Published: January 07, 2009 09:01 am      

Girl Scouts hosting munch off event

By TESA CULLI

tesa.culli@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — The Girl Scouts of Shagbark Council will be kicking off the annual Girl Scout cookie sales season with a “celebrity” munch off this Saturday.

“It’s a fun event that helps us communicate to the public how important the Girl Scout cookie program is to our girls and our organization,” said Amanda Hutchison, community relations specialist for Girl Scouts of Shagbark Council. “We’re anticipating about 20 local celebrity contestants.”

The event will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Times Square Mall center court. The goal of the 2nd Annual Munch Off is to see how many Girl Scout cookies each contestant can eat in one minute. Participants are given their choice of Thin Mint or Trefoil cookie and their choice of drink between water or milk.

“Most of the contestants are choosing Trefoils,” Hutchison said. “When they are making their decision, they are really thinking it out. That’s good.”

Last year pitted celebrities Mary Jane Chesley, Ryan Roddy, Bonnie Jerdon, Roger Mulch, David Belcher, Spencer Bone, Rhonda McCowen, Russell Withers, Jason Austin, Dana Withers, Travis Loyd, Mike Beard, Kevin Sargent and Leonard Ferguson against each other in a qualifying round and championship round of cookie munching. The hands-down winner of the competition was Loyd, of Jackson Hewitt in Mt. Vernon.

The Shagbark Council serves girl scouts in 28 Southern Illinois Counties. Hutchison said 60 cents of every box of cookies sold goes to the troop which is selling the cookies and the troop plans its service projects, trips and activities around how much they raise during cookie sales. Information from the council states the girls get the added benefits of learning how to set goals, money management, teamwork, self-confidence, customer service and leadership.

Girl Scouts will be out collecting orders for cookies Jan. 10 through 25, and cookies are expected to be received on March 9.