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The latest on Midland Ice Cream Social's plans to open a brick-and-mortar location

The Gainesville Times - 6/2/2023

Jun. 1—With fundraising efforts underway, Midland Ice Cream Social is a few steps closer to securing a brick-and-mortar location. Baby steps, that is.

At $2,100, the Randy & Friends enterprise employing adults with disabilities is far from its $125,000 fundraising goal, but according to Executive Director Becky Vinson, plenty of time and resources are available to help attain it.

Since launching in late February, the mobile ice cream vendor has remained busy with several nonprofit events, school functions and outdoor events on the schedule. The enterprise was booked for 90% of the month of May, according to Vinson.

Midland Ice Cream Social has also managed to add five new employees to its staff since February, according to Vinson, bringing its ranks to 13.

"It's very early in the process and we are not even close (to reaching the fundraising goal)," Vinson said. "We are trying to raise the money right now and we've got a little help with that."

Though the goal is $125,000, which will be used to not only secure the space, but to build out a fully functional kitchen, Midland Ice Cream Social's marketing coordinator Eryn Austin has a much smaller initial financial target in mind.

"I would feel great if we could get to $50,000 this quarter," she said.

According to Vinson, the enterprise has its sights on a 1,200-square-foot space near downtown Gainesville, but has yet to sign a lease. The building is near both the square and the Midland Greenway, which features playgrounds compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

"We want to be in the Midland area because it's building up and there are new apartments and greenspaces in the area," Vinson explained.

Austin believes a brick-and-mortar location will be good for not just Midland Ice Cream Social, and its employees, but also the community at large.

"It's beneficial for the community and underserved people for this to exist," she said. "We need to drive home that this needs to be a Gainesville and Hall County collective project."

For more information on Midland Ice Cream Social's fundraising efforts, or to donate to the cause, visit randyandfriends.org/midland-ice-cream-social.

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