Saturday, December 21st, 2024 Church Directory
GODFATHER’S STAFF. Managers with owner from left to right, Jesse Gorman, Tanner Stewart, Crystal Paul, Deanne Bromenshenkel and daughter Samantha Bromenshenkel.
FATHER AND SON. Mason (L) and Adam (R) Vee participated in Dad’s Pizza Night 2014.

Godfather’s Pizza And Ecfe Program Recognized

Godfather’s Pizza is being recognized on a national level by their corporate office in Omaha, NE. Yearly there is a representative from the “Home” office visiting all the franchised stores to do a survey on local community work, advertising and marketing. They also offer the store owners ideas on these areas for future use.
 
 “We were explaining some of the community involvement that we do and the Dad’s Night came up. I guess they were so intrigued with the program that they reported it back to Omaha and we got a call telling us that we would be featured for our involvement in our community,” Deanne Bromenshenkel, owner of Godfather’s says.
 
Deanne and Mick Bromenshenkel own the business together.
 
Dad’s Night is a program  started six years ago by the Early Childhood Family Education program, ECFE, where fathers bring in their children and participate in making a pizza. The process is very simple but there is so much under the surface the children do not even know they are learning at the same time. 
 
Parents sign up for the event and have a time scheduled to visit the store. Once they enter they are greeted and whisked away into a whole new realm of the pizza world.
 
First call of order is to wash hands and then they move onto the walk-in cooler to pick out their crust. Once a space is available it is off to the “make table” where adult and child help each other to build a pizza. After toppings are in order they place it on the oven conveyer belt and have eight minutes to decorate a pizza box for their dinner. Children then watch in awe of the staff cutting the pie and sliding into a box ready to go. They then travel back to  the ECFE class room to enjoy the fruits (or pie) of their labors.
 
“ The purpose of the ECFE Dad’s Nights are to involve fathers in their child’s education,” says Sue Hiltner, director of Early Childhood. Several dad nights are scheduled throughout the school year and it gives dads the opportunity to have quality one on one time with their child. “Our motto for Dad’s Nights is making a difference in the lives of kids,” says Sue.
 
The children are in awe of the experience of going behind the scenes to see what is really behind the counter. There is a learning element to the Dad’s Nights.“The most important element for this activity is the social/emotional area,” says Beth Soenneker an ECFE Child Educator and teacher.
 
Beth has run the Dad’s Pizza Night for the last several years. “There is always excitement in the air when the children arrive,” she said. 
 
The event does not require a father to attend but children can bring grandfathers, uncles, or family friends. The event is open to teach the children different skills and to open their eyes to how everyday business run and operated and to show what is all involved into making a pizza. Other skills the children will use is nutrition, gross motor, fine motor, cognitive and interactions with other people.
 
Deanne recalls a memory of last year’s Dad’s Night where a grandfather drove all the way from Wisconsin to attend the event. He made the trip for one of his other granddaughters previously as well.“The look on the children’s faces when they walk through the door and get to touch and explore, the giggles as they build and pick the toppings are heartwarming,” she says.
 
The event has grown over the last couple of years by 10 to 12 families added. Last year there are 35 adults with 37 children in attendance. “We will continue to do the Dad’s Pizza Night for as long as we can. We always have a great turnout for the event. Deanne and staff do a great job with our families,” says Sue.
 
Other events ECFE hosts are “Build it”, “Wheels Night”, and “Fun and Fitness”.  April 23 they will be hosting their annual “ECFE Bounce Around Night and Big Wheels”. All Becker families are invited to bring their preschoolers for a night of bouncing in large inflatables in the primary school gym. Pizza and drinks will be provided.
 
Godfather’s official Corporate  website will host the story of the Dad’s Night at www.godfatherspizza.com and on Facebook. It will be featured there for the entire month of April. Also the story will be sent to all the Godfather’s stores to inform them of the work that is happening here in Becker.