Cooking up a friendship

Photo: Jackie Rybeck

A thank-you to a
good Samaritan
To the editor:
Many thanks to the gentleman who helped me when I fell walking my dog on Sunday morning July 22nd. My husband and I are very grateful you saw what happened and chose to help. Also thank you to the two other gentlemen who stopped to check on what happened. Nice to know there are such good people in Jay.
Maurie and Mike Shink
Jay

OXFORD HILLS – Sarah Chaput and Amanda Ouellette grew up in separate towns, yet through church became best of friends.

As teens, the girls cooked together and always hoped to turn their pastime into a business.

“We didn’t grow up in the same town,” said Sarah. “I grew up in Gray and Amanda grew up in Auburn, but we both went to the Advent Christian Church in Oxford."

“We became fast friends,” smiled Amanda. “There weren’t too many girls in the youth group so we had to stick together!”

The girls cooked together at church functions and also at each other’s homes, sometimes getting more batter through the house than in the pan.

“We always baked birthday cakes for other kids,” laughed Amanda. “We used cake mixes back then and I remember one day trying to open the bag of mix and all of a sudden it just popped and there was cake mix everywhere! We made quite a mess.”

“We would cook the Sweetheart Dinners at the church,” added Sarah. “And we actually talked about opening a place together.”

Even through high school the girls remained close, but as graduations came and went, both girls left the area for a few years.

“When we both got back to Maine, it seemed like no time had passed at all,” said Amanda.”

In 2005, Sarah got the chance to buy the Rising Sun Café.

“When Sarah was looking to open her own place we briefly discussed opening together, but the timing just wasn’t right for me,” explained Amanda. “I was a stay-at-home mom and so I helped by making cakes and cheesecake for Sarah.”

When Rising Sun relocated in 2007, Amanda worked for Sarah for about a year while she was raising her two sons.

“I started to go stir crazy,” laughed Amanda. “So my husband bought me Daddy-Os. We always joke about how he bought me a restaurant so I could talk to grown-ups.”

“Working for Sarah also gave me a lot of insight into the process of opening a business," she added.

Now the women have a perfect mix of work and friendship.

“I bake cinnamon buns for Daddy-O’s and Amanda bakes cheesecakes for Rising Sun.”

“It’s a win-win situation!” exclaimed Amanda.

And so is the friendship.

“It’s great to have Amanda as a support system,” said Sarah. “It's not easy being a small business owner, and it's nice to know you can talk to somebody and they completely understand what you are going through. I know if I need anything she's willing to help.”

Sarah, who lives in South Paris with her husband Randy, is happy working for herself at the Rising Sun, baking delectable cakes, serving muffins and coffee.

Amanda who lives in Mechanic Falls with her husband and two sons, is happy at Daddy-O’s serving delicious, homemade food and breakfast all day.

And both will remain friends for life.

“Amanda will always make me laugh and is such a lifesaver.”

“It’s just worked out for the best,” added Amanda.