Bake Sale has 'Humble Pie' Beginnings

Pies are available this week through Wednesday at the Royal Oak Salvation Army Community Center located at 3015 N. Main St. just 3 blocks south of 13 Mile Road.

The pie sale came from humble pie beginnings: 22 years ago, apples were left over from another event at the Salvation Army and Girl Guard troop leader Jill Johnson turned these into a few pies and offered them for sale.  Word spread quickly, and what started as a way to utilize leftovers has grown into an annual fundraiser for the Girl Guard troop.

“My first experience with the Salvation Army, besides shopping and donating at the Thrift Stores and dropping change in the Red Kettles at the exit of local stores, came in the form of a Girl Guard pie,” said Danielle Workman.  “My late husband drove by the Royal Oak Citadel Corps and saw the sign out front and stopped in buying a Pecan pie.  It didn’t last the night and the next day he went back for an Apple Crumb and Pumpkin.  Little did we know then that the next year, we would be participating on the other side of the sale as apple peelers, bakers and pie pushers.”

At the time, Workman led her daughter’s Junior Girl Scout Troop.

"I now kid that Girl Scouts sell boxed cookies but the Girl Guards bake their pies,”  Workman said.

As anyone who’s been involved with the Girl Scouts knows, the cookie campaign is a three month order-taking and distribution undertaking.  By contrast, the annual pie sale for pre-orders begins around Nov. 1 and baking begins the Friday before Thanksgiving through the day before the holiday, said Workman.

This year the troop of around 30 middle and high school girls have secured 500 pre-orders and will sell another 500 to those who call the Corps or simply stop in.  

The pie sale has been so successful, it is the Girl Guard only annual fundraiser.  The profits are used in a number of ways including – sponsoring a family for Christmas through the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program, making a donation to World Services to be used in the neediest of 125 countries the Salvation Army serves and supporting troop activities, including weekly troop meetings, summer camp at Echo Grove, field trips and special trips earned by girls achieving higher awards.  

One such trip that freshman Katrina Stalcup is working towards is available to high school seniors achieving their Catherine Booth Award.  Catherine Booth is the co-founder of the Salvation Army, the award is similar to achieving Eagle Scout and involves years of succeeding at emblems (think badges) and completing a service project.  Catherine Booth recipients are taken to the International Headquarters of the Salvation Army in London, England during spring break.  It’s a strong motivator for the younger girls to participate in the pie sale, as they hear the stories and see the photos from past Catherine Booth London trippers.

If you go

This year’s pie sale is in full swing.  Despite the challenge in finding enough apples, the bestseller continues to be the Apple Crumb pie, which is available baked or unbaked and frozen in regular or sugar free for $10 per pie.  Pecan pie is offered baked for $10 but can be frozen and thawed.  Pumpkin pies are $8 each and are offered both baked and frozen unbaked.  It’s best to call ahead and place an order at 248-585-5600 but if you happened to drive by, just drop in.  The pie sale is on today from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.  at 3015 N. Main St. in Royal Oak.

Source: Girl Guard