University professors could all have given pop quizzes Monday if they wanted to punish truancy. Many students skipped class to enjoy the sunshine and free scoops of Ben &Jerry’s ice cream.
“I’m skipping physics class for this,” junior Nicole Myers said while standing in the line, which at one time bridged East 12th Avenue and was still a block long at 9:30 p.m.
“I have no need to go back to school.”
The campus Ben & Jerry’s store spent 11 hours scooping free ice cream Monday. The event was part of “Free Cone Day,” in which Ben & Jerry’s chains aimed to give away one million scoops of ice cream and help charities at the same time.
The Eugene store doled out 10,200 cones during the day and raised more than $1,000 to help the Eugene Relief Nursery.
“We try to support a local nonprofit agency each year,” co-owner Gary Bertelsen said.
But students were there for one reason: the ice cream.

High school student Giselle Barone said she planned to go back through the line as many times as she could, as Ben & Jerry’s did not limit repeat customers.
We’ll be here “as long as we can wait in line,” she said. “We’re already skipping some classes.”
The line moved quickly, even when it stretched to the end of the block. Most customers waited 10 minutes or less for their freebie, and stores adjacent to Ben & Jerry’s said they didn’t mind the event.
“It doesn’t bother us,” Campus Sub Shop owner Stan Garrett said. His store gives away frozen yogurt as a way of competing. “We might as well do it on the whole block.”
Sylvan Duplant, manager at Rock Soft Futon, said he’s happy Ben & Jerry’s draws a crowd for the event.
“It’s amazing what people will do for free ice cream,” he said.