Cindy Agnes has at all times had a ardour for baking.
In 2008 when her husband Gerry, the then newly appointed President and Chief Govt Officer for Elevations Credit score Union, held a BBQ for the credit score union’s employees, she thought some home made cookies could be a pleasant addition to the celebration.
When the vacations got here round, Cindy added the Elevations Board of Administrators to the enjoyable, making her delectables to assist want the board a Merry Christmas and Pleased New Yr.
Since 2013, Cindy has baked a minimum of a dozen cookies per worker every vacation season, and he or she and Gerry ship them to all Elevations areas alongside the Entrance Vary. In 2013, Elevations had 322 workers. Quick ahead to 2022, Cindy now bakes over 7,000 cookies for the 600-plus Elevations employees. To perform this takes 398 eggs, 342 cups of flour, 297 sticks of butter and 269 cups of sugar, together with an abundance of chocolate chips, nuts, and M&M’s. She begins preparations in early November in order that, come December, she’s able to ship her delicious cookies to every of the credit score union’s areas.
The way it began
Within the early days, a pair trays of three forms of cookies have been sufficient to place smiles on everybody’s faces.
Alongside the way in which, Cindy figured offering for extra than simply the employees at BBQ’s and for a board assembly was wanted. She expanded her operations to incorporate all the firm. In 2017 she recruited certainly one of her daughters, Kristin Agnes, to assist her bake, embellish and bundle the cookies.
“I like the employees!” Cindy mentioned. “All of them work so onerous, they usually’re similar to household. Because the Elevations household grew, we simply began making extra cookies. I make a whole lot of cookies as a result of it’s vital to me to have the employees have sufficient to carry some house to their households and neighbors.”
Because the Elevations group grew every year, so did Cindy’s baking efforts. Although she and Kristin nonetheless make all of the cookies in her house kitchen, she’s acquired three stand mixers and three chest freezers for all of the ready dough ready patiently for baking day.
Nonetheless, when baking is completed, the undertaking nonetheless must be accomplished. Cindy, Kristin, and Gerry then bundle and cargo up all of the cookies for supply — a course of that often lasts a few days.
Labor of affection
The gargantuan act of carrying out an enterprise of this caliber exhibits how large Cindy’s coronary heart is. Oh, and he or she’s at all times keen to share her scrumptious recipes!
She additionally will get suggestions from the employees every year, serving to her enhance for the subsequent season. These might embrace containers for workers to take house cookies, extra fan-favorite flavors, and even an improved option to ship cookies utilizing massive catering containers as an alternative of trays.
In terms of recipes, Cindy is at all times open to attempting one thing new. In 2021, as an illustration, she debuted the “Grinch” cookie — a inexperienced cookie with a purple coronary heart. (We might neither verify nor deny the guts being two sizes too small.)
The yearly cookie-making occasion organically grew every year out of Cindy’s love for baking. She at all times made cookies for her youngsters once they have been rising up, and when Cindy and Gerry have been youthful, she made and offered her cinnamon rolls.
She handed on her love of baking to her two daughters and son, Eric. Her daughter Nicole even went to culinary college and have become a pastry chef, whereas her daughter Kristin helps plan the cookie provides purchasing and enjoys serving to bake and embellish every year.
Concerned course of
In terms of logistics, it turns into a household affair. Cindy and all three kids put collectively an inventory of provides and plan the cookie checklist, and Gerry gives a rely of Elevations group members at every location. When the massive day arrives, Cindy, Kristin, and Gerry’s baking, boxing and organizing runs late into the night and thru the subsequent morning, when deliveries begin.
Gerry and Cindy begin up north in Fort Collins and work their method south on I-25, hitting every department, mortgage workplace and back-office location for a complete of 20 stops.
Not even a worldwide pandemic might cease Cindy. In 2020, when a lot on the earth got here to a screeching halt, Cindy, Kristin, and Gerry determined to proceed the custom with some adjustments. With assist from the group, they boxed and delivered cookies to each worker.
When all was mentioned and executed, the couple mentioned probably the most difficult half was not with the ability to carry trays to all of the branches and need everybody a Merry Christmas and Pleased New Yr.
At Elevations, work-life stability and worker satisfaction are large priorities. An environment like that begins on the prime, and Cindy and Gerry’s dedication and thoughtfulness are actually a giant a part of that tradition.
