Bayside bake sale raises $3,000

It might seem strange to some - having a bake sale to combat hunger - but to Jennifer Buljan, 25, it seemed like a sweet idea. A look at the total proves it out.
The Croatian immigrant, who was raised in a single-parent household in Flushing, acted on a childhood resolution to do something about hunger and single-handedly organized a bake sale on Sunday, August 26, at the handball courts of Bayside High School.
“It went great,” Buljan said. “The best part was counting the money and realizing that we had raised $3,035 to combat child hunger in America.”
Not bad for a first-timer, one would have to admit, especially considering that the project almost was burned at the last moment. In her enthusiasm to cook up some funds, the city’s requirement that all events on school property have to carry insurance got “lost in the sauce.”
“They were nice, and gave me up to the day of the event to provide proof of insurance,” Buljan said. “Thankfully [Assemblymember Ann-Margaret] Carrozza’s office got in touch with Judy Limpert, president of the Bayside Business Association, and she agreed to fund my premium. Just in time,” she said.
Buljan also credits City Councilmember Tony Avella with calling Limpert on her behalf. “He was one of our first customers; he bought a cheesecake,” she said.
By all accounts, the event was a mega-hit. “People were very generous,” Buljan said. “We had everything minimally priced but people were giving with their hearts.”
One man named Marty paid a whopping $100 for a Napoleon cake donated by Cascon Cheesecake Corporation. “We had it priced at about $25 but he said he felt the charity was worth more - gotta love that,” Buljan said.
In addition to all the donated and home-baked goods, the local firehouse sent Engine 320 to do “community outreach.”
Speedo the Clown and Company and P&R entertainment donated their services to keep things upbeat. “The clowns never stopped dancing, face-painting and balloon making, even when it threatened to rain. The DJ was great, too. He even went out into the street with a sign to get people to come in,” Buljan recounted.
“People told me that Bayside never has anything like this,” Buljan, who moved to the neighborhood in April, said. “They said they look forward to me organizing more.”
Buljan said that the volunteers were so enthusiastic and so many people encouraged her to make the bake sale an annual event, she would rise to the occasion “bigger and better next year.”
“From the knowledge I’ve gained in event planning this year, it’ll be a piece of cake.”