POQUOSON — Cosmic Catering is more than just a food service.
Started in June 2019, the small, family-run catering business out of Poquoson which provides services events including birthdays, wedding receptions, business lunches, cocktail parties, or at people’s homes.
With a goal to keep its customers happy and full, Cosmic Catering serves everything from pastries, barbecue, baked chicken, taco pasta, salmon cakes and more.
Wanting to provide more natural options, Cosmic Catering prepares meals with fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
Head chef and owner Karen Whaley wanted her business to serve her community with love and care.
“Right now, so many people are going through so many things,” she said. “And I was always raised to think that if you can help somebody out, you help them.
A retired nurse and a recent graduate of culinary school, Whaley wanted to bring her two passions together.
Whaley and her oldest daughter, Julie Corbin, who also runs her own hair accessories business called Daisey Bows, wanted to give back to the community.
Their first fundraiser of the year is the Cancer Survivor Awareness Fundraiser, which will be held at Surf’s Up Restaurant, 100 Carys Chapel Rd., on Saturday, June 26.
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the family-friendly fundraising event will feature face painting, games and prizes for kids, and appearances from Disney Princesses.
They are also asking the community to donate Dollar Tree gift cards to buy children’s toys and games for the event.
For Whaley, who lost her father to cancer nearly three years ago, this fundraiser hits close to home.
Whaley said that the event will raise money for a cancer survivor in the community as well as raise awareness that “people do beat cancer and they do move forward.”
“We’re trying to make this a family fun day where people can come, they can play games, they can have lunch at Surf’s Up if they’d like, and just have a good day and raise money to give back to the community,” she said.
With over 20 vendors there, Whaley also wants to use this event to spotlight other small businesses in the community.
“We’re trying to keep it to homemade businesses,” she said. “I’m trying to cater to the people that do their stuff at home and don’t get the chance to put their stuff out there. I want people like us – a small, family-owned catering company.”
In the past, Whaley and her family business have raised money for Breast Cancer and Alzheimer’s patients through fundraisers, as well as donated to local food banks. While COVID-19 stopped Cosmic Catering from holding fundraisers last year, Whaley is looking forward to bringing people together this year to raise money.
“People ask me, well what do you get out of it? I get the satisfaction of knowing that I’ve helped somebody that needs help,” she said. “I don’t want anything more than to help other people.”
For more information on the event and how to donate, visit the Cancer Survivor Awareness Fundraiser Facebook page.
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