YOUNGSTOWN — The core of Gina Shutrump’s career revolves around real estate, though she was pleasantly caught off guard upon discovering the extent to which others were sold on something else of hers far smaller than a home.
“I can’t believe it!” Shutrump, vice president and manager broker with Howard Hanna Canfield, said.
The 30-year real estate agent was reacting to having received a third-place ribbon for the chocolate Oreo decadence cookies she baked with friend and co-worker Beth Miller.
Shutrump was among the 11 award winners for the 14th annual Cookie Table and Cocktails gathering Saturday evening at The Maronite Center, 1555 S. Meridian Road.
Proceeds from the sold-out event, themed “One hundred years of broadcasting in the Mahoning Valley,” are to benefit the Mahoning Valley Historical Society.
More than 500 elected officials, community leaders, activists, educators and others attended the dinner gala that featured as its centerpiece a meandering series of angled tables on which were more than 12,000 cookies that 114 local and regional professional and amateur bakers prepared. Interspersed between the numerous plates of cookies were undulating rolls of film, in keeping with the broadcasting theme.
Because the popular fundraiser gala and dinner continues to grow yearly, a fourth and larger location was needed, H. William Lawson, the MVHS’ executive director, said, adding that he hoped Friday’s gathering would generate more than $30,000 to benefit the historical society. Such money is needed largely because the MVHS has incurred added expenses after having acquired the former IBM building in downtown Youngstown, where artifacts and other records and documents are stored, Lawson noted.
The gathering has brought in more than $200,000 since its inception, he said.
Serving as master of ceremonies was Stan Boney, an anchor for WKBN-TV 27, who noted that September will mark the 100th anniversary of when broadcasting pioneer Warren P. Williamson Jr. launched WKBN-AM in 1926.
On May 2, 1952, Williamson filed a second application with the Federal Communications Commission for a TV station in Youngstown before WKBN was given Channel 27 for broadcasting. On Jan. 11, 1953, WKBN became the area’s first TV station, as well as the first UHF station in Ohio and the sixth in the U.S., WKBN’s website shows.
Also, in 1959, Channel 27 became the area’s first TV station to use videotape, the website states.
Saturday’s gala also had displays of iconic black-and-white framed photographs, including one of legendary longtime anchor Tom Holden, another of veteran reporter Ode Aduma in 1973, an image taken in 1953 of Stu Wilson, an announcer for “The Noon Show” and one snapped in 1980 of a smiling Rich Morgan on the phone when he hosted “The Money Movie.”
Rather than broadcasting acumen, however, Shutrump relied on baking talent, mixed with a dash of ingenuity, for her Oreo decadence cookies, via dipping Oreo balls into milk chocolate and white chocolate. She brought to the gala eight dozen of the cookies that she finished baking Thursday, Shutrump said, adding that the idea was born a few months ago.
“It was Christmas, and Beth came to the office with them, and I said, ‘This is the best cookie I’ve ever tasted.’ We decided to make them and enter them,” Shutrump said.
For her efforts, she took home a third-place ribbon in the amateur division.
“This is from an old recipe and it won first place at the Canfield Fair,” Deborah Carissimi of Boardman said about the eight dozen orange marmalade cookies she brought Saturday.
A sweet combination of oranges, orange grinds, brown sugar, flour and a touch of marmalade were used for her creations, she said. Carissimi added that she has attended the event for 15 years, but this was her first time baking the orange marmalade variety.
She also saved room on her plate for a few compliments.
“This event raises a lot of money for a good cause, and the bakers are awesome,” Carissimi said.
Other types of cookies included buckeyes, a fan favorite, along with cherry bombs, oatmeal creme pie and Pepparkakor, which are thin, crispy Swedish ginger cookies often served and enjoyed during the Christmas holidays.
Beyond being a sweet yearly event, Cookie Table and Cocktails represents a storied tradition that has been a unique and beloved part of the cultural landscape in the Mahoning Valley and western Pennsylvania for generations, with roots in Italy and Mediterranean regions, Lawson said. Many immigrant parents who were starting out with limited financial means baked cookies in lieu of expensive and fancy wedding cakes, he noted.
For the past several decades, the tradition has become something the diverse and ethnic local and regional communities have adopted, Lawson said.
“It’s about us here in the Mahoning Valley, and it makes us unique and wonderful,” he added.
In addition, the evening featured a basket raffle, a 50/50 drawing and a silent auction. Providing the entertainment was the Zolkas, a quintet that played a variety of jazz tunes and polkas.
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