[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 127 (Monday, July 20, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E646]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING RACHELLE LONG AS IOWAN OF THE WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CYNTHIA AXNE

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 20, 2020

  Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of 
Representatives to join me in recognizing Rachelle Long, the owner of 
Chellie's Sugar Shack in Des Moines, as this week's Iowan of the Week.
  Whether it's cakes, cookies, cobblers, or pies, Chellie's Sugar Shack 
has been satisfying sweet tooths in Des Moines for nearly a decade. 
After a thirty-year career--one she began straight out of high school--
Rachelle took the leap and opened her own home bakery at the suggestion 
of her children. Chellie's Sugar Shack was the result of years of 
baking sugar cookies for her kids and family, including sugar cookie 
trays that became a much-anticipated present each year at Christmas.
  Chellie's Sugar Shack opened for business on April Fool's Day in 
2011--with Rachelle clarifying on Facebook that the business was indeed 
no joke. For the first two years, sugar cookies were the only thing on 
the menu. After requests from satisfied customers, however, the menu 
has since grown to include best sellers like the southern caramel cake 
and strawberry cake. And yesterday, on National Sugar Cookie Day, 
Rachelle found a way to reward one loyal customer with a gift of a 
dozen sugar cookies.
  I am deeply impressed by Rachelle's strong entrepreneurial spirit, 
dedication, and engagement with the local community--like baking dozens 
of mini southern caramel cakes as a sweet treat for students. I know 
the community appreciates her hard work. I know Rachelle and other 
small business owners have been working hard during this global 
pandemic. Like all small business owners, Rachelle must have been 
worried about what might happen to her business. But Iowans have a 
proud tradition of supporting our small businesses and Chellie's Sugar 
Shack has seen an uptick in orders. With 8 to 10 orders to bake each 
day now, Rachelle's been busy giving Iowans delicious cakes, cookies, 
and other treats to brighten their day.
  Like many small businesses, including my own, Chellie's Sugar Shack 
is a family business. A grandmother of 9, Rachelle recounted her early 
days as a business owner of having her grandchildren--then ages 1 to 
10--help her with baking, decorating, and packaging orders. As they 
helped, Rachelle sought to instill in them the value of being an 
entrepreneur--in her words, to be an ``employer and not an employee.'' 
With Chellie's Sugar Shack, Rachelle says that she's planted a seed 
that she hopes her grandchildren will continue to nourish and grow 
across generations.
  As a mom myself, I know the importance of providing our children with 
experiences that will build not just lifelong skills, but also lifelong 
memories. I am proud to know that we have family business owners like 
Rachelle in our community fostering tomorrow's entrepreneurs. It is my 
honor to share Rachelle's story, and recognize her as the Iowan of the 
Week.

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