Shannon Philpott

Granite City girl scout sells 1,040 boxes of cookies

Published in the 12/13/10 issue of the Suburban Journals

Granite City girl scout sells 1,040 boxes of cookies

When Hannah Groetecke sets her mind to something, she gets the job done — even if it means carrying an order form at all times.

Groetecke, a member of Girl Scout Troop 403 in Granite City, got the job done this month, selling 1,040 boxes of cookies for the Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois. Her efforts earned her a Mongoose bike, an iPod Touch, her name on the district office’s plaque and recognition as one of five girls in the area deemed Super Sellers.

She’s among the highest cookie sellers in the region.

“She set her eye on the prize,” said Heather Groetecke, Hannah’s mother and a former troop leader. “She put up signs, went door to door and asked anyone and everyone to buy cookies.”

The troop’s sale of 2,300 total boxes help pay for camps, program activities and training for volunteers and troop leaders.

The programs have been a part of Hannah Groetecke’s life since she was a Daisy.

“I joined to make more friends and learn stuff,” she said. “I’ve learned how to cook, sew and make fire. The work we do is good for our community, too.”

Troop leader Brandy Tyler said the 11-year old’s involvement in Girl Scouts has also made her much more social.

“Hannah was very shy, so it was a really big deal for her to approach people to buy cookies,” Tyler said. “Her order alone was the size of four other troops’ total sales combined.”

Selling Girl Scout cookies can sometimes be more difficult for older scouts, she said.

“They lose the cuteness factor after awhile, so at this age, the girls gear their selling as more of a business; they work on marketing and communication skills,” Tyler said. “My girls have been extraordinary in their efforts to sell this year.”

One member of the troop wrote letters to the St. Louis Rams, resulting in a 13-case purchase shipped to military troops overseas.

Groetecke’s business took off once she posted signs in yards throughout Granite City. She took phone orders, networked with local businesses and even talked her dad, Donny Groetecke, into buying 30 boxes.

“A lot of people stepped up to help,” Donny Groetecke said. “They know that the money is for a good cause.”

The result? A room full of prizes and another patch to add to her sash.

This Super Seller said she’s ruling out a career in sales, though.

“When I grow up,” she said, “I want to be the one who gives away the prizes.”

– Shannon Philpott

December 22, 2010 - Posted by sphilpott | Feature Stories, Newspaper Writing, Sample Work | girl scout cookie sales, girl scouts of america, granite city girl scout, hannah groetecke, super sellers