Culinary Arts students at Tompkins Cortland Community College helped make Thanksgiving a little bit sweeter for some veterans.
Professor Susan Stafford, coordinator of TCCC’s hospitality programs, received a request from the Central NY chapter of Clear Path for Veterans, an organization that helps injured and retired veterans who need help upon return from duty. They provide basic needs as well as canine companions and emotional support. The chef at Clear Path was planning a fundraising event for pies at Thanksgiving, but also needed pies to feed veterans on Thanksgiving at the Clear Path location in Chittenango. Professor Stafford jumped at the opportunity.
“It’s a chance for us to support a great organization that helps veterans in our region,” she said.
Clear Path requested 36 pies to serve on Thanksgiving – 12 Chocolate Cream, 12 Apple Crumb and 12 Pumpkin. Stafford connected with Assistant Professor Amanda Bisson, who chairs TCCC’s culinary arts program and teaches the class Food Preparation II. In this small class, students Milo Coyote, Terry Paw, Tristan Richard, Daniel Tabb, and Brianna Tapia made the pies, making crusts one class and finishing them the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.
Professor Stafford thinks fondly of the opportunity for the culinary students, as it prepares them to work in a commercial food setting and got them into the holiday spirit.
“This is a good holiday activity for our students – putting what they have learned to use to help make the holiday brighter for veterans. I’m so happy we could help and that our students were able to have this experience,” she said.
