The Savannah, Georgia area Girl Scout troop is adjusting to the revelation that it actually wasn’t legal for them to sell Girl Scout Cookies outside of the Juliette Low House, the childhood home of the founder of the Girl Scouts, because the sidewalk up front was public property.  Randolph Scott, zoning administrator, did his best to find them a loophole after complaints were made, calling for a survey to find them some possible private space in the area to sell on, to no avail.  Use of a nearby courtyard would block a fire exit.
“I know it doesn’t look good,” Scott said. “However, other businesses won’t care if it’s the Girl Scouts or March of Dimes. They’re going to say, ‘Why can’t I sit out front and solicit business?’ “
While the Scouts themselves are disappointed, they are taking it in stride.
Jan McKinney, head of product sales for the Georgia Girl Scouts, says that there’s a lesson of value here for girls who are ideally learning about running a business.
“We try to teach them that in business you have to adjust to things that happen, adapt to the market and follow the law,” she said. “It’s a real-world experience.”
I could certainly be said that the world needs more business ethics.  In the meantime the girls have relocated to the Made in the South festival in Savannah, and city councilman Alderman Van Johnson says he will see if the Savannah city council will consent to give them a special permit for the cookie selling season.  After all, they’re girl scouts.
The last thing we want is people to not be able to buy Girl Scout Cookies. Â They might go an by knock-offs instead, and, as BuzzFeed reminds us with a helpful infographic, “every time you buy imitation Girl Scout Cookies, you’re punching a little girl’s dreams in the face.”
(via TDW.)
Published: Feb 28, 2011 04:16 pm