Heavenly Temptations, a vibrant café and gift shop in Boonton, hosted a fundraiser earlier this month to benefit The Seeing Eye. Offering a sugar fiend’s dream of endless dessert samples—from crunchy mini cannoli, powdery Linzer tarts, and tart lemon bread to a fluffy mountain of tiramisu, hunks of chocolate streusel, and irresistible squares of the house-specialty peanut butter pie—along with a basket raffle, a visit from an adorable aspiring Seeing Eye pup, and plenty of good cheer, the “Sweet Treat Night” event raised more than $1,500 for the venerable Morristown guide dog–training organization.
But that was only part of the goal set by Heavenly Temptations owner Ann Cox, who kicked off a campaign in January to raise at least $5,000 for the Seeing Eye by the end of 2011. Another “Sweet Treat Night” will be held in the fall, and ongoing items for sale in the store, including Seeing Eye bracelets and plush pups (including German Shepherds, Yellow and Black Labradors, and Golden Retrievers), continue to support the effort. More Seeing Eye logo items and specialty gifts will be offered by late summer, and Ann is planning to add organic dog treats to her shelves to generate more proceeds for donation.
“I just love the Seeing Eye,” Ann says. “I love dogs. I love what dogs can do for people. It just touches my heart.” Established in 1929, The Seeing Eye is the oldest existing guide dog school in the world, and provides specially bred and trained dogs to people who are blind or visually impaired.
To find out more about Heavenly Temptations and their Seeing Eye fundraisers, visit them at www.heavenlytemptations.com or follow them on Facebook. Their updates list their daily Lunch Specials like Tomato Dill Soup, Three Cheese Quiche, Ham & Brie Panini on Herb Focaccia Roll, and Homemade Bread Pudding. Yum!
Heavenly Temptations is located at 712 Main Street in historic downtown Boonton. They serve homemade food, gourmet coffee and tea, gorgeous desserts, fresh fudge, ice cream, and candy by the pound. The gift selection is eclectic, funky, and very fun, ranging from jeweled belt buckles, cookbooks, hand cream, and greeting cards to specialty packaged foods and wacky potato mashers. Custom gift baskets can be ordered online or in the store. They’re open 7 days a week (Mon-Fri 6am-6pm, Saturday 7am-8pm, Sunday 7am-4pm) for breakfast and lunch.
Deanna Quinones is the Jersey Bites Regional Editor for Morris County. A freelance writer, blogger, and unrepentant chocolate addict, Deanna spent 20 years in the San Francisco Bay Area where life was good and the burritos even better. She recently returned to the Garden State and now resides in Morristown, where she and her Texas-born/Jersey-raised/California-found husband are raising two wild and wonderful kids. An experienced book marketer, award-winning greeting card writer, and entertainment writing dabbler, Deanna can be reached at deannaq@optimum.net. (photo credit Pete Genovese/The Star-Ledger)
