After its slow start three years ago, when only 66 students had made deposits into their Middletown Cash accounts by Thanksgiving Break, the program has finally reached a level of success.

“Just about all students use Middletown Cash now, since we’ve added the bookstore and computer store, and laundry facilities to the program,” said Noreen Angeletti, WesCard program manager.

The Middletown Cash program allows students to add money to their WesCard online or by mail, and pay for a variety of services with their card rather than in cash.

Students can also use Middletown Cash at Usdan’s vending machines, to pay Transportation Services costs, and at 13 local businesses, most of them restaurants.

“We have six or seven businesses who are very strong users, the others use it less,” Angeletti said.

One spot where students weren’t making much use of the program was at Typhoon on Main Street, which no longer participates.

“Less and less people were using [Middletown Cash],” said Tata, Typhoon’s owner and manager. “I think my prices are reasonable for everybody. Most students pay with their own cash or credit card.”

Tata said the cost of leasing the equipment to charge a students’ card didn’t make business sense for her.

“For seventy bucks a month, it wasn’t worth it,” she said.

Keith Schumann ’09, whose mom deposited money into his Middletown Cash account in September, was surprised to find out that Typhoon had left the program.

“I was in Typhoon and I found that out the hard way, when I went to pay,” he said.

The WesCard was set up with the help of BbOne, a subsidiary of Blackboard Inc., the company that supports Wesleyan’s online Blackboard system. A small percentage of each purchase made with a WesCard is redirected to BbOne for payment, and an even smaller percentage goes to the University.

Calls to the program’s participants“Brew Bakers, Illiano’s, Jerry’s Pizza, Denny’s, Mega Wraps, CVS, Minuteman Press, Osaka, Sol Tanning Center, Thai Garden, Domino’s, Empire Pizza, and Gianni’s”yielded a variety of responses, with some businesses reporting that students do regularly use the service, while others said a customer producing a WesCard at the time of purchase was very rare.

“I haven’t had anyone use it in over a year,” said Charlie, the owner of Minuteman Press. “I used to do a lot of course packets, but not anymore. Even people printing theses here don’t use it.”

Minuteman Press has stayed on the program, though, because it has avoided the University’s equipment leasing fee.

“Well, I bought my machine on eBay,” he said.

Despite the option of using Middletown Cash downtown, most students seem to use it closer to home, for laundry. Not all laundry machines are equipped with WesCard readers, however.

“I live in a house with a MacGrey laundry machine, so I actually don’t have any Middletown Cash on my card“that’s what my wallet is for,” said Michelle Katz ’09.

Some students with a lot of Middletown Cash to spend have had trouble finding places to do so.

“I don’t entirely understand the concept of Middletown Cash,” said Natalie Unger ’11. “Before I came I was under the impression that most restaurants in town accepted it, but they don’t.”

Schumann has found the option of using Middletown Cash at local restaurants useful, but he wishes it were accepted in more places.

“I live on Court St. and it’s more convenient for me to eat on Main Street than elsewhere on campus,” he said. “The bulk of what I’m eating is at two places, Brew Bakers and Thai Gardens, and they’re great but it gets a little old.”

According to Angeletti, more businesses are interested in joining the service, which aims to foster community relations, as well as draw students into Middletown.

“Of course, there are always more downtown merchants signing on,” she said. “We’re signing on Mikado this week.”

Angeletti said the program would be expanded in the future.

“There are lots of tentative plans, like at the box office, and copiers in the library,” she said. “We’ll also be adding more vending machines.”

She stressed the program’s value, as Middletown Cash doesn’t expire at the end of a semester like dining points do.

“Cash carries over for as long as a student is at Wesleyan,” she said.