Annual cookie sale is part of push for a cohesive NYPENN Pathways
Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways officials are taking final steps to unify council members, staff and programs.
The 26-county council stretches from as far north as St. Lawrence County to as far south as the northern portion of Pennsylvania. Over the past year, it has brought together 30,000 Girl Scouts under one umbrella.
By the 2011-12 membership year, NYPENN Pathways will have its largest fundraiser run at the same time throughout the council. General funds also will be divided evenly.
"Almost everything we're doing is becoming one through the council," said Judy Gallagher, NYPENN Pathways director of communications. "This year we're doing (the cookie sales) as part of the transition. There was a task group of staff and volunteers, and did surveys to see what would be best for all 26 counties."
In the 2009-10 membership year, 15,937 Girl Scouts sold 2,036,025 boxes of cookies at $3.50 per box, for a total of approximately $7.1 million in cookie sales. Mrs. Gallagher said most of each troop's proceeds will stay with it, while a small portion will be used to help run NYPENN Pathways service centers and to maintain staff, programs and properties.
She said the council will use Little Brownie Bakers, Louisville, Ky., to make the cookies.
"Last year, we basically conducted five mini sales, based on the individual council areas," Mrs. Gallagher said. "This year will be two — one for our larger area, formerly Seven Lakes, and one for the rest of the council. The one in the western portion of the council will happen in the fall, and (the other) will remain the eastern/southern tier part in the winter."
The five former separate councils are the Thousand Islands Council, which covers Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties; Central New York, which covers Syracuse and the surrounding area; the Foothills, covering the Utica area; Indian Hills, which covers the Binghamton area, and Seven Lakes, covering several counties from the Finger Lakes to northern Pennsylvania.
Mrs. Gallagher said NYPENN Pathways will become more efficient by meshing its cookie sales together, as well as volunteer training workshops. Council members also may use any camp or program offered in the 26-county region.
