Ethan Goins, 6, enjoyed making his cookie “tie-dye.” (Christy Perry for The Tribune)
CULLMAN – Panera Bread in Cullman this week held its first Cookies for a Cure event benefiting Relay for Life. For a donation of $10, children had yummy lemonade and were given three large flip-flop cookies to decorate. Parents enjoyed coffee and bagels. The children had a great time decorating their cookies with different color icings, colored sprinkles and chocolate sprinkles. Each adult was entered in a drawing for a large Panera Bread goodie basket filled with a variety of breads, bagels and sweets.
More than a dozen children were already there in the first hour of the cookie party. Lisa Goins brought her two sons Ethan (6) and Eli (1). Eli enjoyed watching the balloons as big brother Ethan put the finishing touches on his cookies. Ethan chose to make two tie-dye cookies and one with different color hearts.
Ethan said, “I liked decorating the cookies. It was fun, creative, messy and DELICIOUS!!”
His mom Lisa had a great time too, sharing, “I have a cousin who battled cancer and she has been cancer-free now for six years. We love Panera because we like healthy food options and were happy to hear of this event. I explained to Ethan that the event was to help fight cancer. Giving kids an opportunity to do a fun hands-on activity for a good cause is a great way to teach them about helping others.”
Panera associate Cassy Calloway was all smiles as she helped each kid create his or her cookie masterpiece.
She was thrilled that so many children came, explaining, “We planned on the event being outside but decided to set up inside after the rain popped up. I am so happy to see so many kids here.”
General Manager Quentin Bailey echoed those concerns but was very pleased that the first Cookies for a Cure was a hit and loved seeing the kids enjoying the event.
Each Panera location allows its staff to choose a nonprofit in its community to support. Bailey and his employees are passionate about their choice to help Relay for Life.
He explained, “Our associate, Donna, is fighting cancer. Some employees are wearing T-shirts created to show our support for her. The plan is to have this event twice a year around Halloween and Valentine’s Day with pumpkin- and heart-shaped cookies. We will continue to do what we can to give back to our community and Relay for Life.”
Each day, Panera Bread staff delivers the leftover bagels and breads to local nonprofit groups in a continued effort to be a good neighbor.
Bailey said, “It’s important for us to give back and support the community we serve.”
To find out more about Relay For Life, visit www.cullmanrelay.wordpress.com or www.facebook.com/RFLCullmanAL.
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