In 1984, dessert lover Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday as National Ice Cream Day.  President Reagan recognized ice cream as a fun and nutritious dessert enjoyed by many Americans - perhaps, too many Americans. In a proclamation, Reagan announced that the United States would observe these events with "appropriate ceremonies and activities."

Proclamation 5219

National Ice Cream Month and National Ice Cream Day, 1984
July 9th, 1984

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Ice cream is a nutritious and wholesome food, enjoyed by over ninety percent of the people in the United States. It enjoys a reputation as the perfect dessert and snack food. Over eight hundred and eighty-seven million gallons of ice cream were consumed in the United States in 1983.

The ice cream industry generates approximately $3.5 billion in annual sales and provides jobs for thousands of citizens. Indeed, nearly ten percent of all the milk produced by the United States dairy farmers is used to produce ice cream, thereby contributing substantially to the economic well-being of the Nation's dairy industry.

The Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 298, has designated July 1984 as "National Ice Cream Month," and July 15, 1984, as "National Ice Cream Day," and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of these events.

Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim July 1984 as National Ice Cream Month and July 15, 1984, as National Ice Cream Day, and I call upon the people of the United States to observe these events with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand this ninth day of July, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and ninth.

RONALD REAGAN

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 10:32 a.m., July 10, 1984]

Those "appropriate ceremonies and activities" include:

-U.S. consumption of 1.6 billion gallons of ice cream, translating to about 21.5 quarts per person. Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

-U.S. consumption of ice cream and related frozen desserts by more than 90% of households in the United States. Source: Mintel

-Total U.S. exports of ice cream reached nearly 24,000 metric tons in 2004 ? worth about $50 million. Source: USDA/International Ice Cream Association

-Mexico is the single largest market for U.S. frozen dessert exports, with an estimated value of almost $17 million. (Now you know why they're running across the desert into the U.S.).  Source: USDA/International Ice Cream Association.

-The Best Lick! Ice Cream Contest.

-The 75th Anniversary Ice Cream Jubilee hosted by The Memorial Union.

-Who can eat the most ice cream in two minutes? That's the focus of a contest at noon Saturday at Washington Crown Center, 1500 W. Chestnut St., Washington, Pa., to benefit a group of local youth and adult volunteers who will travel to Tennessee to help rebuild homes in impoverished areas.

-Dreyer's Homemade "Traditions in the Kitchen" ice cream flavor contest

-ANNUAL "HOMEMADE ICE CREAM" CONTEST

-And, of course, thousands and thousands of ice cream socials.

So, hats off to the Gipper for his generosity, finding time for ICE CREAM while still training Iran-Contras! If anyone has any information as to what made this so damned important, let me know.

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