Why join Cookie Brigade?

#1

We are always seeking new volunteers for the Cookie Brigade. Maybe you’ve considered it, but you’re on the fence. Maybe you aren’t sure what is really involved. Let me give you more info:

There are 3 roles in Cookie Brigade. You can do just one, two, or all three. The roles are:

  1. Baker: Bake cookies, brownies, cupcakes, candies, or other sweets for us to give out. You can deliver them to us at PAX or ship them to a local of a PAX you aren’t attending. Some people will donate without taking a cookie, but in general, more cookies = more money raised.
    “But I can’t bake!”
    Have you tried

[ul][li]rice krispie treats[/li]
[li]no bake cookies[/li]
[li]trail mix [/li]
[li]box mixes, premade cookie dough or break and bakes?[/li][/ul]
“But I’m diabetic/vegan/gluten-free/etc.” Cool! (OK, not so cool on the diabetic thing.) We want to have choices for all those folks too. Maybe you know a good recipe?
"But I can only make chocolate chip :frowning: " Nothing wrong with that. It’s our most popular cookie!

  1. Distributor: Talking to people at PAX, giving out cookies, and collecting donations. This is how we turn those sweet cookies into sweet charity money.
    “But there’s so much to do at PAX and I don’t want to give up any time.” Take cookies with you wherever you’re going:

[ul][li]Going to a panel? Take some cookies with you and make friends in line. (That’s how Cookie Brigade started!)[/li]
[li]Going to find a game in tabletop/handheld/DnD session? Offer cookies to your table neighbors or gaming companion/competitor.[/li][/ul]
“But I’m too shy/not good at talking to strangers.” Offering cookies is generally a good ice breaker. Most people are pretty friendly after that. If you’re still nervous:

[ul][li]Go with a buddy. Pair up with another distributor who’s more outgoing[/li]
[li]Seek out an Enforcer. Find an Enforcer overseeing a line or working handheld and when they aren’t busy, tell them who you are and ask them for help getting people’s attention. They will likely yell to the crowd for you and you’ll have people trying to give you money from all sides.[/li][/ul]
3. Ops. There’s a lot of behind the scenes work that goes into making Cookie Brigade run during a PAX. We have to keep the cookies organized, keep track of money, make sure everything is recorded in our database, keep an eye on twitter and other social medias, etc. If you prefer a quiet space and dealing with numbers and organizing things/people, maybe this is a place you can help.

As I said, you can help us with one or more of those roles. Some people bring us cookies at the beginning of PAX and we don’t see them again until they drop off cookies at another PAX. Some people distribute hardcore all weekend. Some folks lightly distribute as they go about their regular PAX duties. Some folks stop by HQ and make sure those of us who spend most of the weekend in there are eating and getting out now and then. You’re level of participation and time commitment is totally up to you.

Current brigadiers, why did you join Cookie Brigade and why do you continue to do it?
Non-brigadiers, is there something keeping you from joining? Is there a specific concern we can address?

#2

I better answer my own questions :stuck_out_tongue:

I joined the Brigade in 2010 because I wanted to meet people and join a community when I went to PAX solo for the first time.
I continue with the Brigade because it gives me the warm and fuzzies. Not just during PAX, but in between too. I love knowing that I’m part of this team that raises thousands of dollars to improve the lives of kids who are in a bad place. Even though I’m not great at distributing, I do what I can to help raise as much as possible. For me, that means baking a ton (even when I’m super tired after a rough day at work), spending too much time in HQ during PAX, and helping organize as many of our events as I can.
In my day-to-day life, if I need a pick-me-up, I can scroll through the cookie brigade mentions on twitter. So many people have glowing things to say to or about us and I get reminded that I help put some good back into the world.
Oh, and tasting new cookies each PAX is also a nice perk :wink:

#3

I literally joined because of a pin.

I was at my first PAX back in 2011 and I saw these two girls handing out cookies, at first I was skeptical, but then I saw her pin, and was all, OMG I need this in my life. So I asked my now ex husband, what that pin was and those two girls. He explained to me about the brigade, and I thought it was super cool. So in 2012, I joined the team for PAX Prime! And since then, I’ve been volunteering my time. Did I get the pin, no, but I did join an awesome team. :slight_smile: I also like to yell at people to donate money and throw cookies at them. :smiley:

#4

I joined Cookie Brigade in 2015 because I remember waiting in the giant expo hall queue line in 2014 when a Brigadier came up to us and asked if we wanted cookies. I was like, “um, ABSOLUTELY!” and I ended up getting an awesomely detailed Game of Thrones crest sugar cookie (I was very pleased with the cookie even though it was a Lannister crest… boooo).

After that pivotal moment, I Googled the Cookie Brigade and found these forums. I’ve been baking and distributing for the past 2 years and look forward to many years of participation. I love raising money for such a great cause, and my boyfriend and I have so much fun distributing. The sheer joy on people’s faces makes distributing even more worthwhile :slight_smile: I love being part of a team that works super well together and I still cannot believe that we, a seemingly small group of bakers and distributors, are able to raise over $23,000 over 3 days at PAX East.

It just really feels great to do some good in this world. :slight_smile:

#5

I remember reading about the Cookie Brigade in a news post on the main site, and I like baking cookies, so I asked to join. I baked a couple hundred cookies, and brought them to PAX. I then spent most of PAX organizing cookies into boxes and counting money. That worked for me since I didn’t really have to talk to anyone so I kinda stuck in the role. The next PAX Pri… errr… West, I opened the brigade HQ, demanded everyone take their vitamins, eat some food, and take general care of themselves. Which is why people call me “Mom”.

#6

I joined the Cookie Brigade in 2013 after attending another PAX East…I’ve been to all of them since their inception, and the Cookie Brigade was this amazing force that raised money for charity through cookies! It was wonderful, and I’m ashamed it took me three years of seeing them before I joined. Now that I’m here, I couldn’t be happier to be a special part of PAX. It makes me so happy to bake and then distribute… to see the good in others is just the greatest. Volunteering is the greatest!

#7

I joined because I like to cook, I was going to PAX, and I really like the charity. Now, Cookie Brigade is the real reason I go to PAX every year.

The thing about really loving cooking is that it’s all about making people happy with my food. The same applies to this. I like making funky cookies and getting people to try them, seeing their face when they try it, then having them demand more while throwing donations at you.

I’m also a bit of an obnoxious oaf that enjoys making a bit of a ruckus. Quietly walking into a room full of people waiting to get into a panel and doing their own thing then loudly announcing something obnoxious to entice people to partake in some cookie goodness… it’s fun as hell.

In the end, it’s about raising money for a great cause. If I know that just ONE kid’s day is just a little better because of the money that we’ve collected… it’s all worth it.

I did have a rather interesting experience this past year. I had someone come up to get some cookies. They looked at me and emptied their wallet and pockets and handed me all of their money and said, “Last year, I saw you on line and we didn’t have any money but you still gave us cookies and told us to find you this year. Well, we found you so have all of our money.” To think that an impression was made in just that small interaction a year ago where this person remembered AND actually acted on it… yeah, that feels good too.

#8

I haven’t officially been accepted, but I hope I am, because baking things and then throwing them at people is basically my life. I go to people’s places just to get rid of the cakes and cookies I’ve baked. The idea of doing this for charity money hadn’t occurred to me, I am looking at setting up a small business of selling the things I bake for office meetings etc, so I feel like this is just the most “me” thing I’ve ever encountered! Geeks, cons, cookies, charity donations benefitting kids…it’s so lovely to know I’m not alone in all these passions!

I’m a little apprehensive about attending the con to distribute- the last con I went to I passed out during the one panel I was there to see. My friends had to drive me home in my own car! My health has improved since then, but cons are generally not OI/POTS friendly places, with so much standing and walking and heat from crowds and lack of generalised sitting/lying spaces. I’ve been told PAX has put in safe spaces for people to go and withdraw if they need a break, which reassures/intrigues me. I hate feeling like my invisible disorder is disabling and makes me have specific additional needs, but I am also sick of missing out on fun things like con, cosplay, socialising because adrenaline. So here’s hoping I can find a nice baking and backstage role to support this excellent cause!