Chelsea High Students Spark Community Change with Concessions

Two Chelsea High School sophomores, Bradley Dunn and Christian Gough, have transformed a simple idea into a flourishing business venture with a community-centric mission. Their initiative, "Coolers for a Cause," capitalizes on the duo’s entrepreneurial spirit to support local charities and causes, recently extending a generous donation to the Sun Times Newspaper.

The inception of their business traces back to a moment in their freshman year during Teacher Appreciation Day. Observing their peers' longing looks toward a food truck reserved for teachers, they recognized an obvious market opportunity – selling food and drink.

"It was that moment when we realized there's a demand here," Christian recounts. Despite initial challenges, including restrictions on selling within the school due to an existing school store, the pair pivoted their strategy to local events.

"We didn’t end up selling in the school,” Bradley adds. “So, what we figured out we could do was to bring our idea the Sounds and Sights.”

Coolers for a Cause began by selling chilled beverages at community events and gradually expanded its offerings to include snacks like chips and popcorn. Their business model is simple yet impactful. Christian and Bradley donate 25% of their profits to various community causes. To date, contributions have been made to not only the Sun Times Newspaper but other local groups.

“We just pick who to donate to by who we believe has a positive impact on the community,” explains Bradley. “We definitely want to support the paper.”

The products offered by Coolers for a Cause range from refreshing drinks like water, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Sprite to an assortment of popular snacks. This selection broadened over time as their operations expanded from summer activities to winter events, such as middle school basketball games. "It started over the summer, and then this previous winter, we kept the business going," Bradley says.

For Bradley and Christian, the venture is not just a business; it's a platform for community service and personal growth. Influenced by family values of philanthropy, Christian explains his motivation, "My parents like to donate, and it kind of spurred me into thinking maybe I want to do something too." Bradley adds a business perspective, leveraging skills honed through family ventures and combining them with a charitable outlook for greater impact.

Looking to the future, the young entrepreneurs are open to possibilities, including expanding their offerings or even acquiring a food truck someday. While they remain uncertain about whether this venture will continue beyond high school, the experience has been invaluable.

"Whether we continue this past high school depends on what we do in life, but it's been great so far," Christian says.