Feb. 22
February 5, 2007
Bernice Hughes
February 7, 2007
It’s that time of year again, when little girls dressed in brown sashes embark on a door-to-door mission to see who can get the most cookie orders and earn money for their Girl Scouts’ troop.
Between the hours of 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., little salespeople armed with a pen, an order form and a smile could be visiting.
Girl scouts in the Tri-parish area are celebrating 90 years of service to the community. Over the next month, they are going door-to-door racking up cookie orders to earn top honors and a chosen prizes like radios, T-shirts and backpacks.
Each scout is responsible for setting her own cookie sale goal. She is molded and coached by the Girl Scouts Council and troop leaders on the safe and proper way to approach each home. Once there, she entices residents with an instant sugar rush from Trefoils, Thin Mints, and Samoa cookies.
There are currently three Girl Scout troops in Lafourche Parish. Brownie Girl Scouts Troop 357 has lead the pack for three years in cookie sales in the bayou district of the Southeast Louisiana Girl Scouts Council.
The troop, formed by Tammy Poche, is comprised of first- through-third graders from the Lafourche Parish area. Unlike other girls their ages, Troop 357 is interested in learning how to be one with nature and earn Try-it badges, as well as participating in cookie sales.
Poche and her assistants, Stephanie Givens and Monica Chiasson, have made it a mission to get the scouts involved in monthly service activities.
In August, the girls collected school supplies for under privileged children at the MacDonell United Methodist Children’s Services n MacDonell House in Houma.
Last September, the young scouts cleaned debris from the sands of Grand Isle. They also had an opportunity to go wadding in the waters. “We try to let the girls have a little fun during the service projects because they work so hard to lend a helping hand,” Poche said.
To show their appreciation, residents from Grand Isle held a barbecue for the troop, according to Poche.
Last October, Troop 357 spent the weekend at Camp Whispering Pines located in Independence. Keeping with their monthly tradition, the girls engaged in a service project of cleaning the wild brush from the camp’s bridges.
When asked about the safety of recognizing harmful plants and animals, Poche said the girls are familiar with the plants and animals at the camp. “They know what they can and cannot touch,” she said.
However, the trip wasn’t complete until the girls went rowing and swimming in the lake.
In early November, Poche gave the older Brownies a chance to set up camp outside for the first time. She said they put up their own tents and made their own fire.
In addition to the camping night, the girls collected toys for the Thibodaux Toy Drive for their November service project. During the month of December, the troop sings Christmas songs throughout the neighborhoods to the elderly residents.
Aside from all the activities Troop 357 does together, they have opened their activities to the other troops in Lafourche Parish. Each year, Poche invites all the parish girl scouts troops to her farm off of Talbot Road Extension.
Poche said all the camp leaders bring an activity that relates to the party theme. She said they cook, ride horses and play games all day long. When asked about her initial decision to invite the other troops she said, “Every year, I bring my troop to the farm and we cook out. After the storms there were no places in the area for the girls to camp out. I had a lot of open space at my farm, so I invited the other troops to come join in.”
As a young girl, Poche was also a Girl Scout participant in Peoria, Ill. “When I was young I was excited about selling cookies and raising money for my troop. But, I also wanted to do more in the community. Participating in the cookie sale is good, but helping the community is better.”
Three years ago, Poche started the troop with 20 to 25 girls, but those numbers have decreased. Last year she had 18 girls, and this year she has only 16 willing participants.
However, the drop in numbers hasn’t impacted the number of cookies each scouts sells or limited their commitment to helping the community. The troop sold 4,152 boxes of cookies with 24 girls the first year. With 18 girls, they sold 3,765 boxes. This year’s goal is nearly 4,500 boxes.
“This year we have set an even higher goal because the troop wants to use the money we earn from the cookie sale to go to the NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. It’s a big deal for them to have an opportunity to go out of state,” said the troop leader.
The top sellers for Troop 357 are Valerie Poche and Renesha Daggs. Each year, the two nine-year olds set high cookie sale goals of nearly 500 to 600 boxes. Trooper leader Poche said the whole troop works hard to obtain its goals and earn chosen prizes.
Nationally, the cookie sale is recognized as the nation’s premier business and economic literacy initiative because it encourages girls to be creative, assertive and goal and team-oriented.
Participation in the Girl Scouts program provides valuable experiences, which helps to build self-confidence while developing personal leadership skills.
This year’s cookie drive theme is “STEP it UP,” which stands for “Success Through Energetic Participation.” The Girl Scouts organization is targeting healthy living. According to the Council’s Product Manager Hem Seth, all eight varieties of cookies are now “zero trans fat per serving.” They have also added a new sugar-free cookie, Little Brownie, for diabetics to enjoy.
Girls Scouts cookies are $3.50 per box upon delivery. Cookie deliveries begin in March and will be sold at various booth locations in the Tri-parish area.
For more information on cookie order, contact a Girl Scouts troop near you.
Photo courtesy of Tammy Poche * Brownie Girls Scout Troop 357 from Lafourche Parish has led the Bayou District’s cookie drive for the past three years. The troop leaders are Monica Chiasson and Stephanie Givens. Pictured are, front row, from left: Cassidy Chiasson, Shania Chiasson, Destiney Brimhall; second row: Angellique Smith, Alexis Brimhall, Camille Ellis, Shelby Ellis, Lila Shelby; back row: Valerie Poche, Renisa Daggs, Farhana Rais, Anna-Marie Daigle and Shavonte Ayro. Not pictured are Erica Ordolyne, Clarion McGuire and Kariyonte Williams.
