Fridley 49er Pie Baking, Key Ingredients: The Contestant

If you had to cast a politician in a block buster movie, you would choose Robyn West. Silver haired, impeccably dressed, a voice rich in mid-range timbres and calm authority, she carries herself with the confidence of a polished aristocrat. She looks and sounds every bit the dignitary, perfectly cast as an Anoka County Commissioner ready to reign over her constituents with cool detachment.

But looks can be deceiving. Sit down with her and you quickly realize she is anything but your average politician. Underneath the gloss is a down-to-earth Minnesotan woman who prides herself most not in her elected position, but in her family. A woman who is a dedicated wife, mother and grandmother and is as comfortable talking to you about government and policies as she is about—baking her favorite pie.

Not one to hide behind a desk, she can be seen dancing on stage to raise funds for a non-profit, sleeping on a roof for mental health issues, or shaking hands at a ribbon cutting for a local business-- there is little she won’t do for community.

I ask her a few questions about being a Commissioner and her decision to enter the Fridley 49er Pie Baking Contest.

How long have you been Commissioner? I am in my 9th year as Anoka County Commissioner for District 3. I represent most of Blaine and most of Spring Lake Park. I took office in January of 2007.

What drives you to serve the public? When my fourth son was 16, I started thinking of how I could contribute beyond my kids. I had been involved in a lot of things, including politics and I sometimes felt unheard by my local politicians. When my family noticed me talking (more and more) about what I wished was different about how things happened in government, they finally said, “Run for office then!” I did my research about what I’d have to do to make it happen, and let people know that I believed that government was truly “of, for and by the people,” and that I thought we should be efficient with the hard earned money of the taxpayers. I have not swayed from that American value since I started.

One of the things I really love about and appreciate you for, is that you are truly engaged with the community (not all elected officials are). What do you enjoy best about being “in the trenches”? I love to be with people. As an elected official, I always let people know that my door is open and my cell phone is on. I am naturally an open book and want to stay totally transparent about what goes on in our county government.

One example of how I serve in the community (beyond my duties as Commissioner) is participating in Convoy of Hope this summer. Their mission is to serve individuals who are in poverty and maybe temporarily down on their luck. My task is to find 40 providers of services that are available to guide people out of their difficult situations. As many as 10,000 people will be served at this event on August 1st at the athletic fields at Spring Lake Park High School.

That is what being in the trenches is to me.

What is something you feel the general public doesn’t know about being a Commissioner that you’d like to tell us? County commissioners do not make laws. We are an arm of the State and Federal government and often execute the laws passed by those bodies.

We are closely linked with other levels of government and will use what connections we have through our legislators to communicate the needs we have to continue to serve our citizens adequately. We have frequent communication with all elected officials from our county, both in State of Minnesota and the US Congress.

A very successful project that people might not know about is the recently started interchange at Armstrong Blvd and US Hwy 10 in the City of Ramsey. We were able to get the needed funding from every level of government including city, county, state and federal. We are very excited about this project.

If you should win, what will you do with your $1,000 prize money? If I am fortunate enough to win this contest, I will give the $1,000 to an orphanage in Guatemala that was started by my sister 5 years ago. It is called El Amor de Patricia and was named after our mother who died of Alzheimers just before the orphanage was started.

My sister has 3 daughters adopted from Guatemala and after adoptions from there were banned, she was determined to find a way to save the lives of neglected orphans.

At the orphange, these darling children are raised in a family setting. They have meals together and have the same nannies put them to bed and get them up and fed and ready for school.

If they stay at El Amor de Patricia for their whole childhood, they will have been loved and nurtured and educated, thus equipped to lead a productive and healthy life in Guatemalan society.

You are famous in the county for being a baker. What is your favorite pie to bake? Well, famous might be stretching it! I have used pie baking as a fun method to create my signature way to host fund raisers. I try to honor the requests for supporters’ favorite pies.

My favorite pie at this time of year is lemon meringue. It is fresh and perfect for the season! I read an interesting article once about how the major ingredients in lemon meringue react to each other in order to make the the perfect pie; proportions, temperature and timing are key.

Just like making good government.

You may reach Anoka County Commissioner, Robyn West, HERE. Her door is always open and cell phone is always on!

Learn more about how you can help orphans in Guatemala through El Amor de Patricia (website), watch their great VIDEO on YouTube, or connect on their Facebook Page.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Think you have what it takes to win? REGISTRATION OPEN FOR A LIMITED TIME. All amateur bakers who live or work in Fridley, Coon Rapids, Columbia Heights or Blaine can enter in any of three categories: fruit, cream and original/creative. Judging is done on a point system, the most points overall will win the Grand Prize. Highest points in each category will win as well.

You must register with the City of Fridley (no charge). You may also direct any questions to Event Chair, Mandy Meisner at [email protected]

Read about 2015 Pie Baking Contest details, HERE.

Who funds a $1,000 Grand Prize for pie?! Read about Maria D State Farm, our Sponsor, HERE.

Who needs a trophy when you can have ART?

Who has the final word? Read about our Judge, HERE.