A "sketchy" story about fudge

DAYTON - Derek and Sonya Rauser came to the Dayton area this past January and in recent weeks, the couple has become quite well known for a very "sketchy" reason.

What's so sketchy, you ask? 

It all started when Sonya Rauser was looking for something to do with her time.

"She was a bored stay-at-home mom looking for something to occupy her time and she was blowing me up at work and I was like, I have got to find her something to do, and I thought fudge," said Derek Rauser.

So, the couple started messing around in their kitchen and made a batch of peanut butter fudge.

"She got excited, super excited, I got excited," he said.

Since then, Sonya Rauser gained some notoriety after going out around town knocking on doors to see if anyone would be interested in purchasing any fudge. 

"This lady came out screaming and cussing at her telling her she had no reason to be there, and she got the neighbors involved and they were basically attacking her," he said.

Later that night, a post went up on Facebook on a local 411 page telling folks to watch out for the "sketchy" lady selling fudge.

Fortunately for the Rausers, several folks who knew the family came to her defense on the post with many positive remarks and high praise for the couple and their delicious fudge. Eventually, the post was removed by the page's moderators.

From that experience, the pair decided to move forward and make it more than a hobby and start a business, aptly known now as Sketchy Fudge.

They have a slew of flavors to choose from, like Butterfinger, maple pecan, butterscotch, mint chocolate chip, plain chocolate, toffee, peanut butter, white Reese's, rocky road, turtle, Oreo, strawberry cheesecake, red raspberry, pumpkin, key lime and of course the all-new Elvis fudge with peanut butter, banana and bacon.

The Rausers believe all the glory for their new business belongs to God.

That relationship with God, they believe, gives them purpose and meaning that has helped them overcome so many obstacles in life.

"This is God, brother. This is nothing but God! We're faithful, we're obedient, and I don't want to make this a religious thing, but I have got to give glory to God. This is all Him; this is not me, this is not her, this is God," he exclaimed.

Before coming to Dayton from Oklahoma, the couple was homeless and, at one point, in the grip of addiction to illegal drugs.

"God has drug us out of the pits of Hell and gave us a new life," said Derek Rauser.

The couple had issues they had to fight through and the desire to find a new way of life.

"After seeing what God can do in our lives, there's nothing that could ever get me to go back to that drug. It was awful," said Sonya Rauser.

They participate in an online recovery program dealing with addiction, loss and depression.

The Rausers encourage anyone dealing with addiction and struggling to find a better way of life to make that change.

"You've gotta submit! God doesn't want your sin, He wants you to turn away from your sin and look up to Him because He will take it the rest of the way, but He's not going to do it for you," said Derek Rauser.

A personal connection brought them to Dayton, where they now have their own home and stability they have only dreamed of in life.

Derek has done many things on the road here, working jobs in the food service industry, building fences and landscaping on the way to this new endeavor. 

"He has a little more experience in his life. I was more of the sheltered type," she said.

Now the two have found enjoyment in this "sketchy" new business and have found happiness along the way.

Sketchy Fudge recently joined the Dayton Chamber of Commerce, and their fudge is available at 2 Broke Cajuns BBQ, where they have opened a new fudge counter with lots of delicious flavors. 

To order some Sketchy Fudge, call 405-894-1000, visit them at 1300 US HWY 90 next to 2 Broke Cajuns, or find them on Facebook.