'BAKE THE NIGHT AWAY' AT DELCASTLE TECH TO PRODUCE 10,000 COOKIES FOR DELAWARE's LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN HONOR OF LT. JOSEPH SZCZERBA

WILMINGTON (Dec. 20, 2011) - With delivery assistance from Volunteer Delaware, RSVP Sussex and members of the Rotary Club from Kent and Sussex counties, culinary students at Delcastle Technical High School will begin their marathon baking session Wednesday night at the school to produce and deliver 10,000 cookies for Delaware'S LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

THIS YEAR's "Bake the Night Away" event will be dedicated to the memory of New Castle County Police Lt. Joseph Szczerba, who died Sept. 16 from a stab wound after responding to an incident. Steve Szczerba, the older brother of Lt. Szczerba, will attend the event at 6 p.m. Wednesday and talk to the students about the importance of volunteering. Lt. Szczerba and his widow, Kathy Szczerba, volunteered for many causes.

This is the fourth year that Delcastle'S CULINARY STUDENTS HAVE TAKEN ON THE OVERNIGHT BAKING PROJECT AS A TOKEN OF THANKS FOR THE WORK THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS DO STAFFING SOBRIETY CHECKPOINTS, CHEF INSTRUCTOR JAMES BERMAN SAID. BERMAN FOUND THE PROJECT ON THE STATE's www.volunteerdelaware.org website when he sought out a volunteer opportunity for his students. Mothers Against Drunk Driving had previously conducted the "Cookies for Cops" campaign.

In addition to 70 culinary students, 10 dental students, 10 students from medical assisting and several Delcastle faculty members, 25 students from Brandywine Springs Middle School and students/patients from Art Therapy Express will assist in the cookie baking and the decorating of the cookie boxes. Chef Dana Herbert, winner of TLC'S "Next Great Baker," WILL DEMONSTRATE TECHNIQUES FOR THE STUDENTS AND OFFER HIS SUPPORT. ADDITIONALLY, MEMBERS OF DELAWARE's restaurant scene will stop by throughout the night for demonstrations and to lend a hand.

At 7 a.m. Thursday, the Delcastle Tech team will load boxes of cookies to be delivered to every police agency in New Castle County. Members of the Rotary Club in Kent and Sussex counties, recruited by the RSVP Program in Sussex County, will deliver cookies to police agencies in Kent and Sussex counties.

Sponsors of the event include: Chick-Fil-A, USFoods, Big D'S PIZZA, PANERA AND VOLUNTEER DELAWARE. DELCASTLE TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL IS AT 1417 NEWPORT ROAD, WILMINGTON.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT "Bake the Night Away," CONTACT JAMES BERMAN, CHEF INSTRUCTOR AT DELCASTLE TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL, AT (302) 995-8079 OR JBERMAN@NCCVT.K12.DE.US. STUDENTS AND FACULTY WILL BE BAKING IN THE MAIN CAFETERIA KITCHEN AND THE CULINARY ARTS KITCHEN AT DELCASTLE TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL.

FOR VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IN DELAWARE, VISIT WWW.VOLUNTEERDELAWARE.ORG.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.