National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend Kicks Off Cookie Season

PRNewswire-USNewswire/ Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) will mark the start of cookie season with an event in New York City, taking over Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal on Friday, February 7, 2014 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. to give New Yorkers their first taste of this year's cookies. The world's largest girl-led business, the nearly $800-million cookie program aims to teach girls five essential life skills: goal setting, decision making, money management, business ethics, and people skills.

"Girl Scout Cookie Weekend is a great opportunity to share the fun and excitement of the Girl Scout Cookie Program," said Anna Maria Chavez, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA. "As we celebrate the 97th anniversary of Girl Scout Cookies, it's important to remember supporting the program helps girls build a lifetime of skills and confidence."

Cookie fans and girls can join the world's largest virtual Girl Scout cookie party by participating in national and regional celebrations, as well as via social media, including a Twitter party with Anna Maria Chavez, local Girl Scout councils around the United States, and Mom It Forward, a leading women's social media community. Additionally, Girl Scouts of the USA has partnered with Improv Everywhere, a New York Citybased creative collective founded by performer Charlie Todd, which will lead the NYC cookie premiere party event where consumers can get their photos snapped on the green carpet, meet their local #cookieboss, and stock up on their favorite Girl Scout Cookies.

As part of their experience in various Girl Scout activities, girls can earn official Girl Scout awards at every level of Girl Scouting, including cookie and financial literacy badges and an annual Girl Scout Cookie Activity pin. In celebration of this special weekend, a brand-new National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend patch is now available as well.

For ease of purchase, customers can find their Thin Mints, Samoas/Caramel deLites, and other favorite Girl Scout Cookies by using the official Girl Scout Cookie Finder app, available free for iPhone or Android by visiting the newly refreshed official Girl Scout Cookie page at www.girlscoutcookies.org.

To join the celebration and for additional information on events happening in your area, please visit www.girlscoutcookies.org and follow @girlscouts on Twitter.