Summer has not been a vacation for Ainsley Walker and Molly Walker. The two friends have been busy working so they can donate to charity.
"Yes, since this pandemic has made us all shelter at home," 10-year-old Ainsley said. "So we had all the time in the world to do whatever we want in our house."
The two Walker families (no relation) have formed a quarantine 'bubble', allowing themselves to socialize with one another. It's how their daughters caught the baking bug. First, they were just baking for their families.
"And we decided that we wanted to make a bakery," 8-year-old Molly said. "And share it with a lot of people."
The girls started their home-based Rose Bakery. They bake cakes and cookies to sell and deliver to Lakewood neighbors in their 75214 zip code. They donate profits to Feed the Front Line, which prepares free meals to front line workers in the pandemic.
"It's like a 2 in 1," Ainsley explained. "We get to help our local restaurants get money to keep going on their business, and then also it helps our healthcare workers because they can't go out because they're treating people with COVID."
The girls have been getting creative with recipes, putting their own twist on them. Molly said her favorite is banana brownies.
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"Because I love them," the 8-year old said. "They're so fun to bake and we add some secret ingredients... it's so fun to change it up a bit."
The girls' mothers said this time at home has been a learning experience for them.
"We need to put a cup in this recipe. How much does that cost us exactly," Ainsley's mother, Georgie Walker said. "So it's been a really good math lesson, too."
"I think they're learning that their community is much more than just themselves and their family and friends," Molly's mother, Erin Walker said. "I think this pandemic has done that for them."
In just a few weeks, the girls' Rose Bakery has made enough to donate more than $200 to Feed the Front Line.
"It's not just a piece of cake. You have to work hard and you have to have a big commitment," Ainley said. "It's really rewarding to do it, though," Molly said.
If you live in Lakewood's 75214 zip code and want to place an order for delivery, you can email rosebakerylakewood@gmail.com.
*Map locations are approximate, central locations for the city and are not meant to indicate where actual infected people live.