OXFORD — Girl Scout cookie season is here as troops all across the country begin selling the sought after snacks today. The Girl Scouts set out to sell cookies while also building entrepreneurial and business skills that are imperative for leadership and future success.

It is a lucrative endeavor, and each year the Girl Scouts generate an average of nearly $800 million in sales. All the net revenue raised stays within the troop’s area that the councils use to pay for their programming throughout the year.

The Oxford and Lafayette County area has around 20 troops that will be selling cookies beginning this weekend until late March when the season ends. If someone is still craving cookies past, March there is a random chance troops will have leftover stock to sell once the season is over.

“I think Oxford does great (with cookie sales)” Abi Rayburn said. “If we had it year-round we’d probably sell the same number of cookies, but because we’re relying on volunteers like me and others in our service area, you can’t ask them to (sell cookies) year long.”

Rayburn is a co-leader of Troop 13213 and on the board of Girl Scouts Heart of the South, a regional council based in Memphis.

All of the favorite flavors will be available, including top sellers thin mints and samoas. For the first month and half of the season, the only way to buy cookies will be from a member of the troop through one of their order cards. Beginning on February 23, for four consecutive weekends, there will be booths set up in front of area stores like Walmart, Kroger and Larson’s Cashsaver. Rayburn is still setting up the exact locations for her troop’s booth during the four weeks.

It is also possible to order through the Girl Scout website, girlscouthst.org. However, the buyer must know a girl scout to be able to purchase cookies online. If a person does not know a scout personally, the website will put the buyer in touch with a local girl scout in the area.