COLD LAKE – The holiday spirit was in full swing on Dec. 1 as the Cold Lake community baked, bought, and savoured sweet treats—all to ensure no one goes hungry this season.
Held at the community Baptist church, the bake sale raised almost $2,000 in donations and saw a plenty of baked goods donated. The event not only benefited the food bank but also Cold Lake responders who received the remaining treats.
Funds raised at the bake sale will be directed toward the Cold Lake Christmas Hamper Project, an initiative that provides holiday support to families in need.
The event marked the first year of its kind and was a milestone for Randy McDonald, chair of the Cold Lake Food Bank, as it fulfilled his long-time aspiration to organize a bake sale.
“I have a poster at home that my nephew gave me about eight years ago, and it has all the things you need to do before you die. And it’s like scuba diving and caving . . . and one of them [is to] organize a bake sale,” McDonald shared.
The bake sale featured an impressive array of goods, from fudge and shortbread cookies to baklava and lemon loaves, each item contributed by locals and even members of other churches.
“There’s some of the ladies from the other churches . . . [One is] from Nigeria and she made the baklava,” McDonald noted, highlighting the diverse culinary contributions.
The Baptist church also provided space free of charge for the bake sale.
Hamper project
The Cold Lake Christmas Hamper Project distributes about 425 hampers to families in need each year.
“Our budget for the Christmas food hampers is around $23,000 this year . . . I think, last year it was $17,000,” McDonald said, explaining the project relies heavily on donations and volunteers.
Cold Lake’s food bank not only assists individuals in need but also collaborates with various local agencies, including schools and shelters.
“There’s the schools, we take responsibility for the schools that no kid will go home hungry…Second Floor gets groceries from us . . . FCSS, lots of different agencies,” McDonald explained.
Reflecting on the bake sale, McDonald expressed his satisfaction.
“It’s going so good and I’m having so much fun that I’ll probably do it again next year to scratch off my poster.”
The bake sale is a testament to the power of community spirit and generosity, and as McDonald aptly put it, “You can’t do anything without community.”
