Mar. 19, 2026
Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians will hold the third annual “Great Cookie Tasting” at Yee-Haw Brewing Co. for an evening of curated craft beer and cookie pairings and to reveal the winner of the 2026 Great Cookie Competition.
The celebration will be held Tuesday, March 24, from 6-8 p.m. at 745 N. Broadway in Knoxville.
Attendees at the flavorful fundraiser will be able to sample flights of craft beer expertly paired with signature Girl Scout cookies, vote on their favorite combination and support their favorite cookie competitor. Nine local celebrity and business leaders faced off over five weeks in a friendly competition to raise money for Girl Scouts. The competitor who raised the most will be crowned “East Tennessee’s favorite cookie.”
“We are grateful to all of our cookie competitors who stepped up and worked hard to ensure that Girl Scouting is accessible to all girls, regardless of their circumstances,” said Lynne Fugate, CEO of the Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians (GSCSA). “The competition and tasting event are so much fun, and all of the proceeds go to financial aid for Girl Scouts, including uniforms, programming and summer camp.”
Tickets for the Great Cookie Tasting are $30 and available at www.cookietasting.org.
The ticket includes a flight of beer expertly paired with four signature Girl Scout cookies and an evening of fun for a good cause. The first 100 attendees also will receive a commemorative glass.
Meet the 2026 Great Cookie Competitors:
Adventurefuls®: Kaitlyn Walsh, WVLT
Representing Adventurefuls® is the adventurous Kaitlyn Walsh, multimedia journalist with WVLT. Walsh is happy to be in East Tennessee after moving from Florida to cover the news. She joined the competition to ensure all children have a chance to try something they love.
Do-si-dos®: Elisa Trentham, Sherwood Media
Elisa Trentham, storyteller and filmmaker with Sherwood Media, is representing Do-si-dos and we “don’t” expect to be disappointed. Trentham is participating for her daughter who struggled to find a place before joining Girl Scouts, where her confidence has since soared. Trentham wants every girl to have that opportunity.
Exploremores®: Knox and Jackson, Knoxville Smokies
Encouraging us to “explore more” fun together is Knoxville Smokies mascot duo, father and son Knox and Jackson. The bears in blue represent the new Rocky-Road inspired sandwich cookie as they spread smiles and Smokies spirit to fans of all ages, both inside the ballpark and beyond.
Lemon-Ups®: Amber Lynn Carroll, WATE
Keeping us up to date for Lemon-Ups is broadcast journalist Amber Lynn Carroll, host of WATE’s Living East Tennessee. As a former Girl Scout, Carroll believes in empowering girls to grow into confident, capable leaders and says Girl Scouts gave her a sense of purpose in her youth, something she has continued throughout her esteemed broadcasting career, even founding a nonprofit focused on mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
Samoas®: Katherine Strate Smith, Strate Insurance Group, Inc.
Katherine Strate Smith, of Strate Insurance Group, Inc., says the world will benefit from “samoa” female leaders and we can’t agree more. Once a Girl Scout herself, Smith has tackled careers in communications and marketing before becoming president and CEO of Strate Insurance Group, the third generation of her family to lead the business.
Tagalongs®: PYA Teknovation’s Katelyn Biefeldt
Representing Tagalongs® is PYA Teknovation’s Katelyn Biefeldt. The East Tennessee editor tackles business growth and innovation across the region. Biefeldt points out that 53 percent of female entrepreneurs are former Girl Scouts, as she was herself, so we can’t wait to “tagalong” on her campaign.
Thin Mints®: Michael Galyean, a.k.a. “Dancing Blue Shirt Guy”
Ready to take Thin Mints® to the “next level” is Michael Galyean. Known virally as the “Dancing Blue Shirt Guy,” the local chef recently made his national TV debut on Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef. Growing up with three sisters, he learned early the importance of empowering and supporting women. We assume at least some of it was his idea.
Toffee-Tastic®: Leslie Bateman, Inside of Knoxville
Toffee-Tastic® ambassador is Leslie Bateman who offers an authentic taste of the city as editor and publisher of Inside of Knoxville. Big on girl power, she quotes Dolly Parton for her personal philosophy: “Be kind, work hard and take up space.”
Trefoils®: Kelcey Schenheit, Anakeesta
Representing Trefoils is Kelcey Schenheit who is comfortable among the treetops at Anakeesta. The sales manager for the Smokies attraction grew up as a Girl Scout and believes every girl deserves the chance to dream big and live boldly.
About Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians
Girl Scouts is the preeminent leadership development organization for girls, offering programs that give every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of entrepreneurship, adventure and success – whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike, advocate for community causes or make their first best friends. The Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians has approximately 11,500 girl and adult members in 46 counties from southwest Virginia, through eastern Tennessee, and northern Georgia. Membership is open to all girls from kindergarten through their senior year in high school. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors and millions of alums, Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place. To join us, volunteer, reconnect or donate, visit girlscoutcsa.org or call 800-474-1912.
