Dessert First 2026 was an evening filled with inspiration, generosity, and a powerful belief in the potential of girls.
What an incredible night it was. When our community gathers around girls, something powerful happens. Dessert First is more than a celebration. It is a moment when supporters, partners, volunteers, and Girl Scouts themselves come together to invest in leadership, confidence, and possibility.
To our corporate partners, donors, volunteers, and friends, thank you for believing in girls and in the mission of Girl Scouts. Your support ensures that the next generation of leaders is growing right here in Eastern Missouri. Together, we are helping girls dream bigger, lead boldly, and create a brighter future for us all.
Congratulations to our People’s Choice Award Winner, Jackie Huebbe, from SugarBot Sweet Shop & Creamery. Her Trefoil shortbread dessert layered with rich dulce-de-leche caramel and chocolate ganache was a culinary delight!
Thank you to all of the participating chefs for their wonderful Girl Scout Cookie-inspired creations.
At this special event, we celebrated the leadership and service of outstanding Girl Scouts and award two Changemaker Scholarships of $5,000 to be used for higher education. Scholarship recipients must have earned their Gold Award,
the highest recognition available to Girl Scouts. Watch the video to hear more from these future leaders!
2026 Changemaker Scholarship Honoree
2026 Changemaker Scholarship Honoree
Changemaker Scholarships are made possible by: Penny Pennington and Michael Fidler in honor of every girl making her mark on the world, and William R. Orthwein and Laura Rand Orthwein Foundation
Dessert First honored one Individual Legacy Builder, one Corporate/Foundation Legacy Builder, and one Community Legacy Builder.
The honorees are chosen because of the enormous support and service they have provided to Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri.
Individual Legacy Builder
Corporate/Foundation Legacy Builder
Community Legacy Builder
Amy's Cake Pop Shop
Butler's Pantry
Cake Snob
Donut King
Serendipity Homemade Ice Cream
SugarBot Sweet Shop & Creamery
The Chase Park Plaza
The Cup
Vanilla Sugar Bake Shoppe
