Report by Jenny Lin Posted by Mateen Benarieb
On October 12, two AYLUS leaders volunteered to serve cotton candy at an outdoor party at the Desi District in Prosper. Hours prior, we picked up supplies and materials for cotton candy from different houses. Starting the event at 6 pm and ending at 8 pm, customers were given cotton candy of 4 flavors — blue raspberry, strawberry, green apple, and orange. Surprisingly, as soon as we set up the cotton candy machine, a line awaited us. So, the AYLUS partners split into two roles: cotton candy maker and order taker. We both had our struggles (such as the cotton candy getting all over one’s hand, or the orders being too much to keep up with). Still, we worked in harmony with one another as the order taker helped give the cotton candy maker the cones and flavors, while the cotton candy maker provided the cotton candy to the customers. Although, near the end of the event, (soon before we had to close up shop), orders were being placed rapid-fire. Families with children had been waiting in line for a while and were getting impatient. The cotton candy itself took a minute to make, which would mean that if 30 people were in front of someone in line, they’d have to wait 30 minutes. So, many customers suggested putting less sugar in. Additionally, we had given multiple cotton candies per family, but we had to implement a rule so that one family only gets one cotton candy. This sped up the efficiency — and though we had to close up shop — we got to as many people as we could while being put under the pressure of time and multiple customers at once. In conclusion, the event was a success. Despite the struggle near the end, we overcame it, and as many as 130+ customers received cotton candy!
Volunteers:
Jenny Lin (event leader) 3 hours
Melody Zhang (event leader) 3 hours
Melody Zhang (event leader) 3 hours
