Iron River baker donates bake sale proceeds to veterans groups

At Bigari Ace Hardware on Seldon Road, Judy Worple turned a spring bake sale into a direct fundraiser for veterans, offering breads, cupcakes, infused butters and other homemade items while donating every penny she earned.

Worple’s effort carried a personal weight that went well beyond the display table. She is the daughter of a World War II veteran, and her grandfather was killed in action during World War I. That family history shaped the purpose of the sale, which she said was her way of thanking service members for the freedom communities enjoy. She has made the bake sales a routine part of the year, staging them once in the spring and again in the fall.

Her path to Iron River was also rooted in family change and a long connection to the area. After years of vacationing in the region, Worple chose to make Iron River her permanent home during the COVID era after her husband died. She had always loved baking, and now she uses that skill to support the community that welcomed her.

The fundraiser also extends beyond the veterans groups it helps. Worple buys her ingredients locally, so the money she raises circulates through nearby businesses as well as the organizations she supports. That matters in Iron County, where the population was 11,631 in the 2020 Census and the U.S. Census Bureau estimated 1,012 veterans for 2019-2023. The county’s veterans service office, at 106 West Genesee Street in Iron River, provides benefits assistance and related services.

Bigari Ace Hardware, at 605 Seldon Rd. in Iron River, gives the sale a visible spot where shoppers already come and go for hardware and home-improvement needs. The store has become a practical gathering place for charitable events, including other bake sales for local causes such as Northwoods Animal Shelter. That history helps explain why Worple’s table fit naturally into the store’s rhythm of everyday traffic and community giving.

For Iron River, the appeal is plain. A neighbor’s homemade baking becomes cash for veterans organizations, local ingredients stay in the regional economy, and the fundraiser keeps service to veterans visible in a town where military history still runs close to home.