What can a cookie do?

In Salisbury, the answer is simple: it can help fund lifesaving research, unite neighbors around a common cause, and bring hope to families facing childhood cancer.

For resident Tara Polhamus, what started as a favor for a friend has grown into a mission that has touched countless lives. Since 2019, Tara has led Salisbury’s annual Cookies for Kids’ Cancer bake sale, helping raise more than $20,000 for pediatric cancer research.

But this story is about more than cookies.

Tara became involved with Cookies for Kids’ Cancer after her friend and coworker, Amber VanDermeer, asked her to host a neighborhood bake sale. The cause was personal for Amber, whose son, Ber, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at age four and later beat cancer after years of treatment. By the time the Salisbury bake sale began, Ber was a teenager, and Amber was passionate about giving back to the organization that helped fund pediatric cancer research. 

“When you know a child and family personally, it changes everything,” Tara says.

Every September, neighbors stop by Tara’s bake sale to purchase cookies, visit with friends, and support a cause that affects thousands of children and families each year. She also volunteers at Ber’s Bowl, a fundraising event held at ACAC over Super Bowl weekend.

What keeps her coming back year after year is the community.

“I love seeing all the neighbors, friends, and family come out to support this effort,” Tara says.

The event has become a family affair. Her children, Cole and Josie, help set up the table, and Tara and Josie make homemade dog treats that have become a popular addition to the sale. Many of the cookies are donated by local bakeries, making the fundraiser a true community effort.

For Tara, every donation represents something bigger than a dessert. It represents a family searching for answers. A child hoping for another treatment option. A researcher working toward a breakthrough.

And it proves that ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference.

This September, when you see the Cookies for Kids’ Cancer table in Salisbury at the corner of Whitechapel and Brigstock, stop by. Buy a cookie. Grab a dog treat. Meet your neighbors.

Because sometimes changing a child’s future starts with something as simple and powerful as a cookie.

To learn more or get involved, visit www.cookiesforkidscancer.org.