pinterest for creative ideas.
· Girl Scouts should promote the Cookies for Heroes Program using the flyer and wrapped box.
· Girl Scouts should be able to tell customers how the troop will use the cookie proceeds.
· Consider using a troop adult’s social media account to advertise when/where the troop will be holding the booth sale. Girl Scouts 13 years old and older can use their social media accounts. Follow GSUSA guidelines regarding using social media.
· First aid kit must be available.
· If the troop booth sale is held on private, non-commercial property, the parent/caregiver must complete the Private Residence Authorization Form.
Family Booth Sale
Organized by an individual Girl Scout and family; only Girl Scouts in the same family may participate.
· Suggested materials: table, table covering, signage with cookie pictures and prices, Cookies for Heroes flyer and wrapped box, signage with payment options, and a cash box with starter funds.
· If accepting credit cards, have a credit card reader or mobile device on hand, if applicable. Note: The Digital Cookie mobile app is not available for EWCS.
· Girl Scouts should be able to tell customers how the troop will use the cookie proceeds
· Consider having the Girl Scouts wear DIY cookie costumes to attract customers. Check out Pinterest for creative ideas.
· Girl Scouts should promote the Cookies for Heroes Program using the flyer and wrapped box.
· Consider distributing door hangers within the neighborhood, if permitted, to advertise the upcoming booth sale.
· Consider using a parent/caregiver’s social media account to advertise when/where the booth sale is scheduled. Girl Scouts 13 years old and older can use their social media accounts. Follow GSUSA guidelines regarding using social media.
· First aid kit must be available.
· If the family booth sale is held at the family's home, the parent/caregiver must complete the Private Residence (Family Booth Sale) Consent Form.
Drive-Thru Booth Sale
This type of booth sale can be organized by a service unit, troop, or family. Girl Scout participation depends on whether it is a troop or family booth sale.
· Possible locations could include a parking lot at a mall, church/ synagogue, or a business. Identify the landlord/owner of the parking lot to ask permission and inquire if a certificate of insurance from GSOFCT is required.
· Suggested materials: a pop-up tent; tables and table coverings, signage with cookie pictures and prices, a Cookies for Heroes flyer and wrapped box, signage with payment options, and a cash box with starter funds.
· If accepting credit cards, bring a credit card reader or mobile device, if applicable. Note: The Digital Cookie mobile app is not available for EWCS.
· Use traffic cones or other barriers to keep vehicles at a safe distance from Girl Scouts. Check with your town/city’s highway department.
· Consider having Girl Scouts wear DIY cookie costumes to attract customers. Check out Pinterest for creative ideas.
· Girl Scouts should not enter customer vehicles.
· Consider using a troop adult/ parent/caregiver social media account to advertise when/where the booth sale is scheduled. Girl Scouts 13 years old and older can use their social media accounts. If organized by the service unit, consider posting in a town or service unit Facebook group.
· First aid kit must be available.
Family & Friends Sale
Family & Friends Sale
Taking orders from family and friends during EWCS is like initial order-taking during the cookie program in January. Girls can craft their sales pitch and practice it on their loyal customers! Girls can record their in-person sales on the cookie order card.
· Connect with family and friends in person or set up a Zoom call and invite everyone to listen to the Girl Scout’s sales pitch!
· Girl Scouts 13 years and older can use their social media accounts to let people know they are taking orders during EWCS. Girls 12 and younger can use their parent, caregiver, or trusted adult’s social media accounts.
· Don’t forget phone calls, email, and text! Think about the best way to reach out to individuals. While email might be best for grandparents, aunts and uncles might respond more quickly via text. You can include the link to the cookie order card so customers can see the cookie varieties.
Walkabout
Walkabout
A walkabout is a cookie sale in a neighborhood familiar to a Girl Scout(s) and her/their families. Girl Scouts can walk their neighborhood selling cookies door-to-door. Troops can also hold walkabouts in familiar neighborhoods. This is a great way to reach customers who might not be aware of EWCS and are eager to stock up on their favorite Girl Scout Cookies ahead of the holiday season!
Top tips for a successful cookie walkabout:
· Map streets in familiar neighborhoods for your walkabout and check them off as Girl Scouts walk them.
· If permitted, consider distributing door hangers ahead of the walkabout announcing when Girl Scouts will walk through the neighborhood with a cookie order card. Girl Scouts should consider bringing door hangers with them on the day of the walkabout so they can leave them at houses where no one is home.
o Door hangers should include cookie prices, which forms of payment are accepted, and contact information for a troop adult/parent/caregiver in case customers have questions or want to purchase cookies.
· Decorate your wagon or cart for your walkabout to create excitement in the neighborhood.
· Reminder: An adult must accompany Daisy, Brownie, and Junior Girl Scouts on a walkabout. Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors can use the buddy system.
Virtual Booth Sales
Virtual Booth Sales
Virtual booths are hosted on social media and give girls an engaging way to reach out to all the communities they are a part of. Girl Scouts, with adult supervision, can create a social media event or schedule a live stream on Facebook or Instagram and invite potential customers through social media, email, and text.
NOTE: Girls and families MUST review Digital Marketing Tips for Cookie Entrepreneurs and Families AND Supplemental Safety Tips for Online Marketing documents before hosting a virtual booth.
Top tips for hosting a successful virtual booth:
· Create a sales pitch
o Consider the following: What will the troop do with proceeds earned, what has the Girl Scout learned through participating in the cookie program, how a donation purchase for the Cookies for Heroes Program benefits the troop AND active duty and retired service members and local heroes, and, of course, the cookie varieties and prices.
· Make it personal and fun! Just like a physical booth site, girls should decorate their virtual booth.
· Consider how cookies will be delivered to customers and what forms of payment will be accepted. Note: The Digital Cookie mobile app is not available for EWCS.
· Girls must be registered for the 2022-2023 membership year and have an Annual Consent form on file with the troop.
· Girls should wear their Girl Scout uniform, a membership pin, or informal Girl Scout clothing.
Safety Guidelines
Girl Scouts of Connecticut emphasizes safety for everyone participating in the cookie program. Please review the safety guidelines below and share them with Girl Scouts/families when deciding how to participate in EWCS.
General Safety Guidelines
General Safety Guidelines
· Girls must be registered for the 2022-2023 membership year and have an Annual Consent form on file with the troop.
· Girls should wear their Girl Scout uniform, a membership pin, or informal Girl Scout clothing.
· Wash hands frequently or have hand sanitizer and wipes available to clean hands and tables.
· An adult needs to accompany Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors participating in EWCS and provide supervision when all Girl Scouts are participating in EWCS, including when using social media.
· Girls should never provide their last name, phone number, or personal email. Instead, provide contact information for a troop adult.
· Volunteers and Girl Scouts participating in EWCS should follow local and state guidelines regarding Covid-19.
Booth Guidelines
Booth Sales (including in-person troop booth sales, family booth sales, and drive-thru booth sales)
· Troops must provide all needed materials for the booth sale, including a table, table covering, signage, hand sanitizer/wipes, and starter cash.
· If accepting credit cards/electronic payments, troops must bring a credit card reader or mobile device. Note: The Digital Cookie mobile app is not available for EWCS.
· Girls must be present at all times. Adults may assist but not sell Girl Scout Cookies.
· At least one adult must be registered and have a current background check on file with GSOFCT.
· Ensure the table does not block pedestrians, bikes, or cars around your booth. Ensure your booth setup does not block a business’s entrance.
· Cookies should be stored off the ground. Take empty cookie cases with you at the end of the booth sale.
Virtual Sales Guidelines
Virtual Sales Guidelines (including virtual booth sales and using social media/email to take orders from family and friends)
· Girls and families must review the Digital Marketing Tips for Cookie Entrepreneurs and Families and Supplemental Safety Tips for Online Marketing documents before using social media to sell cookies.
· Adults may use their social media accounts to promote the EWCS for Girl Scouts 12 and younger. Girl Scouts 13 and older may use their social media accounts.
· Electronic payments can be accepted for virtual sales. Note: The Digital Cookie mobile app is not available for EWCS.
· Virtual sales should only be made to customers a Girl Scout or her family knows in person.
Walkabout Guidelines
Walkabout Guidelines
· Only conduct a walkabout during daylight hours and in familiar neighborhoods.
· Do not enter the home or vehicle of a stranger.
· Do not accept food or drinks when selling.
· Stay alert while on the road, especially in busy intersections and along the roadway.
Additional Program Information
Reserving, Picking Up, and Returning Unsold Cookies
Reserving, Picking Up, and Returning Unsold Cookies
Regardless of how a troop or Girl Scout/family participates in EWCS, they will need cookies!
1. Reserving cookies
o A troop co-leader OR troop cookie manager needs to reserve cookies and indicate how the troop or Girl Scout with parent/caregiver will participate in EWCS by completing the EWCS Sign Up. The deadline for submitting this form is Tuesday, October 4, 2022.
o If a troop/Girl Scout with a parent/caregiver needs to reserve cookies after the October 4 deadline, contact the Product Sales Team at customercare@gsofct.org, and we will do our best to accommodate.
o Only cookies picked up after October 30, 2022, for 2022 EWCS may be sold. Cookies from previous programs, including the 2022 cookie program, may not be sold.
2. Picking up cookies
o Cookies will be delivered to cookie cupboards throughout the council the week of October 30. The troop volunteer who submitted the cookie order will be contacted the week prior with the location of the cookie cupboard and the cookie cupboard manager’s contact information. This email will also include details about the pickup process.
o Most cookie cupboards are managed by volunteers with jobs, families, and obligations outside Girl Scouts. Please respect their schedule and time when making arrangements to pick up the troop’s EWCS cookie order.
o The cookie cupboard from which you pick up the cookie order may not be in your service unit/town. Please keep travel time in mind when arranging to pick up the cookie order.
3. Returning unsold cookies
o Cookies picked up for EWCS but not sold by the last day (November 13, 2022) should be returned to the cookie cupboard from which the cookies were picked up. All returns must be made no later than November 18. For EWCS, individual packages (opened cases) are eligible to be returned.
o If the troop has cookies to return, a troop volunteer must reach out to the cookie cupboard manager to find out when the cupboard will be open to accept returns. When returning cookies, remember to tell the cupboard manager if any cookies were sold for Cookies for Heroes so those packages can be included in the total amount sold.
Cookies for Heroes
Cookies for Heroes
· Cookies for Heroes is the council’s Gift of Caring program. Girls can offer their customers the opportunity to support the girl’s troop and, at the same time, donate cookies to women and men serving in the military, veterans, and local heroes.
· Girls should ask ALL customers if they would be interested in making a purchase for the Cookies for Heroes Program. Cookies sold for the program are $5 per package.
· The Cookies for Heroes flyer and the wrapped box should be prominently displayed at in-person booth sales and included as part of a virtual booth presentation.
· Cookies for Heroes Box Wrap | PDF
· Cookies for Heroes Flyer | PDF
· Girls should include the Cookies for Heroes Program as part of their sales pitch, whether presenting to family and friends on a Zoom call or talking to neighbors at a neighborhood booth sale or walkabout.
· Purchases for the Cookies for Heroes Program are virtual for the troop/Girl Scout; packages sold for the Cookies for Heroes Program do not come from a troop/Girl Scout's cookie inventory. The troop/Girl Scout and family collect money due for these packages from the customer, and GSOFCT works with partner organizations to deliver Cookies for Heroes packages to recipients.
Best practices:
· Keep a tally sheet or record of how many packages are sold for the program.
· Payment due for Cookies for Heroes packages should be collected from the customer and included in the amount deposited into the troop bank account.
· When returning unsold cookies to the cupboard OR when communicating with the cupboard manager that the troop has no cookies to return, be sure to let the cupboard manager know how many packages were sold for Cookies for Heroes. The cupboard manager will add the Cookies for Heroes packages to the total number of physical packages sold. These packages will be included in calculating the amount due to the council.
2022 EWCS Patch
The EWCS patch order form will be available beginning November 4, 2022.”
Girls are eligible to earn the limited edition 2022 EWCS patch when the following requirements are met:
1. Troop submits the ACH authorization by October 21, 2022.
2. Troop picks up and returns cookies, if needed, by mutual arrangement with the cookie cupboard manager. All cookies must be returned no later than November 18, 2022.
3. Girl(s) promote the Cookies for Heroes Program to all customers.
4. Troop submits the EWCS patch order form by November 18.
EWCS Finances
· Troops earn 85¢ per package in troop proceeds for all packages sold, including packages sold for Cookies for Heroes.
· Troops will earn a $20 bonus for every 240 packages (20 cases) sold.
· Payment to council from troops for EWCS will be via ACH payment on November 29, 2022. Troops must submit an ACH authorization for the 2022-2023 membership year no later than October 21, 2022.
o 2022- 2023 ACH authorization
o 2022-2023 ACH Terms of Agreement
Customer payment
Cash and checks payable to GSOFCT are accepted payments. Troops/Girl Scouts/families should carefully consider taking checks from customers not known to Girl Scouts and families.
Girl Scout/family payment to the troop
If a Girl Scout/family collects cash payments from customers, these funds must be turned over to the troop no later than November 18 to ensure funds are available for the ACH payment to the council scheduled for November 29.
Troop payment to the council
Troop payment to the council is via an ACH payment from the troop’s bank account. The council will initiate this payment on Tuesday, November 29. A troop volunteer, who is also a signer on the troop’s bank account, MUST complete the 2022-2023 ACH authorization form no later than October 21. This authorization form needs to be completed for each membership year; authorizations submitted before August 15, 2022, are NOT valid for the current membership year.
