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Sweet success – Ice cream social raises funds for theater, homeless shelter

By Randy Patrick

Published 4:54 pm Monday, May 24, 2021

Saturday was a good day for ice cream. And art.

During the noon hour, there was a steady stream of people who came by the Leeds Center for the Arts to pick up ceramic bowls they had pre-ordered, along with individual servings of Blue Bell ice cream.

And nearby at Many Friends Park, the tables were filled with friends and families enjoying the ice cream.

The ice cream social and art sale were a fundraiser for the historic community theater and the Clark County Homeless Coalition, which divided the proceeds 50/50.

Tracey Miller, executive director of the Leeds, said 195 tickets had been pre-sold for Mini-Scooped, but there was still time for others to order.

“It’s very exciting to be out and to be able to see everybody,” she said

Miller said she wanted to thank all the volunteers who came out to help and the owners of Dirty South Pottery for making the bowls.

Carvel Norman, who owns Dirty South with his wife Ashley, was demonstrating his pottery skills in front of their studio Saturday across Main Street from the theater.

On their Facebook page, they reporter that they had sold all the bowls they had made for the event and raised $4,200 for “two amazing nonprofits.”

The Leeds Youth Board provided many of the volunteers, First United Methodist Church donated the tables and chairs, and Blue Bell donated all the ice cream, the city allowed use of the parking lot and Dirty South team members stuffed brown paper bags with the bowls and helped coordinate the event.

“It’s amazing the community was so supportive,” Miller said. “My heart is full.”

“It was such a beautiful day, and there is such a great community to come out and support us,” said Terry Davidson, executive director of the Homeless Coalition. “I can’t thank people enough. It never fails to impress me how this community steps up” and comes together to support good causes, she said.