Girl Scouts—Arizona Cactus-Pine Council (GSACPC) and State Forty Eight Foundation, in partnership with State Forty Eight, are teaming up once again to empower local entrepreneurs and celebrate during the last weekend of the 2024 Girl Scout Cookie Season at the annual Bring Home the Cookies 5K on Feb. 24 at the Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale, Ariz.

The Bring Home the Cookies 5K is open to the community and will feature a high-energy 5K, family fun run/walk and for the first time ever–the debut of a Celebrity Cookie Eating Contest with a lineup of local personalities like radio host Lady La, Melissa Anaya from Eat Drink AZ, plus alums from the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury.

“There is no more fitting partner to co-host the Bring Home the Cookies 5K than State Forty Eight as we invite the community to celebrate local businesses and the world's largest girl-led entrepreneurial program–the Girl Scout Cookie Program,” says Christina Spicer, co-CEO of GSACPC. “Our unique collaboration with State Forty Eight provides the next generation of business leaders with an environment where they can openly and effectively connect with others and harness their skills while taking the next steps to building on their entrepreneurial aspirations within the community.”

There will be noteworthy cameos from your favorite local sports mascots and a vibrant Runner’s Village, traditional booths and vendors including State Forty Eight Foundation grant winners and Girl Scout entrepreneurs promoting their business and selling handmade products. Girl Scouts will also be onsite selling cookies for a final opportunity for the community to stock up before the season ends on Feb. 25. The proceeds from the event will benefit both non-profit organizations to support leadership and entrepreneurship opportunities in our communities.

“The Bring Home the Cookies 5K will highlight the creativity and business acumen of several local Girl Scout entrepreneurs who brought their entrepreneurial visions to life,” says Mary Mitchell, co-CEO of GSACPC. “Girls will demonstrate the important goal setting, decision making, money management, and people skills they have acquired through participation in the Girl Scout Cookie Program.”

The family fun run/walk will kick off 8:30 a.m., followed by the inaugural Celebrity Cookie Eating Contest at 10 a.m., and the Bring Home the Cookies 5K at 10:30 a.m. The course is a fast-paced route that loops with a minimal elevation change. All registered participants will receive a limited-edition State Forty Eight 5K shirt, medal, and a delicious package of Girl Scout Cookies.

"Our collaboration with the Girl Scouts in the Bring Home the Cookies 5K has been incredibly fulfilling," says State Forty Eight CEO and Chairman of the Board for State Forty Eight Foundation, Mike Spangenberg. "Their dedication to empowering girls resonates with the core values of the State Forty Eight Foundation. Our mission is to cultivate an ecosystem that supports budding entrepreneurs and future leaders in Arizona. What better approach to realizing this vision than by actively imparting these principles to the younger generation through purposeful partnerships?"

Sponsors include The Arizona Cardinals, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Clear Channel and Massage Envy.

For more information and to register for the festivities, visit http://www.bringhomethecookies5k.com.

About Girl Scouts—Arizona Cactus-Pine Council (GSACPC)
In partnership with 6,500 adult volunteers, GSACPC serves over 12,000 girls grades K-12 in more than 90 communities across central and northern Arizona. Since 1936, GSACPC has helped girls develop leadership skills and tools for success in a rapidly changing environment. We know that given the opportunity, every girl can become a leader, act confidently on her values, and connect with her community. For more information, visit http://www.girlscoutsaz.org.