Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones has given up sweets for Lent, but that didn't stop him from meeting yesterday with a group of cookie-selling Girl Scouts.
The mayor resisted a platter of Samoas, Tagalongs and other sweets as he talked with seven members of Troop 899 about the importance of community service. The girls told him about sending shoes to children in Africa and providing money for local women who are homeless. The mayor encouraged them to spread the word that people should fill out their forms for the upcoming census, noting that no information would be shared with law-enforcement or immigration officials.
"We're very concerned about making sure that everybody is counted," Jones said.
The mayor was surprised to learn that he was meeting with girls from Hanover and Henrico counties, not the city. However, he added that they need all their residents counted in the census, too.
The troop, based at St. Paul's Baptist Church's north campus in eastern Henrico, is part of the Girl Scout Commonwealth Council of Virginia. So far, the troop has sold about 7,000 boxes of cookies at $3.50 apiece.
After posing for a group photo for National Girl Scout Week, Jones offered to take some cookies to the City Council for its meeting. "Catch me on Good Friday," he added, "and I'll eat them."
Contact Will Jones at (804) 649-6911 or wjones@timesdispatch.com.
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