Bake Sale

On June 14th we are going to be participating in the Autism Speaks fundraiser "Walk Now For Autism" at the South Street Seaport in NYC.

I'm the captain of a team called "Team Brian The Lion" I have a personal goal of $1,000 to raise. Why $1,000? I wanna be a funraising Autism Speaks ROCK STAR.


The Grand Club- NEW Will you become the newest member of the Grand Club? Every Individual Walker who raises $1,000 for the 2009 NYC Walk automatically become members of this exclusive VIP Club! Encourage all your team members to reach a personal/individual fundraising goal of $1,000 and each individual can enjoy:
Public Recognition
2009 Grand Club Pin
VIP Tent Access On Walk Day

To date I've raised $620. My aunt has sent me a check for $35 and I have $100 from my father to add to my total which means I've actually raised $755. (I should give credit to my team too as a team we have raised $695) Wanna help? Go to this link and make a donation or join our team and walk with us! Go on. The class will wait for you.
https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=288680&lis=1&kntae288680=9712128C470147029ED339540E683B41&supId=247739744 I really want to hit that personal goal of $1,000 though.
It's the only thing on my mind and in my sights right now. So I had the genius idea of a bake sale! I love to bake, it's my insane obsession. It makes me happy and if it can put me a little closer to my goal than I'm all into it and all over it.

It started out being planned on my front stoop. We have a little gated off area that isn't used for anything and it would be a great space for a bake sale. Wait. That's not entirely true.

My first idea was to hold it at school. I'd seen a couple of other Bake Sales in the school outside of classrooms and thought it was a great idea. I shot off an email to the fantastic and tireless Parent / Community Involvement Specialist.

She is the sweetest woman who always has the answers to my questions no matter how silly or far out there they are. I asked her if it was something we could do in the school and told her about the team and the walk and the fund raising. I didn't hear back from her. So I nixed the idea and began to plan it here at my place.

Then I started thinking about the politicking and my neighbors and how I wasn't in the mood to get into any drama or on anyone's bad side.

I asked one of my coolest and sweetest mommy pals who lives a hop skip and jump from us if she knew anything about it or had ever held one and did I need a permit or did I need to contact anyone or anything like that. She said she didn't know but if I wanted to I was more than welcome to use HER front stoop (She has this beautiful private brownstone that I love and lust for each time we visit it). I told her I'd take her up on it in a heartbeat.

I went to school the next day and asked both boys teachers if I could put flyers for the bake sale in parents mailboxes. PJ's teacher told me that I could have the bake sale AT SCHOOL!!! Wow.

That would be AMAZING. She said she had to ask her director but she was almost positive that as long as the classroom or the school didn't benefit from the funds raised it was okay.
We decided we would do it before the kids went home for Easter/Spring break which didn't give me a whole lot of time.
We chose April 8th which will be the last full day of classes before the break. We decided to get the whole class involved and see if we could get other parents to bring or bake something for the sale.

I posted a plea on Facebook for help with the flyer for the Bake Sale.
An amazing super tallented woman I've known since we were little gals together offered her skills for the flyer. Caroline if you ever read this thank you a million times again.

As an aside you guys NEED to check out her work. She's always been this super amazing tallented artist and I've had the pleasure of watching her work grow and progress over the years. She blows me away. Go and check out her stuff and then buy something. Seriously. She rocks.

Website:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/cjn212
https://twitter.com/cjn212
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cjn212/
http://www.myspace.com/cjn212
http://www.youtube.com/cjn212
http://sites.google.com/site/Grotto212/
http://sites.google.com/site/CJNyeART/
http://cjnye.com/(ComingSoon)

I sent her the cookie photo which is a photo that I took for my business plan. along with the Autism Speak logo and the Walk artwork. I gave her a general outline of what I wanted it to say. Here is the flier she made for me: (click on it to enlarge it) It rocks right? She's just the best. I had Mike print them and brought them to school and put them in the mailboxes in the two classrooms. That afternoon I get an email from the fantastic Parent Specialist about holding the bake sale at the school:
"Sorry I have not gotten back to you sooner, but I was waiting for an answer regarding the school policy. Jessica spoke with Mr. Raslowsky today. He said, we are not allowed to send anything out on behalf of parents if they are going to make a profit because it violates our policy and he has denied many parent’s request in the past.
However, you case is different and he said yes. Can you draft something and send it to me first, so I can let Jessica and Mr. Raslowksy see it before it gets sent out. It will be my pleasure to help you disseminate it!!!"
Uh oh. Fliers went out and were hung all over the school already!

I sent her the flyer and crossed my fingers that they were okay.
Nope. They weren't.

She wrote me back telling me she was surprised to see the fliers around school as they hadn't been approved yet. (as I tuck my tail between my legs and slink to hide under the couch like a bad puppy)
She said they had to come down because I had 8:30am as a start time and school policy states Bake Sales can't start before 1:00pm. (What?!) and that I had to draft a letter absolving the school of all involvement with the sale and stating that I set it up and I'm running it and it was all my idea so they can remain completely neutral and have no issues with other parents or the city and school board.
So we revamped the flyer with the new time and I drafted a letter:

I went to school yesterday and made 350 copies of the flyer front and back. We then went to each of the 4 classroom advocates offices and handed them out with a small explination as to what was up and what we were doing.
I then wandered around school and posted the flyers all over along with the letter right next to it.

I sent out a letter to all the parents in PJ's classroom telling them about the sale and what we needed if they wanted to help.

Then I went through my cabinets to see what I have in the way of baking supplies...



uh...yeah. I think I've got it covered.
So far the other mommies and daddies have voluntered to make:
Brownies
Cream filled cupcakes
Rice Krispie Treats
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Lollipops (I have the coolest Autism Speaks puzzle piece mold that I'll give to her)
Chocolate Truffles

So it is my ambitious goal to make the following:
Lemon Squares
Chocolate covered Oreos
S'mores on a stick (Marshmallows dipped in chocolate and coated with Graham Cracker crumbs)
Caramel and Chocoalte dipped pretzel rods
Yellow Cupcakes with "grass" and a birds nest on top complete with eggs
Carrot Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting
Banana Squares with Cream Cheese frosting
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese frosting
Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies
If I'm still on my feet after all of this baking I might make a tray of caramel brownies and a tray of 7 layer bars but those are only if I have time and energy.

Am I insane or what?