Girl Scout Brownie Troop 526 will sell cookies at the Boothbay Region YMCA on Saturday, March 3 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. A second sale is scheduled, same place, same time, on the 17th. Cookie sale proceeds help fund the troop and scouting in Maine, and packages are $4.

“It’s actually pretty amazing how much of that $4 goes to scouting,” said Tonia Blake, who co-leads the troop along with Charlinda Carlson and Krystle Hodgdon. “Just over a dollar to pay the baker and sale costs, and then all the rest stays right here in Maine. The troop gets some, and the rest pays for things like Girl Scouts of Maine programming, financial aid for camp, and training for volunteers.”

The Brownies, all local second graders, will spend some of the troop proceeds to sponsor a beach clean-up in the spring. “The girls are very focused this year on keeping animals safe, especially marine animals,” said Blake. “We’ll have our clean-up, but we’ll also focus on educating others about the dangers of trash in the ocean to try to reduce the problem in the future.”

As last year, the Saturday cookie sales coincides with the March Madness basketball tournaments hosted at the Y. Tournament food sales support local athletics, and people can donate packages of cookies to Meals on Wheels, as well.

Girl Scouts of Maine builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. GSME provides services and support to over 12,000 girl and adult members statewide, and operates service centers and shops in South Portland and Bangor.