Orders are now being taken for festive cookie trays created with all home baked varieties of holiday cookies. The Italian fig cookies (cucidati), a favorite of many, are sold separately.
The St. Rose Society, with members from the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Silver Creek and St. Rose of Lima, Forestville churches, gather at the Forestville church to spend hours upon hours baking everyone's favorite recipe. The price of the cookies has not gone up as the ladies donate their time and most of the ingredients.
"Our trays have become so popular that we found it necessary to purchase some of the more expensive items such as candies, nuts, cherries, figs and preserves for filling," said Carmen Wappman, chairwoman of the sale. "We cannot expect our ladies to assume all the costs as thousands of cookies are needed to fill the orders."
"I am so proud to be working with this group of women; we work hard and enjoy each other's company ... It is very festive and heart warming when people come to pick up their cookies and are amazed at the beautiful gift they have purchased."
This cookie sale and other fundraisers are held during the year to benefit their many outreach programs of mission service. Just as St. Rose of Lima spent her years in prayer and caring for her family, the sick and the less fortunate in her community, the members of the society also strive to follow Christ in this fashion with St. Rose as their model. They strive to use their time and talents to benefit the church, the community and to support those less fortunate in other countries.
Cookie trays may be ordered by calling Wappman at 965-9914 or Pat at 965-2738 or call Fran at the Mt. Carmel rectory 934-2233. Each plate of cookies will be filled with traditional homemade cookies. They will be beautifully presented and wrapped so that they may be given as gifts. The medium tray of 30-plus cookies is $17 while the large tray of 50-plus cookies is $22. The Italian fig cookies are sold $15 per pound. This year the cookie trays will be ready on the weekend of Dec. 15 and 16.
