Girl Scout Cookie sales start Saturday

The 2015 Girl Scout Cookie saless start Saturday.

The cookies provide Girl Scouts with a hands-on leadership, financial andbusiness program. It is a $770 million business led by girls and is a key element for the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

The cookie sale engages more than 3 million girls annually, teaching the skills of goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics.

According to a survey from the Girl Scout Research Insitute, 85 percent of Girl Scout "cookie entrepreneurs learn money management by developing budgets, taking cookie orders and handling customers’ money. The survey says 83 percent build business ethics; 80 percent learn goal setting; 77 percent improve decision making, and 75 percent develop people skills.

Cookies locally are $4 per box. The money raised helps girls and their troops directly in their Girl Scouting experiences.

This year, the Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma is participating in a pilot program, selling gluten-free cookies. A limited quantity will be available at $5 per box.

If you aren’t approached by a local Scout, you can find where to buy the cooies by visiting www.gseok.org or call 918-749-2551, or toll-free, 800-707-9914 and press 7 for the Cookie Line. Orders will be directed to a troop in your area.

Customers can also download the Cookie Locator App by dialing ***GSCOOKIES to receive updates on nearby booth sales locations. A Girl Scout Cookie Finder ap is available for both iPhone and Android.

Cookies available this year are Vegan Thin Mints; Trefoils; Do-si-dos; Samoas; Rah-Rah-Raisins; Savannah Smiles and Tagalongs.