What started six months ago as a friendly bet between acquaintances has turned into a weekly tradition to honor the essential workers of the Huntingdon community.
As part of their Cookies for Caregivers program, Jeremy Uhrich and Scott McKenzie, both of Huntingdon, have now delivered over 800 cookies to over 100 local businesses and organizations over the course of nearly 30 weeks. And, they have no plans to stop anytime soon.
“As long as people keep baking, we’ll keep delivering,” said McKenzie. “There’s no expiration on thank-you.”
Added to that 833 dozen was 28 dozen of cookies delivered to the PRIDE Telethon Friday night.
“In a short period of time we were able to get five volunteers to step up and do for the community,” said Uhrich. “It fit our mission of people helping people. That’s what our community is good at and what a neat opportunity is was for our group to do something small within our normal routine.”
Despite folks returning to normal routines, and Uhrich, a Huntingdon Area Middle School teacher, returning to classes, the tradition continues to grow.
“Scott’s wife, Renata was able to help deliver the first few weeks I had school and love it,” said Uhrich, who plans to help deliver using a lunch break during online learning days. “There are too many in the community who love this and have been a part of it since week one. Everyone says the same thing, why stop?”
Uhrich and McKenzie have even earned themselves a nickname through the project.
“We’ll walk in somewhere and someone will say, ‘hey, you’re the cookie guys,’ said McKenzie.
“It’s turning into something our community knows us for, we’re the cookie guys,” said Uhrich.
But the duo is quick to turn the attention to others who make their endeavor possible.
“We just want to thank all the individuals who have continued to bake and make suggestions with businesses,” said Uhrich, giving a special shoutout to the bakers who stepped up last minute to bake for PRIDE.
They’re also thankful to their families.
“Jeremy’s wife, Danny, has been remarkably understanding of her husband being pulled away and my wife has pitched in on her days off to help deliver. It’s become something our families have embraced,” said McKenzie. “Also, to our community, our bakers are amazing people to do that for someone else without the thought of being thanked or paid and that’s a true act of kindness.”
While they have a core group of 30 or 40 bakers, Uhrich and McKenzie said they’re always looking for new ones.
The program has gained some national attention, being featured on ABC news reporter Amy Robach’s Pandemic: What You Need to Know in June. They also enjoyed a call with U.S. Sen. Robert Casey Jr.
“Taste of Home magazine is also planning a full page spread in their December/January issue,” said Uhrich.
The program also has branched off into the Palmyra area with Uhrich’s family delivering cookies.
“They’re about 10 weeks behind us and they continue every week,”he said. “My dad has stage 4 lung cancer and he said it’s a blessing to drive around with my mom and be a part of this and do something good for the community.”
Uhrich and McKenzie still have big goals for their own program.
“There’s no stopping us yet,” said McKenzie. “It’s very difficult to say 1,000 dozen. It just doesn’t roll off the tongue well, so we can’t stop until we get past 1,000. cool and we can’t thank them enough.
To volunteer as a baker for Cookies for Caregivers, find the Facebook page or contact Uhrich at juhrich21writeon@gmail.com or 644-9883 or McKenzie at 251-4977.
September 19, 2020 at 07:00PM
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