POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A Lakeland woman is using her love of baking to show appreciation for firefighters across Polk County, one homemade treat at a time.
Two years ago, Crystal Mongeau began dropping off cookies at the fire station where her boyfriend worked. At the time, the gesture had a personal purpose, too: It gave her a chance to spend a few extra minutes with him during his long shifts.
“There were days that I would not see him, weeks that I would not see him. It was pretty rough,” Mongeau said. “Bringing a box of cookies was an extra 10 minutes that I got to see him. I would catch him in between calls.”
WATCH: Woman bakes free treats for Polk County firefighters
But the cookies quickly became about more than spending time with her boyfriend.
Mongeau said she wanted to give the entire crew something that could brighten their day after long shifts and difficult calls.
“It felt good to hear that they enjoyed it. They had bad shifts and they would come back and have some cookies and suddenly the night was better," she said.
What started as a small gesture has since grown into Mongeau’s Flour & Fire project.
She now delivers free homemade treats to more than 25 Polk County Fire Rescue stations. Her baked goods include banana bread cookies, brown-butter Rice Krispie treats and oatmeal scotchies.
“Just want them to feel appreciated. They do so much for the community in those 24 hours,” Mongeau said.
She said the treats often disappear quickly.
“It’s great to hear that they go fast,” she said. “I hear that they go fast.”
As word about Flour & Fire has spread, Mongeau said more fire stations and family members of firefighters have reached out to her directly.
Keeping up with the demand, however, can be expensive.
“I don’t measure out chocolate chips. I kind of just go off of vibes and those are expensive — butter is expensive, eggs are expensive, everything is," she said. "There are some months where I could spend $300-$400 easily on just cookies.”
Mongeau is now looking for donations to help cover the cost of ingredients and travel so she can keep delivering a little something sweet to the people who serve Polk County.
People interested in supporting Mongeau’s Flour & Fire project can donate through her Amazon Wishlist or PayPal- @Crystalmongeau628.
Share Your Story with Rebecca
Rebecca Petit is dedicated to telling your stories from every corner of Polk County. She knows how growth has been a major discussion point for the area, and the impact it’s had on some of our most vulnerable populations. You can connect with Rebecca by using the form below.
.
Pasco County physician reunites with medical team after widowmaker heart attack
A Pasco County internal medicine physician was reunited Tuesday with the medical team who saved her life after she suffered a widowmaker heart attack nearly two years ago.
