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[Cookie Brigade] Holy diabetic coma batman, over $19,000 raised this year!

ransimransim Registered User regular
edited April 2014 in PAX East
If you were looking for information regarding becoming a part of the Cookie Brigade for PAX East 2014 or you're just curious about what we're all about then you're in the right place. We're gearing up for PAX East 2014 and looking forward to trying to smash the fundraising record from last year $22,300+ at PAX Prime 2013 and the PAX East record of $17,650 last year!

If you're not already registered on the Cookie Brigade website please do so ASAP! If you are currently a brigadier and looking to join and help at PAX East 2014 please apply. If you are a first time brigadier please register on our forums and then apply to be a brigadier. Note: You just need an active registration on the forums for access to the application form.

PAX East 2014 Intake questionnaire is up! If you are participating please take a few minutes to fill this out:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDVfdWFVbFRadnRkM2F5WWo4Zm5henc6MA#gid=0

Current Announcements...
02/11/2014 - Oh god, how is it February already!? PAX East sign up is live, more information regarding some changes for PAX East this year coming soon!
09/02/2013 - Prime announced their total of $22,300+ raised over 4 days. Looks like we have our work cut out for us!


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WHO WE ARE:

The Cookie Brigade is a ragtag group of Penny Arcade Forumers who have assembled since PAX 2007 to provide our fellow gamers with delicious baked goods! Cookies are baked by forumers, brought and shipped from afar by forumers, and distributed by forumers!

The Cookie Brigade does not sell cookies. We give cookies away for free.

Brigadiers also accept donations to Child's Play, which are entirely voluntary and greatly appreciated! 100% of the money raised goes directly to Child's Play.

And it's very convenient to get a cookie and give a donation at the same time.

Starting in 2007, the Cookie Brigade began a mission to give these cookies in exchange for donations to Child's Play, the charity started by Mike and Jerry that provides entertainment to kids in children's hospitals. Since starting on this mission, the Cookie Brigade has raised over $93,000 mostly by the handing out of cookies and the reception of donations from the incredible, amazing, and generous PAX community! In 2013 we've already raised over $23,000 before PAX Prime! Thank you everyone for your generous donations, you have helped an awesome cause!


WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE?


Looking to Volunteer? Head to http://cookiebrigade.org/ for more information and to register!

Looking for some general information? Check us out on the PAX Community Wiki, or check out the FAQ on our website.

You can also find us on the following social media locations,

Twitter: @Cookie Brigade
G+: Cookie Brigade
Facebook: Cookie Brigadiers

And during or pre-pax, feel free to light up the Cookie Signal!

Hashtag: #cookiebrigade


I WANT TO HELP IN THE BRIGADE!


If you're interested in
  • Baking delicious cookies
  • Distributing to people during PAX
  • Helping organize cookies and distributors

We can definitely use your help! Sign up at our website, http://cookiebrigade.org if you wish to participate in the organizing, baking, and/or distributing!

An important note: due to certain external pressures on the Brigade we have to keep some of our more sensitive planning operations private. If you sign up on the Cookie Brigade website you will have access to our public forums but will need to submit and application to through the site to become a brigadier. Thank you for your understanding!


BASIC BRIGADE GUIDELINES

  • We give out cookies, we do not sell cookies! We do happily pass donations along to Child's Play, so feel free to give us donations if you want.
  • Keep it PG and family friendly. We love to give cookies out to kids and as such we ask all brigadiers to remain family friendly with their cookies (sorry no dickerdoodles) and distributing activities!
  • Have fun and enjoy PAX!

ransim on
«13

Posts

  • TrandescentTrandescent Registered User regular
    edited August 2013
    If you are iffy because you haven't been on the Brigade before, last year was my first year and It was easily the highlight of PAX 2013 for me. Looking forward to helping ya'll again in 2014!

    Trandescent on
    8elUgf9.png

    PAX East 2018 4-Day Pass [X] BYOC Pass [X] Hotel Reservation [X]

    See y'all at PAX East 2018!
  • ransimransim Registered User regular
    Looking forward to having you back! You were a ton of help last year. I'm sure Prime is going to give us a run for our money this year as far as a new total to annihilate.

  • Ana NgAna Ng Registered User regular
    crud, I always intend to make cookies and then something comes up right before that prevents me. Maybe with 236 days left till PAX I can manage it this time.

  • ransimransim Registered User regular
    Ana Ng wrote: »
    crud, I always intend to make cookies and then something comes up right before that prevents me. Maybe with 236 days left till PAX I can manage it this time.

    You could always make the dough ahead of time and freeze it.

  • Ana NgAna Ng Registered User regular
    ransim wrote: »
    Ana Ng wrote: »
    crud, I always intend to make cookies and then something comes up right before that prevents me. Maybe with 236 days left till PAX I can manage it this time.

    You could always make the dough ahead of time and freeze it.

    Yeah that's what I plan on doing, just a little bit closer to the event XD

  • DelaneyDelaney Registered User regular
    PAX East 2103 was my first and boy, did I learn a lot. I unfortunately bombed at both parts of the Brigade (late work nights before going to Boston nixed baking and bringing the wrong shoes to Boston caused me to skip distribution), but having seen the Brigade in action only increased my desire to help. So I'll plan *much* better this time and hope to see you all in Boston next April!

    "I will participate in the game. It's a wonderful, wonderful opera, except that it hurts." - Joseph Campbell

    Steam: delaney_a

  • TrandescentTrandescent Registered User regular
    Delaney wrote: »
    PAX East 2103 was my first and boy, did I learn a lot. I unfortunately bombed at both parts of the Brigade (late work nights before going to Boston nixed baking and bringing the wrong shoes to Boston caused me to skip distribution), but having seen the Brigade in action only increased my desire to help. So I'll plan *much* better this time and hope to see you all in Boston next April!
    Time traveler detected!

    I wore hiking shoes. Great decision.

    8elUgf9.png

    PAX East 2018 4-Day Pass [X] BYOC Pass [X] Hotel Reservation [X]

    See y'all at PAX East 2018!
  • ransimransim Registered User regular
    Delaney wrote: »
    PAX East 2103 was my first and boy, did I learn a lot. I unfortunately bombed at both parts of the Brigade (late work nights before going to Boston nixed baking and bringing the wrong shoes to Boston caused me to skip distribution), but having seen the Brigade in action only increased my desire to help. So I'll plan *much* better this time and hope to see you all in Boston next April!
    Time traveler detected!

    I wore hiking shoes. Great decision.

    I wore my vibrams, such an awesome decision as well.

    We are also going to have a few organization spots available for East that I'll be sending emails out to Brigadiers probably in September for volunteers. Those positions won't involved as much walking but they might require a dedicated time block.

    Such as:

    Treasury - 0800 to 1300 Saturday - Job includes handling all incoming money and entering brigadier totals into the database. Responsible for hand off to next Treasurer or organizer.

    I want to try and make these items shifts next year so the HQ work can be spread out some.

  • DelaneyDelaney Registered User regular
    Delaney wrote: »
    PAX East 2103 was my first and boy, did I learn a lot. I unfortunately bombed at both parts of the Brigade (late work nights before going to Boston nixed baking and bringing the wrong shoes to Boston caused me to skip distribution), but having seen the Brigade in action only increased my desire to help. So I'll plan *much* better this time and hope to see you all in Boston next April!
    Time traveler detected!

    I wore hiking shoes. Great decision.

    So much for late night posting... If I were really a time traveler, I could have fixed last year's mistakes. :p As for the shoes, I brought tennis shoes so I could do a lot of walking; the basic idea was correct. But I brought the wrong pair with the worn-out linings and so garnered a ton of blisters. First PAX, first-ever con - live and learn.

    "I will participate in the game. It's a wonderful, wonderful opera, except that it hurts." - Joseph Campbell

    Steam: delaney_a

  • Lady LilybellLady Lilybell Geeky Crafter & Baker South Shore, MARegistered User regular
    Holy awesome title to this thread! Each year we have more unique designs and flavors to satisfy the growing crowds. There are some really great and nice people who joins the ranks of Brigadeer. Time is never on my side the week before East every year.

    My brother made us Forgotten Cookies (his idea of a Bioshock Infinite themed cookie) but they turned into Forgotten Bark with a diabetic coma worth of sugar in it.

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    I ♥ making awesome crafts! I ♥ my Cookie Brigaders!
  • ransimransim Registered User regular
    Holy awesome title to this thread! Each year we have more unique designs and flavors to satisfy the growing crowds. There are some really great and nice people who joins the ranks of Brigadeer. Time is never on my side the week before East every year.

    My brother made us Forgotten Cookies (his idea of a Bioshock Infinite themed cookie) but they turned into Forgotten Bark with a diabetic coma worth of sugar in it.

    I actually ran the thread title past mods before using it just to make sure it wasn't going too far.

    I hear you though, the week before PAX is always madness for me and it always seems to be right around the time work gets completely batty. We're going to drive up this year and go up several days earlier then normal so I'm hoping that will help us.

  • FruhmannFruhmann Registered User regular
    one cookie brigade person had sugar free or low sugar cookies, which i thought was awesome.

  • ransimransim Registered User regular
    We've been incredibly lucky to have bakers who make some awesome allergy sensitive/dietary restriction sensitive noms for the Brigade. I was thinking about trying out some cookies for East next year that are low carb (well okay low carb for a cookie)/gluten free using Coconut Flour, apparently its possible to make delicious almost cake like cookies with it. I just need to test to make sure they're sturdy enough for PAX.

  • Priced 4 EvilPriced 4 Evil Registered User regular
    "Dickerdoodles" just had me fall out of my chair laughing!!!

    Can we pre-donate for cookies or is it strictly a "first come first served" deal?

  • ransimransim Registered User regular
    "Dickerdoodles" just had me fall out of my chair laughing!!!

    Can we pre-donate for cookies or is it strictly a "first come first served" deal?

    It is a first come first serve sort of deal, setting up meet ups at PAX can be... challenging. What I can recommend is to attend the Thursday Night Pre-PAX Boardgame night at the Westin, we are always there accepting drop offs from bakers so it can be a good change to catch us in one area for a long time.

  • ironysparklesironysparkles Lowell, MARegistered User regular
    As excited as ever to make cookies for the Brigade! I found some gluten free pretzels that look really good, so I'm thinking of adding yogurt/chocolate dipped pretzels to my list. If anyone caught any of my Cinnamon chip cookies, let me know if there's any improvement needed!

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  • ransimransim Registered User regular
    Welp, looks like Prime gave us a run for our money, they brought in over $22,000!

  • BearTheHumanBearTheHuman Registered User regular
    edited September 2013
    Time to bake so many cookies for East this year so we can beat the West Coast. I've got my own army of people helping instead of just me sick and unable to bake at the last minute this year.

    BearTheHuman on
  • ransimransim Registered User regular
    Time to bake so many cookies for East this year so we can beat the West Coast. I've got my own army of people helping instead of just me sick and unable to bake at the last minute this year.

    I'm planning to drive to East so I'm going to bake a ton before East and load my car down with tastiness.

    A fun fact, by 4 PM Sunday Prime had earned $200 less then we had by the same time at East. So with more people and cookies we can definitely beat them! They only had about 1200 more cookies then we did for East.

    Prime supremacy will not stand!

  • ShrefShref Registered User regular
    maybe this is just me, but if there was a better way of spreading the word during the convention, i think there'd be a lot more donations. if i hadn't visited the forums, i wouldn't have known it existed. also, i hadn't seen a single last year(which was my first pax). have you tried contacting staff to see if they'd put something in the program or some kind of sign?

  • ransimransim Registered User regular
    Shref wrote: »
    maybe this is just me, but if there was a better way of spreading the word during the convention, i think there'd be a lot more donations. if i hadn't visited the forums, i wouldn't have known it existed. also, i hadn't seen a single last year(which was my first pax). have you tried contacting staff to see if they'd put something in the program or some kind of sign?

    The Cookie Brigade is a renegade charity group, we are not officially sanctioned and are 100% a community driven fundraiser. We depend on word of mouth from other community members and attendees and stealth to continue operation. I cannot go into all of the reasons here, so if you truly want to know more I recommend joining our website and applying to become a brigadier.

    Suffice to say the convention facilities don't particularly like us because we're giving away food while they're trying to sell food. :)

    Its a pretty common thing we hear and unfortunately beyond the efforts we already employ such as extension word of mouth talk on Social Media and recruiting more distributors each year there isn't too much else we can do to advertise we exist to PAX attendees.

  • BearTheHumanBearTheHuman Registered User regular
    ransim wrote: »
    Time to bake so many cookies for East this year so we can beat the West Coast. I've got my own army of people helping instead of just me sick and unable to bake at the last minute this year.

    I'm planning to drive to East so I'm going to bake a ton before East and load my car down with tastiness.

    A fun fact, by 4 PM Sunday Prime had earned $200 less then we had by the same time at East. So with more people and cookies we can definitely beat them! They only had about 1200 more cookies then we did for East.

    Prime supremacy will not stand!

    I'm also driving to East this year again, so I'll make the rest of the team pack light so I can fit so many cookies (seriously, so many cookies).

    For those of you who are not people persons (people people?) so you're unable to distribute, but want to help out; baking is not a bad option. I taught myself how to bake cookies from scratch and they turned out very nom, and I had almost zero baking experience before hand. Remember, the most requested cookies are the basics like chocolate chip and sugar cookies, and those are super easy to make!

  • ransimransim Registered User regular
    One thing I did last year for baking that was sort of cheating but saved a lot of time was to buy bulk pre-made chocolate cookie dough from Sam's Club and then just focus on baking them. We got a ton of cookies out of just one of those huge tubs. It also let me focus on the fun stuff I made like the candy, chocolates and bacon.

  • TabooPhantasyTabooPhantasy Registered User regular
    Rice crispies treats are also a crazy easy (and very tasty) option if you don't want to risk burning anything down.
    I also had a market for "healthy" snacks like granola and trail mix!

    ~Taboo
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  • Lady LilybellLady Lilybell Geeky Crafter & Baker South Shore, MARegistered User regular
    I hope you all know, I expect 50 grand next year to be raised in total across all three PAXs.

    5FzIdZ6.png
    I ♥ making awesome crafts! I ♥ my Cookie Brigaders!
  • mochibunnymochibunny Registered User regular
    Oh my glob, I immediately signed up on the Brigade forums. I'm SO excited about this and I'd love to help!

  • ransimransim Registered User regular
    Calling all Brigadier Bakers for a special project in November!

    Details: http://www.cookiebrigade.org/forum/index.php?topic=467

    This is a TOP SECRET project, you must be a current user of our forums AND a approved brigadier.

  • Geno GaronGeno Garon Registered User regular
    I would just like to state, for the record, that last year I made a mission for all Cookie Brigadiers to seek me out to get guaranteed donations for cookies.
    http://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/26093093/#Comment_26093093

    NOT ONE OF YOUR FOUND ME. I was so heartbroken that nobody wanted my money for cookies, but I am not giving up on you guys! This year, once I have finished all of my cosplays, I will post again. I will give you full pictures. I will lay down the gauntlet. I believe in you, Brigadiers. Seek me out.

  • ransimransim Registered User regular
    Geno Garon wrote: »
    I would just like to state, for the record, that last year I made a mission for all Cookie Brigadiers to seek me out to get guaranteed donations for cookies.
    http://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/26093093/#Comment_26093093

    NOT ONE OF YOUR FOUND ME. I was so heartbroken that nobody wanted my money for cookies, but I am not giving up on you guys! This year, once I have finished all of my cosplays, I will post again. I will give you full pictures. I will lay down the gauntlet. I believe in you, Brigadiers. Seek me out.

    I remember that, I actually had it on my list of things to try and do but I ended up spending the entire weekend in our secret cookie fortress of doom counting money.

    ... so much money...

    I think for something like this though its easier for attendees to try to find us. Then its find 20 or so people out of 70,000 people not 1 in 70,000.

  • geek_swagggeek_swagg Registered User new member
    EVERYBODY DO COOKIE BRIGADE!! I did it last year and it genuinely MADE my first PAX (despite having....no voice). I'm hoping to apply for Enforcer this year so I might not be able to distribute but I will DEFINITELY be upping my baking this year. Also, ransim, I live in Boston and would love to help with any pre-con stuff/set-up/organizing things in the area! Keep me updated--can't wait to beat Prime this year :)

  • Geno GaronGeno Garon Registered User regular
    ransim wrote: »
    Geno Garon wrote: »
    I would just like to state, for the record, that last year I made a mission for all Cookie Brigadiers to seek me out to get guaranteed donations for cookies.
    http://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/26093093/#Comment_26093093

    NOT ONE OF YOUR FOUND ME. I was so heartbroken that nobody wanted my money for cookies, but I am not giving up on you guys! This year, once I have finished all of my cosplays, I will post again. I will give you full pictures. I will lay down the gauntlet. I believe in you, Brigadiers. Seek me out.

    I remember that, I actually had it on my list of things to try and do but I ended up spending the entire weekend in our secret cookie fortress of doom counting money.

    ... so much money...

    I think for something like this though its easier for attendees to try to find us. Then its find 20 or so people out of 70,000 people not 1 in 70,000.

    Oh trust me, I was actively searching for you guys as well. I just figured if Brigadiers knew what I looked like (rather shiny, easy to spot) that we could make that magical cookies-into-money alchemy happen. Maybe, to make you guys easier to find for people looking for cookies, you could wear cookie hats or some other kind of easy-to-spot icon. Maybe you already do, in which case, this year we'll have to play Where's Waldo with each other just a little better than last year.

  • ransimransim Registered User regular
    Geno Garon wrote: »
    ransim wrote: »
    Geno Garon wrote: »
    I would just like to state, for the record, that last year I made a mission for all Cookie Brigadiers to seek me out to get guaranteed donations for cookies.
    http://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/26093093/#Comment_26093093

    NOT ONE OF YOUR FOUND ME. I was so heartbroken that nobody wanted my money for cookies, but I am not giving up on you guys! This year, once I have finished all of my cosplays, I will post again. I will give you full pictures. I will lay down the gauntlet. I believe in you, Brigadiers. Seek me out.

    I remember that, I actually had it on my list of things to try and do but I ended up spending the entire weekend in our secret cookie fortress of doom counting money.

    ... so much money...

    I think for something like this though its easier for attendees to try to find us. Then its find 20 or so people out of 70,000 people not 1 in 70,000.

    Oh trust me, I was actively searching for you guys as well. I just figured if Brigadiers knew what I looked like (rather shiny, easy to spot) that we could make that magical cookies-into-money alchemy happen. Maybe, to make you guys easier to find for people looking for cookies, you could wear cookie hats or some other kind of easy-to-spot icon. Maybe you already do, in which case, this year we'll have to play Where's Waldo with each other just a little better than last year.

    Unfortunately we can't be that overt, the convention center is after all our main nemesis. Brigadiers wear a patch but anything more overt, especially at PAX East, isn't going to be possible. The last thing we want is to make the brigadiers easier for convention staff to locate.

  • CaveCibumCaveCibum Registered User regular
    As a distributor, I paid attention to Twitter, especially #cookiebrigade, and tried to head towards people who were asking for cookies. Didn't mean I actually made it there, but that's something for people who want cookies to keep in mind.

    Also, Cookie Brigade is awesome and you should join :)

  • TrandescentTrandescent Registered User regular
    edited October 2013
    CaveCibum wrote: »
    As a distributor, I paid attention to Twitter, especially #cookiebrigade, and tried to head towards people who were asking for cookies.
    If you want cookies somewhere, this is an awesome way to get a hold of a brigadier. I've began to become closer to actually using Twitter recently so expect someone to actively check the hashtag.

    Trandescent on
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    PAX East 2018 4-Day Pass [X] BYOC Pass [X] Hotel Reservation [X]

    See y'all at PAX East 2018!
  • ransimransim Registered User regular
    Its highly advisable for Brigadiers to be using the Brigade forums right now, planning for East has begun!

    http://www.cookiebrigade.org/forum/index.php

  • sillyzombie666sillyzombie666 massRegistered User regular
    i got my 3 day pass and i should even have a room. so i plan on making cookies so that being said i think i will go all out this year and try to make 12 dozen ginger 10 dozen choc chip and then maybe find a 3rd cookie ... i might just buy candy canes on clearance and make a ton of choc chip candy cane

    I REJECT YOUR REALITY AND SUBSTITUTE MY OWN
  • TrandescentTrandescent Registered User regular
    Got my passes and hotel room. See you guys there!

    8elUgf9.png

    PAX East 2018 4-Day Pass [X] BYOC Pass [X] Hotel Reservation [X]

    See y'all at PAX East 2018!
  • MeruMeru Interactive Designer/Developer Registered User new member
    Just got my badge and booked the hotel as well, and started looking through forums and landed here. Signed up and applied already, hope I can help out!

    It's my first PAX ever, I'm excited!

  • ransimransim Registered User regular
    Meru wrote: »
    Just got my badge and booked the hotel as well, and started looking through forums and landed here. Signed up and applied already, hope I can help out!

    It's my first PAX ever, I'm excited!

    We'd love to have you!

    Looking forward to East this year even if I'm only now coming off the adrenaline rush of passes and hotels. Yikes!

  • KrisstaKrissta New HampshireRegistered User regular
    Sadly, I will be sitting out this year. :( Having my first baby in December, so I'm not entirely sure when I'll be at PAX. I know I'll be there sometime, though, so I'll be giving donations! :)

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