What a fabulous time of the year! We have a little heat snap (well, it’s at least over 45 degrees today), you can go skiing or golfing, and the Girl Scouts are delivering their little morsels of goodness -- the Girl Scout cookies!

Just about every person in America has a favorite Girl Scout cookie (my personal favorite is Samoas as I find it hard to resist the combination of chocolate and coconut), and this is an example of one of the best fundraising activities around.

They did something very right when they started their bake sales and cookie sales back in 1917 and learned how to keep consistency and quality the hallmark of their product. I remember selling 100 boxes of Thin Mints to a family I babysat for because the dad could not get enough of the cookies. He was a true addict, and most buy just a couple boxes, but if you freeze them, they last very well and you can enjoy them year-round.

One thing that is really fun and smart is that they move with the times. Some organizations get stuck in the mode of “But that’s what we’ve always done!!” Not the Girl Scouts. They now have low-calorie and sugar-free cookies, which would not have been contemplated in the '70s and '80s when I would have been selling them.

The Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Council are celebrating their 96th birthday this week on March 12. Happy Birthday! They serve more than 6,300 girls in Southern Idaho, Eastern Oregon and parts of Northern Nevada, focusing on providing leadership skills and empowerment to girls to discover themselves, connect with others and take action to make the world a better place. The money raised from the cookie sales goes to continue their programs that help girls discover their talents and strengths.

If you were not able to purchase Girl Scout Cookies from a friend, neighbor or colleague’s daughter, it's not too late to stock up. Check out the Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Web site to find locations near you where they are being sold. (Many of the area Albertsons and Fred Meyer stores will have Girl Scouts there at different times until March 15.)

Enjoy!!

Cece Gassner