One Sweet Cause

by

Health

You can satisfy your sweet tooth and contribute to a good cause when you buy some gourmet cookies this weekend at the sixth annual Cookies for Kids’ Cancer RVA Citywide Bake Sale.

There are about 30 events across the city, most to be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Cookies are also available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday from a trolley at the James Center Plaza downtown.

Proceeds benefit Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, a national nonprofit founded by a former Richmond resident, Gretchen Holt Witt. Her son Liam was 2 years old when he was diagnosed with cancer in 2007. Liam was 6 when he died of the disease in 2011.

You can watch a video of Gretchen Holt Witt discussing Liam’s courageous battle and the work of the foundation here.

Cookies For Kids’ Cancer relies on grassroots fundraising across the nation. According to its website, 85 percent of proceeds in 2012 went to research and development of safer, effective cancer treatments.

There are 20,000 cookies for sale in the Richmond fundraisers, courtesy of Jacqueline’s Gourmet Cookies of Salem, Massachusetts. They were processed through Shipvine, an Ashland-based e-commerce shipping facility, so they’ll be fresh.

Many Carytown merchants are donating 10 percent of their Sept. 6 profits to the charity, and Westhampton Merchants Association members are donating 10 percent of their Saturday profits to the cause. Overall, local efforts have raised about $300,000, and Cookies for Kids’ Cancer has raised more than $9 million nationally.

The suggested donation is $5, but give what you can. There’s a cookie for every taste, including sugar cookies, chocolate chip and peanut butter.

Here’s where they’re available. All sales are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. unless noted otherwise:

  • ACAC Fitness Center, 11621 Robious Road
  • Alstom Power, 2800 Waterford Lake Drive (Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
  • Bon Air Elementary, 8701 Polk St.
  • Dave and Busters and Ray’s Italian Ice, 4000 Brownstone Blvd. (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
  • Dixie Donuts Drive-Thru, 2901 W. Cary St.
  • Dogma, 3501, W. Cary St.
  • Ellwood Thompson’s, 4 N. Thompson St.
  • Five Below at Short Pump, 11331 W. Broad St.
  • Goddard School, 2361 Robious Station Circle
  • Great Big Greenhouse, 2051 Huguenot Road (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
  • Kroger Carytown, 3507 W. Cary St.
  • Kroger, 1401 Midlothian Turnpike (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
  • Kroger, 3001 Polo Parkway (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
  • Kroger, Rutland Commons, 9351 Atlee Road, Mechanicsville
  • Kroger, 9000 Staples Mill Road (9 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
  • Lakeside Farmers Market, 6110 Lakeside Ave. (8 a.m. to noon)
  • Libbie Market, 400 Libbie Ave. (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
  • Need Supply Co., 3100 W. Cary St.
  • Once Upon a Vine, 4009 MacArthur Ave.
  • Pleasants Hardware, 2024 W Broad St.
  • Pleasants Hardware, 423 Ridge Road
  • Sweet Frog, 3137 W. Cary St.
  • Sam's Club, 9440 W. Broad St.
  • Taziki's Café, 4024 Cox Road (11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.)
  • World of Mirth, 3005 W. Cary St.
  • Walmart, 7901 Brook Road (8 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
  • Walmart, 14501 Hancock Village St.
  • Walmart, 11400 W. Broad St.
  • Walmart, 9714 Sliding Hill Road, Ashland, (9 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

You also can buy cookies, cookbooks T-shirts and other items online here. The cookies are made with all-natural ingredients and 100 percent of the proceeds benefit research. Also follow them on Facebook.