A long line winded through and outside of Candy’s Homemade Icecream shop in Shoemakersville on Friday night, Sept. 19. Students, their families and the community waited for some familiar faces to serve up their favorite frozen treats as teachers from Hamburg Area Middle School, Perry Elementary Center and Tilden Elementary Center took their turns behind the counter, all to help raise money for the American Cancer Society.
“The idea popped in my head when I was driving past Candy’s one day this summer,” said Tracy Francis, Hamburg Area Middle School teacher, American Cancer Society-Relay Field Day Coordinator and cancer survivor. “I think anytime kids have a chance to see their teachers outside of the school setting it is a huge draw. I thought it would be hilarious to see the teachers attempting to scoop ice cream and work the soft serve machine. I had stopped to talk with Candy and David about the idea and it just snowballed from there with the ice cream flavor contest.”
It certainly was a big draw with 126 families attending and eagerly awaiting to have ice cream served from one of the 16 teachers behind the counter that night including Susan Franco, Jenna Heinly, Lorrie Wolfinger, Kelly Rollman, Mindy Ponter, Deb Hay, Kathy Reinert, Jodi Parent, Jill Laub, Tiffany Gruber, Angie Dowd, Tana Koller and Patricia Kelly.
Along with the ice cream there was a new ice cream flavor contest open to the middle school students. The top three were available at Candy’s and voted on during the night with Alexis Neider’s mint fudge winning (54 votes), Abigail Halon’s winter wonderland coming in second with (39 votes) and Joshua Schreiner’s tropical dream in third (13 votes). The young creators received gift certificates for Candy’s. Outside for those waiting in line and those enjoying their ice cream was a pick-a-pop game and balloons as well as bracelets, pencils and stickers for the crowd.
“I think the night was a huge success! David and Candy were not sure what to expect as far as customers, but I told them not to worry, I would bring the people,” said Francis. “If you have teachers, they will come!”
Originally, Candy’s was going to donate 20% of the total sales (customers had special slips as part of the teacher’s night event) to the American Cancer Society, however David and Candy graciously chose to donate 25% of the total raised. Teacher’s Night at Candy’s raised a total of $300 in ice cream sales and another extra $120 in donations making for a very successful event that last for three hours.
“There were many special moments,” said Francis. “Talking with the kids in line and having their faces light up when I told them which teachers were scooping ice cream, having the teachers say how much fun they had, watching the staff of Candy’s instructing the teachers how to use the milkshake machine, having family waiting in line for an hour and half in high spirits because of it being such a great cause and having families thanking me for holding the event because they have loved ones affected by cancer.”
When asked what her personal favorite part of the night was, Francis had a hard time picking just one.
“It is hard to choose just one thing,” she responded. “It was fun being able to talk with all the kids and entertain them in line. It was amazing to see the incredible staff at Candy’s working so well with the teachers.”
For Francis, Friday was not only special because of the event, but also for a personal reason that was even more special with her being a cancer survivor.
“Friday was my birthday and birthdays are a big deal as a cancer survivor,” she said. “I cannot think of a better way to spend my birthday or a better birthday gift than seeing so many people supporting a cause that means so much to me!”
Francis and her fellow Hamburg teachers would like to say a special “Thank you” to the staff of Candy’s and to David and Candy for being so gracious in letting the teachers “invade their business and their generosity.”
Another Teacher’s Night will be at Candy’s in the spring and the Hawk Walkers (Hamburg’s Relay for Life team) is in the process of planning a cow chip bingo partnering with Lolly Lesher and Way Har Farms.
For anyone interested in supporting and/or joining the Hawk Walkers Relay for Life team, contact Tracy Francis at trafra@hasdhawks.org or Tiffany Gruber at tifgru@hasdhawks.org.