The annual Girl Scout Cookie Program begins door-to-door sales on Friday and ends January 27.

The sales dates at local retail locations are weekends from Feb. 22 – March 17. New this year will be a unique cookie, updated box designs and expanded eco-packaging.

Making its debut as a new cookie is the tropical-flavored Mango Crème. This crispy vanilla coconut cookie with mango-flavored crème filling has all the nutrient benefits of eating cranberries, pomegranates, oranges, grapes, and strawberries. The seven other returning flavors are Caramel deLites, Lemonades, Peanut Butter Pattie, Peanut Butter Sandwich, Shortbread, Thanks-A-Lot and Thin Mints.

For the first time since 1999, all cookie boxes will have a new look. The package showcases the Gold Award which is the highest award a Girl Scout can earn, and the five financial literacy and entrepreneurship skills that the Girl Scout Cookie Program teaches girls: goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics. These are all important ingredients in the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

An additional change will also be noticed in the Lemonades new eco-friendly packaging. These cookies join Thanks-A-Lot that were taken “out of the box” in 2010 and packed in film-overwrapped trays. This single change saves tons of paperboard from going into America’s waste stream and, because more cookies can be shipped on a truck, an estimated several thousand gallons of diesel fuel is saved each cookie season.

The South Carolina-Mountains to Midlands council benefits from the cookie sales program because 100 percent of the proceeds from the $3.50 per box cost remain within the council jurisdiction. These proceeds help underwrite troop activities and expenses, girl programming, camperships, membership assistance, program development, training opportunities and girl-focused property improvements.

When girls choose to use their cookie proceeds to purchase materials for a community action leadership project, then the community benefits. Examples of this are often seen in renovations and beautification projects at local schools, churches and children’s centers.

Customers can once again choose the option to purchase cookies for deployed, overseas U.S. troops. The Cookies for Soldiers program works by cookie customers designating all, or a portion, of their purchase to this program. Cookie ordering and distribution is handled by the Girl Scouts. Shipping is arranged and financed by the local chapters of the Blue Star Mothers of America.

Kim Hutzell, president/CEO, Girl Scouts of South Carolina-Mountains to Midland said, “Participation in the Girl Scout Cookie Program is so much more than just a sales’ experience. As girls learn to handle money and be self-reliant, they are also learning how to bring their own values to the business world as they become tomorrow’s leaders.”

For additional information please log onto www.GSSCcookies.org or call 1-800-849-4475.

For 100 years, Girl Scouting has helped girls develop positive values and become active, responsible leaders in their communities. With emphasis on personal growth and leadership development through service to others, Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. Girl Scouts of South Carolina-Mountains to Midlands serves approximately 12,300 girls, grades K5-12, and 5,00 adults in 22 counties of central and western South Carolina, including Abbeville, Aiken, Anderson, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Kershaw, Lancaster, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Sumter, and Union.