Ice cream sundaes were the food of choice for a lot of people Aug. 3 as Houlton Farms Dairy held a special promotion at its dairy bars in Houlton, Presque Isle and Caribou. For just 75 cents, patrons were able to enjoy a small sundae, complete with topping of choice, whipped cream, nuts and cherries.
The sales event was part of the business’ 75th anniversary celebration and local residents came out in force to support the dairy. Lines were long, with many folks ordering multiple sundaes to bring to others waiting in their vehicle or back at home.
According to Alice Lincoln, an astonishing 880 sundaes were sold at just the Houlton Dairy Bar location. And while she did not have estimated figures for the Presque Isle and Caribou branches, one could easily surmise that well over 1,000 dishes of creamy delight were served between the three locations.
Having a dairy provide locally produced milk and other products is something many in this area take for granted. It’s not until one leaves the area, and tastes the products sold elsewhere, that one can truly appreciate the quality product sold here in The County.
In honor of the dairy’s anniversary, the Houlton Pioneer Times has decided to alter its annual Customer Appreciation Day format. In year’s past, we have held a hot dog roast and drew a considerable crowd to our downtown Houlton location.
But since other businesses in the area do similar events, we decided to change things up a bit this year. Instead of hot dogs, our staff will be passing out ice cream sundaes on Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Come join us for a tasty treat of Houlton Farms Dairy ice cream (chocolate, vanilla and strawberry) complete with hot fudge, whipped cream and sprinkles. We’ll have some tables set up so you can visit with friends and neighbors.
For those that wish to make a donation, we’ll have a jar set out with the proceeds going to the Houlton Recreation Department’s playground fund so that new equipment can be purchased for the Just For Kids park. The Recreation Department has been trying to raise money for new equipment for the last few years. With a price tag between $65,000-$90,000 it’s easy to see why it is taking several years to raise those funds. The Houlton Rotary Club has made a couple of donations to the project via the annual Rotary Radio Auction.
Much of the equipment at the playground is in dire need of replacement. It has been used hard over the past 23 years, with an average of 150 children participating in the program each summer.
Joseph Cyr is a staff writer for the Houlton Pioneer Times. He can be reached at pioneertimes@nepublish.com or 532-2281.
