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Theresa: The Cookie Car That Drove Cookie Sales to a Record
October 18, 2026
What do you get when you combine big ideas, Girl Scout determination, and a car covered in cookies? The legendary Girl Scout Cookie Car!
For Theresa Cassaday, former Chief Communication Officer at Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska, giving away a car during Girl Scout Cookie season had long been a dream. The plan sounded simple: find a donated car, build excitement around cookies, and send one lucky winner home with the keys.
There was just one problem: finding someone willing to donate a car.
Theresa wasn't about to let a few “no's” stop her. She put her Girl Scout skills to work, built a presentation, and reached out to dealerships. Eventually, a connection with Baxter Auto led to a meeting. Theresa showed up with three boxes of Girl Scout Cookies and plenty of determination.
The result? A brand-new Toyota RAV4 lease, wrapped in a custom design featuring Girl Scout Cookies. The Cookie Car was born, and it quickly became a statewide sensation.
From cookie booths to TV commercials to the pages of newspapers, the Cookie Car brought smiles wherever it went. Girls would scream with excitement when it pulled up to their booths. Supporters could enter to win by finding a cookie booth and asking a Girl Scout for the secret code: “Cookie Car.”
The campaign helped Girl Scouts in Nebraska reach a record $8 million in cookie sales in 2017. And when it was time to award the car, the celebration was just as memorable as the ride itself.
For Theresa, the Cookie Car remains a career highlight and a reminder of what can happen when you think big, keep going after a “no”, and put a plan into action.
Those are Girl Scout lessons, too: dream boldly, persevere, and don't be afraid to shift into high gear.
100 years. Countless stories. One lasting legacy.
