One of my families other favorite places to visit is Hershey Park PA. Since Hershey Park is so close to us, we travel there every once and a while for a day visit or sometimes even an overnight trip on the weekends. During my last trip to Hershey I was given the opportunity to talk to one of Milton Hershey’s most famous creations, one that you would usually see around Valentine’s Day. Introducing the Hershey Kiss.
Me: Mr. Kiss how are you today?
Kiss: Pretty good overall, but this heat is melting me.
Me: Oh, that’s a good one. I was hoping I could ask you a few questions.
Kiss: Sure why not, I have time.
Me: How is it that you became part of the Hershey gang?
Kiss: Well let me start from the beginning. Milton Hershey started his candy career making caramel. Not happy with the way his business was going, Milton Hershey sold and abandoned his business and eventually moved to what is now Hershey PA. There he started his Milk Chocolate Business. I was in fact the first type of milk chocolate candy that Milton Hershey manufactured. So in some sense I am the Grandfather of the Hershey chocolate business.
Me: That is fascinating, so you were the first milk chocolate candy made by Mr. Hershey?
Kiss: Yes I was.
Me: When you were first created did you ever think that the Hershey Business would grow to be as large as it is today?
Kiss: Well, Milton knew that his chocolate business would be a success. He invested all he had to build this Hershey Empire, but I don’t think he ever imagined that it would be as successful as it is today.
Me: I’ve heard that Mr. Hershey was a very community oriented giving person. Is that correct?
Kiss: Absolutely, there is no doubt in my mind of that. You see Milton Hershey loved children and the people he worked with. In order to keep his workers happy he used his money to build homes for the workers whose children still live in those same homes. He did this to give the workers a sense of ownership and allowed workers to purchase their homes for pennies of their true value. For the children, Milton and his wife opened a boarding school for orphan boys that had no place to go so that they could get a good education and move on to better things.
Me: So he was a pretty generous guy?
Kiss: Mr. Hershey and his wife were very generous people. They recognized what they had and were willing to help others with it.
Me: Why an orphanage?
Kiss: Milton Hershey and his wife could not have their own children. The orphanage was a two fold blessing . It saved some of the orphan boys from a dreadful life and it gave the Hershey's the joy of children that they couldn’t fill their home with themselves.
Me: Why the creation of an amusement park in connection with a factory?
Kiss: Again the park was created for the enjoyment of his workers and their families. Mr. Hershey was all about family. The park was a place for his workers to have after a long productive work week. Like most things, the park started out small. Their was a turning point for the park when a decision had to made to fix and build or close it. Thank goodness the right decision was made.
Me: What do you think about Hershey Park and its and the way it is now?
I am very pleased with Hershey Park; I think that Milton would have loved it. For me, and I think I speak for the rest of the Hershey Gang, it has become everything that we wanted and I think it became every thing Milton Would have wanted as well.
Me: Well thanks again for the interview and your thoughtful answers to my questions.
Kiss: No problem, it was a pleasure to meet you.
Me: As was it for me. You have a nice day.
Kiss: You too.
As you can see, there is much history to the Hershey factory, its park and its people. Hershey is more than just thrill rides. It is the place to go with family and friends to create memories. I’m not so much the thrill ride seeker, so I go for the experience. I enjoy the laid back family atmosphere, the food , the fun and the history.
That was Hershey Kiss speaking about the history and future of Hershey Park and the Hershey Business.
Me: Mr. Kiss how are you today?
Kiss: Pretty good overall, but this heat is melting me.
Me: Oh, that’s a good one. I was hoping I could ask you a few questions.
Kiss: Sure why not, I have time.
Me: How is it that you became part of the Hershey gang?
Kiss: Well let me start from the beginning. Milton Hershey started his candy career making caramel. Not happy with the way his business was going, Milton Hershey sold and abandoned his business and eventually moved to what is now Hershey PA. There he started his Milk Chocolate Business. I was in fact the first type of milk chocolate candy that Milton Hershey manufactured. So in some sense I am the Grandfather of the Hershey chocolate business.
Me: That is fascinating, so you were the first milk chocolate candy made by Mr. Hershey?
Kiss: Yes I was.
Me: When you were first created did you ever think that the Hershey Business would grow to be as large as it is today?
Kiss: Well, Milton knew that his chocolate business would be a success. He invested all he had to build this Hershey Empire, but I don’t think he ever imagined that it would be as successful as it is today.
Me: I’ve heard that Mr. Hershey was a very community oriented giving person. Is that correct?
Kiss: Absolutely, there is no doubt in my mind of that. You see Milton Hershey loved children and the people he worked with. In order to keep his workers happy he used his money to build homes for the workers whose children still live in those same homes. He did this to give the workers a sense of ownership and allowed workers to purchase their homes for pennies of their true value. For the children, Milton and his wife opened a boarding school for orphan boys that had no place to go so that they could get a good education and move on to better things.
Me: So he was a pretty generous guy?
Kiss: Mr. Hershey and his wife were very generous people. They recognized what they had and were willing to help others with it.
Me: Why an orphanage?
Kiss: Milton Hershey and his wife could not have their own children. The orphanage was a two fold blessing . It saved some of the orphan boys from a dreadful life and it gave the Hershey's the joy of children that they couldn’t fill their home with themselves.
Me: Why the creation of an amusement park in connection with a factory?
Kiss: Again the park was created for the enjoyment of his workers and their families. Mr. Hershey was all about family. The park was a place for his workers to have after a long productive work week. Like most things, the park started out small. Their was a turning point for the park when a decision had to made to fix and build or close it. Thank goodness the right decision was made.
Me: What do you think about Hershey Park and its and the way it is now?
I am very pleased with Hershey Park; I think that Milton would have loved it. For me, and I think I speak for the rest of the Hershey Gang, it has become everything that we wanted and I think it became every thing Milton Would have wanted as well.
Me: Well thanks again for the interview and your thoughtful answers to my questions.
Kiss: No problem, it was a pleasure to meet you.
Me: As was it for me. You have a nice day.
Kiss: You too.
As you can see, there is much history to the Hershey factory, its park and its people. Hershey is more than just thrill rides. It is the place to go with family and friends to create memories. I’m not so much the thrill ride seeker, so I go for the experience. I enjoy the laid back family atmosphere, the food , the fun and the history.
That was Hershey Kiss speaking about the history and future of Hershey Park and the Hershey Business.
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