Local Girl Scout troop gives back

The fare lining the shelves of the ACTION Ministries food pantry may soon see some sweet additions, of the Tagalong, Samoa and Thin
Mint variety.

Over the next several weeks, members of Dowagiac’s Girl Scout Troop 00262 will be hitting the pavement, selling boxes of their world-renowned cookies to people throughout the community. Unlike other sales, though, customers will have the opportunity to purchase a box of sweets not only for themselves, but also for the needy families in their hometown.

From now through the end of the sale, customers will have the choice to buy boxes of cookies that the troop will donate to the ACTION pantry, for distribution to local families. In addition, any money paid in excess of the price of the cookies will go toward buying additional boxes for the pantry, said troop leader April Johnson.

“Hopefully, we can raise enough money to help the other two food pantries in town as well,” Johnson said.

The troop plans on setting up a booth to sell the sweets at several locations over the next few weekends, including during the Dowagiac Conservation Club’s Hunter’s Rendezvous this Saturday and the Dowagiac Ice Time Festival the following week. The girls already sold a total of 77 boxes during a booth they set up the week before, Johnson said.

“We’re excited to see that the girls want to give to those in need,” said Becky Dopkowski, another leader in the troop.

After the sales end in February, the troop will personally deliver the donated boxes to the pantry.

This year’s cookie sale is critical for the fledging troop, which started back in October, Johnson said. The troop will receive a portion of the revenue for every box sold, which will be used to purchase uniforms, supplies and to help fund possible field trips in the future.

The dozen plus girls who comprise the troop have spent the last several months earning badges for various projects during their weekly meetings, which are dictated primarily by the activities the girls want to try out that evening, the troop leader said.

“The girls have some good ideas for future projects, so we’re trying to raise some money to help make them happen,” Johnson said.

Parents interested in having their girls join the troop are encouraged to stop by a weekly meeting, which takes place at 5:30 p.m. every Tuesday inside the Justus Gage Elementary School gym.