Around the holidays at OrthoCarolina’s Charlotte administrative offices, a special tradition brings cheer in the form of something especially yummy: cookies.
As she makes her way around the building, Project Manager Erika Gandee says she loves seeing people get excited as she comes around the corner. It’s no surprise her co-workers cheer when they see her coming, pushing a cart full of delicious treats – Erika’s Cookie Cart.
“I love going around and getting to talk with everyone that I do not get to see on a daily basis throughout the year,” Erika said. “It is fun to get to share yummy treats and tell people how much we appreciate all of their hard work.”
It began in 2010, the first year Erika was working at OC’s Park Road location. One weekend, while she and her mother were baking, her mom made the suggestion that Erika take some goodies to her co-workers.
“From there it kind of took a life of its own,” Erika said.
As people began looking forward to their favorite treats and as OC’s offices grew, so did the Cookie Cart. This year Erika and her mother baked almost 1,500 treats from breads that pair perfectly with morning coffee to fudge and cookie balls.
Erika’s mother is always perfecting the art of the Cookie Cart throughout the year.
“My mom tests out cookie recipes on her friends and neighbors and has them rate the taste of the cookies,” Erika said. “If they make the cut they get on the Cookie Cart for the next year.”
OrthoCarolina’s purpose is to Make Lives Better. Erika has her own slant on that.
“To be honest…cookies just make lives better,” Erika says.
All her co-workers agree!
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