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Community supports girl’s cupcake business after government shuts it down

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Breanna Deutsch Contributor
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An 11-year-old girl whose cupcake business was shut down by the government will soon be back in the kitchen.

In January,  Troy, Illinois health officials closed down Chloe Stirling’s home-based cupcake business because her kitchen was not certified. The costs of renting or building an additional cooking space were insurmountable for the Sterling family, so Chloe was forced to turn over her oven mitts and cease operations.

Now her local community and national donors are helping her build a new kitchen, reports the Belleville News-Democrat.

Jason Spengler, owner of  Spengler Plumbing and Cooling, decided to take the lead in getting Chloe back to her favorite hobby. Spengler employs the sixth-grader’s father.

Spengler surprised Chloe and her family after a showing in her school gym of her recent appearance on “Rachael Ray.” When the program ended, Spengler and a crew of his employees unveiled an 8-by-4-foot image of a commercial kitchen.

They announced that the company, with the help of donations, would build Chloe a government-approved kitchen.

The plumbing company also donated $500 to Chloe’s school to honor her fellow students, who designed and sold hundreds of “Hey Cupcake” T-shirts as a sign of their support.

“Everyone at Spengler considers Chloe part of our family,” Spengler told the Belleville News-Democrat. “Her dad, Ched, has worked as one of our top plumbers for the past seven years. And we have enjoyed many of Chloe’s Cupcake Creations. So when we heard that she was put out of business, we stepped into high gear to get her back baking again.”

The Stirling family will also not have to worry about purchasing expensive appliances to fill her shiny new kitchen. During her appearance on the “Rachel Ray,” the host and Buddy Valastro, of TLC’s “Cake Boss,” surprised Chloe with a full collection of GE kitchen appliances.

Spengler is still seeking donations for the project through a website.

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Breanna Deutsch