While the pandemic has caused the postponement or cancellation of many events and activities, the traditional sale of Girl Scout Cookies will go on.

In lieu of selling Girl Scout cookies at booths at local stores, however, cookies will be sold online and those who purchase them will be able to pick up their cookies in a drive-through format. This will allow the Scouts to conduct sales safely with minimal contact.

Locally, troops in the Twin Valley Service Unit will hold online sales with pickup being offered at the Morgantown Holiday Inn, 6170 Morgantown Road, Morgantown, and at Plow Farms, 4410 Morgantown Road, Mohnton.

"You typically see our Twin Valley Girl Scout troops selling outside places like Walmart, Turkey Hill and Lowe's. This year, during the time of COVID-19, you will not see us in front of these stores," said Shannon Long, Twin Valley cookie manager. "Twin Valley troops will be hosting curbside pickups in the parking lots of Holiday Inn and Plow Farms every weekend through March. (People can) place a preorder, pick a location and date that works best for them, pay online and drive up to the location for contactless pickup."

Many of the troops are using social media to sell cookies this year. Long has also placed a link to order cookies on several Facebook pages, including "In Twin Valley." Posters are also available at local businesses with a QR code enabling people to order cookies from their phones. One poster is located at Auntie Anne's inside the Morgantown Walmart. Long noted that an additional pickup location at Walmart may be added as sales progress.

On hand for curbside pickup at the Morgantown Holiday Inn on Jan. 23 were Girl Scouts Madison Long, a member of Senior Troop 1724, and Shelby Schwab and Vicky Batezell, members of Junior Troop 1009.

The girls noted that a new toast-shaped cookie - the Toast-Yay! - is being offered this year. "The cookie looks like French toast and tastes like cinnamon and it has the Girl Scout symbol on it," Shelby explained.

The Scouts reported that Thin Mints remain the most popular cookie, noting that some people choose to eat Thin Mints frozen. "You can put vanilla ice cream in between the two Thin Mints to make an ice cream sandwich," Madison said.

Vicky noted that this will be the last year that the S'mores cookie will be sold. "Get them before they are gone," she said.

In addition to those mentioned, other Girl Scout Cookie varieties include Caramel deLites, Lemonades, Peanut Butter Patties, Peanut Butter Sandwich and Shortbread.

Those who pick up their cookies at the drive-through locations will also have an opportunity to donate to Hometown Heroes, a program adopted in 2019 by the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania (GSEP). The program provides cookies to nonprofit organizations in the local community.

To learn more about cookie sales, readers may visit http://www.gsep.org/en/cookies/find-cookies.html.