Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Wednesday, December 14, 2011

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At Sweet Blessings, each cake is designed with a specific child in mind. Can you tell the little girl who will receive this birthday surprise likes fashion and modeling?

“Helping kids is a piece of cake!” That’s the simple motto of Sweet Blessings, a nonprofit that makes birthdays special for Central Kentucky children living in poverty or living with a serious illness.

Kimberly Smith, who teaches sixth-grade math at Bryan Station Middle School, thought it sounded like a fine idea. So did Jonathan Saylor, a senior at Bryan Station High School. Both volunteer in the kitchen of a local church where Sweet Blessings turns out fabulous and imaginative creations every Tuesday.

“I started my first decorating class last January and was looking for something where I could help or reach out. It’s something that’s small, but it can make a big impact on their lives to know somebody out there cares for them and is interested in them,” Smith said. “Just the fact that they help our kids in Fayette County is a plus.”

In the past year, Sweet Blessings has provided dozens of cakes to children in Fayette, Jessamine, Scott, Woodford, Franklin, Anderson and Owen counties.

Smith, who has practiced on family birthday cakes, also expects to hone her skills while volunteering a few hours a week. “I enjoy the baking, but I’m more into the creative side of things,” she said.

Her first afternoon, she went straight to work on a little girl’s “fashion model” surprise – trimming it with little pink and black balls of icing that looked like a string of pearls.

Jonathan, who aspires to be an executive chef, also likes the artistic challenge. “I’m not a fan of baking – it’s too much measuring – but if I have to, I will,” he said as he prepared to stack an edible Colts football on a cake iced with green fondant and white yard lines.

Ashley Gann and her more experienced volunteers design each cake with a specific child in mind. Some feature favorite sports teams or superheroes; others depict hobbies like ballet or Disney princesses. All are filled with good wishes.

“We really try to make children feel special and loved on their special day. We’re ministering to their emotional needs,” said Gann, who left a career in public health to set up Sweet Blessings.

Jonathan has come to appreciate that mission and what their efforts mean to the youngsters who receive the cakes. “They feel like someone cares for them as individuals,” he noted.

Other students in Fayette County Public Schools have taken up the cause as well. Glendover Elementary donated 500 boxes of cake mix, and a teenager from Lafayette High School stopped by to help bake. Julius Marks and Yates elementaries also plan to pitch in.

The students “got it” after NBC Nightly News aired a “Making a Difference” segment on Sweet Blessings this fall.

“They all understand birthdays and look forward to it for a long time. It’s all about them,” Gann said. “It really resonates with children.”

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