In order to benefit the children of Pattison’s Academy, members of Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church have published a new cookbook.

Annie Herring, head of the cookbook committee and a member of Mount Pleasant Presbyterian, said all the proceeds earned by making the cookbook go to the children of Pattison’s Academy.

“Pattison’s Academy is just a wonderful thing for our community,” she said. “The kids are so deserving.”

Pattison’s Academy (as well as Pattison’s Day Camp) was developed to service children with multiple disabilities. Herring said the money raised from making the cookbook will hopefully help to establish a school for the children.

“People have been really pleased,” she said. “It’s just been great for us. It’s a very good cookbook.”

Herring said she thought a cookbook would be a good way to raise money because of the number of the length of time it had been since the last cookbook was published, and because of the number of people who attend Mount Pleasant Presbyterian.

“It had been about 15 years since the last cookbook was published,” she said. “We had over 250 people from church give recipes to the book.”

The cookbook also seemed like a good idea since Herring knew many cooks at her church.

“I knew we had some cooks [at church] and I felt like it could be a successful fundraiser for the academy and for the community,” she said.

Pattison’s Academy is named for Pattison Sloat, a child living with multiple disabilities. Pattison’s mother Pam Sloat said her family gave recipes to the cookbook as well.

“The cookbook has meant a tremendous amount – not just for financial support,” Sloat said.

Sloat said she appreciates the time and effort contributors gave to make the cookbook.

“Somebody understands enough about the needs that these families [have] to do something like that,” she said. “It’s just an amazing thing.”

Sloat also said she thinks the cookbook will not only benefit Pattison’s Academy, but Mount Pleasant Presbyterian as well.

“It’s a nice legacy for the church,” she said.

Not only did church members provide recipes, but local restaurants in Mt. Pleasant and Charleston contributed as well.

“You can tell a lot of time and research went to put that together,” Sloat said. “It’s just a beautiful work of art.”

Sloat said she has gotten good feedback from people who have bought the cookbook, and that many people have it displayed in their kitchens on the stand it comes with the purchase.

“It’s so beautifully done and you can tell it came from the heart,” she said. “It really did blow us away.”