William Alligood
A dark liquid runs in a smooth line. It is momentarily interrupted by a small, white marshmallow on a wooden stick. The marshmallow is slowly removed from the stick and delicately taken to an eager mouth. The fingers are licked free of the brown goo left on them. A pink tongue reaches out of the mouth to lick the little bit of goo off the lips. A smile emerges from the same lips after this delectable treat.
Someone clears her throat to bring this person back to reality and make her realize there are other people in line, tossing and turning, waiting to enjoy the same treat she did Ñ a marshmallow dipped under one of the chocolate fountains.
The people who attended the Third Annual Chocolate Festival, sponsored by the Women’s Center, were able to enjoy the chocolate fountains, an assortment of cakes, cookies, cupcakes, ice cream, truffles, candy apples and more.
A chatter filled the Talley Ballroom Thursday, as participants roamed the room looking for the perfect chocolate to sample.
“They have a lot of different stuff,” Colin Bryan, a graduate student in computer science, said. “They really work to make sure each table is different.”
Jeremy Cole, a freshman in computer engineering, went to the Chocolate Festival mainly for the chocolate. His favorite thing was “probably the cupcake,” he said. He attended it by himself because his friends were in class or didn’t buy tickets.
Other students like Emily Blaylock, a freshman in animal science, went to the Chocolate Festival for both the chocolate and because it’s for a “good cause.”
The “good cause” that Blaylock referred to is breast cancer. Twenty-five percent of the proceeds from the Chocolate Festival went to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, according to Laci Weeden, organizer of the festival.
“We’re very excited so many people came out in support of breast cancer,” Shannon Hobbs, a graduate student and volunteer, said.
Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Tim Luckadoo said he has attends the Chocolate Festival every year. He said he enjoys going to the festival because he’s a “chocoholic,” and it supports charity work.
Kanimozhi Vairamani, a graduate student in microbial biotechnology, said she went to the festival to see the chocolates available and taste them. It was her first time seeing a chocolate fountain.
Those who bought tickets got to enjoy six samples of chocolate. The ticket is designed with six places to punch holes. For each sample participants take, they will receive a punch in their ticket. After using all six punches in the ticket, the participant cannot take any more samples.
Hobbs said she didn’t buy a ticket and regretted it.
Morgan Delph, a volunteer and graduate student, bought a ticket.
“Those people who bought two tickets for one person, they were smart,” Delph said.
She said next year she wants to buy four tickets because the choices are varied, and the chocolate is amazing. And, according to Hobbs, no one needs an excuse to eat chocolate.
The turnout was “a really good mix of people from the community, students, faculty and staff,” Hobbs said.
Weeden said she hopes to hold future events on the weekend at the RBC center, but until then they’ll sell as many tickets as the portions of chocolates permit.