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Published: Wednesday, Mar. 10, 2010 / Updated: Tuesday, Mar. 09, 2010 08:17 PM

Show up in pj’s, you earned a free cone

FORT MILL TOWNSHIP -- 

The sign said, “PJ Day, Saturday, March 6th. Wear Your pj’s. Free Cone.”

From that message Tega Cay’s Kristen Starcher rounded up her daughters for a trip to Bruster’s Real Ice Cream on Hwy. 160 West. Before they headed out the door, Kayleigh, 4, and Maeghan, 3, had to change their clothes.

“I told them they had to dress in their pj’s,” Starcher said. “They didn’t know where we were going. This was a surprise.”

Starcher’s family is no stranger to the customer appreciation annual festivity that doles out free cones of ice cream to anyone bold enough to venture pass their mailbox and on to Bruster’s in their pajamas. For bucking society’s taboo, patrons got a treat: Waffle cones stuffed with a favorite flavor.

And they gave a treat: Donations for the Children’s Attention Home and Tega Cay Neighbors Helping Neighbors, both non-profit organizations.

“Tega Cay Neighbors Helping Neighbors has helped a few of my friends,” Starcher said. “They have given so much back to Tega Cay.”

Steps away Starcher’s friend, Sharon Bybee, kept up with her running toddlers, who were further energized by their ice cream treat.

“It was fun,” Bybee of York said as sons, Cam, 1, and Braeden, 2, ran by with miniature ball caps atop their heads. “It was a little chilly.”

A table over, nightgown clad Phoebe Stayduhar, 2, of Fort Mill flanked by her siblings, Lily, 7, and Ruby, 5, and neighbor, Alex Shappley, enjoyed a waffle cone.

“This is awesome,” Alex Shappley, 9, a fourth grader at Fort Mill Elementary School, said. “It feels like I’m eating ice cream in bed because I’m in my pj’s.”

Lily Stayduhar added, “It felt like I was dreaming because I’m in my pajamas.”

Inside the ice cream haven, pajama clad employees churned out more waffle cones and dished up ice cream to keep the party going.

“How much fun is it to get in your pajamas and go for ice cream?” Sherry Reid, co-owner, asked.

Last year, Reid and her husband Scott gave away 586 cones and raised $1,057, Scot Reid said in an e-mail.

The twosome hoped to top that effort during this year’s sixth annual event. The goal was to dole out 800 waffle cones and raise $1,500.

And to celebrate Bruster’s loyal customers.

“I love giving back to the community,” Sherry Reid said. “It’s fun to give back to our customers.”

Shelling out dollars to help others is harder for some this year, thanks to the recession and high unemployment.

“With such a tough economy, our event is a way to life people’s spirits,” Reid said. “This (ice cream) is something they can get for free.”

Loyal customers and a few new friends tried to meet the challenge. The ice cream eatery gave away 754 cones, Scot Reid said.

“We’re tickled,” Scot Reid said. “Six hundred and eighty-four dollars will go to charities.”

But more than that, there’s just something about going out for that much celebrated ice cream treat, Sherry Reid said.

“I just like seeing the smiles,” Reid said. “People are happy when they come for ice cream, but it’s something different when they’re coming for ice cream in their pajamas. Everybody is so happy.”

Including staff members like Cassi Hammond, 17, who also wore pajamas.

“It’s comfortable,” said Hammond, a senior at Fort Mill High School. “I really like it. It’s a fun experience because we get to work in our pajamas.”

Co-worker Ashley Hughes, 23, also dressed for the occasion.

“Everybody looks silly in their Pj’s,” said Hughes, who has worked four such events with Bruster’s. “It’s just something you’re not supposed to wear out of the house.”

Still, she took advantage of the opportunity.

“Always,” she said. “It helps everyone to get in the spirit.”

Steps away another co-worker, Rachael Girshovich, 20, also took the opportunity to ditch her work uniform.

“I’m wearing ice cream cones,” she said of a pajama top that sported four scoops of ice cream atop a cone. “We love it. Everyone is in a good mood. It makes everyone smile. The children like to see us in our pajamas, too.

Outside, Hannah Miller, 7, a first-grade Indian Land home school student, enjoyed her ice cream as Cam and Braeden Bybee dashed by with mom, Sharon Bybee, in tow.

“It was kind of like Christmas but with an ice cream cone,” Hannah said. “It’s cold outside, but you [get to] wear your pajamas.”