Pat Huddleston of the American Legion Post 301, Dairy Flo owner Jennifer King, employee Aubrey Olson, and Legion members Len Nedeau, Bob Greenlund and Arlen Pomeroy pose for a photo outside the Rapid River Dairy Flo as Olson passes over a $400 donation. The check presentation followed a friendly fundraising competition involving two ice cream shop employees who are going into the military. (Courtesy photo)

RAPID RIVER — A much-loved local business recently donated $400 to the American Legion, thanks to a good-natured competition hearkening to an age-old rivalry.

Rapid River Dairy Flo employees Ava McCarty and Aubrey Olson are both beginning careers with the military. McCarty is now in Basic Training for the Air Force; Olson will head out for the Army in August.

Another coworker, Aliana (“Lu”) Martinez, asked if she and Olson could work with their soon-to-depart friend for McCarty’s last shift, reported Jennifer King, who co-owns the Dairy Flo along with her husband, Dave King.

“It was then decided to take this opportunity and raise funds for the local American Legion Post 301 and turn this into a competition,” Jennifer shared. “Each girl headed into the service picked a popular menu item, and the challenge was on.”

Two of the biggest-selling sundaes at the Rapid River stop are the Turtle, which McCarty chose to earn points for the Air Force, and the Grand Canyon, which represented the Army for Olson.

For McCarty’s last shift on the evening of June 6, “Lu decorated our service window area, and the ‘Battle of the Branches’ began,” Jennifer said.

From 5 to 10 p.m., the crew collected counts of how many Turtle Sundaes and how many Grand Canyons were sold. With 30 of the former and 26 of the latter sold in those five hours, the Air Force won.

The money for those 56 items as well as some additional donations was rounded up to an even sum for the Walter W. Cole American Legion Post 301 of Rapid River.

“It was a fun way to celebrate our ladies headed into the service and to be able to give a donation to the American Legion. In the end, with outside donations and proceeds from those sundaes we were able to give the Legion $400,” Jennifer said. “We’d like to thank the community for helping to make that donation possible.”