Colorful Snowy Sweets ice cream truck delivering cold treats to local communities

Nothing was more welcoming to a child than to hear the familiar sound of the ice cream truck cruising slowly in their neighborhood on a hot summer day blasting kiddie songs.

Then they would run in search of an adult for change to get a frosty treat.

However, the popularity of the portable frozen confections has waned in recent years, but Sarah McCallum and her husband, Donald, have worked hard in the past year to bring back the happy tradition baby boomers recall affectionately. The name: Snowy Sweets and their colorful truck is had to miss.

Though no one knows for sure, it is recorded ice cream trucks were introduced in 1920 by employee Harry Burt from Youngstown, Ohio. He developed frozen ice cream on a stick and called it the Good Humor Bar. By the 50s, it caught on across America. In recent years, they have all but disappeared.

But Sarah never planned to be the “ice cream man.”

Born in Maryville on Oct. 12, 1979, Sarah had an older sister who was 6-years-old. Their parents were Stephen Galbreath and Rhonda Weigler. Due to problems in the marriage and Rhonda’s intellectual disabilities, the two little girls were raised by maternal grandparents, Roy and Ruth Wiegler.

As a youngster Sarah said her favorite pastime was getting into anything that got her dirty. Roy was blind and Ruth worked outside the home, but Sarah said “they always put my sister and me first, even though we were dirt poor. My bedroom was a sofa to sleep on. But they taught us to treat others as we would like to be treated and that children come first.”

Sarah graduated from Edwardsville High School in 1997 where she played the clarinet in the band. She met and married Keith McFalls in 1998 and they had one daughter, Loren. The union lasted four years and they parted amicably.

Sarah had been attending Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and earned an associate’s degree as a paralegal. She then enrolled at Sanford-Brown College prior to going to work for Heyl, Royster, Voelker & Allen Law Firm for the next three years.

In 2002 Sarah met Donald McCallum and was impressed by his smile and sweet personality. They courted more than three years before marrying Aug. 22, 2005. Their first child, Bradley, debuted in 2006, followed by daughter, Raine, in 2010.

From truck driver to the ice cream truck

While raising their young children, Sarah worked as a paralegal from home. In 2017, Sarah grew tired of office work and decided to become a truck driver. She got her commercial drivers license and began working for AC Trucking out of O’Fallon, Missouri. Last September, Sarah and Donald decided to bring the nostalgic ice cream truck back to neighborhoods.

They named the enterprise Snowy Sweets after their 200-pound Pyrenees, Snowy. They offer an array of taste-tempting goodies of no less than 70 selections, with frequent menu changes. Conscientious of those who must adhere to special diets, they also offer gluten-, sugar-, nut- and dairy-free products.

They serve Highland, Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Summerville, Aviston, Pocahontas, Marine, St. Jacob, Beckemeyer, Carlyle, Breese, Maryville and Collinsville. Oftentimes they bring their pet, Snowy, with them. During the Christmas holidays, Donald dresses as Santa Claus just to make their arrival more special.

Free services offered by Snowy Sweets, Blessings Box

But they offer a myriad of free services as well. Their social media forum, Snowy Sweets, lists:

• Free mobile notary service to your home, work or hospital room.
• Free Santa house calls to your home, work, or hospital room.
• Free Easter bunny house calls to your home, work or hospital room, including newborn ducks and chicks where permitted.
• Free cat and dog pet treats when you stop their truck.
• Free delivery to the door with full service ice cream truck.

But wait, as if that was not enough, there is more. When the coronavirus reared its ugly head, Sarah and Donald became concerned about the community and those in need of the basics. So they embarked on what they call their Blessings Box.

Situated in their yard adjacent to their home located at 404 Olyvia in St. Jacob, the Blessings Box is open 24 hours daily, seven days per week and non-perishable food items, along with hygiene needs are available for free. No questions asked.

Sarah said sometimes people are embarrassed to avail themselves of free items. When that happens, she tells them she and Donald will drive the goods to their home in an unmarked vehicle, even pulling into their garage if they prefer.

Assisting local children

So do their philanthropic deeds stop there? Absolutely not. Their next endeavor is that of collecting back packs and school supplies for children in the aforementioned areas. Sarah said they are grateful to the many residents of the community who know about the Blessings Box and generously donate on a regular basis.

For additional information about receiving assistance, to donate or to participate in the back pack fundraiser, call Sarah at 618-550-8781.

This story was originally published July 24, 2020 at 5:00 AM.