By CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
PEMBROKE — What makes a baker happy? Baking for others, of course! And so, Melody McLaughlin is doing just that, along with about 18 other bakers who are volunteers for Operation Christmas Bake.
“My grandmother baked, my mom baked, I bake,” she said with a laugh.
A few years ago, just before Christmas, Ms. McLaughlin said she felt like something was missing. She wasn’t sure what, so one night while watching television with her daughter Morgan, now 19, she brainstormed with her.
Her laptop on her knee, Ms. McLaughlin began browsing the Internet and saw the word ‘operation.’ She decided since she likes to bake, her new Christmas tradition would be Operation Christmas Bake.
The idea was to have people nominate others, or even themselves, to get a plate of a variety of Christmas goodies.
Her daughter thought it was a great idea and so, Ms. McLaughlin opened a facebook page called Operation Christmas Bake and the new adventure began.
“I told her, ‘You know if we do this and we get 100 orders, we’re going to have to bake enough for 100 orders.”
The two decided this would become a family tradition, and so her husband Wayne and son Derek, now 22, would be the delivery people.
While the facebook group was for people who wanted a plate of goodies, Ms. McLaughlin was surprised she also saw names of people who wanted to do some baking.
“These were people I went to school with, strangers, writing I’ll bake, I’ll bake,” she recalled, as she laughed.
They were asking what do you want, how much, and the names of those who wanted a plate of baked goodies started rolling in.
Not wanting to miss anyone, she began writing the names down in a book.
“I just started this crappy old book,” she said holding it up. “I didn’t know if this would be a thing. Now it’s a bible,” she said referring to the book.
In 2013, the first year, 110 plates were delivered and two years later there were 193 plates delivered. Ms. McLaughlin does admit not all of these plates go to individual homes. There are a few mass orders, such as to Community Mental Health and veterans and Masons’ widows.
This year Ms. McLaughlin expects there will be around 200 plates of goodies. And one of the reasons is those asking for plates are not just from Petawawa and Pembroke, but Whitewater Region, Eganville, Deep River, Chalk River, and many other places.
“I was hoping it would go right through the valley and that’s what’s happening this year,” she said. “I put it out there that I’d like to reach more places, but I need elves in those areas.”
And the people responded, she said. One person said she would bake for Whitewater Region, while another will do Deep River and Chalk River. She even has baking elves and one delivery elf in Renfrew. There has been tremendous response from Eganville, with 30 people looking for a plate of Christmas goodies.
She has around 20 baker elves and 20 delivery elves. She decided to call them elves because elves are busy at this time of the year, and these people will be busy.
The plates are about 10” around and fit about two dozen goodies, which could be anything from cookies, squares to candies, Ms. McLaughlin said, adding, it’s up to each baker.
“Some are baking just cookies, while others are doing squares,” she said. “I do a mixture of everything,” she said.
Ms. McLaughlin noted her job saves her sanity, otherwise she would be baking morning to night. Even when she’s not baking, there’s always opportunity because there’s freezer cookies always ready to be baked.
The baking is not allergy free, because she can’t guarantee that, she noted.
Delivery is usually the Friday before Christmas, but because of how Christmas falls in the calendar year, delivery this year is Friday, Dec. 16. The final date to put in an order for a plateful of yumminess is Tuesday, Dec. 13.
Ms. McLaughlin says for those who bake but don’t deliver, they make up the plates and then bring them to her home in Pembroke. If she had to make up all the plates, it would take her days, she explained.
“One of the biggest thrills of all is when the bakers drop off all the treats about two days before delivery day,” she said. “The whole living room is filled with plates of food.
“By delivering a couple of days early, if more plates are needed, I can quickly get some baking done and put more plates together.
“I don’t get any Christmas shopping done until about a week before because I’m so busy with this baking event which brings joy to so many people.”
Sitting quietly for a moment, Ms. McLaughlin recalled last year when her don Derek and she were sitting at the table at the far end of the living room, which just happened to be filled with all the goodie plates, and she said she hadn’t even started Christmas shopping.
“My son Derek just sat here and he said, ‘Mom, don’t worry about Christmas. This is Christmas to me.’ It brought tears to my eyes. This has become Christmas in our home.”
Ms. McLaughlin gets joy out of this yearly tradition.
“I get to give by doing what I love doing,” she said, adding, “I’m in the kitchen, if I’m not at work. I go to work to get away from baking.”
It’s also an opportunity for she and Morgan to bond.
“My daughter rand I bake together and then she helps me wrap them.”
But, it’s also an opportunity for other families and friends to bond, Ms. McLaughlin said.
“I hear the same thing from so many bakers,” she said. “One baker, her dad was helping her. He did the dishes and helped put plates together. Husbands and wives. Mothers and sons. One guy comes every year and his mom is in the passenger seat. She just loves going for the drive.
“I sit and scroll through the group and it brings tears to my eyes as I read how they feel when they give someone a plate of goodies.”
Ms. McLaughlin recalled the first year when a delivery elf returned to her home and told her about a gentleman who was living in a motel room and didn’t have anything.
“A bunch of them got together and brought a bunch of stuff to him.
“This has trickled onto so many other things. It’s not just about the plate of goodies, or it’s not just about the baking, or just about delivering.
“I have all these people, 18 people, who want to be a part of this, and even the people who offer a recipient, they’re thanking me. I’m thanking them for taking the time to help us reach the people we are trying to reach.”
On the Operation Christmas Bake facebook page, Ms. McLaughlin encourages the bakers to post photos of what they’re baking. It’s just one way of getting everyone in the baking spirit, she said.
For many people who receive a plate of goodies, they’re so thankful, she said.
“To open your door and see a beautiful array of treats,” Ms. McLaughlin said. ““The love on a tray that the bakers put is incredible. Chocolate kisses with sprinkles. It’s a way to someone’s heart.”
“My daughter and I do gingerbread men with country ribbon on them. That in itself screams I love you.”
Ms. McLaughlin said her grandmother, Thelma MacCallum, was her biggest inspiration.
“She was a beautiful baker.”
