Cracking down on panhandlers may hurt Girl Scouts' cookie sales
SEATTLE -- A new panhandling crackdown could inadvertently take aim at Girl Scouts selling their popular cookies.
For Girl Scouts, the sale of their famous cookies is a major fundraiser.
They work hard for three weeks every year to sell the cookies. They earn 75 cents on each box sold, which helps pay for summer camp.
"It gives us a chance to go on camping trips and go horseback riding," said girl scout Lanai Hurd.
But Seattle City Council member Tim Burgess has a plan that could put a snag in sales.
He's pushing a panhandling crackdown -- an effort, he says, to make residents feel safer. Under Burgess' plan, no soliciting would be allowed within 15 feet of an ATM or a parking pay station.
Burgess says his proposal "restrict(s) behaviors used by individuals to threaten and intimidate people into giving them money."
And that poses a possible problem for Girl Scouts, who are often stationed in or outside grocery stores or street corners not too far away from ATMs.
When good sales are all about location, moving could be bad for business.
"Location is extremely important," said Leslie Hurd, a mother of a Girl Scout. "So sites that allow a lot of traffic are very popular for site sales."
There have been a few recent comments on local blogs about aggressive cookie-selling tactics near ATMs, suggesting the panhandling plan should apply to the Girl Scouts.
"The girls are trained to observe and respect all laws, rules, and regulations. If the girls, through their enthusiasm, offend a customer, we wish to apologize," the organization said.
Girl Scout families say the girls are simply hoping to make a sale.
"It's such a tradition," said Leeann Ghiglione, a Girl Scout's mother. "I believe Girl Scouts have been selling cookies since at least the 1940's. It doesn't seem...we're not asking for something for nothing."
The city council is expected to talk about the panhandling proposal on Monday. It calls for more police foot patrols, but it's not clear how that would be paid for.
For Girl Scouts, the sale of their famous cookies is a major fundraiser.
They work hard for three weeks every year to sell the cookies. They earn 75 cents on each box sold, which helps pay for summer camp.
"It gives us a chance to go on camping trips and go horseback riding," said girl scout Lanai Hurd.
But Seattle City Council member Tim Burgess has a plan that could put a snag in sales.
He's pushing a panhandling crackdown -- an effort, he says, to make residents feel safer. Under Burgess' plan, no soliciting would be allowed within 15 feet of an ATM or a parking pay station.
Burgess says his proposal "restrict(s) behaviors used by individuals to threaten and intimidate people into giving them money."
And that poses a possible problem for Girl Scouts, who are often stationed in or outside grocery stores or street corners not too far away from ATMs.
When good sales are all about location, moving could be bad for business.
"Location is extremely important," said Leslie Hurd, a mother of a Girl Scout. "So sites that allow a lot of traffic are very popular for site sales."
There have been a few recent comments on local blogs about aggressive cookie-selling tactics near ATMs, suggesting the panhandling plan should apply to the Girl Scouts.
"The girls are trained to observe and respect all laws, rules, and regulations. If the girls, through their enthusiasm, offend a customer, we wish to apologize," the organization said.
Girl Scout families say the girls are simply hoping to make a sale.
"It's such a tradition," said Leeann Ghiglione, a Girl Scout's mother. "I believe Girl Scouts have been selling cookies since at least the 1940's. It doesn't seem...we're not asking for something for nothing."
The city council is expected to talk about the panhandling proposal on Monday. It calls for more police foot patrols, but it's not clear how that would be paid for.
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