To say that Columbus resident Susan Gobert loves baking cookies is like saying that Thanksgiving feasters love turkey. It doesn’t quite go far enough.
The retiree is baking 40 dozen cookies using old family recipes for First United Methodist’s 30th Annual Cookie Walk from 9 a.m. to noon today. Actually, it has become the outdoor Cookie Pick-Up because of the pandemic.
Gobert would like to see every morsel of her nine varieties of efforts be gobbled considering the season. That includes her maternal grandmother’s favorite recipe for a sour cream lemon cut-out sugar cookie. Not to mention a cranberry pecan white chocolate cookie.
“This just gives me a time and a plan to pull out favorite recipes, do all the shopping, and then Sunday through Friday do all the baking,” Gobert said. “I know they are appreciate and we hope all this makes less work for others (who buy) when they have people over (during the holidays).”
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In the past, that’s often been much of the focus: buy sweets now to share through the end of the year.
That was part of the idea that late founder Sarah Hancock had when she launched the event. Through the years, the fundraiser has sold more than 140,000 cookies — all while throwing calories to the wind.
At the pick-up, people can park, walk to that Lafayette Street entrance, tell masked and gloved organizers how many $7 prepackaged one-pound boxes of cookies or $5 half-pound prepackaged boxes they want, and quickly be on their way.
“As much as I enjoy making these, I have to make very sure I get them all out of the house so that I don’t eat them,” Gobert said.
The popular, cash-only event usually features more than 8,000 cookies — at least 25 different kinds not counting candies, fudges and more — and is for people with a sweet heart for others as much as a sweet tooth.
It’s one of the reasons supporters have long said that the homemade treats are good for you, and great for others, given that proceeds supporting missions projects spanning the local to the international, including an emphasis on helping the poverty-stricken.
Coordinator Sue Romine is simply happy just to see the gathering continue — especially since it generated a record $3,000 plus last year.
“Earlier, some people had said that the cookie walk wouldn’t be able to go,” Romine said. “I just thought, ‘That’s a shame.’”
So, Romine has prevented a sweet tradition from crumbling by encouraging 25 to 30 bakers to turn up the heat on their time and talent.
“I knew we couldn’t have it inside,” Romine said. “At times, there will be at least 200 people at a time just walking between the tables (of displayed cookies).”
She was inspired by Our Hospice of South Central Indiana’s Successful pre-concert drive-thru cookie sale outside FairOaks Mall in September.
“I’m simply hoping that people who have taken time to come to this for more than 20-something years will say to themselves, ‘Well, I’d better go down there and still get my cookies for the holidays,’” Romine said.
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What: First United Methodist Church’s 30th Annual Cookie Walk adjusted to a cookie pick-up.
When: 9 a.m. to noon today.
Where: 618 Eighth St. at the church’s Lafayette Street entrance.
Available: Pre-packaged one-pound boxes of cookies for $7 and half-pound boxes of candy for $5. Vegan and allergy-friendly varieties available.
Why: To raise money for mission outreaches.
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