Richmond-based London Drugs is stepping up to help Girl Guides across the country sell 800,000 boxes of their famous chocolate and vanilla cookies – one the organization’s largest annual fundraisers.
Girl Guide members found themselves unable to sell the cookies in their usual public locales after schools were closed and people instructed to stay home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“With physical distancing being so critical in Canada right now, we know door-to-door and public sales are not an option at this time, and we need to get creative,” said Diamond Isinger, Girl Guides of Canada’s provincial commissioner for B.C.
That’s where London Drugs comes in.
Once the company learned of the challenges Girl Guides of Canada was facing, London Drugs offered to help sell the cookies in its 82 stores across Western Canada, as well as online.
“Most families have had connections to Girl Guides at some point in their lives,” said Clint Mahlman, London Drugs president and chief operating officer.
“And certainly, all Canadians have enjoyed Girl Guide cookies and supporting their important programs. During this time of great change and chaos thrown into how businesses, non-profits – on how all of us work and live, if we can find new ways to support each other, then this is a bright light during a time that is shrouded in grey.”
All proceeds from the cookies, which are being sold for $5 a box, will go directly to Girl Guides of Canada – London Drugs is just providing a safe distribution network.
“London Drugs has come forward with the offer to provide significant logistical support to safely get our cookies into the homes of British Columbians and we couldn’t be more grateful,” said Isinger.
London Drugs has already picked up more than 1,000 cases, or 12,000 boxes, of cookies, which are now available in stores across the Lower Mainland.
The company will also be working with the Girl Guides to find routes from other hubs and warehouses to get the cookies distributed to Canadians across the country.
