Twenty-five years of ice cream, families and fun is worth celebrating anytime – especially on a warm summer’s evening.

Pressley Ridge will be scooping up 14 different flavors of Graeter’s frozen dessert at its signature fundraiser, the 25th Pressley Ridge Ice Cream Fundae, from 6-9 p.m. Aug. 11 at Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium.

Families are welcome to enjoy all-they-can-eat ice cream while they stroll through the zoo and vote for their favorite flavor as sponsors vie for the coveted Silver Scoop Trophy.

Last year’s winner, Mass Mutual of Pittsburgh, won for its Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip ice cream and its “School is Cool” themed booth complete with a makeshift school bus for photos.

“We were surprised to learn that we won last year after winning in 2016, but we loved having the Silver Scoop Trophy back in our office,” said Mass Mutual team member Lauren Forsythe.

“Our flavor this year is lemon sorbet, or as we’re calling it ‘Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy Sorbet.’ We wanted to pick a flavor that would be appealing to both adults and children and the lemon flavor seemed to be the perfect choice. No one can refuse a nice cold scoop of lemon sorbet on a hot August evening,” she said.

‘S’Mores’ please

Providing some sweet competition will be Lamar Advertising and its “Want S’Mores” flavor, featuring graham cracker ice cream with milk chocolate chips and soft mini-marshmallows.

“We chose it not only because it’s delicious but because we know it will be a crowd favorite,” said Stephanie Marcus, public service ambassador for Lamar. “It will instantly make you feel like you’re ready for a campfire and sing-a-longs.”

Not only is Ice Cream Fundae a great event for all ages, she said, but “most importantly, attendees are supporting a cause that is positively impacting the lives of people right here in Pittsburgh. We believe in their mission to improve the lives of families and children by providing opportunities for them to thrive and succeed.”

Kim Ravenda, regional marketing manager for Huntington Bank, said as many as eight volunteers and more than 100 Huntington families will be joining the festivities to support their team and their flavor, “Million Dollar Mint Chip.”

“It is such a friendly competition between sponsors that we will celebrate all the flavors as winners as well as celebrate the great work Pressley Ridge is doing in our community,” she said.

‘Hooray for Sorbet’

Alex Matthews, senior community affairs analyst for Highmark, said his team of 11 volunteers will be scooping their “Hooray for Sorbet – The Kind You Find at the Highmark Booth” flavor and “we are always proud to support Pressley Ridge and the terrific work they do with kids and for the community.”

Entertainment this year will feature Pittsburgh magician Christopher Welch and his sleight-of-hand and card tricks, live music by DJ Jan Jursa and Steel City Calypso, and Pittsburgh Circus Arts Collaborative artists performing stilt walking and juggling.

“Ice Cream Fundae outgrew the Pressley Ridge campus in 2006, and the event was moved to the Pittsburgh Zoo,” said Susanne Cole, president and CEO of Pressley Ridge. “The zoo is the ideal location because it offers ample space and additional entertainment in the animals and exhibits. Plus, everyone loves ice cream and the zoo, so it’s the perfect combination.”

Graeter’s is in its third year as the exclusive ice cream sponsor, donating nearly 400 gallons of its handmade ice cream for the event.

“We have had such a great time participating in Ice Cream Fundae over the past two years and are honored to partner with Pressley Ridge for the 25th anniversary of this inspirational event,” said Matthew Howell, Graeter’s district manager.

Pressley Ridge serves 8,000 children and families each year, she said, and funds raised from Ice Cream Fundae will help to meet the needs of communities in mental and behavioral health services, foster care and specialized education, including a new School for Autism and Deaf.

Sponsors’ Ice Cream Flavors

Hooray for Sorbet – The Kind You Find at the Highmark Booth

Raspberry Sorbet

Highmark

You Otter Try This Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip

Ideal Integrations

Cookies & Dream

Cookies & Cream

FHL Bank of Pittsburgh

Cuckoo for Cocoa

Dutch Milk Chocolate

Partlow Insurance

Get in Your Belly Buckeye Blitz

Buckeye Chocolate Chip

Bayer

Want S’more?

S’mores

Lamar

Million Dollar Mint Chip

Mint Chocolate Chip

Huntington Bank

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy Sorbet

Lemon Sorbet

MassMutual of Pittsburgh

Cash in with Toffee Chocolate Chip

Toffee Chocolate Chip

Staley Capital

Rise and Shine

Maple Cinnamon Crunch

Giant Eagle

Be Kind Chip

Chocolate Chip

WQED

TOTALly Newsworthy

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip

Trib Total Media

Chunks o’ Cookie D’o

Cookie Dough Chocolate Chip

Henderson Brothers

Honeycomb

Graeter’s Ice Cream (not in the running for the Silver Scoop)

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