News Release Archive

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/TOURISM--LOCAL STUDENT SCOOPS UP OPPORTUNITY
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There is nothing better on a hot summer day than a cool ice
cream. Tenille MacKenzie can vouch for that. Since starting Buy
the Scoop on the Salmon River Road, near Truro, she has been
selling ice cream cones hand-over-fist.

The 17-year-old, Cobequid Education Centre student said she got
the idea from her father. He knew that she and her friends were
looking for something different to do for the summer, and the
space was available at Farmer's Dairy. All she needed was some
financial capital to help with the start-up costs.  

It was then Ms. MacKenzie decided to apply for a loan through the
Youth Entrepreneurial Skills (YES) Program, an initiative of Nova
Scotia Economic Development and Tourism(EDT). She was aware of
the YES program because her brother had been a participant. 

"My brother had a YES loan about three years ago," she said. "And
I was told if I did it right, I could make money." 

The YES program provides repayable loans to full time students
between the ages of 16 and 29, who wish to set-up and operate
their own business. The program helps participants prepare a
business plan, and provides business counselling and training. 
Students must apply to EDT, and if eligible, may receive a loan
of up to $5,000.

Ms. MacKenzie was granted a loan of $1,000, which helped with the
initial costs of the ice cream shop. "We fixed the place up a
little and bought the ice cream from Farmer's," she said. "I
couldn't have done it without the loan."

Buy the Scoop opened for business in June, and has been doing
extremely well. An added bonus with this business is that Ms.
MacKenzie has hired four other students.  

Christopher Levine, 17, works at Buy the Scoop.  He said he is
glad to have the job and respects Ms. MacKenzie for starting her
own business. "Taking on your own business involves a lot of
time...I'll leave it to her," said Mr. Levine.

Eventually, Ms. MacKenzie would like to start a school for
special needs children. "This should teach me how to run a 
business organization," she said. "I want to see if I will have
enough courage to be a business woman in the future."

Ms. MacKenzie is looking forward to seeing what the rest of the
summer brings. And if all goes well, Buy the Scoop will be in the
same spot on the Salmon River Road next year.   

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Contact:  Angela Campbell
          Economic Development and Tourism
          902-424-1728

NOTE TO EDITORS: Colour photos are available on request.

ngr                  August 5, 1997 - 3:30 pm