A little history about the Girl Scouts of America: They formed during the progressive era of 1912 in order to help young women develop a sense of self and ambition. The first troop did things that boys did; they played basketball, hiked and camped like the Boy Scouts (formed two years earlier) did. At first, the original troop was no more than 10 people, including the troop leader herself, but now the Girl Scouts of America has expanded into more than 90 countries worldwide, with the goal of ensuring that every girl has the opportunity to become not just a scout but also a leader.
I admire what the Girl Scouts of America are doing. They sell cookies to fund their local troop to attend leadership programs for young women. It’s amazing how much they sell and it’s even more amazing that they’re modernizing. Now, Girl Scout troops in most of California are using the Square credit card reader, which allows people to buy with their card rather than have to fork over cash to get a delicious box of Thin Mints and Tagalongs.
It’s a good move too; most people carry cards more than cash now. Debit and credit cards are far more useful than having bills around because if your wallet is ever lost or stolen, you can cancel the cards and have replacements come in the mail by the end of the week.
Having all your funds consolidated into a few cards is good, and the Girl Scouts know that. By having the Square credit card reader, the first troops, which consisted of 8-15 girls, reported having a $700 increase over last year’s sales with the traditional selling method. Those funds go directly into the hands of the troop rather than the organization itself so that the girls can embark on leadership programs in the summer or over a weekend.
The leadership programs help develop their communication skills, cultivate an ambitious attitude and pique their interests in worldly topics. This is what America needs: More ambitious, capitalist and determined young Americans.
The benefits of being a Girl Scout don’t stop once you graduate from their ranks. They keep in touch with their alumnae which can lead to great opportunities for them, like introduction to civil leaders such as mayors and state delegates. In a statistics report published by the Girl Scouts of America, alumnae report to be heavily involved in civil service, leadership and education.
With the introduction of the Square credit card reader to every Girl Scout troop in California, they will have no problem exceeding any goal set before them. People don’t carry around cash as often as they used to anymore and now the Girl Scouts can raise funds even easier than before. And after they’ve graduated, they can still reap the benefits and opportunities as if they were still in the troop.
I’m a big fan of the Square credit card reader. It makes buying from the Girl Scouts easier and helps young, local and ambitious girls pursue an experimental lifestyle that will introduce them to many things they would’ve otherwise been excluded from.
