In honor of Girl Scouting’s 100th anniversary, customers can expect to see an old favorite, with a new name: Savannah Smiles.  These lemon-flavored cookies, along with seven other varieties, will be on sale Dec. 30 through March 3.

Cookies offered include all-time favorites: Thin Mints, Samoas, Trefoils, Tagalongs, Do-si-dos, Savannah Smiles (100th anniversary cookie), Dulce de Leche and Thank U Berry Munch. Each box sells for $3.50. All eight varieties of Girl Scout Cookies contain zero grams of trans fat.  Girl Scout cookies are a low-sodium treat, and some varieties weigh in at only 28 (Savannah Smiles) and 40 (Thin Mints) calories per cookie!

Through the Girl Scout Cookie Sale Program, an integral part of Girl Scouting’s Financial Literacy initiative for girls ages 5 to 17, girls manage inventory, set goals, learn money management, and develop their own personal leadership style. Essentially, the girls run their own business.  Entire troops set goals and create action plans leading to those goals. Girl Scout troops use funds from the cookie activity to fund service projects or plan exciting trips. Cookie funds are also used for council programs.

“Girl Scouts teach the importance of health and wellness every day,” says Trish Coghlan, CEO of the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama (GSNCA). “Even if you are participating in a weight loss plan, you can still participate in this important program by purchasing cookies as part of our Cookies for Troops campaign, and have your cookies sent overseas to brighten a soldier’s day.”

Girls are taking pre-orders for cookies beginning now, with deliveries after February 3. Booth sales at many local stores and supermarkets will start February 10. If customers have trouble finding cookies near them, they can visit www.girlscoutsnca.org and use the Cookie Locator button or call 800-734-4541. Customers may also download the free Girl Scout Cookie Locator App for iPhone or Android. The app tells customers when and where sales will take place in their area, and map them to the location.

Important Safety Notice: Girl Scout Cookies should be purchased only from someone affiliated with the Girl Scout organization to ensure safety and freshness.

Since 1917, the Girl Scout Cookie Sale Program has become a famous annual event that has helped girls develop important leadership skills they will use throughout their lives.

For more information about how you can get involved, visit our 100th anniversary link at www.girlscoutsnca.org/100.  Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama is a United Way community partner and serves more than 15,000 girls ages 5-17, and 5,000 volunteers in programs across 36 counties. For more information, call 800-734-4541 or log on to www.girlscoutsnca.org.