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Saturday February 18, 2012
MARK E. RONDEAU
New Skete nuns bake to fight arthritis
CAMBRIDGE, N.Y. — The Arthritis Foundation of Northeastern New York and the Nuns of New Skete have partnered to raise funds for the fight against arthritis.
The nuns, who support themselves through their baking and other products, designed a new cheesecake flavor, Raspberry Chocolate, exclusively for the Arthritis Foundation. A portion of the proceeds from each sale will go to this group.
In this new cheesecake, rich chocolate is blended with raspberry puree resulting in a smooth, mousse-like texture. It is crowned with additional raspberry sauce. A 4-pound, family style version of the cake is available at www.newskete.org for $27.50. A version of this cheesecake is available at the nuns’ gift shop, unsliced, for $21.
The nuns are also dedicating a portion of the sales of their Deluxe New York style cheescake, described online as “a delicately vanilla flavored favorite in a lemony cookie crumb crust.” A 7-pound, deluxe-sized version of this cheescake is available online for $40.75.
The campaign started in January and will run through May, not only completing the campaign but concluding Arthritis Awareness Month. The campaign goal is to raise $25,000.
“It seemed like a worthy cause for us to try to help,” said Sister Cecelia, prioress of the community of sisters. She said she didn’t realize
how many different variations of the disease there are, from lupus to juvenile arthritis.
“Arthritis has touched our lives and the lives of many that we know,” she said. “We pray for those suffering from the afflictions arthritis brings and are delighted to be able to bake our cheesecakes to aid in further research and treatment.”
The cheesecakes can be purchased by going to www.newskete.org or calling 518-677-3810. The nuns’ gift shop is located at their monastery at 343 Ashgrove Road. Gift shop hours are noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
In an interview Feb. 8 in the kitchen where the cheesecakes are made at the monastery, Sister Cecelia said they produced five different versions before producing a raspberry chocolate cheescake they were satisfied with.
After retrieving one of them from the freezer, she said the nuns had made 50 of the family style Raspberry Chocolate cheesecakes for the Arthritis Foundation and had just 16 left. “It seems pretty popular so far,” she said.
When the kitchen is baking at full capacity, a crew of three sisters, four employees, and lately a monk from the men’s monastery on New Skete Lane work together, she said.
Inside the cover of the cheesecake box she opened during the interview was a sticker profiling Ryann, 10, from Schenectady County. She was 4 when diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and endures pain because of it. She loves video games and acting and aspires to be an author but for now she is encouraging others to get involved in the fight against arthritis by making speaking engagements at different schools. She visited New Skete at the start of the fundraising campaign, Sr. Cecelia said.
As many as 300,000 American children have juvenile arthritis. More U.S. children are affected by the condition than those affected by muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia combined. It is estimated that 3,000 children are affected by juvenile arthritis within the Capital District, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
Said Eileen Reardon, executive director of the Arthritis Foundation of Northeastern N.Y., quoted in a press release, “We are so pleased to be part of this special campaign. Let the generosity and commitment of the Nuns of New Skete serve as an example of how two groups can work together for one common cause.”
Arthritis is the number one cause of disability and impacts one out of every five individuals. More than 300,000 people within the Capital District are known to have any one of the 100 different forms of arthritis.
“Healing comes in many different forms and supporting this campaign through the purchase of a delicious cheesecake can be one of the most creative ways of showing someone you know with arthritis that you care.” Reardon said.
New Skete is a religious community of men and women dedicated to monastic life in the Eastern Orthodox Church. The monks are best known for their work breeding, raising and training dogs. The mission of the Arthritis Foundation is to improve the quality of life for those living with the daily trials of arthritis through leadership in the prevention, control and cure of over 100 forms of arthritis.
For more information about the Arthritis Foundation or the campaign, contact Reardon at 518-456-1203orat [email protected].
Chocolate with Bill & Sheila
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