Cookie-house decorating event benefits shore storm victims
By Joanne Degnan, Managing Editor
MILLSTONE — Cookie houses decked with gobs of icing and candy are one of the sweetest holiday traditions, but who knew that building these delicious treats could also help Jersey Shore hurricane victims rebuild their lives?
Mary Costagliola of Vesuvio’s family restaurant in Millstone did.
For the past four years Vesuvio’s has been hosting cookie-house decorating events for children on weekends during the holiday season to benefit various charities. This year, Vesuvio’s has raised $1,000 so far for the governor’s nonprofit Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund, and there’s still one weekend of graham cracker house-building left to go.
”We’re hoping to reach $1,500 by the end of the weekend,” Ms. Costagliola said Monday. “We’ve also had a canister out in the restaurant and people have been incredibly generous.”
Saturday’s cookie-house event is completely booked, but there are still a few spots open on Sunday for any child that wants to participate, Ms. Costagliola said. In exchange for a $10 donation to the hurricane relief fund, the restaurant provides the graham crackers, icing and other confections the children need.
Santa visits the children, who all receive a free photo taken with Santa that they can pick up at the restaurant the following week, Ms. Costagliola said.
The cookie-house fundraiser has grown more popular every year, and the amount that’s been collected so far this holiday season easily surpasses what the restaurant raised for charities in the past.
The first fundraiser in 2009 raised $600 for the National Kidney Foundation and the 2010 fundraiser collected about the same amount for the Nathan Speare Regional Burn Center at Crozer-Keystone Health System, Ms. Costagliola said.
Last year, however, as word spread and more families participated, the restaurant was able to raise $900 that went to Ronald McDonald House and the Downing Foundation.
”We have lots to be grateful for, and we just want to give back,” Ms. Costagliola said.
Anyone wishing to sign their child up for the cookie-house decorating event at Vesuvio’s on Sunday, Dec. 16 can call Ms. Costagliola on her cell phone at 732-995-1580.

