What would you like to know about St. Joan of Arc? Do you have a story about our parish or of general interest that you think others would like to hear? For story ideas, contact Jeff Rholl, jeff@stjoan.com.

"Cookie, cookie, cookie, That’s good enough for me!"

This phrase is one from Sesame Street sung by the Cookie Monster. However, you can also hear this being said by the young and not so young folk in the hall of St. Joan of Arc. For we have a Cookie Cart.

On Sunday mornings, after all masses, our good friend Echo Thoren (now here’s a woman who wears many hats at St. Joan’s) has dozens upon dozens of cookies set up at each end of the hall as well as downstairs in the Hospitality Hall. There is coffee and cider to go with the cookies, and all that is asked is a good will offering.

Now Echo doesn’t make these cookies herself, bless her heart, but she does take time from her busy schedule to order them every week. Where do they come from? It just so happens they come from The Cookie Cart Bakery. This non-profit organization was established in 1989 by a monastery missionary, Sister Jean Thuerauf. She wanted something for the kids to do to encourage them to be resourceful.

Sawah Tobah from the Cookie Cart spoke with me by phone about the wonderful attributes of this organization. I’m very grateful she was able to give me some insight to this organization.

Today this establishment offers jobs in the bakery to students at $5.15 an hour starting wage and after 90 days, a raise plus bonuses. The Cookie Cart Organization can be found at the Job Fairs set up for students throughout the city.

Besides having a wonderful bakery business, the Cookie Cart offers art classes, Junior Achievement classes, as well as many other classes funded by the sale of the cookies.

Molly Ryan is a full-blooded Mexican married to a full-blooded Irishman. They have 2 grown children, Kelly and Shannon. Molly has been attending SJA since 1994 and has taught Sunday School in addition to other volunteering.

Echo Thoren orders our cookies on Tuesdays and The Cookie Cart delivers them on Fridays. Echo orders between 7-12 tubs of cookies a week for St. Joan’s. These cookies cost about 42 cents a cookie - $70.00 a tub. Be generous with your good will offering and make sure you thank Echo Thoren for her volunteer work.

Visit the Cookie Cart Establishment at 1119 West Broadway, Minneapolis