Cindy Agnes has at all times had a keenness for baking.
In 2008 when her husband Gerry, the then newly appointed President and Leader Govt Officer for Elevations Credit score Union, held a BBQ for the credit score union’s body of workers, she idea some home made cookies could be a pleasant addition to the birthday party.
When the vacations came visiting, Cindy added the Elevations Board of Administrators to the thrill, making her delectables to assist want the board a Merry Christmas and Glad New 12 months.
Since 2013, Cindy has baked a minimum of a dozen cookies consistent with worker every vacation season, and she or he and Gerry ship them to all Elevations places alongside the Entrance Vary. In 2013, Elevations had 322 staff. Rapid ahead to 2022, Cindy now bakes over 7,000 cookies for the 600-plus Elevations body of workers. To perform this takes 398 eggs, 342 cups of flour, 297 sticks of butter and 269 cups of sugar, in conjunction with an abundance of chocolate chips, nuts, and M&M’s. She begins arrangements in early November in order that, come December, she’s in a position to ship her delicious cookies to every of the credit score union’s places.
The way it began
Within the early days, a pair trays of 3 varieties of cookies have been sufficient to position smiles on everybody’s faces.
Alongside the way in which, Cindy figured offering for extra than simply the body of workers at BBQ’s and for a board assembly used to be wanted. She expanded her operations to incorporate all of the corporate. In 2017 she recruited one in all her daughters, Kristin Agnes, to assist her bake, adorn and package deal the cookies.
“I like the body of workers!” Cindy mentioned. “All of them paintings so onerous, and so they’re similar to circle of relatives. Because the Elevations circle of relatives grew, we simply began making extra cookies. I make numerous cookies as it’s necessary to me to have the body of workers have sufficient to carry some house to their households and neighbors.”
Because the Elevations staff grew every yr, so did Cindy’s baking efforts. Despite the fact that she and Kristin nonetheless make all of the cookies in her house kitchen, she’s received 3 stand mixers and 3 chest freezers for all of the ready dough ready patiently for baking day.
Alternatively, when baking is finished, the undertaking nonetheless must be finished. Cindy, Kristin, and Gerry then package deal and cargo up all of the cookies for supply — a procedure that normally lasts a few days.
Hard work of affection
The gargantuan act of attaining an enterprise of this caliber presentations how large Cindy’s center is. Oh, and she or he’s at all times prepared to percentage her scrumptious recipes!
She additionally will get comments from the body of workers every yr, serving to her toughen for the following season. Those may just come with packing containers for body of workers to take house cookies, extra fan-favorite flavors, or even an advanced solution to ship cookies the usage of massive catering packing containers as a substitute of trays.
In relation to recipes, Cindy is at all times open to attempting one thing new. In 2021, for example, she debuted the “Grinch” cookie — a inexperienced cookie with a crimson center. (Lets neither verify nor deny the guts being two sizes too small.)
The annual cookie-making match organically grew every yr out of Cindy’s love for baking. She at all times made cookies for her children once they have been rising up, and when Cindy and Gerry have been more youthful, she made and bought her cinnamon rolls.
She handed on her love of baking to her two daughters and son, Eric. Her daughter Nicole even went to culinary faculty and was a pastry chef, whilst her daughter Kristin is helping plan the cookie provides buying groceries and enjoys serving to bake and adorn every yr.
Concerned procedure
In relation to logistics, it turns into a circle of relatives affair. Cindy and all 3 youngsters put in combination an inventory of provides and plan the cookie checklist, and Gerry supplies a rely of Elevations staff individuals at every location. When the large day arrives, Cindy, Kristin, and Gerry’s baking, boxing and organizing runs past due into the night time and thru the following morning, when deliveries get started.
Gerry and Cindy get started up north in Castle Collins and paintings their means south on I-25, hitting every department, loan workplace and back-office location for a complete of 20 stops.
No longer even a world pandemic may just forestall Cindy. In 2020, when such a lot on the earth got here to a screeching halt, Cindy, Kristin, and Gerry made up our minds to proceed the custom with some adjustments. With enhance from the staff, they boxed and delivered cookies to each and every worker.
When all used to be mentioned and achieved, the couple mentioned probably the most difficult section used to be no longer having the ability to carry trays to all of the branches and need everybody a Merry Christmas and Glad New 12 months.
At Elevations, work-life steadiness and worker pleasure are large priorities. An environment like that begins on the best, and Cindy and Gerry’s willpower and thoughtfulness are surely a large a part of that tradition.
