Nearly a century ago, the first Girl Scouts of America cookie initiative began in Muskogee, Okla, and local scouts are preparing for another cookie sale early in 2013.

The Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama Cookie Sale will kick off on New Year’s Day 2013 and come to a close on March 3.

The traditional door-to-door sales will take place in January, and the scouts will have booths around the city of Troy during the month of February.

Becky Benson, the field director for the Wiregrass area for Girl Scouts of America, said the girls enjoy the cookie sale for a variety of different reasons.

“They absolutely love it,” Benson said. “They get to get out in the community and learn skills that will be put to use later in life. It is a great way for them to serve and learn at the same time.”

Cookies come in a variety of flavors including: Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Patties, Caramel Delight, and Shortbreads. The Thin Mint is the most popular cookie in the United States in terms of sales, besting the famous Oreo. The most popular cookie in the Troy area is the Caramel Delight.

All cookies are kosher, and the program provides the girls an opportunity to practice finance, marketing and public relations.

The cookie program is the largest girl-led business and the leading financial literacy program for girls in the United States.

The funds collected from the cookie sales are used to plan service activities, including camps, in the local community.

“The money is divided up between the girls, the organization and the cookie manufacturer,” said Benson. “Most of the money goes to the girls so that they can help out their local community.”

Though she works for the Girl Scouts, Benson said, with a laugh, she gets excited for “cookie time” every year, and enjoys a box of Caramel Delights from time to time.