Cookies for Kids Cancer Raises Over $3K at FestiFall

This year’s Cookies for Kids Cancer bake sale raised more than the $3,500.00 fundraising goal for this year.  The booth received donations that exceeded last year’s totals by more than $300.00 on the day of the event, totaling $2,336.00, according to organizer Marilyn Berney.

“We have seen an abundance of local community support.  If you stop for a minute and listen, everyone is unfortunately affected in some way by cancer,” Berney said.  “If we each do a little, we achieve so much.”

Dozens of dedicated volunteers baked, packaged goods, worked the booth and solicited the 19 sponsors of this year’s event.  Signage was donated by Staples Copy of Print of Westfield, baked goods of all kinds were donated by Bovella’s, Vacarro’s, Panera, Nordstrom Cafe and other local bakeries.  Paper cookies are now available through Westfield’s Girls’ Night Out (Oct. 17, 2013 5 p.m.-9p.m.), at Learning Express on Quimby Street. A bake sale will be held from 6 p.m. -8 p.m. on Oct. 17 at Learning Express to close this session of fundraising for CFKC by Berney.

The founder of the organization, Gretchen Holt-Witt, said in a recent Facebook post, “Larry and I met with Liam's surgeon last night...we need to raise more $$... there are things we need to get done and we can't wait for Washington for funding.”  It is the Witts’ dedication and fervor for this cause that inspires “Good Cookies” all over the country to hold bake sales and raise money to fund pediatric cancer research.

“On Sunday, I had the honor of meeting and working with so many people in the community who are dedicated to finding a cure to eradicate this disease….and we get to help in a very sweet way.  I could not have pulled this event off (again) without the help of my very supportive husband, Mike, and some very key “good cookies”: Amy Radick (Mountainside), Kerri Proper (Mountainside), Sasha Proper (Mountainside, age 8), Aiden Donahue (Mountainside, age 13), Marcia Lemberg (Englewood), Carol Goggi (Mountainside), and Jackie Plant (Cranford).  I would love to individually name everyone involved – but space limitations in print!  Be sure that I, and Cookies for Kids Cancer, THANK EACH ONE OF YOU from the bottom of our hearts.”

Berney added that numerous individuals baked goods to make the Festifall a success. In addition to those named, everyone played an integral part, she said.