How cookies have been saying thank you for 25 years

February 9, 2023

Dave Kidd,

RAPID CITY, S.D.– A local non-profit delivered a tasty thank you to area businesses and organizations. For 25 years now Youth & Family Services (YFS) youth have delivered cookies around Valentine’s Day showing their appreciation to those who make the programs possible. The nutrition program staff spent two days baking the sugar cookies.

YFS staff prepare sugar cookies to say thank you for the 25th year:

A lot of finished cookies with a lot more to be done
A generous smear of frosting is applied to each cookie
A whole lot of cookies for whole lot of thank yous
Decorating cookies is a great way for staff from other departments to catch up
Dozens of frosted sugar cookies set before being packed for delivery
Dozens of YFS staff help finish cookies
Everyone at Youth & Family Services working hard on thank you cookies
Everyone makes sure each cookie is perfect
Extra cookies are made in case some break while decorating
Finished cookies are left to set before being packed for delivery
Freshly baked sugar cookies awaiting finishing touches
Hundreds of cookies are frosted per hour with love by the YFS staff
It’s important to make sure every cookie gets red sugar sprinkles
Over 1,022 dozen cookies were baked, frosted and delivered
Over 12,000 cookies were frosted by hand to say thank you to YFS supporters
Ready for delivery to one of the generous donors that help make YFS programs possible
Red sugar sprinkles top off the signature cookies
Staff work in assembly line fashion to decorate cookies
The most recognizable feature of the YFS cookies being added
The Youth & Family Services cookies have been a tradition in February for 25 years
Tubs of cream cheese frosting are need to take on such a large project
YFS Nutrition Services Director Darcie Decker helping decorate cookies
YFS staff from all departments chip in to make this giant thank you possible
YFS staff frost cookies and add sprinkles to thank area contibutors to their programs
YFS staff grab more cookies to be decorated
YFS staff spent 2 days baking sugar cookies and another 2 decorating
Youth & Family Services Staff put finishing touches on sugar cookies

The YFS cookies are now so recognizable that businesses take pause when receiving their delivery.

YFS Nutrition Services Director Darcie Decker said, “From my experience walking into a business, they all looked and they stop and then there’s lots of smiles and they’re excited to see these cookies and welcome them.”

When the tradition started there were less than 300 dozen delivered. 25 years later that number has grown to over a thousand dozen.

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Categories: Local News

Tags: Rapid City, sugar cookies, Thank you, YFS, yfs cookies, Youth & Family Services, youth and family services cookies

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