RST dished out gratitude to employees, passengers and partners with free ice cream from Flapdoodles on August 7.
It was the latest in a four-year tradition of “surprise and delight” appreciation events at RST, with past iterations featuring everything from hand-made root beer floats to flowers and gifts from local businesses. This year, 280 servings of ice cream and vegan sorbet provided the ultimate summer pick-me-up.
Kayla Rasmussen, Guest Experience Specialist at Signature Aviation, reflected on the positive, inspiring culture at RST while enjoying her treat. “We deal with Medevacs and Mayo Clinic patients daily, so to work here, you have to have empathy and the drive to make peoples’ day a little better… I know that if I can make someone smile, I’ve done my job.” Kayla added that the ice cream surprise definitely elicited many smiles: “It was fun to see pilots and guests enjoying a little treat on a warm summer day… and to know that we’re appreciated.”
Chris Evanson, Mayo Clinic Ambulance Flight Paramedic, enjoyed his ice cream and connecting with colleagues. “It’s really special to work with such a talented RST team and for a great organization like Mayo Clinic,” he said.
The Flapdoodles truck made the rounds at four locations—outside the main terminal, the operations building, the general aviation terminal and FedEx, ensuring that workers and travelers across the airport community were included.
The event was about more than just dessert, said Mary Gastner, RST’s Marketing Communications Manager. It was a way to recognize the wide network of people from many companies who keep RST running smoothly—cargo handlers, general aviation crews, air ambulance staff, car rental employees, air traffic controllers, firefighters and more. “This event is a small way for us to say thank you—for their long hours, their care for passengers and their role in connecting our community to the world,” Gastner said.
Some employees invited their families to stop by, and some came in on their day off just to share in the fun, she added.
Travelers, too, were excited about a sweet treat that helped them beat the heat on a steamy day and share some good cheer. According to Gastner: “We appreciate our passengers because every butt in a seat helps us strengthen our flight schedule and add destinations our community wants. Offering a surprise treat as a thank you for people flying local was our way of letting them know we appreciate their support.”
