Thanks to a crew of sturdy volunteers
LANSING, Ill. (September 27, 2023) – A crew of volunteers led by Diane Togtman and Missy Krygsheld gathered Tuesday night to crack eggs, measure flour, pour buttermilk, dump raisins, and stir gallons and gallons of batter — enough to make 5,000 little Dutch donuts known as oliebollen (OH-lee-bo-len). The fried batter will be served at Lansing Christian School’s Fall Fest on Friday, September 29, 2023.
Lansing Christian School is more diverse today than it was when it was founded in 1907, and oliebollen are a nod to the generations of Dutch families who founded the school and funded its growth. Today’s Fall Fest-goers may come from different cultures and cuisines, but that doesn’t stop them from enjoying the traditional Dutch sweet. It is common for the oliebollen to sell out long before the end of Fall Fest.
Reporter disclosure: I was invited to be part of this year’s Oliebollen Crew, not because of my ties to The Lansing Journal (probably), but because I was regarded as a “sturdy Dutch woman” capable of thoroughly mixing giant vats of thick batter. It was only when I arrived at the Lansing Christian School kitchen and witnessed the impressively organized activity surrounding the oliebollen production system that I decided to put my reporter hat on. This video is shared with Lansing Journal readers in the hope that you will find this Dutch tradition interesting, notwithstanding my personal connections to the school and my lifelong love of authentic oliebollen. -Melanie Jongsma
More oliebollen details
For a more detailed account of the process and ingredients involved in making 5,000 oliebollen, read Ashlee De Wit’s 2019 article:
Fall Festival details
The Fall Festival at Lansing Christian School is a family-friendly evening of food, games, and an auction, all intended to raise money for the school. This year’s Fest is scheduled for Friday, September 29:
- 2 p.m. – Sales of oliebollen begin
- 5 p.m. – Food court opens
- 6 p.m. – Live auction begins
- 6 p.m. – Kids games and activities begin
Lansing Christian School is located at 3660 Randolph Street in Lansing, Illinois.
Related
- Giving and Thanksgiving at Lansing Christian School (November 2022)
