‘Not just little girls selling cookies': Local scouts celebrate 100 years with ‘Destin Desserts' cooking contest

Juliette Gordon Low held the first fundraiser for Girl Scouts in 1914 when she sold her pearl necklace to earn money for the organization.

Low started the organization in 1912 Savannah, Ga., with 18 members. Now, the Girl Scouts of the Florida Panhandle are carrying on Low’s legacy into the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting with its inaugural “Destin Desserts” fundraiser at The Sandestin Hilton’s Grand Ballroom, 6:30-9 p.m. Feb. 24.

“It’s reconnecting with Girl Scouts,” said Jones, who is communications and marketing director for the Panhandle-based Girl Scouts.

“Almost everyone you talk to will say, ‘I used to be a Girl Scout,’ “ said Michelle Kyser, chief development officer for Girl Scouts of the Florida Panhandle.

Members of the community, whether past Girl Scouts or not, are invited to partake in a night of delectable dessert creations by five of the area’s top chefs, music by local jazz favorite Jones and Company, and a myriad of silent auction items, ranging from a facial at Avantgarde to a dinner for two at the Ocean Club.

“We want to educate the community on the philanthropic need for Girl Scouts,” said Lois. “Girl Scouts gives lifelong experiences. It’s not just little girls selling cookies.”

But, the cookies will be an important part of the evening, as the five chefs have been tasked with creating original dessert creations using a Girl Scout cookie of their choice as the main ingredient.

The tickets transform into voting ballots, and attendees can vote on their favorite palate-pleasing dessert a la Top Chef.

Chefs include Cuvee Bistro’s Chef Alan Baltazar, Emerald Coast Conference Center’s Chef Mark Hall, Stinky’s Fish Camp’s Chefs Brannon Janca, Jim Richard and Todd Misener, One20 A Modern Bistro’s Chefs Dan Pettis and Myranda Broxson, and Beach Walk Café’s Chef John Sallman.

Tickets for evening event are $75 and available at each of these restaurants, as well as through Michelle Kyser at 850-434-1333 or ekyser@gscfp.org.

Destin Desserts is more than an event — “It’s a night of pleasure — pure pleasure,” said Lois.

This fundraiser will help the Girl Scouts organization give young girls opportunities, to find their passion and open the doors of opportunity.

“We do our work, we do our good deeds, we do our community service, but we keep it to ourselves,” said Erickson. “We’re out best-kept secret, and we have to stop.”

This event is part of a yearlong celebration of 100 years of Girl Scouts, and a celebration of all the lives changed by Girl Scouts.

Gretchen Erickson, president of the Girl Scouts of the Florida Panhandle, is a self-proclaimed Girl Scout of 42 years.

“I just never stopped,” said Erickson.

She recalled pinning her own Brownie pin on her daughter, who is now studying to be a youth minister.

“It was a defining moment, to pass on everything I had received,” she said.

“I went to college because of Girl Scouts,” Kyser added. “It was 1970, and I boarded a bus that came to the housing project where I lived. They picked up my Girl Scout troop and took us to look at colleges.”