SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - The much-anticipated Girl Scout cookie season is about to begin! Should warning labels on alcohol include cancer risk? Western Mass. received its share of the sweet excitement during the annual Girl Scout Cookie Drop on Saturday. This event kicks off the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world, empowering Girl Scouts to hone their business and leadership skills while selling iconic cookies like Thin Mints, Samoas, and Tagalongs. This year, western Mass. welcomed 13,183 cases--equivalent to nearly 160,000 individual packages of cookies. The delivery was dropped off at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Springfield and Cinemark Theatre in West Springfield on Saturday morning. Troops, leaders, volunteers, and staff from the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts (GSCWM) gathered to unload cookies off the trucks to distribute to their local communities. This marks the official start of cookie sales in the region, with Girl Scouts from across western Massachusetts and surrounding areas gearing up to reach their sales goals and support their troop activities. The Cookie Drop is a monumental logistical effort, with 32,629 cases (391,548 packages) of cookies being delivered across central locations in Springfield, West Springfield, Townsend, and Worcester. Springfield's delivery is part of a larger effort by GSCWM to serve over 5,000 Girl Scouts across five counties in central and western Massachusetts. Beyond satisfying cravings, the program teaches participants critical skills like goal setting, decision-making, money management, people skills, and business ethics. The funds raised through cookie sales directly benefit local troops, supporting activities, community service projects, and educational programs. Other cookie drop locations included: Townsend: 3,825 cases at North Middlesex Regional High School Worcester: 15,620 cases at UMass Behavioral Health Parking Lot Local News Headlines Girl Scout cookie season kicks off with over 13,000 cases arriving in western Mass. Respiratory illnesses are on the rise in Massachusetts this winter State House Spotlight: Shelter inspections and a suite of bills Substance use disorder ceremonial bill signing WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.