Assemblyman William Colton on Friday honored the family behind Chubby the Ice Cream Man, an ice cream truck that has been operating in south Brooklyn for 80 years.
Colton hailed founder "Chubby" Angelo Campanella and his daughter Maria Campanella as stalwarts who generously graced Gravesend and Bensonhurst with joy over nearly a century, according to a press release.
“This ice cream truck has brought happiness to hundreds of thousands of children over the years. Thanks to the commitment of Chubby and Maria, this neighborhood family business has donated so much ice cream at community gatherings and events, bringing love and togetherness to all," said Colton.
Maria Campanella, who joined the business in 1987 when she was 23 years old, said she was still energized to continue the legacy of her father, who died 15 years ago.
“My father was a wonderful man," she said. " It’s my father’s legacy, and I can’t give it up. It’s what my heart is telling me to do."
Angelo Campanella started selling ice cream out of a hand cart and a bike, before buying his first truck. Maria Campanella said her father always followed the same route around Gravesend and Bensonhurst, in the vicinity of Kings Highway and McDonald Avenue.
She said her father knew all their neighbhors and they knew him too.
“This is the quintessential story of the American Dream. Chubby the Ice Cream Man built his business through tenacity and hard work, supporting his family and his neighborhood at the same time, and eventually passed his beloved business on to his daughter, Maria, who has continued the tradition he established," said Colton.
