I SCREAM, YOU SCREAM!

Oh yes, we ALL scream for ice cream!

This whole story started with a couple of newlyweds who began a marriage in a new town/state, knowing no one.

As newlyweds, our jobs led us to settle in a coastal town in the beautiful state of Maine. We ended up with the best of both worlds—a 1880s homestead inland with acres to roam and resident beach pass to enjoy the ocean seven miles away. Our early newlywed life was grand with all the things to do and places to go. We happily worked during the week and spent all weekend enjoying vacationland.

Then, I became pregnant. We realized we literally had zero community locally. (We were traveling to our old church in New Hampshire.) I decided the best way to get a community was to be a community. I began baking for the neighbors and hosting playdates, dinner parties, and potlucks. Our community began to grow!

I really enjoyed the community we were building. However, for some reason, invites were not reciprocated and it seemed that we were the ones who were always hosting. My husband and I worked opposite shifts; I had taken on a lot of leadership roles with 4-H, a homeschool co-op, and our church; plus the responsibilities of homesteading were adding up. Hosting anything was beginning to seem overwhelming. In 2017 we had our third child and it seemed that our entertaining days were a figment of the past. I still had the desire in my heart to lead gatherings, but the task of cleaning my home and making a meal seemed monumental.

A random idea popped in my head one day. What about ice cream socials? My grandparents’ church hosted one every year and it was always a hit. Minimal prep work and something everyone loves. We had this old door in our garage that was stuck shut. My husband got it open. We put a freezer next to the door. My kids made a sign and a menu. A quick pop into the grocery store to load up on popsicles, ice cream, cones, dishes, spoons and napkins, and voila! Insta Ice Cream Shop!

Turns out, it was a hit!!! Year 2017 was our first year, and it has been a staple part of our summer ever since. My kids absolutely love hosting, and kids (and adults) ask when the next one will be.

How does it work?
* We sporadically open shop for a one-hour time increment. We like to do it on a whim, depending on weather and our schedule. A short time period of having it open allows my kids (who serve) to socialize after. I post on Facebook. My kids put a sign out front of our house. Folks start rolling in.

* Everyone and anyone can come. I work with kids with special needs and a parent once told me that their child never had gotten invited to a friend’s house. I like to have our house be a place where everyone is invited. We also have met more neighbors than ever since starting the stand.

* Kids are encouraged to order for themselves. They count out the correct change to pay for the ice cream. (No one is required to pay; we have a bank of money they can use.) As the workers, my kids are in charge of making change and filling orders.

* We keep our ice cream shop supplies all together in a bin, so we can open in minutes if we so decide. The freezer always has popsicles and ice cream over summer.

It has been a huge blessing to our family to be able to host. I see my kids becoming more confident in interactions and their willingness to serve has been consistent. We see the kids “ordering” become braver and more independent. Although we’re not aiming to raise funds, it never fails that we get donations and tips. All the money that is collected is funneled back into the stand. Basically our family funds the first pop-up shop each year and it’s self-sustaining for the rest of the summer. The extra money affords my kids to dream up specials and purchase the ingredients to make them. Our prep work is minimal, and the blessings are abundant. It’s become our most favorite way to embrace our community.

ACTION: Share what your family has done in the past or plans to do in the coming year to serve in your community and to build connections in your neighborhood by sending a description to magazine@chaponline.com. If you have photos from these activities, include them in the email. Just a couple sentences will suffice. We want ideas!!!!

In October 2022, CHAP Online will share the ideas and photos to inspire us all to reach out to those around us.