- March 5, 2026
Kaley Geiger, winner of the cookie bake-off, with her caramel s'mores cookie cups. Photo courtesy of Kaylee Morgan
The overall winner of the pinewood derby race and adult division winner, Rocky Samples, with the kids division winner, Millie Rowan. Photo courtesy of Kaylee Morgan
Winner of style and design, the Strode Family, with the monorail car. Photo courtesy of Kaylee Morgan
Cars blazing down the pinewood derby track. Photo courtesy of Kaylee Morgan
Winner of the kid division, Millie Rowan, and winner of the adult division Rocky Samples. Photo courtesy of Kaylee Morgan
Engines weren’t the only things revving at Oasis Church on Wednesday, Feb. 25, as families gathered for the church’s first “Cars and Cookies” event — a combination of Pinewood Derby-style racing and a cookie bake-off.
Planned in less than two months, the event followed the success of the church’s 2025 Fall Fest Trunk-or-Treat and chili cookout. Encouraged by strong community turnout last fall, leaders at Oasis Church decided to bring families together again.
Children’s Ministry Director Kaylee Morgan said the event was designed with community in mind.
“We are hoping this will become an annual event,” Morgan said. “But obviously the goal is it is something that is well received and it just meets a need for our people of community and fun.”
The church’s midweek children’s program, Midweek Kids, gave participants several weeks to design their Pinewood Derby cars. To help bring the children’s ideas to life, a volunteer came in to cut the wooden blocks into each child’s chosen shape before paint and customization began.
By race night, 77 cars were ready to compete across two divisions. The kids division included racers as young as 2 years old through fifth grade, while the adult division welcomed participants from sixth grade and up.
Cheers erupted as cars sped down the track in heat after heat. Winners from each division advanced, with the top three finishers in both the kids and adult categories racing for the overall championship. The grand prize winner received a gift card to local restaurant Ormond Garage.
Meanwhile, the sweet smell of competition filled another corner of the church, where 24 cookie stations showcased homemade creations. To ensure fairness, the church appointed “cookie commissioners” of varying ages to secretly judge the entries. The bake-off champion was awarded a whimsical “Spoon Award” in recognition of their culinary skills
