Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast will host the inaugural Cookie Rally and Bake-Off Sat., Jan. 16 at California Lutheran University’s Lundring Events Center, Thousand Oaks. The event will kick off the Girl Scout cookie season.

Chefs from top restaurants will take the six most popular Girl Scout cookies and create specialty desserts that will be judged against each other to determine the most original, creative and tasty dessert using Girl Scout cookies as a main ingredient.

Mother-daughter Girl Scout teams will participate in a special bake-off division.

The judges will be local celebrities and community leaders Amy Johnson, KCAL9/CBS News; Liz Kimball, California Lutheran University; Jill Lederer, Thousand Oaks Chamber of Commerce; Lisa McKinnon, Ventura County Star ; Terre Downey, proprietor of Nothing Bundt Cakes; and Mick Mahan, bassist for Pat Benatar.

The event will also include a silent auction of the competition desserts and prize drawings. The proceeds will help support local Girl Scouts.

Junior high and high schoolage Girl Scouts will staff activity stations.  

More than 300 girls ages 5 and up are expected to attend, and the community is welcome.

For more information, call Pattie Mullins, membership development manager, at (805) 6588210, ext. 321, or e-mail pmullins @girlscoutsccc.org.