Chapter 38: Fundraising

The next morning Arthur and Rachel set out on “Project Donut”, what they were calling their fundraising efforts for the bakery. Arthur would use the databases available at the library to research potential wealthy and corporate investors for the bakery. Rachel would take more of a grass roots approach; she would put big jars in every business and public place in Clovelly asking for contributions, including at the bakery.

When the rush hours of service were over, she would borrow a bicycle with a basket for the jar and go strategically canvas the residential neighborhoods and local schools. Her mission was simple; she requested any contributions people could afford to save the bakery. At night, she and Arthur would go together to the appointments he had made with some of the parish’s richer residents who might be able to give much larger donations.

Rachel felt like she was a real townsperson now. She was a part of things. No longer a tourist, she believed her fundraising for the bakery was contributing to the community and making a significant difference. She chose to ignore Faye’s “water and flour”, “want not need” comments about the bakery’s importance or lack thereof.

Faye kept to the back of the bakery in the kitchen packaging the day old goods for first responders and essential workers in the community with a satin ribbon tied around the top. There was also a small, hole punched, attached card Rachel had created for getting the word out about the bakery.

It read, “follow me to Clovelly’s bakery” in a clear font. The address, phone number, email and website addresses were printed on the back. On the website, the fundraising story was posted and directions for different ways to help by safely donating online at various levels were listed: cookie, cupcake, scone, tart, and big bread.

What first started as Faye’s lament over money troubles and excessive day old bakery goods, became a full-scale marketing campaign that brought more customers. People from Clovelly and neighboring villages were not just going to the bakery, but they were ordering massive quantities of the day old goods online and Arthur was delivering them in person for a special touch that larger businesses could not provide.

Visitors to the website could leave their phone numbers and email addresses and receive a daily e-newsletter or coupon, follow the bakery’s blog, make an online donation, and participate in their diverse, up to date social media presence. All of the content was written by the owner from the back of the store after Rachel set up these tools for her to use and helped her with the basics.

Information featured included how much money had been raised, how to become an investor at different levels, testimonials, “a little lovin’ from the owner’s oven” column, and recipes of creative ways to use day old bakery goods. Volunteers took shifts and helped out with the massive increased demand. Even Beatrice had a role in the success of the bakery. She called or texted customers with a satisfaction survey, then entered this data into a simple database. The parish of Clovelly seemed united in the fight to keep the place going.

One day, Arthur and Rachel crossed paths. He had just come from making a delivery. She was coming from collecting the children’s change at a nearby school.

“How’s it going, Arthur?”

“I’m holding my own. It feels good though. You created all of this and it is going well. We’ll reach that goal in no time,” Arthur beamed confidently.

“I don’t know. I’ve been getting lots of coins and few bigger bills and checks. I hope you’re doing better with the upper crust set,” she confessed, hoping for some encouragement.

“More like upper crusty,” he said, lightening the mood.

Rachel laughed. “Too bad ‘Project Donut’ has a hole that money can go through.”

“Definitely,” Arthur joined in her laughter.

“You should come with me through the neighborhoods. One lady just cleaned out her coin purse and dumped what she had into the jar,” she shared.

“The children make a bigger show, giving their allowances. The adults should take a lesson from them,” he expressed slight disappointment.

Every week after all of the activity, the four met at the bakery and held a business meeting to see how close to their goal they were. They had four weeks to reach their financial goal. The first week ended with Clovelly’s mayor giving Faye the key to the city and a parish proclamation of “Faye Day”.

Faye did not respond well to notoriety, but she was pleased to do whatever was important for her to save the bakery. She had sunk her savings, pension, and loans into the business. She was much younger when she started. Then she felt like she could always get another job and support herself. But now, in her seventies, what could she do, and if she found something she could do, what company would hire her?

She tried to convince Rachel to handle the press and publicity as the face of the bakery. But Rachel adamantly refused.

“I don’t want my picture or my name in any paper.”

Faye did not push it, especially since Rachel asked for so little and did so much to help her.

The second week featured a surprising, silent donation of a week’s worth of bakery goods to the orphanage. It was located just outside of town. The generous contribution was confidential and underwritten by Jane’s law firm.

The third week the big four: Faye, Rachel, Arthur, and Beatrice were interviewed on a podcast of one of the local high school students. It was an excellent chance to get the word out to Clovelly’s younger parishioners who, hopefully, could influence their parents’ pocketbooks with their cause. Rachel had the idea to give any student who brought in a report card with all top marks, and made a contribution, 10% off of a day old bag of goodies. Once school was out, the bakery had a line around the corner.


And the fourth week, the final week, although they could afford to buy a new oven and had cured their problem with excessive leftovers, they unfortunately reported having raised only fifty percent of their goal.