I have to admit as this Girl Scout year begins, I am having a bit of a dilemma as a leader with teen Girl Scouts. I plan on talking to them about health and fitness. I plan on having us do some outdoor activities. I also plan on having them participate in the nut and cookie sales so we can raise money. But....as a member of Weight Watchers whose weight floats up and down like a balloon running out of helium, I feel guilty. Girl Scout activities have moved indoors more and more. So has my troop as they get older. And now we add sugar to the mix. I'm sure you see what I mean.
Here is the problem. We start the Girl Scout year selling nuts and candy. Yummy stuff, some even pretty healthy, but all very fattening. By January when we are all a bit plumper from Thanksgiving and Christmas we start selling the famous Girl Scout Cookies. Wow now I really feel guilty. How is it possible to sell all this yummy stuff, not overeat it and not feel bad that we sold it to others that also overeat it. Don't get me wrong. My troop has always been a big number selling troop. Mostly due to myself setting up lots of booth sales at local stores. So I really wish that Girl Scouts would have some new options for our fundraising (no magazines please!!!) We are willing to sell- but we need better and healthier things to sell. Could we sell puppies? Maybe solar heating? Ok just kidding- but I think if we have badges promoting health and fitness and we live in the fattest country in the world, then we need fundraising options than don't involve food. I know Girl Scout cookies are like drugs to some people. The look in their eyes when we say cookies borders on scary, but I am always happy when I find one of the cookie addicts and I got to them first! So that makes me part of the problem too. But I want to change this!!
So what do we do? I know we will still sell, but I am officially asking the powers that be at the top in Girl Scouts, to put on their Girl Scout hats and start thinking of new ways for us to fund raise, that won't make us gain wight. I would like to ask the bakers for the cookies to try their best to get rid of high fructose corn syrup, high fat content and other additives. I would like to not crave these cookies late at night, when they are sitting in piles in my living room! It is time for Girl Scouts to lead the health and fitness wave!!!
So all you leaders out there- what do we do? What could we come up with for Girl Scouts USA to sell to eventually replace or at least add to cookies? Ideas??? I hope I don't upset anyone. I am a big supporter of everything Girl Scouts as any of my readers knows. But when I read that the life expectancy of our kids isn't as long as our generation because of obesity, then I start to wonder. I would be totally OK with having a Girl Scout farmers market. What do ya think?
Please send any ideas to gotcookies499@aol.com (Ironic email huh?)
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