ROYAL OAK/FERNDALE — Royal Oak and Ferndale’s Parent Teacher Associations will take part in a statewide bake sale in an effort to bring more attention to the funding problems facing districts throughout the state.

The sale will happen between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Dec. 2 at a variety of sites.

Ferndale will hold its sale at the Kulick Community Center, 1201 Livernois St.

“We are asking all members of Ferndale (Public Schools) to stop by … to send a message to our legislators that we will do whatever it takes to support education for the children in our state,” said Brad Parks, president of the Ferndale PTA Council.

Royal Oak Band and Orchestra Booster President Karen Kline came up with the idea of the bake sale after attending a November rally in Lansing. She said it was the frustration she experienced discussing the budget issues with legislators that led to the effort.

“We are not foolish, we know that we aren’t going to raise $3 million,” she said about the funding decrease Royal Oak schools is looking at with expected cuts. “But it’s our way to send a message to the legislators to fix this problem. It is why we elected them.”

She said since the idea was born, the statewide PTA has come aboard and districts throughout Michigan are going to participate. They’ve set up a Web site, www.cookies4mikids.com.

Kline plans to go to Lansing to sell cookies at the steps of the Capitol, and there will be local sales in Royal Oak at Holiday Market and other sites in the city, she said.

All Michigan school districts are experiencing midyear budget cuts from the state that amount to a minimum of $292 per student.

For more information about the Bake Sale for Public Education in Ferndale, call (248) 546-5341 or (248) 544-6767, or visit www.ferndalepta.org.

— Jeremy Selweski and Jeremy Carroll