TRAVERSE CITY — The Grand Traverse Pie Company hosted a Pie Make and Bake event today at the 100th National Cherry Festival. The event served to teach children how to make pies and raise awareness for the Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center.
The Pie Make and Bake event is part of the Grand Traverse Pie Company’s initiative to give back to the community. The Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center, the event’s beneficiary, offers services such as trauma therapy, intervention services and forensic interviews across six counties in Northern Michigan. The center’s primary goal is to protect children in the community.
Denise Busley, co-founder of the Grand Traverse Pie Company, expressed the joy derived from hosting the event, noting its return after a four-year hiatus. “The kids that do love it. And it’s been difficult to not do it. I think the last time we did it was four years ago. And it feels chaotic from this perspective. But the kids love it so, so much. So it feels like a beautiful thing to give back to the community in this way,” Busley said.
The partnership between the Grand Traverse Pie Company and the Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center dates back to the center’s inception in 2010. Busley emphasized the importance of this collaboration. “We’ve been partnered with them since 2010, which is their inception. And it’s so important to keep the kids safe and to get intervention for children who have been harmed and in ways that are pretty traumatic,” Busley stated.
Jenna Baker with the Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center, highlighted the critical support businesses provide to their mission. Baker emphasized the importance of community involvement in child safety. “They don’t have an innate tie to feel the need to protect children, but they still feel responsible. They know that it takes a village. It takes a team. It takes an entire community’s investment by in awareness to prioritize child safety. So for them to be able to champion this message, to say, this is what we’re here for, we’re here to support our community and children’s ability to be safe and thriving in it,” Baker said. She added, “Is a beautiful example to show what a role model they are, so that all businesses can participate in giving back in this type of meaningful way.”
Baker also shared the key messages delivered to children during the event. “Our message that we’re here to spread today is, kindness, safety and respect. So we’re here today to spread, smiles, share memories and make pies,” Baker explained. She reiterated the center’s dedication to empowering children. “But in doing all of that, we want to remind kids that they’re brave, they’re confident, they’re strong. That when we practice kindness and respect all the time, that helps keep everybody safe. So it’s just a good reminder to practice your yeses in your nose and respect your yeses in your noes and work together as a team,” Baker stated. The Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center provides a wide range of services including trauma therapy, intervention services and forensic interviews. These services cover six counties within Northern Michigan.