Cookie sales help light the darkness

Beth’s Bakery has returned with Anthony Brookhart at the helm.

While cookies have been baked and sold for a couple of months now, Brookhart says he’s making a “quiet return” to the business his mother ran for years. And, much like he and his mom have done for the last couple of years, he’s using cookies as a fundraiser to raise money for the local Alzheimer’s Association.

Customers stopped by the bakery at 8 Court St., Monday night — also known as the Winter Solstice or “the longest night” for a companion fundraiser to his “Longest Day” event. With a minimum of a $ 5 donation, those driving to the bakery received an individually boxed snowman face cookie wearing a purple Santa hat. Last year Brookhart raised money with a candle lit display at his own home.

After the bakery reopened in November, Brookhart took on the role of main decorator. With his mother Beth now retired, Brookhart said he took on the role to because of flexibility allowing him to do more advocacy for Alzheimers. Five to 10 years ago he wouldn’t have imagined running the business, though another factor was that Brookhart knows how popular the cookies are. He estimates by the time they are done with the holiday season, they will have baked 1,300 dozen cookies.

He said they get requests from all over the country. Right now they are only open by appointment, and are still working out shipping capabilities.

Beth now serves as quality control; Brookhart said his mother was very excited about him taking over the family business and 2021 will mark their 25th year in business.

Shortly after noon, just south of New Hampshire on U. S. Route 33, a black GMC SUV went off the road, and sent a mailbox flying several feet before the vehicle struck a tree and was disabled. The driver, Brian Wilson, 46 of Fort Wayne Indiana, was seriously injured and transported by Indian Lake EMS to Lima Memorial Hospital on a stretcher. The cause of the crash is still under investigation by Ohio Highway Patrol Wapakoneta Post.