Who would have thought that by eating ice cream you could help change the world? But today you can.

Taggarts Ice Cream Parlor, a local institution in Canton, Ohio, is donating 10 percent of their gross receipts all day today, Tuesday, August 14th, to Relief International's Zam Zam Clinic in Darfur.

A local teen, Sahiba Gill, organized the citywide event, called "Dining for Darfur," which also includes five other area restaurants.

Coincidentally, Dr. Ashis Brahma, who's been working in Darfur, actually stopped for ice cream at the Canton shop on 14th and Fulton two weeks ago (pictured at right with colleagues).

Relief International opened Zam Zam Clinic in response to a crisis: Critical medical facilities were closing that would leave 35,000 refugees in Darfur without any health services. RI mobilized to build a clinic with support from US grassroots advocates and collaboration with local tribal leaders. The August 2006 opening could not have been more timely: 6,000 people fleeing violence in the region arrived in the camp.

Today, the Zam Zam Clinic serves 800 patients per week. The facility is run by local Sudanese doctors, medical assistants, midwives, nurses, and pharmacists — all of whom receive professional development training from RI.

If you are in Canton, please bring family and friends to enjoy Taggarts great homemade ice cream and help bring positive change to our world.

Photo and original story by John Stone, eyeclectic.net