Thank you for getting your bake on!!

Well - its taken us some time to gather our thoughts and breath after the AMAZING group effort that was the 'Get Your Bake On' Fundraiser the other week. I fear this post will not even come close to expressing how wonderful and generous you all are but we will give it a go!! We are still utterly OVERWHELMED by the support shown from the community and other businesses, and wonder how long it will take us to get rid of the fuzzy feelings that it bought? And also when we'll stop tearing up at stories that have come from all of this!

Incase you missed the news - we are so excited to tell you that we managed to raise: $6,664.40 on the day!
Our landlords were so chuffed with the community feel on the day and all the support for the event, so they contributed an additional $1000 directly to the Red Cross appeal.
A lot of people had suggested that we get the amount raised on the day matched by one of the larger corporations that were offering to do so and we thought 'heck, the more money raised the better!', so we have contacted Paper Plus, and luckily they hadnt reached their cap, so they are matching our efforts! Which is amazing news. Imagine...$13,328.80!!!!

We know that its just a drop in the bucket for the relief fund, but we also know that every dollar helps, and its neat to think that the Red Cross will distribute the funds in the best way possible.

What started with a simple idea for a Bake Sale, became almost bigger than Ben Hur!
With Baking being donated by people from all over Auckland, and businesses contacting us left right and centre with offers of help, and products to sell or raffle, we were very busy girls co-ordinating it.
Phone calls were quickly made to our Mums (always the first call huh!?, and we figured we could call on their experience from School fundraisers and bake sales they've been involved with in the past) and friends and family to help pull it all together!

There was much organising to do, and we were trying to make sure that we'd thought of everything from bags & tongs to price tags, pens, were there enough helpers for the day, rubbish bags, extra loo paper incase we had an influx of people needing loo breaks, or should we hire a port-a-loo?.
Had we contacted all the local papers and radio stations & schools?
Did you post the flyers up at that Supermarket last night, or did I?
Where did we put the contact details for that person go?
Did you book the trestles?
We need to order more chocolate...
What are we going to do about traffic / parking?
What if it rains?
Heck I forgot to get more cellotape....and so it continued.....

Our 'joke' of a company motto certainly came into effect 'There are 24 useable hours in every day'
The phone would not stop ringing!
The paranoia started to set in for us, and we were worried that there wouldnt be enough baking to actually sell on the day, so we got busy in the kitchen too - over 1000 mini's, a mountain of Martha Stewart crackle biscuits, tonnes of chocolate crackles and lots of gingerbread.
Not to mention we had lots of usual cupcake baking to squeeze in amongst the madness. Weddings, birthdays and special treats apparently dont just stop because we decided to have a good ol fashioned Bake Sale!

We experienced the power of Social Media first hand, with generous offers of help of baking, helping on the day. printing, photos, goodies, flyer distribution, all coming through Facebook & Twitter.
Still, one of the best forms of advertising still has to be the trusty 'Word of Mouth'! The amount of people that mentioned a friend or relative had told them about it was really touching. Its so neat to think that people were talking about it with each other and helping to spread the word whichever way they could.

People were so positive, and many said they felt that it made them feel as though they were actually doing something to help, all the way from up here, as they had felt so hopeless being far away, which is exactly as we'd felt.
Volunteers remained calm and collected as we were running around like headless chooks.

With everyones help and generosity, it all came together on the day! Except for the manky muggy, drizzly and sometimes rainy weather....but even that didnt stop everyone from coming on down to grab some yummy treats :)
We were silly billies for being paranoid about the lack of baking, as we had NOTHING to worry about, the amount of baking donated was PHENOMINAL - and it was all gone by 4pm! There are some very happy bellies out there, and people are still commenting about the goodies they snapped up on the day.
The calibre of goodies donated stunned us as they were coming through the door.
A lot of thought and time had been put into it by so many people. Lovely packaging, adorable decorations, decadent ingredients, clear labeling to be wary of allergies etc. Mouthwatering and mind blowing!

Some absolutely amazing pictures were snapped of the day, you can view them by following these facebook links.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=274468&id=40805749439

http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=276163&id=267169108552&fbid=10150115974133553

We would like to personally thank each and every person and company who contributed in their own way, this is rather difficult as not everyone has an email address, or even left their details when they dropped off baking, or dropped in to help - so if this is you - you know how amazing you are and we're sending you a GIANT virtual hug!
We appreciate how long it takes to bake from scratch, and how tiring it can be on your feet for long periods of time, but our amazing volunteers never waivered - they continued re-packaging, pricing, selling, chatting and smiling. Brilliant.

Here is a wee list of some of the businesses that helped in some way, make sure you keep them in mind if you ever need their services, they're good sorts!:

3A Copy & Design Takapuna - Who was the first to contact us and printed all the posters and flyers

Kate for designing our awesome poster

Carlton Party Hire, Glenfield - who supplied the tonnes of trestle tables on the day

Cook The Books - who were a pick up point for baking in Ponsonby, and rustled up and helped man the amazing sausage sizzle

Grant Allen - Cook, who had the BEST sausage sizzle with pure angus saussies & homemade, homegrown relish
Fab Art - Facepainting - Jakkii Goody came all the way from Pukekohe and did many many cute designs on young AND old!

Robbie - from Vauxall Cafe who manned our coffee machine when we were running around outside like headless chooks
Little Cookies - Kirin helped all day, baked, donated cupcake cases to fellow bakers and leant her mobile eftpos machine!

Available Light Photography - such stunning pics were taken, during the madness of the morning

Jel Photography - More awesome pics before they were off to shoot a wedding

Goldenbridge - some great prizes for the Raffle

Kiwicakes - more awesome goodies for the Raffle

Hype Hair Design - our neighbours on the strip, who put up with the madness, and donated hairproduct to sell, and a great Raffle pack

R.J.Don Panelbeaters - who donated full Valet vouchers for the Raffle

Kara Huddart - local Tupperware dealer with goodies for the Raffle

Best Blooms - for the gorgeous poseys that were donated to sell

Fiona - who stayed the whole day, and was filled with positivity and enthusiasm

Rachael - A brilliant helper, baker, photographer, blogger...

Kevin from Chocolate Earth in Browns Bay who baked hundreds of brownies...which were devine

The always supportive Lyn Potter for covering the event before and after!

Campbell of Gen-i - for donating the amazing Telecom Smart Phone for the Raffle
Jenna Watt - who donated Facial Spa Certificates to sell - there will be some lucky ladies getting facials with amazing products from Nutrimetics
Kieren Streifler & Sharon Holden - packaging and pricing machines!
Anne Langton - Raffle Queen
Haydn Rutherford - Milkman Extraordinare - collecting baking, lugging heavy things, lantern duty, stall holder
Carol from the Op Shop - those Toffee Apples & Apple Crumble were sooo amazing
The Cupcake Girls from the Variety Club Bash, who say patiently wrapping toffee apples Fri afternoon
The Dairy next door - who gave Cash Out to people on Eftpos all day!
And it goes on....and on.....

There are just sooo many people who made this event so special, and we cant thank you enough for everything....some fellow kiwis are very lucky that you have their backs.

At the risk of sounding super soppy...I think we can just sum up the day with three words, and will leave you with that....

Heartwarming. Generosity. Community.

Kathryn & Colleen

xxxooo