“Since this year has been crummy, let’s give them something sweet and yummy!”

That’s the motto of one Girl Scout Troop of fifth-grade girls from Whitehills Elementary School that is collecting money to purchase enough cookies to give to teachers and staff in all eight school buildings that comprise the East Lansing Public Schools district. The idea is to cheer up and thank teachers and staff.

Troop leader Leanne Davis told ELi that, so far, 54 boxes have been donated, but the girls are eager to raise money for more to stock the lounges and breakrooms in each of the buildings. The fundraiser is running through Feb. 7 only, and the troop has launched a Foursquare site where it is accepting donations in $5 increments. (One box of Girl Scout cookies costs $5.)

Davis told ELi that the troop has always used selling Girl Scout cookies to teach entrepreneurship and money management, and, in past years, any profits have gone to support the local Humane Society chapter. But, this year, the troop wanted to support the ELPS community.

Each week, the fourteen girls in the troop have been meeting for one hour over Zoom, rotating who leads the badge work being done that week. The girls soon realized all the hard work their teachers were putting in from teaching to blank screens to keeping lessons moving to conveying new ideas.

The girls want to support not only the teachers but also everyone else who keeps ELPS running, such as members of the tech team, custodial staff, and those manning food distribution.

In addition to accepting donations over its Foursquare site, the troop will be holding a drive-thru cookie stand on Saturday, Feb. 6, and Sunday, Feb. 7, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. outside the Marco’s Pizza at the intersection of Lake Lansing and Abbot Rds. Donations can be made there as well.

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