Culinary Arts Students Make Thanksgiving Pies for Veterans

Culinary Arts students at Tompkins Cortland Community College are helping make Thanksgiving a bit sweeter for some veterans. A group of students have made 36 pies for the Thanksgiving dinner at Clear Path for Veterans, a veteran service organization in Chittenango. 

Students in Food Preparation II (CULI 102) spent two classes making the pies – a dozen each of apple crumb, chocolate cream, and pumpkin. Assistant Professor and Culinary Arts Program Chair Amanda Bisson and Teaching Assistant Laurel Tilton worked with students Milo Coyote, Terry Paw, Tristan Richard, Daniel Tabb, and Brianna Tapia to make the pies, finishing this week before students went on break.

Professor and Hospitality Program Chair Sue Stafford helped organize the project. “It’s a chance for us to support a great organization that helps veterans in our region,” said Stafford, who noted that the curriculum for CULI 102 prepares students to work in a commercial food setting, so making a large quantity of pies fit in nicely. “This is a good holiday activity for our students – putting what they have learned to use to help make the holiday brighter for veterans. I’m so happy we could help and that our students were able to have this experience.”