Valley raised college students and lifelong friends raise money for school selling caramel apples at Friday Fling

PALMER— A pair of Valley raised young adults and lifelong friends are working together to pay for college by selling caramel apples at Friday Fling each week of the summer before venturing down to Nebraska to resume their classes in the fall.

Kyndle Kirby established Caramels for College to pay off her college tuition as an independent business owner. Aaron Christensen found out about his friend’s latest venture and joined up with her. They both attend Concordia University Nebraska and plan to fly back down for the fall semester.

“It works out really well. We fight like siblings sometimes but it's the best. It's definitely strengthened the friendship even more which is more than you can say for most business relationships, " Kirby said with a laugh.

The two have been selling hand dipped caramel apples since the first Friday Fling of the season, which was delayed due to COVID-19. In spite of that, the overall sales and response from the community has been positive, according to Kirby.

“It's been going pretty well. It's the worst year to start a business but we did it anyway. We feel pretty good about that," Kirby said.

Christensen said their overall sales have likely been boosted by the fact they both grew up around Palmer and many of the people around town recognize their faces and remember their families. He noted that many people also seem to be motivated by their cause.

“It's been going surprisingly well considering how the year has gone...They really want to support the Valley kids going to school,” Christensen said. “There's so many people who love to support the people around here.”

Kirby said that she worked off her first two years of tuition at the Mat-Su College and worked multiple jobs to make that happen. She said that as she was gearing up to start school in Nebraska, she determined that she needed to have work for her summers up here.

She said that her parents own Yukon John's Pork Rinds, so she’s very familiar with the “carny life” and figured she could take a nostalgic piece of her childhood and make a business out of it. She said she would always get caramel apples at the fair and even now, there doesn't seem to be many places outside the fair who sell caramel apples.

“Not only are we local kids… You don't see a lot of 21 year olds starting their own business,” Kirby said.

Christiansen noted that they offer sliced, caramel apples which isn’t normally an option, even at the fair. He said the sliced option has been very popular so far.

“We broaden our bases I guess by doing that,” Christiansen said. “So that was a good call."

Kirby said that she aims to sell caramel apples every summer through college with the hopes of expanding to other venues.

“We wanted to start out really simple first and build up to that," Kirby said.

After graduation, she plans to keep the business going so other college students can pay for their tuitions.

“So it's an opportunity for kids, and a way for us to pour back into the community,” Kirby said. “I grew up here... by helping us they're kind of pouring back into the community.”

Kirby’s ultimate goal is to return to Alaska as a high school teacher after earning her degree in Secondary Education in Social Studies. She said she wants to give back to the community that supported her all her life.

“It’s home it always has been," Kirby said.

Christiansen is entering his senior year of college. He said that he’s going for a Bachelor in History with a minor in computer science. He said that he may go one more year to gain a double major in computer science.

He grew up as a homeschool student and played in local high school sports. He said that he’s grown an affinity for alternative learning methods while following his faith. He noted that he loves seeing how God works in people’s lives and that fuels his decision making process for the various pathways at his feet. He said that he’s always been interested in programming and history and would love to combine the two to make fun and educational games.

“I think it's a wonderful way to learn," Christiansen said.

Since their semester is starting early this year, there’s only one more Friday Fling left to stop by and visit Kirby and Christiansen at their booth.

For more information about Friday Fling, visit palmerchamber.org/fridayfling.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com