21-Year-Old Dairy Queen Franchise Owner Giving Back to Cochran Community

COCHRAN, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Cochran restaurant owner is giving back and bringing the community together like never before, and he’s only 21 years old.

Ali Momin started running the Dairy Queen in Cochran when he was still in high school after his father fell ill and had to go to India for a heart surgery.

“Ali had to come to work,” says Benjy Rogers, assistant principal and athletic director at Bleckley County High School.  “He’d leave school at 1 o’clock, sign out for the work program, come to work and he’d close every night.”

Since then, Momin has built strong relationships within the community.  Like, for example, when the 21-year-old raised money to help out a local family that was trying to adopt.

“They came in and sold Blizzards,” says Rogers. “Some of the proceeds went for adoption to help them adopt children and go to adoption agencies for overseas children.”

“It’s always a blast to see somebody smiling–especially in this town–you know, it’s a small town,” says Momin.  “You don’t get too many opportunities to go out there and show how much you appreciate them, you know, them coming to your business and letting them know that you really do appreciate them.”

Momin has given out hundreds of free Blizzard coupons at local high school events. Assistant Chief of Police in Cochran, Capt. Chris Coley, says that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

“He tries to be involved with the schools and different organizations and even just individuals or individual families,” says Coley.  “When there’s a need, he does what he can to reach out and do his part.  He’s just a great business partner in the community.”

Momin says he’s looking forward to keeping those partnerships alive.

“I want to stick around here all my life, and I want people to know me for who I am–not just (that) I’m doing it because I have to do it.  No, I’m doing it for the community.”

Dairy Queen has reintroduced a favorite fruit smoothie called Orange Julius to its stores nationwide, plus a group of different flavored smoothies.

On Tuesday, Momin invited several members of local law enforcement and the Bleckley County School System out for a free taste test.

41NBC’S Tucker Sargent got to make one himself, and he went with the classic Orange flavor.

He says it was delicious.

If you’d like to get in touch with Ali to talk about a fundraising opportunity for your organization, stop by Dairy Queen in Cochran at 606 North 2nd Street or call (478) 934-4522.