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.

Jule Ann Wakeman, who is co-leader of Girl Scout Troop 415 along with Jenn Rice, explained that cookies can be ordered from individual Girl Scouts, ordered from local troops that are selling them through virtual booth ordering sites, or shipped directly to the buyer for a fee.

"We aren't doing traditional booths right now, but several local troops are offering curbside pick-up of pre-paid orders," Jule Ann explained. "All you need to do is visit a troop's virtual booth ordering site, choose your cookies, pay online through our secure third-party payment system, then pick up your cookies at the designated time and place."

For example, Troop 41623 is offering curbside pickup of prepaid orders only at Parkesburg Mennonite Church, 44 E. Second Ave., Parkesburg, on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Troop 415 is offering curbside pickup at The Little Shop Next Door, 215 Main St., Parkesburg, on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

In addition, posters with a QR code are available at local businesses. By scanning the QR code, people will be able to order cookies from their phones.

Complete details, including a list of local troops offering curbside pickup and the link to order cookies online, is available by searching for "Girl Scout Parents of Octorara" on Facebook.

On hand for curbside pickup at the Little Shop Next Door on Jan. 30 were Girl Scouts Rylie Rice from Troop 415, Amelia McElwee from Troop 41979 and Morrigan McElwee from Troop 415.

The girls noted that a new toast-shaped cookie - the Toast-Yay! - is being offered this year. "It is shaped like French toast and it tastes like cinnamon toast crunch cereal," said Jule Ann.

The Scouts reported that Thin Mints remain the most popular cookie, followed by Peanut Butter Patties and Caramel deLites. They also noted that this will be the last year that the Girl Scouts S'mores cookie will be sold.

In addition to those mentioned, other Girl Scout Cookie varieties include Lemonades, 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. In the past, Octorara troops have donated cookies to local fire and ambulance stations, the Octorara Area Food Cupboard, an urgent care center, and The Parkesburg POINT youth center.

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