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Mobility scooter ice cream man is making B.C. kids smile

‘I wanted to do this to make people smile and make people happy’ - Darrell Ralph
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Darrell Ralph and his Frankly Delicious Ice Cream cart at the Cheam Centre in Garrison Crossing on July 26, 2022. (Paul Henderson/ Chilliwack Progress)

All Darrell Ralph wants to do is to make kids smile and he’s doing exactly that.

The man behind Frankly Delicious Ice Cream cart seen around Garrison Crossing and in Vedder Park in recent weeks said he was literally shivering with joy as he served a few kids popsicles at his cart at the Cheam Centre Park on Tuesday.

“I wanted to do this to make people smile and make people happy,” the 64-year-old told The Progress.

Darrell Ralph and his Frankly Delicious Ice Cream cart he recently put together. The 64-year-old is making kids in hte Vedder Crossing area of Chilliwack happy with his cool treats on hot days. (Submitted photo)
Darrell Ralph and his Frankly Delicious Ice Cream cart he recently put together. The 64-year-old is making kids in hte Vedder Crossing area of Chilliwack happy with his cool treats on hot days. (Submitted photo)

Getting around on a mobility scooter because he is an amputee due to cancer, Ralph found an ice cream “tricycle” in Portland, Oregon.

He had the front cut off, got a bar welded on to the unit to connect to his scooter. He has a life guard umbrella from the east coast and he put “Ice Cream” lettering on it.

His iPad set up for digital payment and his City of Chilliwack business licence is evident.

And he’s off, cruising the streets, ringing his bells, making kids happy.

Selling all his wares for just $2 or $3, this is not a money-making venture, but he sure is selling out on these hot days.

“What goes around in this world comes around,” he says.

And while he didn’t want to talk in depth about his health issues, he said he had the same cancer as Terry Fox.

“If it wasn’t for Terry Fox I wouldn’t be here,” he said.

How so? Because if not for all the money raised directly and indirectly over the years by Fox and now the Terry Fox Foundation, modern medicine would likely not be where it’s at in treating cancer.

If you want to catch Ralph and his cool treats, he’ll be at the Vedder Art Walk starting at Vedder Park tomorrow. He also said he’s been invited to the Chilliwack Mural Festival on Aug. 20 and the Chilliwack Pride Festival on Aug. 21. And in recent warm days he’s at the Cheam Centre Park starting at 1:30 p.m.

READ MORE: Vedder River Art Walk will have more than 20 artists, musicians and more will line trail from Vedder Park to Peach Road


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Darrell Ralph and his Frankly Delicious Ice Cream cart at the Cheam Centre in Garrison Crossing on July 26, 2022. (Paul Henderson/ Chilliwack Progress)