The Great Cookie Exchange Returns

CAPE MAY – For many families in Cape May County, the Christmas season begins with cookies, a lot of cookies! The wildly popular Great Cookie Exchange, sponsored by the Center for Community Arts, is in its 20th year of providing the community with a Christmas event that for many has become a tradition.
Many parents brought their children and now grandchildren to the event Dec. 1. The Great Cookie Exchange is always held the first Monday in December in the cafeteria of the Cape May City Elementary School.
Parents bring children to enjoy a night of free holiday fun, including making Santa and elf hats, holiday bags and boxes, ornaments, cards and cookies, many baked on the premises. Santa visits, and there is caroling and raffle prizes, such as new bicycles and gift baskets donated by local merchants.
It takes more than 60 volunteers to pull off the event. Many have been coming for years. They man the tables with the crafts, give apple juice and coffee to visitors, and help children make crafts and sugar cookies in the cafeteria ovens. A long table is filled with all kinds of cookies, many brought by the guests. People come up with their decorated bags and boxes to claim their stash.
Yvonne Wright-Gary, a longtime member of the Center for Community Arts, said the Cookie Exchange was one of the first community building events the center held when they first got started.
“The event began when the Center was founded by 12 local women,” Wright-Gary said. “They wanted to do something for the community so it was decided to hold a holiday event.”
New this year was a table, hosted by PNC Bank, where children could decorate a gingerbread man. The gingerbread men were already cooked and children came to the table to decorate them. The only thing that has changed with the event is that children now get small boxes or bags to decorate instead of baskets, which were too expensive for the CCA to continue using.
Emily Dempsey, a CCA board member and one of the founders of the Cookie Exchange, said the exchange is an inventive way to bring the organization to the public.
“We wanted ways to get the community on board and involved so we thought this would be a great way to do something for the community,” Dempsey said. “This was a way to give children something to do to keep them off the streets. I love being part of this every year. The Center for Community Arts is the nicest organization I belong to. They really work with the community.”
The event started at 6 p.m. but by 5:30 there were many people lined up at the door. As guests piled in the cafeteria at 6, many brought their baked goods. Within five minutes, the cafeteria, which held only the volunteers, was mobbed.
“It’s organized chaos,” Dempsey said. “We get more people every year.”
Marga Matheny, a Cape May resident, has been a volunteer for about five years. She is also on the CCA board. “What is there not to love about the exchange,” Matheny said. “It is a family event, everyone has a great time, people get free cookies and crafts and for many families, it has become a tradition that kicks off the holiday season.”
Vicki Tryon of Cape May was another longtime volunteer who mans the sewing station that assembles the holiday hats. “It’s a free party for every kid,” Tryon said. “Every kid gets a free Christmas party. The beauty of the event is that kids make things themselves and that makes them so proud.”
Sue Lowe of Erma brought her three grandchildren, two daughters and mother to the event. “We’ve come for about 10 years now,” Lowe said. “It has become our tradition. I think the event is just awesome. It is so nice what they do for the kids. We would not miss it.”
To contact Debra Rech, email drech@cmcherald.com.