Catholic Bake Sale Funds Christmas Gifts for Underprivileged

By Jonathan Weaver

CCD students at Christ Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Ford City held a bake sale around Thanksgiving to raise money.

But the money didn’t directly benefit them.

A bake sale held Saturday, November 22 in the Divine Redeemer Catholic School cafeteria following 11AM Mass was organized to fund gifts for two needy families.

5th-7th grade CCD Teacher Dana Adelaar came up with the idea after her former workplace also adopted a family.

Last year, fellow teacher Shaun Sperl inspired children to become involved by packaging items in Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes– which they did again this year – but Father Bryan Summers encouraged teachers to find a more-local project to help families this Christmas.

“This was the first year for this particular project – we sent home a letter with each of the children and asked for their families to send in two-dozen cookies with their child,” Adelaar said.

“But, some families donated six-dozen cookies.”

CCD Director Bill Cloonan, second-grade teacher Dr. Michele Oleksak, fellow 5th-7th grade teacher Sperl and Adelaar had a “baking party” to get their cookies ready.

Adelaar’s daughters -seven-year-old Giavanna and five-year-old Arianna – helped bake chocolate chip, sugar and snickerdoodle cookies, as well as cake brownies.

Giavanna is in the second grade class and Arianna is in a class of kindergarten and first graders.

“Everyone brought different things and we had a very nice turnout. It worked out a lot better than we anticipated,” Adelaar said. “I think we all kind-of expected the minimum, but it was much more than that.”

Cookies – priced at $1and operated mostly by the children – went quickly.
Altogether, the children raised $540 through the sale. With that money, the classes purchased Christmas presents for two families (with a combined five children) through the Kittanning Salvation Army.

“It was moving to see them so interested in trying to do something for somebody else. One of the things we try to encourage in my family and talk about throughout the year in Sunday School is that it is better to give then to receive – there are many ways to show kindness and compassion -as little as smiling to somebody or helping a neighbor -, and the children really took a lot of pride in what they did this year.

“I don’t think they truly grasped it at the cookie sale, but when they saw the presents that were purchased and they wrapped them and we addressed them to the children they were purchased for, it became very real and they said ‘Wow, we did this,’” Adelaar continued. “They were very engaged.”

Father Summers, Adelaar and other parents also bought cookies of their own due to the students’ efforts. Adelaar typically bakes chocolate chip and snickerdoodle cookies for her own family members as well – which she will do later this week.

Based on this year’s success – both in gifts and student responses – classes already pledged to adopt more families next holiday season.

Dr. Oleksak delivered the gifts to the Kittanning Salvation Army before the upcoming toy distribution Tuesday. The presents were purchased over the past two weeks and children wrapped the gifts and labeled them December 7.

Children were also taught that based on the program circumstances, individual family members will not be able to thank them for the gifts.

“They’re giving something to someone that probably can’t repay them – but will mean so much.”