Cookies
Cause
for a
The Italian Cookie Table, a family business, raises funds while
bringing the community together to show love and support
for Peters Township resident Emily Friday.
BY NICOLE TAFE
T
so kindly reached out and helped or donated what they could
he Italian Cookie Table family brings charity,
to support Diana, her husband and two children. So, in 2018,
awareness, love and support by doing what they know
we decided we wanted to find a way to give back to those who
best—baking.
needed it with what our family does best—baking.”
“The history of The Italian Cookie Table lies in the
With that, a bakery was born. The family thought long and
history of our family and culture,” says Diana Zippay, one of the
hard about what they baked for the most—and the answer was
sibling founders. Her husband, Jason Zippay, is a teacher at Peters
cookie tables. “If you’ve ever been to a true Italian wedding,
Township High School. “Our mother, Elisabetta DiCesare, and
then you have seen the showpieces of cookies available,”
father, Valente DiCesare, migrated from Pizzoferrato, Italy, in
1972 with the hope of a better life for their children.”
laughs Zippay.
In 1977, their son Davide was born with kidney disease. By
And so, The Italian Cookie Table was in business. Their
1981, after a long battle with the disease, he passed away at
efforts began low key by selling their goods outside of Chapon’s
Greenhouse on Streets Run Road on sunny summer weekends.
age 3½. “It was a hard time for our family,” remembers Zippay.
Eventually, they had built enough equity to sponsor their first
“Fundraisers and GoFundMe accounts didn’t exist back then.
family. “Lincoln Tidwell was just a sweet-faced baby boy born
Families relied on themselves to recover from issues and
expenses.”
with pulmonary hypertension and heart failure,”
says Zippay. “Even though he resides in Texas, it
Fast-forward
didn’t stop us from reaching out to his family to
to 2017—more
request a cookie fundraiser.”
health complications
The family decided to name it “Locks for
were endured by
Lincoln,” and offered Lady Locks with chocolate
the DiCesare family.
or vanilla cream fillings for purchase. The
“Diana, our youngest
fundraiser was a huge success. Lincoln received
sibling, received a
nearly $2,500 to help with his medical costs. “It
lifesaving transplant
felt great for all us to be part of something so
after spending two
special,” says Zippay.
years on dialysis with
Front Row (l to r): Elisabetta DiCesare, Mary Kraemer,
Soon after, the DiCesares and their extended
multiple complications,”
Valente DiCesare, Diana Zippay and Gabriella Williams.
families
brought their charity to Peters
explains Zippay. “People
Back Row (l to r): E.J. Friday, Jason Zippay and Michael Kramer.
62
724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE
❘
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