Clanton's Brownie and Junior Girl Scout members retrieved their cookies from the Clanton Girl Scout Hut as they came in Tuesday. (L-R) Brianna Yates, Junior member; Ashton Kennedy, Brownie member; Kristina Moore, Brownie member and Joanna Liveoak, Junior member.

Clanton’s Brownie and Junior Girl Scout Troops are checking their order sheets and stacking boxes, preparing for their annual sale of Girl Scout Cookies.

Brownie Troop 281 and Junior Troop 366 began collecting their boxes of cookies Tuesday from the Clanton Girl Scout Hut for distribution.

This year, the theme is “Starting the Day We’re Open for Business.” Selling Girl Scout Cookies is beneficial to the scout members because it teaches them about business, marketing, sales and meeting goals.

“It teaches the girls how to set goals and plan a budget,” said Hilary Perry, director of communications and advocacy for Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama. “I learned that some businesswomen got their start selling Girl Scout Cookies, and now they are entrepreneurs.”

Each troop sets a goal and has a plan for what they would like their money to go toward—for example, an end-of -the-year trip or a service project, said Perry.

This year, the Brownies are planning a trip to the Space Center, and the Juniors are deciding on a trip to take at the end of the year.

“The Brownies will also donate to the (U.S.) troops overseas and to Raleigh’s Place here in Clanton,” said Jennifer Liveoak, Brownie Troop leader.

Clanton’s Junior Troop leader is Tonya Yates.

At $3.50 per box, there are eight varieties of cookies to choose from: Thin Mints, Samoas, Trefoils, Tagalongs, Do-si-dos, Lemon Chalet Cremes, Dulce de Leche, and Thank U Berry Munch.

The scouts began taking pre-orders for the cookies Dec. 31 and will continue selling them until March 6.

Cookies will also be sold at the local Winn-Dixie, Walmart, Piggly Wiggly in Jemison and Love’s Travel Stops and Country Store, said Perry.

For more information or to find the nearest location where cookies are being sold, visit www.girlscout.org.