TOH teach recipe winner Ronda Schabes used $20,000 to build a new walking track at her elementary school.

Vicksburg woman uses $20,000 in cupcake contest winnings to build walking track at Sunset Lake Elementary

By  Tom Haroldson | Special to the Kalamazoo Gazette 

 VICKSBURG -  Ronda Schabes laughs when asked what the connection is between cupcakes and a new walking track at Sunset Lake Elementary School.
But she's serious about why she turned a $20,000 national contest win for her cupcake recipe into a new quarter-mile track at her favorite elementary school in  Vicksburg.

"I wanted something that would affect all the kids and the community, not just one classroom," Schabes said as she walked with some members of her family and hundreds of students and community members around the new track that was dedicated in a ceremony at the Vicksburg school.

"I'm in a complete state of shock with all that has been happening this past year. I'm humbled to be a part of the school that I went to, my youngest daughters went to and where I have worked."

Schabes provided $20,000 and the Bubs 73 Foundation gave more than $8,000 to build the asphalt track at the elementary school that had been on the wish list of principal Pat Moreno and staff.

In 2011, Schabes, the owner of the Dessert Diva business that specializes in cupcakes and other desserts, won $40,000 in the nationwide Taste of Home Teachers Recipe Contest. Half of that award was for Sunset Lake Elementary School, where she is an office aide.

While she continues to consider opening a new bakery in Vicksburg using her half of the winnings, Schabes worked with Moreno and the Sunset staff to figure out how best to use the prize money specifically for the school.

Joining in the effort was the Bubs 73 Foundation, established in the name of the late Chad "Bubba" Hildebrand, a 1990 Vicksburg High School graduate who played several sports and died in 2008 of a medical illness.

The number 73 comes from his jersey number in several of the sports he played. Since establishing the foundation, his family has provided funding for several groups, including Vicksburg Little League, Generous Hands and Vicksburg High School scholarships for senior athletes.

"We hope you will enjoy this track, and respect this track and use this track," said Kathy McCormick of the Bubs 73 Foundation during a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Steve Goss, assistant superintendent of Vicksburg Community Schools, said the district appreciates the teamwork of Schabes and the Bubs 73 Foundation for building the track.

"Finances are tight right now and we can't do things like this, but that doesn't mean they aren't important," Goss said. "If you ever tasted Ronda's wonderful desserts, you're going to need this track."

Schabes' winning cupcake recipe included four components: chocolate cake, a peanut butter filling that she uses for her peanut butter sandwich cookies, chocolate ganache and a peanut butter Swiss meringue buttercream. The recipe was published in a Taste of Home cookbook.

 For more check out the link below
http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2012/06/walking_track_at_sunset_lake_e.html