Neighborhood Service T-shirts

This shirt is for ALL leaders and girls in grades 5 and up. Yes, that's right. Because I was so late in getting a new design out, I put fifth-grade troops on the shirt in anticipation of them bridging to Cadettes and joining the older girl ranks. 

Cost varies depending on the type of shirt ordered. Order new shirts if you've worn out your old one! 

Orders can be placed by families or troops through this link: https://www.customink.com/g/ftj0-00c3-4022

 

Banners Available for Purchase

Flutter flags for cookie sales!! The neighborhood is going to purchase some of these for use during recruitment and cookie sales. Troops will be able to check them out but if you want your own flag (and stand), let Diana know now. The cost will be $105/flag and they will come in black or white and come with the stand.  These should be great for getting customer's attention during cookie season.

Daisy First Cookie Booth Opportunities

Here are the links to sign up to try out cookie boothing with some older girls.  When you go to the links, you will see slots labelled Daisy Girl Scouts and Daisy Parents.  Here are the rules:

• The expectation is that girls will attend for about 15 minutes to get just a taste of what it is like.  
• Last year, girls chose to stay longer, and that is up to you when you are there.
• A registered parent must attend with their Daisy.
• Girls should come in uniform (white shirt, black bottoms, vest).
• Daisies will receive a patch for attendance.

Because of privacy issues, I cannot make the sign ups public, please email Diana for the three sign up links if you don't have them.

If you are an older girl troop and would like to host Daisies at your cookie booths, please send Diana your sign up link. It would be enormously helpful if you formatted your sign ups the same was as the other troops.  Troops who host Daisies should expect to give basic boothing lessons and help Daisies ask for a sale.  In addition, you will need to provide me with a list of Daisies who attend so that I can ensure they receive their patch.

Please note, if you open up your booth to Daisies, you must still adhere to cookie booth staffing guidelines. No more than FOUR girls at a booth at any time.  Troops 2010 and 2256/4727 have opted to staff to a maximum of two older girls per booth to accommodate Daisy slots.

Annual Meeting 2020

We’re getting ready for the 2020 Annual Council Meeting! It will be held Saturday, April 25, 2020, starting at 8 am at the Parsons Leadership Center at South Mountain. If you are a Girl Scout aged 14 and older as of September 30, 2019, you can represent Pima at this meeting.  

We need 13 delegates for the meeting.

Please fill in this form if you would like to be a delegate: Pima Annual Meeting Delegates

Deadline to sign up is February 3rd.

December Leader's Meeting

Our leader's meeting will be at either 10 am or 7 pm on December 2nd at the Boys and Girls Club located at 10515 E Lakeview Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85258.  The evening meeting will be followed by our usual outing to Goldies, starting at about 8:15 pm. 

All volunteers are welcome and we ask that at least one leader from each troop attend. This is the single, best way you can enrich your troop's experience in Girl Scouts and make your job as a volunteer easier.

AGENDA

NEW BUSINESS 

Introductions & Compliments
Caroling (Dorothy/Kendra)
Leader’s Holiday Party (Teresa)
Elves Theater Event (Diana/Kelle)

Initial Cookie Order (Teresa/Catherine et al)
Cookie Rally (Lee)

OLD BUSINESS

Quick Recaps

Encampment: TCC (Lee)
Outdoor Skills Day (Lee)
Community Service Day (Lee)
Juliette Low Birthday Party (Maria)

Songfest (Terri) (Troop 4400 in 2020!)
Vista Del Camino (Susan) 

ENRICHMENT

Level Breakouts: Best activity this year, so far

2019-2020 NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING

Potential Events

OdySea

Butterfly Wonderland (Troop 2153)

Father/Daughter Dance

Badge Workshops

Medieval Times

Great Wolf Lodge

DECEMBER

December 7, Caroling
December 10, Leader's Holiday Party
December 15, 2 pm, Fountain Hills Theater, Mom-and-Me Holiday Party and Theater Event: Elves and the Shoemaker (2010/2256) 72 tickets sold
Gift Wrapping?

JANUARY
January 10, Cookie Rally (2010/2256/4727)

FEBRUARY
February 23, 1:30 to 4:30, Thinking Day (2256/4727)
February 29-March 1, Camp B.A.S.I.C. at Usury Park (2010)

MARCH
Cupcake Wars, Juniors-Ambassadors (Troop 83)
March 28, Powderpuff Derby 

APRIL
April 17-19, Spring Encampment at Camp Maripai (2010)
April 25, Annual Meeting
April 26, Mother's Day Tea, (2469/Ashlye)

MAY
May 6, Older Girl Recognitions and Celebration (2256/4727)

JUNE
June 22-26, Day Camp: Time Traveler

Cookie Rally 2020

January 10, 2020, 6-7:30 pm

Scottsdale Prep

16537 N 92nd St

Scottsdale, AZ 85260

Enter at the back

CONTESTS

- Best blinged booth 

- Best blinged wagon 

- BEST COOKIE SONG 

 … and MORE! GREAT PRIZES!!!

• Sample the new cookies!
• Play Cookie Bingo!
• Practice your Sales Pitch
• Learn about Digital Cookie 
• Vote for your favorite Cookie
• Learn to set your Sales Goal
• Get Ideas for Gift of Caring, Troop Trips, and Troop Activities
• Crafts
• Cookies
• Fun!

GET EXCITED ABOUT COOKIES!!! 

Sponsored by the Pima Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador Girl Scouts 

COST: $3/GIRL (includes patch!) in advance
$5 at the door 

Please make checks to Pima Neighborhood. Register and pay by 12/20/2019 or turn in at the neighborhood meeting on December 2nd. 

Caroling 2019

CAROLING 2019

Join us for Caroling and Cookies!

Girl Scouts of all ages are welcome to join us to being cheer to our local assisted-living residents.

When: Saturday, December 7, 3 pm to 4 pm
Where: Sunrise Assisted Living, 7370 E Gold Dust Avenue, Scottsdale AZ 85255
Cost: $2 for badges and treats

Cookies and hot chocolate will be served after the event.

Maximum space is 40 girls.

Hosted by Troop 4995. Please contact Kendra V to RSVP (contact info on the service team roster)

Cookie Training: Booths

Powerpoint of the Training: http://www.eternity.com/gs/booth_training.pdf

DO

• Enter all your self-scheduled booths into eBudde for approval.
• Cancel any booths that you will not use.  If you can't make a booth offer it to a fellow Pima troop on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/pimags/ or send a note to Pima Neighborhood before cancelling so we can keep the booth in our neighborhood. 
• Bring your own equipment and supplies (a SMALL table, tape, carts, signs, etc).
• Talk to parents and girls about expectations and behavior.
• Wear Girl Scout identification. You will do better at a booth if your girls wear matching/troop tshirts with vests/sashes.  The more professional you look, the better you will do.
• Have girl health forms with you, as well as a MS-27 emergency card for reference. http://www.girlscoutsaz.org/content/dam/girlscoutsaz/documents/forms/ms-27-emergency-procedures.pdf
• Take written proof of booth scheduling from eBudde with you.
• Take a signed agreement to AJs or Basha's to give to the manager. 
• Arrive five minutes before your booth start and leave promptly when your time is over.
• Check in and out with the store manager and give him/her a thank you note.
• Follow store set-up rules.
• Follow any directions given to you by the store managers and employees.
• Be polite to customers, store employees, fellow Girl Scouts, and adult volunteers at all times but particularly if you encounter a confrontational situation.
• Keep less than $100 in your cash box.
• Leave the booth space cleaner than you found it. Take all your trash with you, especially your empty cases.

DON'T

• Do not contact Basha's, Food City, AJ's, Walmart, Sam's Club, Albertson's, Safeway, Fry's, Target, Joanne's, Goodwill, or ASU.  Booths for these places are only scheduled by council and are available via Ebudde.
• Don't booth at locations that are not girl appropriate such as marijuana dispensaries or bars.
• Do not fill store garbage cans with empty boxes.  Take them with you.
• Do not sit on or use store merchandise (for example, do not sit on patio furniture that is for sale).
• Do not use store property (for example, do not use store carts and do not sit on store furniture that is intended for their customers' use).
• Do not eat or allow your girls to eat at a cookie booth.
• Do not let girls sing, shout, or chant.
• Do not bring bags from other stores to a booth. (No Fry's bags at Walmart, for example).
• Do not block the door.
• Do not bring non-Girl Scout friends and/or siblings.
• Do not staff your booth with more than four girls at a time.
• Do not take bills over $20.
• Do not take checks.
• Do not ask store managers to mediate any conflict.
• Do not argue in front of customers, girls, or store employees.

LINKS

More Boothing Guidelines
Cookie Booth Essentials

Booth Worksheet
Basha's/AJ Agreement
Walmart Rules

Cookie Training: Digital Cookies

Digital Cookies

• Digital cookies is our online presence to sell cookies. You many not go onto places like Craig’s List, Next door, eBay etc. to sell cookies!
• Girls who participate in digital cookie sell 76% more than girls who participate in the traditional sale alone.
• Troops cannot opt out of Digital Cookie.
• Girls and parents decide if they want to participate. 
• All registered girls will be sent a link to register for Digital Cookie on January 3^rd.
• Please encourage all girls to participate in Digital Cookie.
• Set up your own daughter’s to learn the system (under 13 are with parent/13+ set up their own site with parent approval)
• Teresa, Diana, or Lee can help parents, but please be that person for your troop.
• Consider setting up individual girl accounts at a troop meeting as a group.

A valuable resource for Digital cookies can be found on the Girl Scout website https://www.girlscoutsaz.org/en/cookies/for-cookie-volunteers.html 

When you scroll down the two sections are called Digital Cookie Resources & Digital Cookie FAQs.

Cookie Training: Changes for 2020

New for the 2020 cookie season

Booth tab

• Easy way to release booth locations from dashboard
• However, check to see if another troop in Pima wants the troop before you release it
• Visibility into booth waiting list 

Cookie Exchange

• Easy way to clear out all varieties
• However, use the Pima spreadsheet first 
• https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Dhc8z2ZgVSvcjwXGlxWaVdPqLHn93kJN4vTz_VwYT_c/edit?usp=drive_web&ouid=116351563598160576172
• Instructions for troops on how to edit or remove their posts on Cookie Exchange
• A view of troop zip code in Cookie Exchange 

(CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Initial Orders

There is an easy way for a troop to see last year’s data for reference right on the initial order tab.  Click on the down arrow and you will see LY (last year) numbers.

New Credit Card Platform (First Data)

• We will be receiving an email soon describing the app and how to sign up for it.
• There will be an opportunity to buy a swiper for $40 but the app itself will be free.
• Council will pay for the transaction fees ONLY Jan-March during cookie season, so it is best not to use it outside that time.

Cookie Training: Mini Sessions Available

If you missed training on November 4th and/or want to talk some more about cookies, please contact Teresa to join her at one of her small cookie sessions. ​

Saturday, Nov 16th 12-1:30

Monday, Nov 25th 10-11:30

Tuesday, Dec 3rd 7-8:30

Cookie Training: Incentives

(CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Rewards

•       Rewards are cumulative

•       Distribution 1-3 months post sale

Initial Order Reward

•       175+ PGA

•       Per Girl Average of the troop’s initial order based on the number of girls selling (not girls registered) in your troop and is submitted at the same time as the Initial Order for troop inventory. 

•       Enter Girl Sizes on Ebudde (GIRLS tab)

•       EBUDDE TIP: For eBudde to calculate the per girl average (PGA) for the initial order, you must assign ONE package of cookies for each girl selling in eBudde. Most troops assign each girl selling a box of Thin Mints. 

•       DUE 12/5

Before the Sale Starts

•       Use rewards card for girls’ goal setting

•       https://www.girlscoutsaz.org/content/dam/girlscoutsaz/documents/cookies/2020/rewards-cards-2020.pdf

•       Participation patch is 15 boxes

•       Remind girls/families about Program Credit option

Late February

•       Ask girls for Rewards Selections

After Sale (March 1)

•       Leader/Cookie Mgr makes selections in Ebudde (REWARDS tab)

•       Save selections for each girl

•       1 FINAL Troop Submission 

•       Super Seller Event dates: https://www.girlscoutsaz.org/en/cookies/for-cookie-volunteers.html

•       Due 3/8

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Cookie Badges

•       Skill-building curriculum customized to cookie sale

•       By level

•       Purchase at Council Shop

•       Optional

CLICK to ENLARGE

Cookie Pins

•       “Cookie Entrepreneur Family” Pins

•       https://www.girlscouts.org/en/cookies/just-for-cookie-sellers/cookie-entrepreneur-family-pin.html

•       Downloadable activity worksheets

•       Replaces “Cookie Activity Pin”

•       Purchase at Council Shop
•       Optional

CLICK TO ENGLARGE

Contests

•       All contest rules and entry forms are available on Council website

o   https://www.girlscoutsaz.org/en/cookies/for-cookie-sellers/cookie-contests-events.html

•       Cookie Flair

o   “Bling Your Booth,” Dress Up Your Wagon,” “Create a Lemonade-style Cookie Stand”

•       Mystery Houses

o   First girl to approach a mystery house wins a prize

o   Clues and entry available on website

•       Flat Stacie Photo Contest

o   Submit a photo of Flat Stacie with her favorite Girl Scout 

§  Setting up Digital Cookie website, selling cookies, or talking to customers

•       Design a Patch Contest

o   Design a Cookies for the Community patch

o   Template and entry on website

•       Cookie Commercial Video Contest

o   See website for guidelines and entry info

•       Cookie Pro

o   Nationwide contest

Cookie Training: Inventory Management

Inventory Management / Troop to Troop Transfers

To help keep an accurate count of your troop inventory here are a few items to help:

Issue up to 120 boxes only per girl scout, more can be handed out once you receive payment for boxes sold.  Financial agreement covers you by council only up to 120 boxes if needed.  

Write a receipt for EVERY transaction (cookies in, out, transferred, and money received), enter into ebudde in real time to keep an accurate count.  Your numbers can be accessed using the ebudde app.

Keep cases sealed until you need them, the core 6 flavors can be exchanged for other flavors as needed to help from over stocking one flavor.    

Check inventory with girls/families regularly, as a group or individually, making sure they can sell what they have. 

Make sure to keep a record of how many cookies and flavors you take to a booth to make it easier to calculate your booth sales.   

Regularly make bank deposits and count your on-hand inventory to compare with ebudde.    

If your troop choose to give your donated boxes of cookies to an organization of your choice and not through council, your donated boxes can essentially be use as a float until the end of the sale because they will come from your inventory and not from council.  Therefore, every $5 or $6 you collect in donation will buy a box of cookies from your troop inventory. This allows you to “resell” the cookies and replenish your stock closer to the end of the sale as needed.

If you need cookies or want to trade cookies, please go to the Pima neighborhood google doc spreadsheet where troops enter their contact information and available/needed cookies.  

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Dhc8z2ZgVSvcjwXGlxWaVdPqLHn93kJN4vTz_VwYT_c/edit#gid=0

Additionally, there is a cookie exchange program through ebudde that has new material this year and could be helpful but were hoping to help our neighborhood first by using the spreadsheet.