Teresa Whitmore’s friend Shelley Sullivan died of lung cancer in May 2023. As what would have been Sullivan’s 70th birthday approached in March, Whitmore, a member of Church of the Epiphany, Nelsonville, decided to create a memorial.
So was born the “best day boxes” — a complete birthday celebration in a 9 x 13 pan — based on an idea Whitmore saw on social media. With additional contributions from her closest friends and colleagues at Tammy’s Country Kitchen, where she is a cook, Whitmore placed a box of cake mix, a tub of “funfetti” icing, a birthday banner, a hand-written card, candles, and balloons in each disposable aluminum pan. Each box has a theme, including mermaids, ocean, space, or campfire. To replace the eggs and oil the cake mix requires, Whitmore includes a can of lemon-lime soda, a shelf-stable alternative.
Whitmore has created 40 “best day boxes” so far, sharing 14 of them with those who attend Epiphany’s monthly community dinner, which has been serving Nelsonville for 20 years, and currently serves 150-180 dinners per month. The remaining boxes were divided between My Sister’s Place, an emergency shelter for abused women and families — “It’s such a good outlet. Families there are already in crisis and a birthday cake can lighten spirits” — and a local food pantry.
image courtesy of Teresa Whitmore
