Ice cream makes wishes come true

Kate's single wish was to create a one-of-a-kind flavor of ice cream. Cold Stone Creamery, in conjunction with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, made it possible for this 11-year-old little girl's wish to come true. The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a charity that gives children with terminal illnesses a chance to fulfill a wish, whether it is to go to Disney World, travel to another country or create their own ice cream flavor.

On Sept. 30, Cold Stone Creameries around the nation will hold their 9th annual ice cream social, known as "The Worlds Largest Ice Cream Social." This event is Cold Stone's way of participating in Make-A-Wish Month. Throughout the month of September, paper stars, which can be signed and hung in the store, were sold for $1 each. Denise Benninghoff, manager of the Dyer branch of Cold Stone, said all of the money raised by the event goes to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

"We will likely hit 1,000 stars sold today," Bennninghoff said. However, according to Benninghoff, with a week left in the program there will likely be even more stars purchased before the social.

At the social, free three ounce samples of Kate's Creation will be available. Her creation is a combination of caramel-apple ice cream, chocolate shavings, graham cracker pie crust and apple pie filling.

This flavor was one of three created by Kate, Cold Stone Junior Tastemaster for the day, in February as she visited the Cold Stone Creamery headquarters in Scottsdale, Ariz. At the taste test, it was decided the apple-heavy recipe should be the one used for the social.

The social will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at all Cold Stone Creamery locations, including the branch closest to PUC, located at 883 Lincoln Highway in Dyer. Donations will be accepted up to and at the social.