Create a Flavor, Change the World Finalists Announced!
July 1, 2011, Guilford, CT—The kid-founded Connecticut-grown United States of Community Service (USCS) has teamed up with Ashley’s Ice Cream for a “very cool” contest to shine the spotlight on five kid-centered charities in five Connecticut towns while choosing an official ice cream flavor for this year’s nationwide kid-powered USCS Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepover event.
With almost 400 tasty suggestions entered by kids ages 5 to 13 in just over a week in the Create a Flavor, Change the World contest, today Ashley’s Ice Cream owner Joe Ametrano unveiled the names of the two final flavors and their creators:
- Nutella Chip Ice Cream
Created by 10-year-old Brennan Gollaher of Guilford, Connecticut
Ingredients: Nutella-flavored ice cream and chocolate chips
- Red-White-and-Blueberry Ice Cream
Created by 11-year-old Caroline Holmes of Greencastle, Pennsylvania
Ingredients: Sweet cream ice cream, cherries, white chocolate chips and blueberries
“It was a tough decision,” said Ametrano. “The kids did a fantastic job coming up with new flavors and interesting combinations—and there were more than a handful that we really thought would both taste great and sell well to benefit the five charities we’re supporting with this contest.”
“We chose Nutella Chip because both [Ashley’s co-owner] Brian Anderson and I are big Nutella fans—and neither of us had ever thought of making an actual Nutella flavor,” said Ametrano. “In fact we were surprised to receive several Nutella-based entries!
“We chose Red-White-and-Blueberry because it’s a great mix of summer fruit flavors and white chocolate—and with its red-white-and-blue color combination, it’s the perfect ice cream for the month of July.
“Ashley’s was kind enough to donate their amazing ice cream for last year’s almost-sleepover event here in Guilford,” said Laurie Kenney, mother of USCS’s co-founders, 9-year-old Delaney and 8-year-old Addie.
“When the girls and their friends Willow and Rosalie Coleman, Sophie Marnin, Marlah Hohlfelder and Isabel Kessler told Joe that they had bested 2,000 entries nationwide to win a National Make a Difference Day Award from Newman’s Own for that event, he told them right then and there that he would be happy to do what he could to support their effort to get kids in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. to host almost-sleepovers on this year’s Make a Difference Day, October 22—and he has: by working with us to spread the USCS word and make a difference in the lives of the kids and families being served by these five worthy charities.”
From July 1 to 14, folks can taste-test the two flavors and vote for their favorite at any of Ashley’s five locations in Guilford, Branford, Madison, New Haven and Hamden. For the month of July—National Ice Cream Month—all proceeds from the sale of the flavors will benefit a local charity in each Ashley’s location:
- Guilford Library’s Children’s Room Adopt-a-Book Program (Guilford)
- The Children’s Place at Connecticut Hospice (Branford)
- Life Haven (New Haven)
- The Children’s Center of Hamden (Hamden)
- Ucan2′s LifeStraw project (Madison)
Donation jars will also be available at each location for those who’d like to contribute to these kid-centered charities.
In a show of Keystone State USCS spirit, Marty Boscolo, owner of Mikie’s Ice Cream & Green Cow of Greencastle, Pennsylvania, will donate all proceeds from the sale of Caroline’s flavor in his store from July 15 through July 17 to Caroline’s charities of choice: a local breast cancer awareness organization and the local animal shelter.
The winning flavor will be announced at a press conference at the Nathanael B. Green Community Center in Guilford on July 17 (National Ice Cream Day) at 6 p.m. The winner will receive a $25 Ashley’s gift certificate and a USCS t-shirt, and the winner and his/her ice cream will be featured on www.uscsnow.org as the organization’s official ice cream flavor for this year’s nationwide USCS Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepover event, which will be held on October 22, 2011. The winning flavor will continue to be available at all Ashley’s locations through July 31st.
From the beginning Ashley’s goal has been to make the best ice cream possible, and they continue to do that today over 30 years later! Ashley’s never uses any artificial colors or flavors. All natural, fresh ingredients lead to naturally the best ice cream.
Ashley’s Ice Cream was founded in 1979. Being avid frisbee players, they became enamored with Ashley Whippet—the famous frisbee catching dog. So the Ashley’s name was born, and their walls have been decorated with hundreds of frisbees they’ve collected ever since. Ashley’s Ice Cream originated in New Haven in 1979 on College Street, just steps away from the dormitories of Yale University. It didn’t take long for the crowds, accolades, and awards to start filling the store; so much so that a second Ashley’s opened on the other side of campus on York Street, where they still are today! Ashley’s has been in nearby Hamden since 1983, and shops in Guilford, Branford, and Madison subsequently followed, bringing the total to 5 locations. Find out more at www.ashleysicecream.net.
About The United States of Community Service Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepover
The United States of Community Service Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepover is a kid-powered community service quest to unite kids nationwide with simultaneous almost-sleepover celebrations on October 22, 2011, to perform community service, shine the spotlight on local charities and make a difference nationwide.
Large group or small, girls or boys, elementary-school-age kids or high school seniors, a Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepover is the perfect way for scout troops, youth groups, homeschool groups, birthday parties, sports teams, families, church groups, friends, school clubs, entire schools or entire towns—for anybody and everybody—to join together to make a difference in their community.
How small is too small? All it takes is a handful of pajama-clad friends getting together to do a community service project on the evening of October 22, 2011, for your event to be considered an official USCS Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepover. How big is too big? The sky’s the limit!
Please note: While our goal is to inspire almost-sleepovers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. on October 22nd, there is DEFINITELY room for more than one almost-sleepover in each state! The more almost-sleepovers, the more kids empowered, the more communities involved, the more local charities helped, the more of a difference we can all make on October 22nd…and beyond!
Built on a 2011 National Make a Difference Day Award-winning almost-sleepover community service project hosted by 9-year-old Delaney and 8-year-old Addie Kenney from Guilford, Connecticut and friends Willow and Rosalie Coleman, Sophie Marnin, Marlah Hohlfelder and Isabel Kessler, this kid-powered community service event is the first project from The United States of Community Service, Inc. (USCS) an organization (501c3 nonprofit status pending) dedicated to empowering children to make a difference in their communities, their nation and their world by providing opportunities for children to get involved in community service and working with and supporting the efforts of other nonprofit organizations.
Visit www.uscsnow.org for all the latest on this kid-powered community service event and to find out how your child can register to host his/her own USCS Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepover this October 22nd!
The Children’s Place at Connecticut Hospice
The saddest thing about terminal illness is that it can strike children. Even harder to handle is the inability of family and friends to know what is best in the way of care and caring for the child. There is a way to ease this suffering and the confusion that can go with it. A way to deal with all the issues parents of terminally ill children face on a daily basis is offered by The Children’s Place at Connecticut Hospice.
The Children’s Place at Connecticut Hospice is designed to provide the necessary components of child and family care, including counseling to those who are in need. With many years of experience in caring for children with advanced irreversible illnesses, The Children’s Place at Connecticut Hospice stands ready to provide a program of comprehensive care around-the-clock through home care and inpatient center care.
For more information, contact Linda Laucella, manager of the development office, at 203/315-7684 or llaucella@hospice.com, or visit Connecticut Hospice at www.hospice.com.
Life Haven is a temporary shelter providing a safe and nurturing environment for homeless pregnant women and women with young children. Life Haven is committed to helping these women develop the skills they need to live independently.
Life Haven serves 20 families at a time. Over 150 families are sheltered annually, including 250 children. Almost 90 percent of the families entering Life Haven move out into permanent housing in the community. Life Haven’s goal is to end homelessness, one family at a time.
Life Haven is the only shelter in the state with licensed, on-site childcare. Life Haven’s Childcare Center provides a safe, consistent and stimulating environment for the children while their mothers work to build healthy lives for their families. Currently, the center is equipped to serve 20 homeless children. Life Haven’s childcare program is specifically designed to meet the needs of homeless children. Each child is assessed and their care plan may include anger management, self-esteem, and health and safety education.
For more information, call Elizabeth Hilton, interim executive director, at 203/776-6208 or visit www.lifehaven.org.
Guilford Free Library Children’s Room Adopt-a-Book Program
The Guilford Free Library is asking for your help to support the library children’s room collection. An “Adopt-a-Book” program has been started seeking monetary donations to help with the purchase of new children’s books. These gifts can be made in honor of families, birthdays, other celebrations and more. Bookplates will be placed in the books and the donors can be the first to check the titles out!
Donations can be for children’s picture books, board books, fiction, animal, science, dinosaurs, math, history, poetry, biographies, folk tales, mythology, and so on. Please ask the children’s staff for help with suggestions. Cash, check or credit cards are welcome. The library staff thank you in advance for your consideration of this new program!
For more information, contact Suellen Heinrich, children’s librarian, at 203/453-8282 or sheinrich@guilfordfreelibrary.org, or visit the library’s website at www.guilfordfreelibrary.org.
The Children’s Center of Hamden
The Children’s Center of Hamden, Inc. is dedicated to providing quality treatment and education in a safe, nurturing environment for children and families. The children served by the center struggle with serious emotional, behavioral, psychological and social problems. On a daily average over 170 children and families receive services through at least one of the center’s programs.
In April of 1999, The Children’s Center of Hamden opened Connecticut’s first “Safe Home,” designed to provide assessment services for young children who have been removed from their homes for a variety of reasons, generally related to the child’s safety. dbsurprenant@tccoh.org, or visit www.childrenscenterhamden.org.
Kids Cottage serves no more than 13 children at a time and can accommodate groups of siblings so they are not separated from each other during what might be considered a tumultuous time. The program provides a psychosocial assessment of each child to aid in planning for placement should home not be an option. Lengths of stay range from a couple of days up to 45 days.
For more information about Kid’s Cottage and other programs at The Children’s Center of Hamden, contact Diane Surprenant, director of personnel and development, at 203/248-2116 or
What is a LifeStraw®? LifeStraw is a portable drinking filter that people wear on a string around their necks that enables them to drink from contaminated water sources. Each LifeStraw lasts for a year and costs about $5. All of the money collected by the LifeStraw Project is sent on to the 1090 Foundation of the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale, FL. The rotary club is partnered with LifeStraw’s manufacturer as the only distributer in this country. LifeStraws are currently being sent to Haiti, where the need is greatest.
How does LifeStraw save lives? 6,000 people die every day from water-related diseases, most of them children. That is the fact that inspired Brett Leckey, a fourth-grader at Jeffrey School in Madison, Connecticut, to start this fundraiser just last year. Since then, Brett has raised enough money to buy 2,000 LifeStraws for people in need.
The LifeStraw Project is run by Ucan2, a non-profit organization (501c3 status pending) whose mission is to educate students on health and welfare issues in the world, inspire others to join, and provide guidance and support for them to act. For more information, call Kathy Leckey at 203/627-2686 or visit www.Ucan2.org.
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