You'll Never See a Bake Sale Quite Like This One

Kristi Trevarrow was watching The Food Network when her latest and greatest vision came to her.

As happens with most of her ideas, the Rochester Downtown Development Authority executive grabbed her notebook and started brainstorming.

This brainstorm was spurred by a TV commercial for Share Our Strength, a nonprofit group that aims to end childhood hunger in America by 2015. The organization was promoting its Great American Bake Sale campaign, which encourages groups and individuals to plan bake sales in their towns and donate the proceeds to the group's mission.

Trevarrow's thought process led to what will likely be the biggest bake sale this town has ever seen.

First lights, then sheep — now cupcakes

"They say that every dollar raised connects a child to 10 meals," said Trevarrow, the creative mind behind Rochester's , the public art show and other downtown success stories.

"When  you read the statistics that one in four kids go hungry, it really moves you," said Trevarrow, who is a mom herself.

She contacted Share Our Strength and asked whether the group has ever had a downtown or Main Street project organize a bake sale.

The answer was no.

And that's when Trevarrow and the DDA went to work.

"You know how we like to be the first with things," she said.

will be held from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Aug. 6 in the upper parking lot at Third and Water streets, coinciding with the Downtown Farmers' Market.

How to get involved

Right now, Trevarrow is looking for bakers (you can download a donation form attached to this story or visit the DDA website to submit your donation electronically). As the event approaches, organizers will be looking for hungry shoppers. Most items will be priced $1-$5.

Plans are under way for a cake walk and also a cupcake walk for children. The DDA is also looking for volunteers to help sell the items.

All proceeds will benefit Share Our Strength. 

"Through the bake sales, we really have given the everyday person a way to get involved in our cause," said Sylvia Vidal, the Washington, DC-based coordinator of the the Great American Bake Sale.

She said the organization has grassroots bake sales planned in all 50 states; 39 bake sales are registered in Michigan. All proceeds support nutrition education programs, food banks and grants for local communities; in fact, Vidal said, there is a possibility that the money raised will end up back in the community that holds the sale.

Trevarrow hopes it will be an annual event.

"It's the most random thing that usually strikes me," she said. "We do a lot in this community to drive dollars toward causes, and it just struck me that we can do more than that — we can make such an impact with an event like this."