Girl Scout Event to Kick Off Cookie Sale

About 1,500 Valley Girl Scouts will attend a motivational sales event Saturday at Birmingham High School to launch their 31st annual cookie sale.

“This event starts out our annual cookie sale, which is one of the most important things that we do,” said Jason E. Katz, fund development and communications director of the Chatsworth-based San Fernando Valley Girl Scout Council.

Professional speaker Jodi Walker of Success Alliances, the Northridge chapter of the National Speakers Assn., will kick off the program with a motivational sales speech similar to ones she gives to Fortune 500 companies.

Katz said the money raised from the event will help fund troop activities and programs such as camping trips, self-development workshops and the training of troop leaders.

Through the sale of cookies, the Scouts will learn such skills as sales, communication, marketing and money management, said Katz, adding that Scouts from each program level--Brownie, Junior, Cadette and Senior--will earn badges during the event.

Some of the proceeds also help support prospective Scouts from needy families, he said.

During this year’s sale, the Scouts will have eight kinds of cookies available for $3 a box. Last year’s sale raised more than $1 million for the San Fernando Valley council.

Saturday’s event takes place from 9 a.m. to noon at the lunch area of Birmingham High School, 17000 Haynes St., in Van Nuys.

For more information, contact the council at (818) 886-1801 or the high school at (818) 881-1580.