Written By Linda Morton
Although the Christmas shopping season seems to begin earlier each year, Carroll County benevolent organizations have compelling reasons to start holiday plans in October and November. Their kind of “shopping” means seeking donations, contributions, and volunteers. Holiday coverage for those in need takes time to assemble.
Human Services Programs of Carroll County, Inc. sponsors the Neighbors in Need program for Christmas assistance. They are seeking donations and volunteers now, as are many other humanitarian groups. Contact Holly Hutchins, deputy director for development and community relations at 410-857-2999/3016 to assist with Neighbors in Need.
The Mount Airy Lions Club provides a full month’s worth of food for approximately 30 families in December. They supply personal items and money as well. According to member Ken Shipley, last year 35 shopping carts full of groceries were delivered to Mount Airy families with the assistance of a local Girl Scout troop (connecting young volunteers with this adult group). Super Fresh grocery was instrumental in helping with the project last year and will assist again this year. Through the store’s incentive programs and sales, the amount of food purchased last year was nearly doubled.
In addition, Super Fresh employees did the labor-intensive work of parceling the food into grocery bags for an equitable distribution of items to each family. The club plans to donate over $7,000 worth of food this year. The recipients of their work are identified through Mount Airy Net, through participants of the club’s eyeglasses and hearing aid program, and through local schools.
The Lions Club raises money through a basket-bingo event in October as well as through donations and other projects. In the spring, they provide new shoes for children (partnering with Wal-Mart). All of the funds and donations they raise go to their projects to help people in need. Call 301-829-LION or 301-831-0117 (Ken Shipley) for more information.
The Church of the Ascension, 23 North Court Street, Westminster, will hold its 32nd annual “Mistletoe Mart” Christmas craft fair, benefitting the church’s many community charities, on November 10 and 11 from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and November 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults and $1 for children under 11. The event is a juried craft show, featuring a country store and 50 shops selling such items as stained glass, pottery, original artwork, wreaths, jewelry, and textiles. Complimentary tea will be served daily and homemade food will also be sold. For more information, call 410-848-3251.
Basic must mean delicious, because if it’s sweet, fresh and made from some kind of dough, Heinz Bakery tempts you with it. Donuts, brownies, cookies, rum balls, clairs, tarts and buns are shelved beside cinnamon coffee cake, raspberry and apple turnovers, pretzel pastries and chocolate raisin bars – all made fresh every day.
And, then there are the pound and layer cakes – also available for birthdays, weddings and anniversaries – and the daily selection of soft breads.
“They’re all my father’s recipes,” said Heinz, “a collection over the years from many different places plus some of our own recipes that we’ve worked out ourselves. Everything is done from scratch. It’s hard to be different from the competition if you taste just like they do. Nobody is duplicating what we do here. É Nobody does a real, retail, scratch bakery anymore.”
But Heinz Bakery does. And, the diverse customer base shows that fresh, quality baked goods, served in a friendly atmosphere, have a strong market in the area. “Our customers are a cross-section of Main Street Carroll County É a little bit of everything,” said Heinz. “Some people haven’t discovered us yet, but word gets around little by little.”
While year-round offerings deliver a taste of fresh, seasonal harvests, the word is out – loud and clear – during the holiday season when business booms. “Pumpkin pies start in the fall,” said Heinz. “We make a pretty good pumpkin pie, if I have to say so myself.”
“And then, of course, at Christmastime, we have a couple of favorites,” Heinz said. “The Christmas stollen is our number one holiday treat.”
The bakery’s Dresden Christmas stollen is a sweet, traditional German bread, flavored with citrus fruit, raisins, rum, holiday spices, butter, almonds and a touch of marzipan. This is not your grandmother’s fruitcake.
Asked if he eats his own creations, Heinz said, “Of course I do. Every day. If there’s a tray of product going out to the store that doesn’t tempt me, then I know I’m not doing it right.”
That right way was taught to him by his father, Heinz H. Luesse, who opened the bakery in 1972. Although no longer the owner, Heinz H., a German immigrant and Konditor Meister – a German Master Pastry Chef – still works beside his son. “My father É isn’t really retired,” said the younger Heinz. “He works here everyday. Dad has his way of doing it that is very, very important to him.”
Is dad proud of the tradition carried on by his son? “I hope so,” Heinz H. said. “I hope so.”
Heinz Bakery occupies its original Westminster storefront at 42 W. Main Street and is open Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 2 pm.
