Ice cream social brings E.L. together

Families and community members gathered Wednesday for the 35th annual Orchard Street Pump House Ice Cream Social at the Orchard Street Pump House, 368 Orchard St., where eventgoers had the opportunity to make the ice cream on site using old-fashioned, hand crank ice cream makers.

The event also featured live music from the East Lansing Kiwanis Orchestra and a Beatles cover band, the YellowSub Marines.

Susan Woods, who serves on the Orchard Street Pump House Board of Directors, said the event has long served as a way to bring unity in the community. The social was hosted by the board.

“It brings all of the neighbors together and brings a sense of community,” she said.

“We’re inviting people from all over so they get to see our neighborhood, (and) in some ways it makes our neighborhood more valuable. … We want to make people feel like part of the neighborhood.”

Bailey Neighborhood residents Chuck and Patty Roboski attended the social with three of their kids and said the event was a good way to connect with their neighbors. The Roboski’s have been living in the Bailey Neighborhood since August.

“East Lansing has a nice community feel to it,” Chuck Roboski said. “We’ve seen a few neighbors already and it’s a nice chance to hopefully meet some new folks.”

Patty Roboski agreed, and said her favorite part of the event was the old-fashioned feel created by the historic building and the use of the old-fashioned ice cream makers.

“I love the neighborhood,” she said.

“(I like) the whole feel of (a) kind of old-fashioned, kind of American pie, but with ice cream.”

Woods said event participants were encouraged to bring their own treats to complement the ice cream, which was created by mixing rock salt, ice and a mixture of dairy products, donated by Melting Moments, 313 E. Grand River Ave.

Mark Geovjian, founder and owner of Melting Moments, said he has donated the ingredients for the ice cream for more than 20 years.

A former resident of the Bailey Neighborhood, Geovjian said he wanted to give back to the community that has supported him.

“It’s a very cool event,” he said.

“It’s a community thing. … It was just a nice thing to be able to do and be part of the event.”

The pump house, which was built in the 1930s, is maintained by the Board of Directors and is used to host a variety of events, such as movie showings and musical performances, Woods said.

Future events in the Bailey Neighborhood include musical events called Pump House Concerts, the next of which will be held in August, said board member Dudley Smith, who organizes the events.

Woods, who also organizes the annual East Lansing Film Festival, said the ice cream social has always been well received by the community.

“It’s always been very successful,” she said.