More than one million boxes of Girl Scout cookies were distributed this week to eager, hungry customers throughout Hampton Roads. Last weekend, Girl Scouts and volunteers collected cases of cookies for their customers from locations all over the area. Throughout the week, Girl Scouts were busy delivering cookies to friends and neighbors who ordered them.

“The Girl Scout cookie program makes so many amazing things possible for local girls,” Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast program director Jennifer McGowan said. “Every box of cookies purchased can help a girl complete a service project for the community, travel to a new country or go to summer camp. And throughout it all, they’re learning financial and communication skills.”

Beginning this weekend and continuing through March 13, Girl Scouts will hold booth sales at local grocery stores and other community locations. If you can’t find a booth or didn’t pre-order your cookies, call the cookie hotline at 340-YUMM or use the Cookie Locator on www.gsccc.org to find a cookie booth just by entering your zip code. There’s also a Cookie Locator app for your iPhone.

If you already have your cookies, consider supporting the Gift of Caring/Hometown Heroes program by purchasing cookies that the girls will send to the military or other worthy groups here locally. You can also sign up for a milk and cookie break at your place of business, where a Girl Scout troop will bring cookies and milk to your office, as well as extra boxes for your employees to purchase.

The Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast serves nearly 16,000 girls in grades K through 12 and over 5,000 adult volunteers in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. For more information, visit www.gsccc.org or call 1-800-77SCOUT.