Member Connection

LAFCU and Quality Dairy Partner for Paczki Palooza to Support Local Charities

LAFCU partnered with Quality Dairy for the third consecutive year as a co?sponsor of Paczki Palooza, a p?czki?eating contest held Feb. 13 at the REO Town Clubhouse in Lansing that raised funds for local charitable organizations.

The event takes place ahead of Fat Tuesday, the traditional feast day before the Christian season of Lent. P?czki are filled Polish pastries commonly enjoyed throughout the Midwest.

Paczki Palooza 2026 marked the kickoff of Quality Dairy’s 90th anniversary celebration. Founded in 1936, both LAFCU and Quality Dairy have served the Lansing community for nine decades. Their continued partnership through the event combines a local tradition with charitable giving.

“Quality Dairy and LAFCU have been partners for several years, and it’s great to collaborate with an organization that reaches so many audiences and genuinely cares about the community,” said Phil Platte, marketing and category manager at Quality Dairy. “We’ve worked together on several events, and this contest is always a fun way to bring people together while supporting important causes.”

Quality Dairy provided prize money benefiting each contestant’s selected charity. For the grand prize, LAFCU contributed half of the $1,000 donation awarded to the winning charity.

“For organizations rooted in community service, this is a natural fit,” said Kellie Swiger, creative director at LAFCU. “It’s a fun Lansing tradition, but at the end of the day, it’s about directing real dollars to nonprofits that are doing important work.”

Six invited contestants competed in an expanded five?minute eating window, the largest field to date, as attendees cheered them on.

Akiem Harshman earned his third consecutive Paczki Palooza title by eating six p?czki in five minutes, securing a $1,000 donation for Judson Memorial Baptist Church.

“It feels really good to be able to win this money for the church,” said Harshman. “I’m glad to help the church and the community. The church does a ton of outreach, and it’s the church I grew up going to, so being able to give back where I can is important.”

Additional charitable donations awarded through the contest included:

• Second place: DeSean Whipple, DJ, Power 96.5, Haven House – $300
• Third place: Brian Farnham, board president, Community Circle Players, Riverwalk Theatre – $200
• Fourth place: Mark Lawrence, chief of staff for Mayor Andy Schor, American Red Cross – $100
• Fifth place: Terry Stevens, on?air personality, Q106, National VFW Home – $100
• Sixth place: Halatu Musa, food influencer, Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence – $100

Through the combination of friendly competition and charitable giving, LAFCU and Quality Dairy supported multiple nonprofit organizations serving the Lansing area.