Girl Scout Cookie Fundraiser Battle Goes Awry
by Danielle
(Lebanon, Oh USA)
I was only nine at the time this fundraiser began. Although, my best friend in the world was involved; as well, I was not looking forward to it. Every time our troop had a fundraiser, she somehow managed to win. I admit I was a little jealous; I also swore that she wasn't going to win the prize at the end of this.
I went home that night and gave my cookie form to my mom and dad so they could take it to their offices and try to get as many co-workers as they could; to buy as many cookies as possible. The next day I was given the form back; excitement spread through me, they had managed to sell almost fifty boxes. Of course, the first thing I did was call my friend to gloat. Within minutes the excitement I had felt was gone. She had already sold close to one hundred and fifty boxes. Fundraisers are meant to help the organization you are involved with; I turned it into a personal war. By the time this was over, I was going to take home that prize.
It took me a couple of days to devise a plan that I thought would help me win. I did what all the other girls in the troop did; went door to door, called family members and even had my mom take me to the local grocery store to stand out front, hoping some of the customers would buy my cookies. This wasn't the only thing I was planning on doing, however. I waited until the week was almost up and I would have to turn my form in before I put my plan in into action.
This fundraiser was back in the 1980's; things have changed a lot since then as far as how the cookies are sold, how the money is collected, etc. We weren't given the cookies until we brought the forms back to the troop leaders. No money was collected until the cookies were delivered; this is what I was counting on in order to make my plan work.
Once the date to turn the order forms in came closer, I decided I had better start doing what I needed; in order to win. I took my form and the telephone directory, sat on my bed and began writing as many names as I could, along with a large number of cookies ordered. Two days later the forms were turned in to the troop leaders. We weren't told then, who had the most sales; the cookies would be delivered the following week and we would learn then.
That was the longest week I had ever had in my life as a child. I knew what I was doing was wrong; but there was no going back now, I was in it till the end. The girls in the troop finally got the phone calls telling them when to pick up the cookies and we were told that our parents had to be present. As we entered the school; where we held our meetings, my body started to shake, I knew I was about to get caught somehow. Once all the mothers and daughters were seated the winner was announced. The third and second runners up were announced; my friend was announced as the third runner up. I wanted to jump up and scream; I still had a chance, then the winner was announced; me! I was handed my very first tape player/boombox.
We took the boxes home and proceeded to put them in bags, so that delivery would be a little easier. I had already told my mom I would take my old red wagon and deliver the cookies; this was the second part of my plan, if she delivered them with me I would get caught. It was agreed that I would deliver them myself and I was given exactly four days to make sure everyone got their cookies and I received their money.
The following day was a Saturday; I knew both my parents would be home so I delivered the cookies I could and collected their money first. When I got back to the house I told my mom I was taking a break and would return to the cookies in a little while. I grabbed a juice and went back outside to the garage where I had left the wagon and pulled it into the back yard. I sat down behind a tree and grabbed one of the bags of cookies; I opened the box and began eating. I made it through five boxes before I started to feel sick to my stomach. I tried to sit still and not move, hoping this would help me feel better; it didn't work. I did, however; sit under that tree for quite a few hours before I could stand back up. When I went inside I told my mother I had gone back out and tried to deliver the rest but no one answered their doors.
With great strength I continued this for almost three days, before my mother found out I was eating all the cookies that belonged to fake people. I was not proud of what I had done; I was embarrassed beyond words. I think my mother saw that, added to the fact that I was forcing myself to eat all those cookies seemed to be close enough to a punishment for her. She didn?t forget to also point out the fact that now she was responsible financially for quite a bit of cookies and somehow I was going to have to pay her back. The only way this punishment would be complete, though, would to admit to the troop leader what I had done. I, of course, had to give my radio back and I had to apologize over and over again for my actions.
She never did tell the rest of the troop what had happened; even after the radio reappeared in her possession. Out of this whole mess, there did come one good thing; with all of the sales I had made, along with the cookies I had eaten, that my mother had to pay for; the troop managed to raise the money for the new uniforms, the pizza party and there was enough left over to purchase some much needed sashes. I also, eventually, paid my mother back for all those cookies through many, many, many, many, chores.
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Interested in some outstanding fundraiser cookie dough? You can now obtain the pre-portioned kind which allows you to bake a batch without having to thaw a container of dough first. View all of the cookies available via this frozen cookie dough fundraiser.
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