U.S. Cellular Center donates concession stand food to Waypoint

CEDAR RAPIDS - The cupboards weren't bare when the city closed the U.S. Cellular Center arena this summer for renovation as it builds a new convention center next door and renovates the city-owned hotel attached to the arena.

As a result, the City Council on Tuesday agreed to donate a lengthy list of food items bought for the arena's concession stands to Waypoint in Cedar Rapids, which provides services for women, children and families.

The donation ranges from one case each of chicken wings, chicken breasts, pork loin fritters, hot dogs and corn dogs, to 15 cases of frozen pretzels, 39 cans of juice, 41 cases of frozen lemonade and on and on … coffee, bagels, ketchup and mustard, chips, sugar, popcorn, candy and more.

“We didn't want anything to go to waste when we knew the community could benefit from it,” Gene Felling, the executive director for VenuWorks of the city's U.S. Cellular Center arena, Paramount Theatre and Ice Arena, said this week. All the items are frozen or non-perishable, he said.

Corrine Ramler, director of grant development and marketing at Waypoint, on Tuesday said the organization was “thrilled” with the donation. She said the items will be used in Waypoint's homeless shelter for women and children and in the organization's daytime resource program for low-income families.