Three years ago, Bernie Dufrene of Landisville was sitting on the couch and watching "Wheel of Fortune" with his 9-year-old son, Bennett. As Bernie was idly scrolling through Facebook Marketplace on his phone, he saw a listing for an ice chest that was mounted on electric wheels. Bernie jokingly made a comment about how much Bennett would love to own such a contraption, and his son darted out of the room without explanation. Thirty minutes later, Bennett returned with a two-page business plan to sell frozen desserts with the motorized cooler, and Mr. Ice Cream Kid was born.

Bernie wasn't serious about buying the cooler when he made the remark, but he could hardly say no after Bennett returned with a plan that included prices, inventory, a schedule of work hours and a name for the business. "He put a lot of effort into it, which caught my attention," Bernie said.

Since this was during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bennett was faced with a few challenges as he started his business. Everyone was confined to their homes due to safety regulations, and public events were unable to be held. Bennett announced on his neighborhood's Facebook page which days he would be selling ice cream, and his neighbors were waiting in their driveways for him as he traveled down the block.

Three years later, Bennett is still slinging soft serve throughout the county. Now 12 years old, Bennett will attend Landisville Middle School in the fall, although he's already thinking ahead to college and the future of his business. His ultimate goal is to own his own ice cream parlor, and he has his sights set on Penn State University to study business. Bennett was drawn to Penn State due to its offering a course on ice cream, which details the process of making the treat. The school also has its own creamery.

In the beginning of July, Bennett and Bernie traveled to New York City to visit the Museum of Ice Cream and several ice cream parlors. As they sampled different flavors and studied each business's unique characteristics, Bennett took notes on things he may want to incorporate into Mr. Ice Cream Kid.

Over the last three years, Bennett has made a few improvements to his business, including the acquisition of a custom-made scooter to sell his ice cream out of. He has also used Mr. Ice Cream Kid as a way to support causes that are important to him; 70% of his profit is put into his college fund, 20% is allocated for spending and 10% is donated to local charities. In November, Bennett raised over $2,300 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation during Lancaster County's ExtraGive event. In the past, he's made donations to the local Power Packs program, which provides weekend meals for students and their families. Bennett also supports organizations that are dedicated to the protection of elephants.

"I love what I'm doing, but I had no idea that I would be where I am today," Bennett said. "I want to expand my business and continue to help organizations that do good things right here in Lancaster."

For more information, visit https://mr-ice-cream-kid.ueniweb.com.