COOKIE SEASON GIRLS SCOUTS HAVE LITTLE TROUBLE UNLOADING SWEET TREATS.

Byline: Lisa M. Sodders Staff Writer

The 18 members of Girl Scout Troop 1522 of Burbank know they have an advantage in the world of door-to-door sales: They have a well-known product almost everyone likes.

``Cookies are easy because they sell themselves,'' said Kelcey Soderstrom, 13, Burbank, daughter of one of the troop leaders, Kandace Soderstrom. ``Everybody knows about them; they come and practically ask us to (sell) them cookies.''

The troop has a lot riding on this year's sales: With the proceeds from it and other fund-raisers, they hope to go to Hawaii in the summer of 2004.

Soderstrom was one of more than 1,000 San Fernando Valley Girl Scouts and their troop leaders gathered at a rally Saturday for the first day of Girl Scout Cookie sales at Pierce College in Woodland Hills. Cookie sales will run through March 16.

At the rally, troops displayed elaborately decorated carts and wagons and participated in a Jeopardy!-style game show testing them on their cookie knowledge. They paraded stuffed toys decorated as ``cookie mascots,'' sang camp songs and watched cookie sale safety skits.

Some Girl Scouts - and some leaders - came dressed in their pajamas, but the nine Girl Scouts of Troop 112, White Oak, ages 6 to 8, were dressed as angels, to go with the theme of ``Dream Big.''

Troop leader Jennifer Clark, Northridge, said one problem is there are more girls who want to be Girl Scouts than there are adults willing to be leaders.

It's estimated that there are 150,000 girls of Girl Scout age in the San Fernando Valley, but currently only 7,200 Girl Scouts and 4,300 adult leaders.

The Girl Scouts of the San Fernando Valley council sold 703,860 boxes of cookies last year for $2.1 million in sales, said Teri Flotron, marketing/development manager for the council. For every $3 box of cookies, 78 cents goes to the bakery and $2.22 goes to programs for Girl Scouts.

That's a lot of Thin Mints, Do-Si-Dos, Samoas and Tagalongs.

Girl Scouts have been selling cookies since 1934, and Thin Mints are the most popular, accounting for more than 25 percent of all Girl Scout cookie sales.

On a diet? There's an option on the sales form that lets people purchase cookies, which are then donated to shelters or troops overseas, Flotron said.

Initially, the girls will sell cookies door-to-door, accompanied by two adults, but after March 2, they will set up booths at area grocery stores and other businesses to sell cookies to the public, Flotron said.

``Boothing'' is how Kimberly Ruiz, 13, Chatsworth, of Troop 1594, was able to sell 1,400 boxes of cookies last year, the most in the entire council.

She also had a little encouragement from her mom, who told the young saleswoman she had only sold 800 boxes when she was over 1,000, to spur her on to sell even more.

``I just really like being a Girl Scout,'' said Kimberly, who hopes to sell at least 1,000 boxes this year. ``I like to sell cookies; it's fun!''

Can't find a Girl Scout to take your order? For more information, call [phone] or visit the Girl Scouts of San Fernando Valley Web site at www.sfvgsc.org.

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Photo:

Brownie Kate Donahoe, 9, of Troop 370 in Encino samples a Girl Scout cookie Saturday in Woodland Hills.

Tina Burch/Staff Photographer