EAST PETERSBURG, LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. -- A sweet benefit was held today in Lancaster County, a seasonal ice cream shop opened up for one day of delicious treats and fundraising.
It was an event many say they just couldn't turn down -both for the ice cream and the cause behind it.
"Two peanut butter avalanches and an Oreo avalanche!"
You can't buy happiness, but you can get ice cream, and some people say that's basically the same thing.
"Ice cream's good anywhere," said John Rohrer, a neighbor from Manor Township.
"Ice cream's the best therapy," said Luann Rittenhouse.
People in East Petersburg hopped in line at Son's Ice Cream Shop for a one day December opening, getting a favorite frozen treat and supporting a neighbor.
"Well, someone's house caught on fire, and a lot of it burned down, so we're raising money to help," said Tyler Eckert, a little boy from Lititz.
With every lick and every scoop, money is made for a woman who lost everything in a November fire.
"I saw our neighbor lost her house, and I said we need to help these people," said Scott Mencer of Son's Ice Cream Shop.
Son's knowing they could lend some cones for a good cause.
"The fact someone would lose their house this close to Christmas - it's, I've never been through that, and I hope I never go through it, and I just said, 'we need to reach out to this family,'" explained Mencer.
And dozens of people participated, from children, to firefighters, to a miniature pony which brought smiles.
"I thought, 'this would be nice to help somebody out. I had a fire here many years ago, and anybody that has a fire like this, you can't give them enough... can't help them enough,'" said Rohrer.
"We just want to come out and help support, especially our neighbors, and Scott's mission here - to help them," added Rittenhouse.
"Not only to raise awareness about fire safety but also to help those in need cause sometimes these things happen, and it's devastating, and it's always important to help those in need," said Dyane Eckert.
"It's just been absolutely crazy," said Mencer.
So much business, the shop ran out of ice cream for a time, and the day bring in more donations than owners say they could ever have expected.
More than 3,000 dollars was raised for the woman, according to employees.