Army veteran Mark Hopkins, wife Paulina Hopkins and their four daughters are on a mission to put smiles on the faces of Bend’s children with the help of delicious organic ice cream. The family can be seen cruising around town in Ziggy, a bright yellow classic ice cream truck built in 1976, from which they sell healthy frozen treats at affordable prices.
When asked why Ziggy sells only organic ice cream, Paulina explained, “in the last few years we’ve been on our own movement with going organic in our family… once we’d learned and been told about non GMO food and organic food, it was kind of hard to go back to everything that has high fructose corn syrup in it.”
GMO refers to genetically modified food, and there is significant debate over their use because they may cause health problems when consumed. Nevertheless, judging from the tasty treats the Hopkins daughters were snacking on when we met up, Ziggy has managed to sell healthier products without sacrificing what makes our taste buds go wild. Ziggy is so popular in local neighborhoods that the Hopkins often have a difficult time keeping up with demand. As a result, the family is looking to expand their business by purchasing another Ziggy so that they can spread joy to additional areas of the town.
Increasing the number of neighborhoods in which the family sells their treats will no doubt be a larger and more strenuous commitment, but the Hopkins seem more than ready to step up to the plate. Any stress that may come along with such demand won’t stop the Hopkins from enjoying their new business because, as Paulina pointed out, “You really can’t have a bad day.”
She explained, “Go in an ice cream truck, drive around and kids are laughing and they’re smiling and they’re happy. There is nothing negative about it. There is nothing bad. This is just so simple that it makes life good.”
The truck visits NorthWest Crossing and Brookswood neighborhoods and around St. Charles Medical Center. If readers wish that Ziggy’s classic ice cream truck music would play throughout their neighborhood, visit Ziggy’s Facebook page and leave a comment suggesting where the truck should visit next. Ziggy can be hired for birthday parties as well as company events when some guilt-free ice cream is needed to liven up the afternoon.
Ziggy is owned and operated by a family that has nothing but good intentions and cares about its customers. If readers are looking to enjoy an ice cold fruity treat or a classic ice cream sandwich, make sure to track down Ziggy on the road or give the Hopkins a call. Ice cream trucks such as this tend to bring out the child in all of us and the Hopkins family is succeeding at doing just that.
541-241-4790, www.facebook.com/ZiggysBend, www.ZiggysIceCream.com.
