You Don't Have To Buy Cookies To Support The Girl Scouts

I admit this is kinda late; the Girl Scouts have been hanging out in the front of my local grocery stores for the past week or two. Still, it bears repeating, since this happens every year:

I'm a big fan of the Girl Scouts. I was a Scout from Brownies through Cadets. My mom was my leader for the vast majority of that time. Have a thousand good memories from Scouting.

So you know what I do when the Scouts ask me "Do you want to buy some Girl Scout Cookies?" I say, "I don't eat any sugar. But I'll give you a donation for the troop. I was a Girl Scout, and Scouts Rule!" Then I hand a few bucks to the leader, usually pointing out that they can hang onto it for the troop, rather than giving it to Girl Scouts International.

Makes me feel good, lets the kids know that there are adults who support them without anything in return, plus possibly, just possibly, plants the idea in their heads that there are people in the world who don't eat sugar.

It's just too easy to tell ourselves, "Oh, but it's for the Scouts! It's just once a year! It's a tradition!" They're just highly processed junk food, folks, and the fact that they've been around once a year your whole life doesn't make 'em sacred. Don't use a charitable impulse as an excuse to sabotage yourself. Just give the Scouts a few bucks.