If Only the Neighbors Would Sit Down and Eat a Bowl of Ice Cream

Then all the world would be a much better place.  Oh tsk tsk you're counting calories again, aren't you?  Have you considered Edy's Slow Churned Light Ice Cream? Well there you have it, the perfect solution. You're welcome.

I only mention this because I'd like you and your neighbors to submit an essay on why your neighborhood should have an icecream party (for up to 100!).  C'mon, do it! 350 words or less... big ice cream payoff.

http://edys.neighborhoodsalute.com/enter-to-win.aspx

Enter your essay to win a neighborhood ice cream party.

Here's mine, to give you an idea.  But don't despair, they have actual winning (and inspiring!) essays on their website. One made me wipe my eyes from the tears.  Here's my potential icecreamy entry:

The poor economy has hit Upstate New York hard, and our neighborhood in particular. Some families have their primary breadwinner out of work, some find that the factory job they've enjoyed for 20 years has cut their hours to half of last year's salary.

Did we let this get us down? No! By teaming up together in our small neighborhood we have planted enormous gardens on otherwise vacant land, one young mother is providing how to preserve your home-grown vegetable classes, my own small barn of goats provide milk to meet at least some of the needs of three large families, and another neighbor has started a day-old bread pantry on her side porch.

We're ordinary families, pitching in to feed our neighborhood. Imagine what your neighborhood could do! Plant a couple of extra rows of vegetables in your garden, and drop some off to a family who doesn't have any garden space. Buy an extra loaf of bread and give it to a family who is out of work in your neighborhood. And most of all take time to share a bowl of Edys Slow Churned light ice cream, because tough times call for gathering together and remembering what really counts. Families, friends, neighborhoods, and good memories - everything is better with a bowl of icecream. We can't change the economy, but we can bring neighborhoods together and cheer people up with a bowl of Edy's Slow churned ice cream. That's what I'd like for my neighborhood.
 
...and as the saying goes:  "Mother knows best".