ST. PAULS — After 11 years as a member of the Girl Scouts, Chloe Edge believes the support of a strong troop and a positive attitude is what it takes to be named a top cookie seller.

“It’s my support system, but also getting out there, talking to people and being nice,” Edge said.

The 16-year-old should know, considering she earned the title for the seventh time during the 2020 cookie season.

Girls Scouts — North Carolina Coastal Pines recently announced that the St. Pauls Scout is Robeson County’s top seller for the 2020 Girl Scout Cookie Program. Edge sold 3,237 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies during the annual cookie program held Jan. 11 through March 1.

Participating in the Girl Scout Cookie Program is a long-held tradition for girls, with recognition as a top cookie seller a coveted honor. Being named a top seller goes beyond what’s in the box because it highlights a girl’s determination to set and achieve goals, develop business and financial literacy skills, and enhance their entrepreneurial spirit.

This recognition also demonstrates a girl’s mastery of goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics as she runs her very own cookie business.

“The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the perfect opportunity for girls to develop important skills that they will use throughout their life while raising funds to support future leadership endeavors with Girl Scouts.” said Kelly Griffin, product sales director, Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines. “All of the girls that participated in the 2020 program made their own unique contribution, making them entrepreneurs in the largest girl-led business in the world, and we could not be prouder of them. We are excited to honor and celebrate the leaders of this year’s Girl Scout Cookie Program.”

The Girls Scouts — North Carolina Coastal Pines’ overall top sellers are Chloe Huggler, Allison Bundle and Taryn Brooks. Huggler, of Wake County, placed first by selling 5,005 boxes. Bundle, of Onslow County, placed second with 4,826 boxes, and Brooks, of Harnett County, placed third with 4,600 boxes.

Edge is part part of Troop 3588, a troop of 22 scouts based in St. Pauls.

Edge’s troop yielded the runner-up top sellers in Robeson County, with first-grader Teagan Hunt, of St. Pauls, placing second with 2,075 boxes sold, and Parkton kindergartner Brynann Bryant placing third with 1,488 boxes sold.

Edge attributes most of her success to her extrovert personality. She believes there’s no room for shyness when selling cookies.

“I think it’s that I’m outgoing. I’m not scared of people,” Edge said.

It’s being around her large troop and meeting new people that draws Edge in each year.

“I really, really enjoy being around people,” she said.

Edge’s mother, Crystal Edge, is her troop leader and one of her biggest motivators. But her mother believes it’s her work ethic that contributes to her daughter’s success.

“While most girls would want to stay at home, she’s out there on a cold, rainy Saturday,” Crystal said. “We can’t turn the cookies back in. We have to make sure they’re sold.

“We got to push. It makes them stronger.”

Crystal believes these are traits that all the Scouts in her troops have.

“It makes me really, really proud,” she said.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program helps support girls in achieving the goals they set for program activities, community service projects and philanthropy, and ensures all girls are afforded access to the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines sold more than 3 million boxes of cookies, with about 11,000 Girl Scouts participating in the 2020 program. More than 2,300 girls sold more than 400 boxes of cookies each. Additionally, 350 girls sold more than 1,000 boxes each. The average number of boxes sold per Girl Scout in the Coastal Pines region was 282. Nationally the average number of boxes sold per Girl Scout was about 165.

This year, Girls Scouts — North Carolina Coastal Pines exceeded its Operation Cookie Drop goal by collecting donations to send more than 104,000 boxes of cookies to military men and women.