Did you come here to win cookies? You’d better read this page because we’re going to ask a question about it when we get to the entry form!

It seems like you really like Girl Scout cookies! That’s awesome (and thanks for the love), but did you know there’s SO MUCH MORE to the Girl Scout program? We have badges and patches devoted to uplifting girls, teaching them useful life skills, and giving them ways to make the world a better place. Girl Scout cookies just help to power it all!

If you think that sounds like something you want to be part of, we’d love to have you join us. Click here to learn even more about Girl Scouts, join as a girl member, or sign up as a volunteer. (Or if you’re already a member, did you remember to renew for the 2020-2021 membership year? Don’t forget you want to earn those SAGE Tuition Rewards, but you can only get them if you renew by Sept. 30, 2020!)

Not ready to make the jump? Unsure what troop to pick? Want to chat about financial assistance? You can provide us your info and we can talk a little more. Just stop when you get to the payment or troop selection page and we’ll follow up with you. You can also email customercare@gswny.org or call 1-888-837-6410. Or if you’d rather not give us your details, we highly recommend following us on social media (Facebook, Instagram) to get a better understanding of it all and see photos of the incredible, amazing, mind-blowing things that girls from Kindergarten all the way through 12th grade are doing through the Girl Scout program.

Speaking of the amazing things they’re doing, new badges have been created this year! We have new democracy badges for all ages. There’s new automotive engineering badges for girls from Kindergarten to 5th grade. There’s a new set of STEM (science, tech, engineering, math) career exploration badges for 2nd to 8th grade girls. And for all ages, there’s also a set of new entrepreneurship badges! Check out ALL the Girl Scout badges here at the Badge Explorer.

So how does all of this tie into Paula’s Donuts? Paula is an entrepreneur and her daughters also play a huge part in the business. Paula established her business in 1996 and now it’s not only famous in the Buffalo area, but often tourists are sure to make a stop to try out the sweet treats. What does Paula herself have to say about being a woman in business?

Paula endured a rough start to her entrepreneurial journey. She worked day and night, seven days a week for five years to start, wondering if business would ever pick up. She recalled, “When I first opened, a man approached me and asked are you the owner? I said yes, and thought he was going to say something positive and he said you’re never going to make it! I said WATCH ME!“

When Paula was asked what being an entrepreneur meant to her and why she decided to become one, she stated, “It means everything to me – I love my family, business, being my own boss, and being able to decide which direction we’re going to go and when I make mistakes I learn to work smarter and figure it out; you have to figure it out and turn it around. In the past, I worked for a lot of different people and I didn’t like the way I was treated as a woman and especially as a ‘woman in a kitchen as a baker’ and it was very frustrating because often when I would speak out about improvements that could be made to make the business better, I wasn’t listened to.”

The advice that Paula would give to girls and women who want to become successful entrepreneurs is, “Get educated and you have to be tough, go with your heart, be a good moral person, and let that guide you. Women support women, help each other and have respect for each other, it doesn’t have to be a competition to help each other.”

We are so grateful to Paula for partnering with us for this special event! On August 13 and 14, 2020, Paula’s Donuts is offering donuts made with real Girl Scout Cookies in mint chocolate and coconut caramel flavors from Girl Scouts of Western New York (GSWNY). GSWNY receives 50% of sales. 

So now the part you probably came for… How do you win a year of cookies? Let’s start with the rules.

CONTEST RULES:

• You must reside in our Girl Scouts of Western New York 9-county area (Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, or Wyoming County).
• You must be able to come to one of our 5 main Service Center locations to pick up the cookies in November. We are unable to ship or deliver. (Click here to see our locations in Batavia, Buffalo, Jamestown, Lockport, and Rochester. Hours for pickup may be flexible. Delivery to our Niagara Falls satellite office is not possible.) The cookies will not arrive to us from our baker until November, so that will be the earliest possible pickup date.
• The winner receives 52 packages of cookies (one for each week of the year) comprised of a random variety, not including gluten-free cookies. We are unable to determine the exact quantity of any particular varieties. (Our council is an ABC Bakers council. Click here to see the varieties there will be a mix of, except the gluten-free.) Winner will not be able to substitute any varieties, packages, or the prize as a whole. The winner may not resell any cookies, but is welcome to gift them for free to friends and family.
• Winner will be contacted by phone and/or email. The winner will be selected at random shortly after the contest ends. The winner must have filled out the entry form completely and correctly. Winner does not need to be a member of Girl Scouts. A purchase at Paula’s Donuts is not required for entry.
• The winner may be asked to have photos and/or video taken when they pick up their prize. These may be used as marketing material shared on social media, news sources, or the GSWNY website.
• Contest closes Fri., August 14, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. Questions regarding this contest should be directed to customercare@gswny.org, but we are unable to guarantee response by the end of the contest.

Okay, you got all that? Great!

Click here to enter!