Litchfield Township continues ice cream social fundraising tradition

LITCHFIELD TWP. — Litchfield Township residents of all ages gathered together in the center of town to celebrate summer and raise money during its ice cream social on Friday night. The township's ice cream social is an annual tradition. Each week, a different local organization serves food like ice cream and hotdogs as well as soft drinks in order to raise money for the group. There are also free activities for children to do like playing with chalk or toys. Friday's ice cream social raised money for the volunteer fire department, Litchfield Township Fire and Rescue. The department has not responded to requests for comment as to how much money was raised from the event as of Monday evening. "It is community groups' way of raising some funds for the members of their groups," Litchfield Town Band Director Cindy Bennett said. "Mostly they're making all the food and providing the food. Then, whatever the donations are, it is all profit to go toward the group." The Litchfield Town Band also participates in each ice cream social by providing live music. She said the youngest members of the over 120-year-old band are children while the oldest is 99 years old. The group performs a variety of music that ranges from patriotic to marches to polka. "We play music that kind of suits everybody and gets them toe tapping," Bennett said. "They're eating, talking, visiting and having a good time." The ice cream socials take place on Fridays throughout the summer in Litchfield's town center at the intersection of Avon Lake Road and Norwalk Road. On July 21, profits from the social will go toward the Litchfield Scholarship Committee, and the July 28 social will benefit Our Lady Help of Christians parish. In the past, funding from the event has gone toward the township's 4-H club and the Litchfield Historical Society. "I think it's just an old fashioned good time for people," Bennett said. Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.