Back before social media, helicopter parents, stranger danger, and being chauffeured everywhere, I was a Camp Fire Girl tasked with the job of selling Camp Fire mints. That meant I was expected to take my carrier of six boxes of mints door to door in my neighborhood and sell them to kind people. I was to wear my uniform, have a good attitude, and sell, sell, sell.
I was shy and little. But I had a deep sense of responsibility to my group, so I would set out each year with my boxes of mints. Each year I dreamed that somehow I would sell enough mints to earn a scholarship to camp. Each year at Camp Namanu they would introduce the girls who had sold that many mints. I think you had to sell about five thousand boxes to get a scholarship.
In my neighborhood, houses were sparse and spread out. I trudged along walking up long driveways, knocking on doors, gathering my courage and smiling. I usually sold about 10 boxes for several afternoons worth of trying. I hated every minute of it.
Needless to say, I buy anything that any kid knocks on the door to sell me. Cookies, candy, wrapping paper, cookie dough, and magazine subscriptions. Usually, though, I see a parent hovering in the background. Some things have definitely changed!
Wow…you brought back some memories! I loved Blue Birds and Camp Fire, and loved my Camp Fire Leader. She was a patient, kind, and fun woman! Thanks for reminding me of what the Fanny Farmer Candy box looked like. I remember selling the chocolates…and especially loved the french mints. Yum!
Like you, I was shy, however, I forced myself to sell those chocolates door to door. I was always shocked when I sold them:-))))
I loved my leader too!
I understand, and me too, i fill in surveys as i know the struggle in getting people to respond when you are tasked with getting feedback from a certain number of target customers.
Empathy derived from experience
Lovely reminiscing Elizabeth. I have never tried selling anything in my youth.
You were spared a hard experience.
I can relate completely, Elizabeth. I always hated having to do anything like this and I still don’t really like it although I am better.
Can you believe an insurance company once wanted to hire me to “cold call” clients on the phone. I said no.
Oooh, I wouldn’t like a job like that. I find those calls very irritating although I do try to be polite. Lots of people aren’t.
Sometimes I am too irritated to be polite when it is the middle of supper.
I remember your previous post on campfire girls. 5,000 boxes seems like a lot. I can imagine the pressure? Today has definitely changed, children don’t dare go door to door. Parents now take it to work. That’s why my coworkers bring things in for us to by all the time.
I don’t know what they think kids learn by having their parents do the selling.
Yeah, I see a lot of parents bringing stuff to sell on behalf of their kids. We have pushed ourselves this far. Is the whole idea only to raise money for causes or to instill some virtues and skills into the kids as well? Unfortunately, the safety concerns have overrun all those ideals.