St. Patrick’s Day at Eli’s Cheesecake isn’t just about wearing green — it’s about eating it too, at least in the form of minty, chocolate-dipped cheesecake pops made by the local Girl Scout troop.
Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana Troop 25181 stepped into Eli’s Cheesecake Bakery Cafe, 6701 W. Forest Preserve Drive in Dunning, on Wednesday, donning white coats over their uniforms to decorate and pack Thin Mint cheesecake pops, featuring their famous Thin Mint cookies. The pops were dipped in mint chocolate, decorated with shamrocks and tied with a green ribbon.
For the scouts, this collaboration is a key part of their fundraising efforts. Kim Curtis, one of the troop leaders, explained that the troop sells around 24 boxes of Thin Mints directly to Eli’s, which uses them to make cheesecakes.
“This provides a good portion of our fundraising, in addition to cookie sales. It also gives us visibility and brings more customers to us,” Curtis told the Chicago Sun-Times.
The troop, made up of six high school girls, has sold about 1,300 boxes of cookies so far this year during cookie season, which runs from mid-December through March. For the past eight years, Eli’s has hosted this event close to St. Patrick’s Day, turning it into an annual tradition for the scouts.
“This event is a really great leadership opportunity for the kids,” said Curtis. “They learn about financing, business, sales and customer satisfaction. It also lets them see where the cookies go — they’re reaching a whole new customer base and getting a tour to see how careful the production is.”
For the scouts, the event is about more than just baking and decorating.
“We love Girl Scout Cookies, but this event teaches us that there’s more to it than just selling them — it’s about entrepreneurship and learning how to take a step further,” said Liliana Romero Luther, 16, a troop member who goes to Senn High School in Edgewater.
The troop also got a behind-the-scenes look at Eli’s operations during a guided tour of the cheesecake factory, where they learned about the production process and the business aspects of running a bakery.
“I’m in high school, so my mindset is very focused on careers right now,” Liliana said. “I love learning about different possibilities and seeing how things work behind the scenes. It’s like getting the inside scoop.”
As part of their fundraising goals, the scouts are considering two trips — one regional, possibly to Wisconsin or Michigan, and an international trip, though they may need to extend fundraising into next year to make that happen. Beyond trips, the scouts are putting their earnings toward trips and high-level Girl Scout awards.
“We’re going to start working on our Gold Awards, which are a high-level award in Girl Scouts where you have to serve your community in some way,” said Kennedy Curtis, 16. “We’re still trying to figure out what our project is going to be, but that’s the next big thing.”
Liliana, who is also working on her Gold Award, said part of the funding from this event may help support her project.
“If I need lesson materials, printed materials, or anything like that, I can draw from our troop funds,” she said. “Everything we do in Girl Scouts is funded through cookie sales and product sales, so this fundraising helps with that.”
Chicagoans can pick up these limited-edition treats, which cost $4.25 each, at Eli’s Cheesecake Bakery Cafe. The festive treats will be available while supplies last, with all proceeds benefiting the troop.
