Girl Scout Brownies from the Newport area traveled all the way to the Merrimack Outlets recently to make the most of their cookie sales. From left are Aurora Mills, Evelin Rothbart and Natalee Jones. (Courtesy photo)

NEWPORT – It’s the height of “Cookie Season” for Girl Scouts, as they are busy earning their way to new adventures. The Brownies in Girl Scout Troop 58700, along with their sister Daisies in Troop 59701, have been busy fulfilling their goals at cookie booths.

The girls come from Newport, Goshen, Lempster and Claremont. When they saw the new climbing adventure badge, it was their top choice to earn this year. They had never sold Girl Scout fall product before, which is candy and other items. However, they set a goal to sell enough to fund a trip to an indoor climbing gym to earn the badge. They more than doubled that goal in the fall, and had a great time climbing.

“I’m so proud of these girls,” troop leader Sarah Mills said. “They learned goal-setting with their sales. Today, some of them were nervous about heights, but they each got a little higher with every climb. Others were fearless as they reached the top without hesitating. They all cheered on their troop mates and called out holds if needed as the others climbed. Our girls love the new badges and the families are loving how they’re growing through Girl Scouts.”

These entrepreneurial-minded Girl Scouts have even bigger plans for their cookie dough now. Mills said some girls plan to attend summer camp in Vermont at Camp Farnsworth, or do council day camps or weekend camp programs.

“On a troop level,” Mills said, “seven of my 10 are third-graders and they’re all wanting to earn Bronze Awards, so they’re saving most of their cookie money to build the troop account for next year when they start working toward Bronze.”

The Bronze Award is the highest honor a Girl Scout Junior may earn. Juniors are Girl Scouts in grades 4 and 5. It is earned by taking action in the girls’ community to make the world a better place. Older Girl Scouts may earn the Silver and Gold Awards, for which they complete projects that take many hours and truly create change for good. These awards are the mark of the truly remarkable.

Girl Scout Cookies are available for only a short time each year. To find a local cookie booth, go to www.girlscoutcookies.org.

Sisters Ailsa and Brynja McDonald sit atop the climbing wall at Green Mountain Rock Climbing Center in Quechee, Vermont, with Aurora Mills. The Girl Scouts funded their trip to the center with fall product sales. (Courtesy photo)

Claire Belisle climbs the wall. (Courtesy photos)

At left are the Girl Scouts of Troop 58700 of Newport, NH. Standing, from left, are Natalee Jones, Natalie Hall, Haley Reed, and Aurora Mills. Kneeling are Brynja McDonald, Claire Belisle, Ailsa McDonald, Alaina Greenwood, and Isabella Mull. In front is Evelin Rothbart.