Kate Lawson / Detroit News Food Writer

The 2010 Girl Scout cookie sales may have officially ended in March, but the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan are still celebrating everyone's favorite confection with the annual Cookie Gala.

This is the seventh year for the scouts' largest fundraiser (next to cookie sales), in which chefs from Michigan's finest restaurants gather to create delectable desserts using Girl Scout cookies as the main ingredient.  Last year's Cookie Gala raised more than $80,000 to support programming for girls.

Each chef is randomly assigned a cookie variety, including the new Thank U Berry Munch, a cranberry chip cookie.

This year, 13 restaurants are participating, including the Lark in West Bloomfield Township (pastry chef Dino Challon); Andiamo Riverfront in Detroit (executive chef Eddie Bailey); the Historic White Horse Inn in Metamora (chef Tim Wilkins); St. Clair Inn in St. Clair (executive chef Glenn Staley); and Small Plates in Detroit (sous chef Daniel Huizar). While the competition is in great fun, every chef wants the opportunity to come away a winner.

Jeff Baldwin, chef/owner of J. Baldwin's in Clinton Township, just might have the competition licked with his Do-Si-Do lollipop made from the peanut butter sandwich cookie.

"I'm making a cheesecake center using the cream from the cookie then dipping it in chocolate and rolling it in the cookie crumbs," Baldwin said.  He's serving the cute little pops on lollipop sticks.

"This is my second year and it's really a lot of fun," he said.

Chef Tim Voss of Mosaic restaurant in Detroit is keeping his creation a little closer to the vest, admitting only that his cookie is the popular Thin Mint.

"This is my first year, so I'm a bit nervous," said Voss, "but wow, what a great cookie."

Past galas have been held in March, said Kenya Youngblood, fund development specialist for the council, but "because we have realigned six Girl Scout councils into one, it will be a bigger event held in a bigger venue."  The newly formed council now represents 59,000 girls in grades K-12 in Sanilac, St. Clair, Lapeer, Genesee, Macomb, Oakland and parts of Livingston, Monroe and Wayne counties.

Last year, the scouts sold 2,962,800 packages of cookies and earned more than $1,670,000 in troop proceeds.

"We've also expanded the list of restaurants so that all parts of the area are included (in the gala)," Youngblood said.

Guests are invited to join Channel 7's (WXYT-TV) Glenda Lewis, who will host the event and serve as Cookie Diva, along with judges including Rich Luterman (Fox 2), Miss Michigan Nicole Blaszczyk, Sen. Marcus Scott and Kiss-FM's Tune Up Man and vote for their favorite dessert.

Cookies will be available for purchase at the event and, after the gala, restaurants will feature their new creation on their menus for a few weeks.

About the event
What:  2010 Girl Scout Cookie Gala
When:  6-8:30 p.m. May 4
Where:  Atheneum Suite Hotel, Detroit
Tickets:  $75 each or $130 per pair in advance, ($100 each or $170 per pair at the door); available online at www.gssem.org/cookiegala2010

klawson@detnews.com (313) 222-6026

The Detroit News

By Staff reports
The Holland Sentinel
Posted Apr 21, 2010 @ 05:30 AM

Holland, MI — A former mayor, a TV personality and a beauty queen will be the honored guests for this year’s Tulip Time parades.

Miss Michigan 2009, Nicole Blaszczyk, will be the grand marshal for Tulip Time’s Meijer Muziekparade, May 8, the festival announced Tuesday.

Her Miss Michigan platform issues include substance abuse support, survival and prevention.  Blaszczyk is a senior at Wayne State University majoring in business marketing.  A tape-delayed broadcast of the Meijer Muziekparade can be seen May 9 at 10 a.m. on WOTV 4.

Tulip Time’s May 5 Volksparade will honor long-time former Mayor of Holland, Al McGeehan, as its parade grand marshal.

McGeehan began his career in Holland as a teacher at Holland Public Schools in 1966.  He was also a Holland city councilman and was elected mayor in 1993 of Holland, a position he held until 2009.

The Kinderparade, May 6, will have “Maranda,” Lori Cook, as grand marshal.

Maranda joined Lin Television, which operates WOOD TV8, WOTV4 and WXSP, in January 2001 as the children and family services manager.  She oversees the development of the stations projects on-air and online, targeting kids and families. Maranda is also the executive producer and host of “Where You Live,” a weekly half-hour program that focuses on family issues.

Copyright 2010 The Holland Sentinel. Some rights reserved

Al McGeehan, Miss Michigan 2009 also lead parades

HOLLAND, Mich. (WOOD) - Maranda will be the Grand Marshal for the Kinderparade during Holland's Tulip Time on May 6.

Former mayor Al McGeehan will lead the Volksparade the day before, and Miss Michigan 2009 Nicole Blaszczyk is the Grand Marshal for the Meijer Muziekparade on May 8.
Maranda, the host of Where You Live on WOOD TV8, WOTV4 and WXSP, leads the parade of more than 7,000 area school children dressed in Dutch costumes. The parade will last about 90 minutes and begins at 2 p.m.

The traditional Volksparade features street scrubbing by children of all ages, including McGeehan. It begins at 1:15 p.m.

The grand finale is the Meijer Muziekparade on May 8 at 2 p.m. Local and national marching bands, balloons, Dutch dancers and more pack a two-mile route that lasts about two hours.

On the Net:
Holland Tulip Time Festival

www.woodtv.com

Pregame activities score with visitors

BY TAMMY STABLES BATTAGLIA
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

No matter who wins the Frozen Four hockey championship this weekend in Detroit, Lex Sleeman is just darn glad to be here.

Sleeman, the NCAA compliance officer for the Rochester Institute of Technology, is proud of his team for its first appearance in the men's national college hockey championship in only five years as a Division I competitor.  He's also proud that RIT paid nearly half of students' $189 ticket cost, so about 600 of them could pile onto three buses to cheer at Ford Field.

"It's been an exciting ride, and we accomplished way beyond what we thought we would in five years," said Sleeman.

Hanging out at RIT's designated fan home base at Angelina Bistro, he was one of many folks in town to support their teams before Thursday's games for RIT, Miami University of Ohio, the University of Wisconsin and Boston College.

Matthew Koch, 30, of Northville took a break from his job at General Motors to visit the NCAA Frozen Four FanFest in the Renaissance Center's Wintergarden.  The 2001 graduate of Boston College planned to attend the games, but first wanted to check out the free activities at the FanFest.

"I couldn't help but wander down," Koch said.

As Miss Michigan Nicole Blaszczyk, 23, of Novi signed autographs and a DJ revved up the latest hit tunes, young fans took turns shooting pucks at a light-up board or the hole of an open dryer.

A third shooting station offered the chance for future goalies to don a full-mask helmet and leg pads to see whether they could fend off shots.

Among the crowd at the Wintergarden stood Lester (Gramps) Smith Sr. -- a Frozen Four fan divided.  His grandson and Detroit Red Wings draft pick Brendan Smith plays for Wisconsin.  Grandson Reilly plays for Miami of Ohio.

"This is hard.  I don't know which way to go," the Toronto resident said.

The Smith family planned to make the rounds before the games at Ford Field, hitting Wisconsin's official fan location at the Detroit Beer Co. and Miami's at the Hockeytown Café.

They also planned a stop at Cheli's Chili Bar in honor of Chris Chelios, the ex-Red Wings defenseman now with the Atlanta Thrashers organization.

Freep.com

Nearly 45 guests — ranging from Farmer Don to Miss Michigan — read to students at Hoover Elementary School in Livonia on March 28 in honor of March Is Reading Month.

“It was absolutely wonderful; the kids had a great time,” said parent volunteer Chris Flannigan, co-chair of Guest Reader Day.  “The guests all asked to be invited back next year.  We couldn't have asked for it to go more smoothly than it did.”

Farmer Don and Miss Michigan were among the more popular guests, Flannigan said.

An annual favorite, Farmer Don Fraser of Real Life Farm in Canton brought along a baby goat and a lamb.  He visited all kindergarten and first-grade classrooms.

Miss Michigan, also known as Nicole Blaszczyk of Novi, wore her crown as she read to students and answered questions like, “What kind of a castle do you live in?” and “How do you keep your crown on?”

“She was delightful,” Flannigan said.

It was Blaszczyk's first time at Hoover's annual event.  Blaszczyk was invited to the school by her cousin, who just finished student teaching there, Flannigan said.

Another first-time guest was Jenny Kesler, sister of U.S. Oylmpic hockey player Ryan Kesler, who showed pictures of her brother.  “The kids really enjoyed that,” Flannigan said.

In addition, Livonia Stevenson High School hockey players, wearing their jerseys, read to students in the later afternoon.  “They came after Stevenson got out,” Flannigan said.

Each class had at least three guest readers during the day and some had as many as five or six, with each one reading at least 15 minutes.

Other guest readers included elected officials, police officers and a firefighter.

— By Karen Smith

Hometownlife.com