Douglas County residents bought more Girl Scout cookies this year, but sales overall were down in northeast Kansas.

The delivery of 69,000 boxes of Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Patties, Caramel deLites and other types of Girl Scout cookies to Lawrence had Kansas University sophomore Lisa Turner, left, helping to sort through the mountain of boxes. Turner and some of her Alpha Gamma Delta sorority sisters helped sort the cookies Monday morning, before troop parents picked up cookies in the afternoon. At right is United Van Lines truck driver Bob Matthews, Topeka, who delivered the truckload of cookies.

“We’re attributing much of the decrease to the weather,” said Diane Oakes, chief executive officer for the Girl Scouts of Kaw Valley. “The sales were during the same time we had the ice storms and bad weather.”

Monday, a delivery truck dropped off cases of the cookies at the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds. The scouts will begin making deliveries soon.

Locally, cookie sales increased by about 1,400 boxes. Douglas County Girl Scouts ordered 80,184 boxes of cookies this year, local volunteers said. Last year, they ordered 78,828 boxes.

But sales of Girl Scout cookies were down $90,000 from last year for the Girl Scouts of Kaw Valley Council. The council covers 13 counties, including Douglas County.

Oakes said she hoped to recoup costs through cookie booths in the various council counties. She said it was too early to know what kind of deficit the group faced. But she said staff members already were looking at ways to cut expenses without cutting programs for the scouts.

Oakes said people who were on diets or couldn’t eat the cookies could make a donation by calling (785) 273-3100, ext. 24. Otherwise, Oakes suggested people buy a box for $3.50 at one of the cookie booths.

“We’re really hoping to close the gap on this shortfall by having strong follow-up sales in the booths,” she said.

Area Girl Scout troops will be selling cookies at various locations for the next two weeks. Here are some of the sites:

6News video: Girl Scout cookies are loaded up

• Weekday afternoons from Wednesday through March 11 in front of Wescoe Hall at Kansas University.
• Friday evenings and all day Saturday and Sunday through March 10 at Checkers Foods, 2300 La.
• Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings and all day Saturday and Sunday through March 10 at Wal-Mart, 3300 Iowa.

People also can call the Girl Scouts of Kaw Valley Council toll-free at (800) 432-0286 to order cookies. More information about the Girl Scouts of Kaw Valley Council can be found at www.girlscouts.net.