Sharpsburg Indie Girl Scout recognized as outstanding 'super seller'

Sharpsburg resident Diana Oliver was filled with pride and joy when her daughter, Pamelah, was recognized by the state for setting a high bar in cookie sales.

The Indie Girl Scout, meaning not affiliated with a particular troop, sold 2,200 boxes this year.

State Rep. Mandy Steele, D-Fox Chapel, presented her with a citation at a Sharpsburg Council meeting April 25.

“It was very much a surprise,” Oliver said. “I don’t think we would have had the success without the family.”

Family members set up what they called “Bloom Where You Are Planted” cookie booths at the Giant Eagle in The Waterworks, the Walmart in Gibsonia and at Roots of Faith during First Fridays in Sharpsburg from early March through mid-April. They also took preorders before setting up shop.

Pamelah, 6, an autistic nonverbal child, was at all the booths and was able to make sales pitches despite only being able to enunciate three-word sentences.

“We made that our life for about two months,” Oliver said. “It was all about cookies to give her the opportunity of being out in the public and interacting with people for the acceptance level. It was important for us for the acceptance as well as it was therapeutic for Pam because she is emerging with her speech.

“Just her saying ‘Please buy cookies’ is such a reward for our family. She wrote her name on all her bags. That was helpful as well. The experience we got from it was so rewarding — and then Mandy Steele’s citation on top of that was well worth it. I’m not sure that Pam understood (the recognition), but it gives me hope as a mom that one day she will.”

Oliver, Pamelah and her father, John Moore, took photos with Steele outside the borough building.

Steele said the citation was in recognition of Pamelah stepping outside her comfort zone to achieve something big and for her family’s commitment to excellence and hard work.

“She’s really doing pretty amazing things,” Steele said. “It was a team effort, and they are the kind of parents I also feel deserve recognition. Selling 2,200 boxes is a Herculean effort.”

Steele, a former Brownie and Girl Scout, said her record sales was about 30 boxes.

Pamelah, a Hartwood Elementary first grader, outsold all other Scouts in the Fox Chapel Area School District by a lot, according to Fox Chapel service unit cookie manager Valerie Ewing.

She said there are 22 Girl Scout troops in the area with average memberships ranging from 12 to 25 Scouts. Pamelah was the only Indie Scout in the area to sell cookies this year and was named what the Scouts call a super seller.

“Most Indie Scouts don’t sell,” Ewing said. “It is something a little bit harder. You’re doing it completely on your own. Sometimes it’s easier to spread it around (in a troop). In my experience, we haven’t had many Indie Scouts sell cookies — let along sell 2,200 boxes.

“I would bet she probably sold more than most people in Western Pennsylvania. … She likely sold more than whole troops.

“It’s a challenging thing, and it takes a lot of time and a lot of hours for the whole family. I give them a lot of credit for putting all that time and effort into their dedication to Girl Scouts and everything they did this year.”

Boxes were $6 each. Thin Mints were Pamelah’s biggest seller. Funds raised went to Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania.

The family will be going on trips to Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Waldameer Park & Water World in Erie and Niagara Falls in New York as a result of their sales.

Ewing said her daughter, Hazel, and Pamelah were close friends in preschool. They hope Pamelah’s accomplishment inspires other Scouts to overcome challenges and achieve great things.

“It was really nice of Harrisburg to recognize her,” Ewing said. “Especially because of her different abilities and representing that autistic girls are welcome and can be very successful in Girl Scouts. Any girl can shine. They just have to find what works for them.”