What a race! The Helen Ross McNabb Center cardboard sled race, that has been held for six years now at Ober Gatlinburg, was held Feb. 2, 2007. It is a sled race down the snow packed slope at Ober Gatlinburg. Any business or individual can enter to participate as long as you follow the guidelines for building the sled. You have to build the sled out of cardboard and tape. You can have 2 to 4 people who ride the sled down the slope.

Mayfield has participated for the last three years. Each year Randy Ballew designs and builds the sled with the help of fellow rider Russell Mahery. The creativity and talent that they put into building the sleds is unbelievable. This year our sled was a giant Snow Cream Pop Stix that bursts out of the carton. With only one set of handles built into the front of the sled, Russell was holding on for dear life, with the rest of the team (Heather Buchanan, Ashley Reed, and Randy) behind him. Just as we were on our sled and waiting for the time to go, the course staff members could not hold our sled on the starting line, causing us to be disqualified due to a false start. Even though we didn't win, our sled definitely stood out among the others. As we handed out snow pops to our competitors, they couldn't help but to cheer for us. After all, we are Mayfield....."The World's Best Ice Cream".

Ashley Reed and Heather Buchanan

 This year's sled

 Sled from 2 years ago

Well I can't write another blog without telling you about the Visitor Center Staff. What an amazing group of people. This department could not operate without the smiling faces and pleasant attitudes that each one of them carries everyday. When you enter the Visitor Center you could be greeted by either Lori, Donna, Ashley, Naomi, or Heather. When you go to the ice cream parlor you'll be greeted and waited on by either Deborah, Marla, Devon, Alicia, or Amanda. And not only do these wonderful employees greet and serve you in the ice cream parlor or gift shop, but they are also the Tour Guides. Most people stand in amazement when they see how we can operate and take care of everybody that's here even when there are 200 or more school children running around. I think the most school children that were here at the same time came to be almost 800 at one time. Well I just had to mention the wonderful staff at the Visitor Center so that maybe you'll know them a little better when you come to visit.

Until next time,

Chad

Wow, what a busy summer for the Visitor Center. Out of the 39,000 visitors, who have toured the factory this year, 22,000 where from June to mid-October. That's not including the folks that just come in for ice cream or for a break from the interstate. But that is what makes this job so much fun, every day is different. You meet different people every day from all across this great country of ours, plus people from nations around the world. I've had the opportunity over the years to take people on tour from Italy, Czech Republic, Russia, and just finished a tour today with some gentlemen from South Africa. I'm so blessed to have the opportunity to work for Mayfield, a company known around the World.

On a personal note, I just got back from my annual vacation trip to the Ducktail Run car show in Gas City, Indiana the last weekend in September. I've gone to this car show for many years now and have had so much fun seeing some of the best looking custom cars around. The folks who put on the car show along with the town of Gas City go out of their way to welcome the car enthusiasts and visitors for the weekend. My wife and I go along with three other couples and it's just over a 450 mile trip, but it's worth it. I've been involved in old cars and car shows for over 18 years now and have been building on my 1950 Mercury for 15 years. I used to drive an all original 1957 Chevrolet 210 2 door, 6 cylinder car. It was my great aunt’s car and when my dad decided to sell it about 5 years ago it still only had 33,000 original miles on it. Oh how I miss that car. The most fun I had going to car shows was going to the Ducktail Run driving the '57 a couple of times. If you like custom cars and rods, you really should go to the Ducktail Run next year. It is held during the James Dean Weekend Festivals in the area. You’re just about 7 miles away from where James Dean grew up and went to high school. The dates for next year are September 27-30, 2007, www.ducktailrun.com

The '57 Chevy

Me and my Mercury

My name is Chad D. McKeehan and I am the (Athens, Tennessee) Visitor Center Manager. I have been employed with the Visitor Center for 12 years and worked in Ice Cream Production for 2 1/2 years. My first job at Mayfield was stacking the ice cream onto pallets in the palletizing freezer (which is about 20-25 degrees). Then I started working in the ice cream production area where we make ice cream sandwiches, sundae cones, pop stix, etc. Then, in 1994, the Visitor Center was about ready to open, and I began working as the custodian. I worked my way up to tour guide and then into the management position of the center.

The Athens Visitor Center has been very busy already this year with tourist, visitors, and school field trips. The Visitor Center averages 50,000 people a year who take the tour of the factory. And another average of an additional 50,000 people a year who just stop in to get ice cream and shop in the gift shop without taking the tour. The first three weeks of May we had nearly 4,000 school children scheduled with field trips. Now that school is out, it is still busy with families and travelers stopping by. We recently had our annual visit from author Dave Hunter. Dave is the author of the yearly published book "Along Interstate 75". He stops by every year to check on things and get the latest scoop on the new flavors of ice cream.

The tours schedule continues to be the same as in the past, with tours given Monday thru Saturday. Tours on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday are conducted every 30 minutes on the hour and half hour, except at noon, from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., and the Visitor Center closes at 5:00 p.m. Tours on Wednesday are conducted every hour on the hour from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and the Visitor Center closes at 5:00 p.m. Tours on Wednesday are conducted, but the milk plant does not operate on Wednesday. Saturday tours are conducted every hour on the hour from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. and the Visitor Center closes at 2:00 p.m. Tours on Saturday are conducted, but the ice cream plant does not operate on Saturday for viewing. The Visitor Center is closed on Sunday. All times are Eastern Standard Time Zone. Tours are Free of charge.You do not have to take the tour to come in and purchase ice cream from the ice cream parlor or look around in the gift shop. Hope to see you soon at the Mayfield Visitor Center in Athens, Tennessee!