By Aine Norris

“I’m not even a baker. But yet, here I am, committed to baking a cake every week for a year and presenting it to a stranger, all in the name of sharing homemade food and the nostalgia it brings,” says local graphic artist Ryn Bruce.

Batter Up, a social experiment launched by Bruce, rewards one “cake-worthy” nominee a week for philanthropy, acts of kindness, or other notable, community-focused efforts. It also encourages people to slow down, make homemade food, and share it with family, friends, colleagues, and even strangers.

“I keep the identities of the deserving, ‘cake-worthy,’ recipients a secret until the cake is actually in their hands,” says Bruce. “It’s more fun that way—people can chime in via social media and nominate someone who’s doing great things, but you’ll never know who will be the next ‘batter up.’ It’s my hope that the message of Batter Up will inspire the community to learn a little more about each other and even have a far- reaching effect. Ultimately my plan is to bring attention to our need, as a society, to connect with people on a personal, face-to-face level.”

Bruce, on behalf of Batter Up and community nominations, has presented cakes to St. Mary’s Hospital NICU, Richmond Fire Station No. 19, FETCH a Cure, Kat Simons, James River Park System, and more. Each week Bruce composes a new blog post with details of the “battering,” from nomination to baking successes and catastrophes. “I realized very quickly that the first lessons I’ll need to learn are patience and following directions—two things previously not included in my genetic makeup,” says Bruce. “The irony isn’t lost on me that I’ve destroyed cakes because of rushing and yet one of the main principles of this project encourages people to slow down and take their time over food.” While the mission of Batter Up encourages face-to-face interaction and story sharing, Greater Richmond has been quick to embrace the project via social media and nominations continue to hit her Inbox on a daily basis. Small local businesses have also signed on as sponsors and donated services and supplies.

“I’ve seen a tremendous amount of support for Batter Up and receive nominations all the time. Don’t get me wrong, there have been a few people along the way who don’t understand Batter Up and why it’s important or why I’m incurring cost, but they haven’t been the majority. Most feedback I get is inspired, people wanting to share the message, nominate a friend, or simply enjoy a good conversation over homemade food. That’s what Batter Up seeks to provide; the rest is just icing on the cake.”