Wednesday, November 6, 2024

William & Mary Cheese Club Aims for Community Partnerships

Cara Omohundro, Cheese Master, guides the first cheese tasting of the 2024-25 academic year for the William & Mary Cheese Club. (Megan Roche/WYDaily)

WILLIAMSBURG — The members of the William & Mary Cheese Club host various cheese-related activities each semester. From guided cheese tastings to the cheese ball, the club wants to expand and is inviting the local cheesemaking community in to help.

The William & Mary Cheese Club was founded in 2013 by Aaron Bayles, who, a freshman at the time, had heard about The Cheese Shop in Merchants Square. A lover of cheese, Bayles and a friend decided to visit the shop and have a cheese and movie night.

After Bayles picked up the cheese, his friend bailed on the cheese and movie night. Instead, Bayles shared his cheeses in the common area of the dorm, and the beginnings of the cheese club took root.

Bayles made the club official on campus that first semester. By the beginning of his sophomore year, the club had over 200 dues-paying members, and after he graduated, the club continued until it fizzled out during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Charlotte Visconsi arrived on campus for her freshman year as a few original members of the club were trying to revive it. Visconsi, who had worked in a cheese shop prior to starting school, was interested in becoming a member. After a summer of planning, the club officially relaunched in time for the fall 2022 semester. Visconsi now serves as the president of the club.

Virginia-made cheeses were the spotlight of the first tasting. (Megan Roche/WYDaily)

During the academic year, the Cheese Club hosts cheese tastings guided by a member of the executive board, affectionately known as the Cheese Master. The host shares a little bit about each cheese and where it came from. Tastings have different themes during the year, and the kick-off for the 2024-25 school year was all about Virginia cheeses.

The club is currently looking for expansion opportunities in the Williamsburg and Yorktown communities. The executive board is hopeful to invite creameries in to host tastings or allow cheese club members access to their farms.

“We would love to work with local creameries and cheese enthusiasts with knowledge to share. We’ve collaborated in the past with creameries by hosting cheese tastings based on their offerings that have been big hits among students, and we would love to support cheese producers in the area by doing so again. It would also be wonderful to take it to the next level by visiting creameries for an even more interactive experience for our members,” board member Cara Omohundro said.

In addition to the tastings, the Cheese Club also hosts Cheesefest and the Cheese Ball annually at the university. Members of the club also receive a membership card that gets them a percentage off at the Cheese Shop.

For Visconsi, helping to revive Cheese Club is one of her proudest collegiate accomplishments.

“Though it may sound silly, Cheese Club is one of the college endeavors I am most proud of. My involvement in the club has shaped my experience like few other activities at William & Mary; I feel quite lucky to have been involved in its revival and to meet and work with all of the wonderful people that made it happen,” she said. Cheese Club gathers each week to eat and learn about cheese, sure; at the end of the day though, our ultimate goal is to create a space where members feel comfortable to be themselves and to explore their passions, no matter how trivial they might seem.”

“Cheese is, afterall, steeped in fascinating history, an integral part of many human cultures, and, most simply, a way to connect with other people interested in exploring seemingly mundane topics,” she continued. “My hope is that each member comes away feeling like part of a community that, despite boasting a wealth of ages, majors, sexualities, and backgrounds, can bond over a shared love of cheese and unconventional learning.”

For more information on the William & Mary Cheese Club, follow its Instagram profile.

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