November 10, 2004
Rolling in the dough
Old Mission Women's Club annual sale features 22,000 cookies
By
Herald staff writer
There was a delicious aroma in the air at Kathy Cipko's home Tuesday as members of the Old Mission Women's Club gathered to bake dozens and dozens of treats for the club's annual Christmas cookie sale.
For the ninth year, members of the club have selected recipes to prepare - this year choosing "cookies through the decades" as the theme.
The featured cookie, a Victorian glass Christmas ornament sugar cookie, is hand frosted and decorated with authentic colors and designs, then sprinkled with sugar.
Other favorites include gingerbread men from Colonial times, peanut butter cookies from the 20s, chocolate chip cookies from the late 30s, caramel refrigerator cookies from the 40s, holiday fruit drops and ribbon bars from the 50s, peanut crisp and toffee squares from the 60s, and rice crispy bars and no-bakes from more recent years.
The much anticipated sale is the primary fund-raiser for the organization who gives back any profits to the Old Mission community through annual grants. Last year's record sales allowed the Club to distribute contributions totaling $5,000 to nine local groups including the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, Hospice House and the Peninsula Community Library.
"A newcomer to our area told me she was thrilled by the cookie sale because it was so typical of what a small town is about," said club president, Mary Helen Dumon.
"It wouldn't work, though, if the cookies weren't top notch. The quality is really outstanding," said Dumon, noting that they usually sell out of cookies in just a couple of hours.
With more than 22,000 cookies to be baked, club members contribute countless hours with their sleeves rolled up.
"It just makes me smile to be part of this," said Carol Murray as she piped icing onto the umpteenth sugar cookie.
"The program is wonderful and I get to work with other members that have truly become friends," Murray said.
The Old Mission Women's Club annual cookie sale will be held from 8 a.m. until noon (or sell-out), Saturday, December 4, at the firehall on Center Road.