Lansing library hosting cookie contest fundraiser

Community members in the town of Lansing have a plan in the oven to raise funds for the Lansing Community Library.

The group, the Friends of Lansing Library, is celebrating the second year of its annual Cookie Contest Fundraiser on Aug. 31 at Myers Park. Residents from all over Tompkins County are invited to bring their best cookie recipes in benefit of the library, organizers say. Cookies will be evaluated by judges, some of whom have experience baking and selling sweet treats.

“This event is more than just a baking competition; it’s a heartwarming example of how our community comes together to support a valuable local resource,” said Amalia Gonzalez Beary, an organizer with the group. “Participants from all walks of life, including local bakers, families and even children, will be showcasing their best cookie recipes. The event will not only highlight the culinary talents in our area but also raise much-needed funds to support the library’s programs and services.”

Gonzalez Beary said the fundraiser is unlike anything else in the area. It presents a chance for locals to showcase their cookie-baking talent and share their love for cookies. 

“We thought it could be fun to have something different to do, and we chose the end of the summer to give families an opportunity to do something fun,” Gonzalez Beary said.

This year, the event will feature three age-based categories: 

• Kids (children in pre-K through fourth grade)
• Tweens and teens (children from fifth to 12th grade)
• Adults

Each competitor is asked to bake two dozen cookies to enter the contest. Organizers say they expect to have further guidelines once registration closes on Aug. 28 at 5 p.m. The registration form is available here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfvQGTFgwoKl5tK3rwkF_KBEoVLB3su30fSRZiygz4TE5T1rA/viewform

All cookies entered across the three age categories will be eligible to be voted on by event attendees for best-looking cookie. One registration fee of $15 will enter contestants into the competition for best-tasting cookie, best-looking cookie, and best overall cookie.

In addition, organizers will host a best gluten free and/or vegan cookie category, open to ages 18+.  Competitors can enter this category for $10 or add it on to the general adult registration fee for an additional $5.

Last year, the event featured 22 contestants, something Gonzalez Beary said was surprising and encouraging.

“We were very appreciative that people wanted to be part of this contest,” she noted. “I think that we offer a different way of supporting the library.”

Local celebrity guest judges will also make a return for this year’s event. Ashley Case — the owner and operator of Case Sera Sera, a local cookie baking business — 

“I’m so excited to once again be a judge at this year’s cookie fundraiser contest. Last year, there was a great turnout and so many delicious cookies,” Case said. 

Case Sera Sera was born after Case became a mother. She made the difficult decision to transition from being a professional banker to being a stay-home-mom, her website’s bio section states. Case baked treats for a family event, and her business took off from there.

“I’m eager to see the community come together again, showcasing their creativity and skill while supporting a great cause of raising money for The Friends of the Lansing Community Library,” Case said.

Gonzalez Beary said she hopes the funds raised for the library reflect the love the community has for “a key component that helps the town grow.”

“Whether it’s something to refurbish, or something to add new books or new services, we want to help,” she said. “The library was a key component during the pandemic. They provided masks and tests; they provided internet for people who needed it. The library and literacy are key components that help the community grow, so we want to help the library to have the funds to do more programming and get better at what they do.”

Lansing at Large appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com. Contact Eddie Velazquez at edvel37@gmail.com or on X (formerly Twitter) @ezvelazquez.

In brief:

Friends of Lansing Center Trail is hosting a 2.5-mile hike of the center trail on Sept. 14 at noon. The hike will start at 90 Auburn Rd., at the beginning of the trail.

“Explore this wonderful community resource, learn about the history of the land, and discover how the trails came to be,” organizers said in a post on the Lansing Community Library’s website. “It’s a great opportunity to get outdoors and learn something new!”

Interested parties can sign up at

https://lansinglibrary.org/2024/08/19/lcl-presents-a-lansing-center-trail-guided-hike/.