Messiah’s South Side Café and Turkey Hill ice cream team up for student scholarships
On a college campus known for its inviting atmosphere and hospitality, the need for an ice cream parlor is almost a given, right? Messiah College answers that call with its very own South Side Café in the ground floor of the Mountain View Residence.
Started in September of 2007, the South Side Café is more than just a fun place to get a Jones Soda or a Turkey Hill ice cream treat; it’s is a business, completely staffed and operated by students, including a manager and five employees. When you stop in, you may also see the manager, Krystin Lay, undertaking scooping duties as she picks up one shift each week along with her managerial work.
What’s in a Name?
To help market the fledgling eatery, South Side Café student employees approached Turkey Hill with the idea to rename a lesser-known flavor with a new Messiah “twist”. Turkey Hill’s Bill Weidman and David Staz were receptive to the idea and a contest was held on campus to come up with a new name. Liz McVey’s entry of “Falcon Frenzy” was chosen from approximately 100 entries.
The rebadged flavor, which includes chocolate covered nuts and caramel, was originally not very popular, but Ms. Lay mentioned that, under its new guise, “Falcon Frenzy has been a good seller; it seems that many of the students really like the flavor.” So far, there’s no plan to market the flavor under the Falcon Frenzy moniker off campus, but it’s rumored that Fandango the Falcon is watching the sales numbers closely.
Forward Thinking that Gives Back
The start-up and operation of the South Side Café falls under the leadership of Messiah’s Student Government Association (SGA). No, SGA isn’t involved because the Falcon Frenzy flavor is so good that it has to be regulated, but because a portion of the proceeds from operating the South Side Café are awarded each year as both a merit and need-based scholarship for current students. Recipients for 2008 were Christine Kotzmoyer and Diego Hernandez. The scholarships are awarded each spring, so you can feel really good about eating all the Falcon Frenzy (or any other flavor) ice cream you want this winter at the South Side Café (and there’s the shameless plug).
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