Girl Scouts set record straight

Dear editor:

Girl Scouts of Silver Sage is a girls youth organization based in Boise.

The council, along with 2,300 volunteers, delivers educational leadership programs that build girls of courage, confidence and character who positively impact communities in which they live. We serve 4,400 girls, most of which are in Southern Idaho.

Cookie sales, one of our biggest fundraisers to benefit local girls and troops, are underway.

As in a few years past, Girl Scouts is being wrongly accused of having a partnership with Planned Parenthood. In particular, The American Family Association is circulating an article that insinuates that "cookie dough" money earned through cookie sales is used to support Planned Parenthood. This is false.

Neither Girl Scouts USA nor our council has a partnership with Planned Parenthood, and we do not contribute money to the organization for any purpose.

To set the record straight, here is a breakdown of our council's cookie money: 45.1% for local Girl Scout programs and activities; 24.7% covers the cost of cookies; 13.4% goes to local troops; 6.6% toward girl rewards and "cookie dough," which can be used for camp, travel, or Girl Scout garb; 6.0% for sales tax; and 4.0% toward cookie program administration.

-- Maureen O'Toole, CEO, Girl Scouts of Silver Sage