Henry Ford Community College Ice Carving Club

Every fall semester, a group of unlikely student sculptors begin stacking, chainsawing, and chiseling three-hundred-pound blocks of ice into works of art.

In just twenty years, the Henry Ford Community College Ice Carving Club members have come to represent a large cross section of the student population and alumni, majoring in music, various medical fields, architectural engineering, business administrators, hospitality, graphic design, and culinary arts. Their sponsor, Chef Richard Teeple, Certified Culinary Educator and Executive Chef, had been involved in ice carving for the past thirty years. He is also a nationally certified ice carving competition judge.

In 2007, Henry Ford Community College purchased a 16' X 16' walk-in freezer to be able to carve in warmer weather as well as to store ice blocks. The Ice Carving Club also received the HFCC "Student Club of the Year" award. The members carved ice sculptures in a variety of locations in Michigan, including the Detroit Zoo, Plymouth Ice Spectacular, Frankenmuth, Wyandotte, Trenton and Dearborn. They raised their own funds to replace necessary equipment and tools. The club purchased its own ice-block making machine for events and for practice. They are one of the few clubs in Michigan to have its own ice-block making machine. After all expenses are paid, they will have enough profit for the upcoming year and to fund future commitments. A scholarship fund has been established for club members who commit a great amount of time to the club. Click here for the scholarship application.

The club is open to any HFCC student interested in ice carving. Each new member starts out as an assistant. The progression from assistant to carver can be very rapid and depends on how often a person attends. With the proper instruction, anyone can gain the knowledge necessary to carve ice.

All the members of the club are very busy, but there is a sense of family among them that helps them through the busiest times of the year. "They work together", says Chef Teeple. "It's the love of ice carving and friendship among the members that helps them find the time to get involved."

For more information, please feel free to contact us by phone or e-mail address. This information is on our contact page. If you want to see the roster of our current club officers, click here.