It began with Emilee Lemcke’s idea to make baked goods for local law enforcement officers and turned into a community-wide effort called Baking to Back the Blue. Emilee, of Hilton, felt passionate about showing local law enforcement officers appreciation and respect by bringing them baked goods.
Emilee put the idea out on Facebook, asking if anyone wanted to donate to help fund the baking project to show support to local law enforcement agencies. Very quickly, her idea grew to a community who also wanted to show their support.
Emilee’s friend Krysten Portal, owner of You’re Baking Me Hungry, offered to have the baking done at her professional bakery. Emilee has family in law enforcement, and Krysten has family members with military backgrounds, and they came together to create Baking to Back the Blue.
Their Facebook group rapidly grew to more than 300 members. Donations of specific store-bought bakery ingredients, gift cards, and monetary contributions came in from more than 60 people. Donations were received from area residents wanting to show their appreciation to law enforcement, as well as to organizations and law enforcement families. “I never thought it would be this big,” Emilee said.
Emilee contacted Thin Blue Line to order bracelets as a thank you gift for those who contributed to the effort. Once they heard what she was doing, they donated 100 bracelets to Baking to Back the Blue.
On Thursday, July 2, Emilee and Krysten, with the help of Emilee’s husband Craig, delivered 750 decorated cupcakes to the Rochester Police Department. The delivery was made to the Public Safety Building, and each precinct sent an officer over to pick up and deliver cupcakes to their staff. The remaining money collected was donated to the Locust Club on behalf of RPD.
Emilee and Krysten plan to continue Baking to Back the Blue for the Monroe County Sheriff’s office as well as other local police agencies. “We had amazing feedback from the Rochester Police Department as well as from the community,” said Emilee.
For more information or to support Baking to Back the Blue, find their group on Facebook.
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