January 31, 2025
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A tasty experience: Chocolate Walk for Charity to take place next month in Oswego

By Eric Schelkopf
Autumn Narney (left) and Amy Haines (right) ran the hot chocolate bar at the Hudson Design House in downtown Oswego as the store's contribution to the annual Chocolate Walk for Charity. Participants could choose from a variety of ingredients, including whipped cream, chocolate chips and Kahlua.

Autumn Narney (left) and Amy Haines (right) ran the hot chocolate bar at the Hudson Design House in downtown Oswego as the store's contribution to the annual Chocolate Walk for Charity. Participants could choose from a variety of ingredients, including whipped cream, chocolate chips and Kahlua. (Shea Lazansky)

Those who have a taste for chocolate can get their fill next month while supporting a charity organization that helps young adults with special needs.

The 8th annual Chocolate Walk for Charity will return to downtown Oswego on Feb. 8. Organized by the Oswego Downtown Association, the event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The event began in February 2018. A portion of this year’s proceeds will support the nonprofit organization Awesome Life Academy. The Oswego Downtown Association is an arm of the Oswego Area Chamber of Commerce.

Kelley Rice, a member of the Oswego Downtown Association, owns Imagination Print & Design in Oswego and is co-owner of The Scoop ice cream shop in downtown Oswego.

Kelley Rice, left, co-owns The Scoop with Christina Reynolds, right. The Scoop opened in downtown Oswego in May.

Kelley Rice, left, co-owns The Scoop with Christina Reynolds, right. The Scoop opened in downtown Oswego in May 2023. (Eric Schelkopf)

“As a local downtown business, we’re always trying to get people into our shop,” Rice said. “This is a great way to do that and support a charity at the same time.”

She loves participating in all of the events in downtown Oswego.

“I love just seeing the people and their energy,” Rice said. “This event I guess I love because the proceeds in part go to charity. That always makes my heart happy.”

The Scoop, which is currently closed for the season, is one of 26 participants in this year’s Chocolate Walk for Charity. Other participants include the Oswego Public Library, Fox Valley Winery, Church of the Good Shepherd, Grace Giving Joy, Oswego American Legion, Paws On Main and Fox River Academy of Music and Art.

“It’s always between 20 and 30 participating,” Rice said. “And this year we’re at 26. It’s definitely a huge variety of businesses.”

Rice noted that Awesome Life Academy has a new campus at Bear Cave Lake in Oswego.

“They’re able to give more opportunities to the participants,” she said. “They’re able to do more events and activities and have a home base. We’re excited to be able to help them with their new growth at that location.”

The Scoop opened on Main Street in downtown Oswego in May 2003. This will be the second year it will participate in Chocolate Walk for Charity.

Kelley Rice, left, co-owns The Scoop with Christina Reynolds, right.

Kelley Rice, left, co-owns The Scoop with Christina Reynolds, right. (Eric Schelkopf)

Those who participate in Chocolate Walk for Charity will be given iridescent bags they can put all their goodies in. Imagination Print & Design made the bags.

Those who participate in this year's Chocolate Walk for Charity will be given iridescent bags they can put all their goodies in. Imagination Print & Design made the bags.

Those who participate in this year's Chocolate Walk for Charity will be given iridescent bags they can put all their goodies in. Imagination Print & Design made the bags. (Photo provided by Oswego Downtown Association)

“You can walk around from store to store, do some shopping and get some chocolate,” Rice said. “At The Scoop, we’ll have our gourmet gummy boxes which we put together for Valentine’s Day. They were a huge hit last year and we sold out.”

With only 250 tickets being sold for Chocolate Walk for Charity, Rice advised people to buy their tickets sooner rather than later.

Tickets are $26.50 per person, which includes a $1.50 service fee. If any tickets are left the day of the event, the ticket price increases to $30.

To purchase tickets, go to https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/oswego-downtown-association-co/chocolate-walk-2025.

More information is available at oswegodowntown.org.