Coldstone Creamery on The Strip doesn’t only serve ice cream. They serve the community.

Each week, the ice cream shop allows organizations to become part of the crew and serve customers as a “fun-raiser,” shop owner Glenn Dodd said.

“They have a lot of fun doing it,” he said. “It’s neat because the group can come and work on [the serving] side for the night. They love doing it.”

Dodd said he gives the organizations a percentage of the sales and allows the group to keep all tips.

“Most of the groups are from the University just because word of mouth has circulated through the University,” he said. “But that isn’t always the case. We have schools, churches and Junior League was here last week.”

Dodd said fraternities, sororities, women’s wheelchair basketball and the lacrosse team are among the University organizations that have participated.

“This is something that Coldstone as a corporation has been doing for years,” he said.

Dodd purchased Coldstone on The Strip in 2007. He began fundraising in the spring of 2008.

Allowing various organizations to raise money doesn’t always raise money for the store, Dodd said.

“I give away my profit sometimes; I give away more than I make,” he said. “It’s OK, though, because it creates goodwill.

“Every group that comes in advertises to their group of people to help them raise money, so it’s mutually beneficial,” he said.

Dodd said during the fall semester fundraising stops before Thanksgiving break. In the spring, it begins after Spring Break.

“We do it almost every week during the warmer months; in the wintertime the sales aren’t enough to be beneficial,” he said.

Dodd has had many requests from groups to participate.

“I have never turned any group away,” he said. “The only reason I have turned a group away is because I can only do so many of these.”

Amber Key, treasurer for the Alabama women’s rugby club, said the Coldstone fundraiser is a fun, easy way to raise money.

“This is one of the best fundraisers our team has had the opportunity to participate in. We have done it twice now and look forward to doing it again,” Key said.

“Glenn says the best way to get more money is by singing for tips and even though we have had a few people tip us not to sing, we still have a lot of fun with it,” she said.

Jennifer Baggett, of the Junior League of Tuscaloosa, said her experience was enjoyable.

“We had a wonderful time serving ice cream and singing for the customers,” she said.  “The money that we raised will be used to support our spring project for Kids in the Kitchen, a program that helps empower youth to make healthy lifestyle choices.”