For the past six years, three sisters have been turning their late mother’s battle with Parkinson’s into a sweet fundraiser to raise money for charities dedicated to finding a cure for the disease, including the Michael J. Fox Foundation. This year, 11 bakers brought more than 660 cupcakes to the Heritage Center, luring eager tasters to the Jeane Graves Cupcake Challenge.
The idea sprang from memories of happier times when Janie Graves Hoover, Julia (Judy) Graves and Jeane Graves Bartlett would bake together in their mother Jeane’s kitchen. What initially began as a small bake-off drew 200 ticketholders this year, and in the end there was not a crumb left behind.
“This the first time that I have come and there was a line outside when they first opened,” said attendee Alla Kramer. “That was amazing to see, especially since all the money goes to charity.”
The judges – Chef Scott Varricchio, owner of Citrus Grillhousae; artist Mary Lou Mullan; makeup artist and Beauty and The Beach radio host Cindy Goetz, and graphic artist Tom LaBaff – did an excellent job finding sweet perfection from the professional and home bakers.
Categories included Best Decoration, Best Cake, Best Frosting, Best Overall, as well as a People’s Choice Award. Attendees narrowed down the number of cupcakes making it through to the judges by placing their tickets in Mason jars at each table. As an homage to Fall, there were a lot of pumpkin cupcakes.
“I am the amateur judge,” said Goetz. “I am basing it off pure taste but Chef [Varricchio] is the real professional.”
Varricchio, who got his start as a pastry chef at La Côte Basque in New York, said he was looking for great taste as well as cupcake originality. “Those are the two most important, but how they look makes you want to taste them,” he added.
Hoover, Graves, Bartlett and their families have also raised money for Parkinson’s charities by holding tag sales and participating in marathons, hoping to bring something positive out of their mother’s death from the disease five years ago. The girls’ father, Hubert Graves, also had Parkinson’s and passed away this summer.
The sisters just recently returned from a mountain climbing fundraiser in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. “We made it up slowly but surely,” said Bartlett. “Because of losing our dad this summer it sort of felt like we were taking him with us along the way.”
Friends Bob and Cecily Harmon drove down from Winter Haven to support the Cupcake Challenge. Bob Harmon has been raising money for research and a cure since he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2006.
“These people are so generous,” said Harmon. “We met the Graves, we liked what we saw and we wanted to come here to support them, especially having lost their father recently.”
Harmon will be carrying a sign with Hubert Graves’ name at the Disney 10K to honor their commitment.
“I don’t run, I don’t walk, but will be doing it because the clock is ticking and our friends are dying.”
