Students purchased Girl Scout cookies Monday through Thursday afternoons at the Shriver Center for a Chi Omega sorority fundraiser.
Every spring, Girl Scouts across the nation go door-to-door selling the cookies that have become a staple in American households. This year, Girl Scout troops in the greater Cincinnati area added one more stop to their lists: college campuses.
From Feb. 23 to Feb. 26, Miami University's chapter of Chi Omega participated in the new Crosstown Cookie Challenge where they partnered with four Girl Scout troops to sell cookies.
Chi Omega competed against two other organizations-one from Xavier University and the other from University of Cincinnati-to sell the most cookies.
According to Laura Ford-Harris, regional director for the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio, the money raised from the competition will go back to the Girl Scout troops to help them fund programs.
"Its all about girls setting goals and taking the finances that they receive from the sale and doing what they want, such as going to camp or paying for different activities," Ford-Harris said.
Ford-Harris said although the competition was not about the amount of money raised, the Girl Scouts hoped to sell at least 1,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies in four days. She also said the competition opened up new doors for the Girl Scouts because it has been difficult to gain access to college campuses.
"The Girl Scouts should not have much trouble selling their cookies here because they are really popular among college students, especially college males," said junior Leah Painter.
The competition kicked off last week in Haines Food Court with a cookie-eating contest. The winner of the competition, sophomore Zach Geyser, won a framed certificate and a box of Girl Scout cookies.
Chi Omega became involved with the competition through sophomore member Larissa Spreng. Spreng, a Girl Scout troop leader at a Marshall Elementary School, approached Chi Omega's philanthropy chair, Caitlin Connor, with the event idea.
"I thought that it would be fun for us to do and a great way to support a different philanthropy," Spreng said.
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The competition was also a way for the young Girl Scouts to bond with older role models besides their parents. In addition, many of the Chi Omega girls were Girl Scouts when they were younger and wanted to give back to an organization that made a difference in their lives.
"That group of college students remembers that a year or two ago, they were in that same position," Ford-Harris said.
Spreng said she thinks the Chi Omega sisters and the Girl Scouts could relate to each other because of the similarities between their organizations.
"Both definitely build on the same ideals of creating future female leaders," Spreng said.
Junior Jill Lennon said she was excited to buy the cookies and also thought the competition was a great way for Miami to give back to the Oxford community.
"The competition gave Miami more visibility among young students in the area who may eventually want to come here," Lennon said.
Spreng and Ford-Harris agreed that the competition was beneficial and fun for both the Girl Scouts and the sisters of Chi Omega. Although it is still uncertain, both Spreng and Ford-Harris are hopeful the event will continue in future years.
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