Suppose you are an avid baker with a special appreciation for the beloved four-legged companions who bring so much sunshine into our lives. In that case, you are cordially invited to Bake the World a Better Place for Our Furry Friends!
The Bake the World a Better Place for Our Furry Friends Bake Sale, happening Wednesday–Saturday, March 20–23, is set to benefit Ray’s House of Hope and the senior pets of the Hernando County community.
Hosted at Marker 48 Brewing, 12147 Cortez Blvd., Spring Hill, the bake sale will generate the funds needed for this haven for senior pets. It is based in Spring Hill and operated by Joanne Schoch, former director of the Humane Society.
“I am reaching out to all of my friends to see if you would consider baking (or buying baked goods) to donate to our bake sale,” explained Schoch, a longtime Hernando animal rescue worker and founder of Ray’s House of Hope, Inc. “Marker 48 Brewing is graciously hosting this fundraiser for us from Wednesday, March 20-SSaturday, March 23, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings from 5 p.m.–9 p.m., and Saturday noon–9 p.m.”
A great many dough-nations are needed to make this event a success. “We need bakers to donate something for each day,” explained Schoch. “If you cannot donate baked goods, come and buy them! Our senior furry friends need your support this year.”
Ray’s House of Hope got its start in 2020 when Schoch received Ray Charles, a blind cat, from a concerned friend. Then came a cat with three legs and other cats and dogs that needed a forever home and a loving and safe place to live until that day. When they are adopted, their new owners are instructed about senior pet care.
Bake the World a Better Place for Our Furry Friends is the latest fundraiser to help Schoch, and her dedicated team of volunteers support the animals.
“I will need to have my bakers organized by Sunday, March 17th,” she said. “Some people are baking, and some are buying from bakeries to donate goodies. We have several professional bakeries also donating items.”
Schoch hopes to make Bake the World a Better Place for Our Furry Friends an annual fund-raiser for Ray’s House of Hope.
“This is hopefully going to be our first annual Bake The World A Better Place bake sale,” she said. “I wanted to find a fundraiser that did not necessarily require people to give money but still be able to help our furry friends and feel a part of what we do. Not everyone is in a position to donate financially. Of course, we still need financial donations for veterinary care, food, housing, etc.”
Schoch aims for Bake the World a Better Place to feature the very best and a wide variety of fine baked goods. “We are working towards having a wide variety of baked goods,” she said. “We currently have cheesecake, banana bread, cookies, cupcakes, homemade bread, muffins, and rum cakes. We definitely need more of everything to cover the four days of the sale, though. We are hoping to see some wonderful family recipes at the sale. The quantity is up to the baker, of course, but we will take all that they are willing to bake.”
This promises to be a large-scale, well-organized event. “We will need quite a bit as Marker 48 is a very busy place in addition to the people who will come just for the sale. Our tent will be set up right outside the entrance. We are grateful for anyone who can help. We do ask that they contact me directly to avoid any confusion since the sale spans a period of 4 dates. My number is 352-683-7490,” said Schoch. “We are organizing our bakers so that our goodies are fresh daily. We do ask that a list of ingredients be supplied for people who have to check regarding allergies. We will also be raffling off several made-to-order fabulous Italian Easter Pies to be baked and delivered for the Easter Holiday.”
All proceeds stand to benefit Ray’s and its programs. “The funds raised will be used for the ongoing care of the senior pets currently residing at Ray’s House, but our other goal this year is to expand our outreach program to assist pet families in preparing for their pet’s future should they no long be able to care for them,” explained Schoch. “We never know when something might happen to us and it is important to have detailed directives made for our pets’ care just in case. This is vital for a pet’s well-being in the future.”
For more information, contact Joanne Schoch at [email protected] or (352) 683-7490.
