Getting a taste for his new position

Five Towners packed the Cedarhurst Häagen-Dazs shop last Thursday for an ice cream social to celebrate Woodmere resident, Jonathan Beer, as he became the franchise’s first-ever flavor ambassador.

Beer, 17, submitted a video on the Häagen-Dazs Shop Facebook page, explaining why he would make a great flavor ambassador. On June 16, he was notified that he won the contest and would receive free ice cream for a year, be able to try new flavors before they are released to the public and have an ice cream social at his local shop to celebrate.

Friends, family and Camp Kulanu, a camp for children with physical and developmental disabilities based out of Cedarhurst, were invited to enjoy free ice cream.

Gerry Hanson, a head counselor for Camp Kulanu, said it was a wonderful gesture for Beer to invite the camp. “In doing such a nice thing for disabled kids, it shows you where his heart and mind are at,” Hanson said of Beer. “I hope that he continues on this path because he has a lot of positive influence in the community.”

Camp Kulanu Assistant Director Jody Dickter said Beer invited a total of 40 campers and staff to the ice cream social. “For some children, this isn’t a big deal but for us, this is an adventure; walking down Central Avenue and going into the shop,” she said. “He definitely has a really big heart and it’s nice that he is sensitive to kids with special needs.”

Friends of Beer’s came in and out of the shop during the two-hour ice cream social. Marc Davis of Long Beach and Isaac Nahon of Hewlett waited around to greet their friend. “He rocks,” Nahon said of Beer. “For the community, it’s great to see him win,” Davis said.

Beer’s parents, Roni and Michael, came to the shop to get some ice cream and support the son they are so proud of. “When he came to us to tell us he wanted to enter the contest, I said to go for it,” Roni said, “but I really didn’t think he would actually go through with it.”

Roni and Michael did not see their son’s submission video until he was named a finalist in the flavor ambassador contest on June 3. Michael, a lifetime Woodmere resident, has been visiting the Cedarhurst Avenue Häagen-Dazs since he was a boy. “It’s rich, good, old-fashioned ice cream,” he said of the brand. “I think Jonathan got his love of ice cream from the both of us.”

Häagen-Dazs President Dawn Uremovich and Vice President Adam Hanson were on hand to scoop ice cream and meet Beer. “We are so excited to meet Jonathan,” Uremovich said. “Meeting him and getting the neighborhood involved is a great thing. If people didn’t know we were here before, they certainly do now.”

As Beer starts to think about college, his parents hope he learned a lesson from winning the contest. “I hope this teaches him to always try and never give up,” Roni said.

For now, though, Beer has a lot to look forward to. “I’m excited to get to try new flavors,” he said. When asked if there are any flavors he’d like to see Häagen-Dazs make, Beer said, “no, because I’m sure they’ll think of something more creative than I can.”

To see Beer’s video entry for the Häagen-Dazs flavor ambassador contest, go to www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=2219791493544.