In the beautiful, rural Fauquier County, Virginia on the side of Rt. 29 there is a small ice cream parlor named Effee’s Frozen Favorites. It is truly a local treasure and has been serving families from all around for the past 12 years. Effee’s is one-of-a-kind (not only because they’re one of the few places left that take cash only), but because of the quality of ice cream, the quality of the customer service and their dedication to the very community that keeps them in business. You could say I’m slightly biased due to the fact that I’ve worked there for the past 6 years, but if you asked anyone, they’d tell you the same thing.

My bosses and co-workers at Effee’s have become like a second family. I know customers by name and order. I’ve made countless friends through my interaction and I’ve watched kids grow up seemingly right before my eyes all through a window taking their order. One boy in particular, Carson Powell, really warmed our hearts. He and his mother, Kelly Powell, often frequented Effee’s and considered it their favorite place for ice cream. Carson was born with cerebral palsy. I watched his mother carry him up to the window to order when he couldn’t walk and I watched her cheer him on when he walked to the window on crutches a few years later. Each time I saw them, Kelly was patient, kind and determined to help her son lead a normal life.

On Monday, June 1^st, Carson and Kelly were on their way home from visiting Effee’s when their Prius was t-boned on the driver’s side at an intersection a few miles up the road. Their car was totaled, leaving Carson with a broken leg and Kelly in a coma, still to this day, after being diagnosed with a brain bleed. The next day as I headed into work, my boss told me about the accident. My heart felt so heavy as I choked back tears. I had just seen them the day before happy and eating ice cream. I thought to myself, had I just taken two minutes to talk to Kelly, maybe she wouldn’t have been in the car accident. I felt so sad for Carson, but I was incredibly thankful that he was conscious and going to be okay. Almost immediately, a GoFundMe account was created in their name. Over the past 19 days, 635 people have donated $36,793. Another account was created that has raised $15,955 in 13 days. That was when I truly started to learn about the impact that Kelly Powell and her son had on the community that I lived in.

(The flyer for Cones for Kelly & Carson)

To me, Kelly and Carson were two regular customers who had warm hearts and a big sweet tooth. I didn’t know anything about them outside of their weekly visits. I knew his mother was kind and caring and I knew he was a sweet boy who had been through a lot. What I didn’t know was that Kelly is a special-needs social studies teacher at Centerville High School. I didn’t know, although it’s not hard to believe, that she has impacted the lives of hundreds of parents, teachers, students and friends. The outpouring of heartbreak and support from the community was mind blowing. It seemed as if every person for miles was affected by the accident. The owners of Effee’s decided they wanted to do something to help. We designated Thursday, June 18^th as Cones for Kelly and Carson day. All the proceeds from every cup or cone of ice cream sold would go directly to the Powell family. In addition, we set out a huge donation box for people to donate separately from their ice cream purchase. Leading up to the day, word spread like wildfire through social media and word-of-mouth. I would be working the day shift that day from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. I was excited, but nothing could have prepared us for what happened that day. As I helped open up the shop Thursday morning, people began pulling into parking spots before the open sign could even be turned on. And just like that, the line grew and grew. It went down the ramp, off the porch, wrapped around a tree and eventually all the way down to the gas pumps at the 7-11 nearby. I had never seen so many people at Effee’s in all the years that I worked there.

That is a testament to the wonderful people that Kelly and her family are. I saw nurses, friends and family, churches, organizations and people who didn’t even know them, but felt compelled to help out. The donation box had to be emptied more than 12 times over the entire day due to the amount of money people were generously giving. Cones for Kelly and Carson gave people who felt helpless a way to contribute. Seeing my community rally behind this beautiful cause brought tears to my eyes. I have never been more honored to donate all of my tips and work tirelessly until every last customer was served. What I learned that day was to never doubt the power of community. In our community, we look out for each other and support one another. I am proud to work for four amazing employers who didn’t even think twice about donating all of that profit to this incredible family. I hope that when Kelly wakes up, she will truly feel the significance of her life and the influence she has had on other people’s lives, even those who she doesn’t know too well, like me.

I would like to thank everyone from Fauquier, Haymarket, Centerville, and beyond that showed up to donate and offer support. I offer my prayers and most sincere positive thoughts to the Powell family. I am truly looking forward to the day I see Kelly and Carson smiling at the window of Effee’s again.