RANTOUL – During the dog days of summer, anything cool is a welcome relief.

And ice cream is up there at the top of the list.

Marilyn Moore of Fisher patrols the roads of Champaign County with her Frosty Treats truck, drawing children wherever she goes.

"Seeing how happy it makes kids" is one of the best parts of the job, Moore said.

"Some of the kids, they're jumping up and down. You'd think they were on springs."

Because of her route, Moore knows the county's nether regions – at least the northern half – about as well as anyone now, including letter carriers and sheriff's deputies.

In addition to Rantoul, her route includes Fisher, Foosland, Dewey, Ludlow, Champaign-Urbana and Thomasboro.

"At the moment, that's keeping me pretty busy, but I'm thinking of going to the southern part of the county, too," Moore said during a recent Rantoul stop.

Rantoul is a good place to drive through, she said. There are plenty of customers.

She doesn't travel to Gifford because a woman there has an ice cream cart, and Moore doesn't want to infringe on her business.

Moore travels to Springfield once or twice a week to stock up on treats. She keeps the truck at her home in Fisher.

Weather plays a big part in how many customers come over when they hear the music playing from the ice cream truck.

(The truck plays about 30 songs, but "Music Box Dancer" is her favorite.)

If it's raining, business isn't so good. But hot weather, too, can put a damper on ice cream sales. People just don't want to venture outside.

"Nicer days bring more people outside," Moore said. "They're more comfortable being outside, more apt to walk over and get something as opposed to walking over to the freezer and getting something."

Moore has a set route, but some days it can take her all day to get through Rantoul because of the level of business.

Moore, who has been driving the truck since March, said early spring is a good time for business.

That's because everyone is tired of cold weather, and the ice cream truck represents warmer weather ahead.

For many, the ice cream truck means more than a cool treat. Moore said more than once she has seen adults with a tear in their eye because the truck brings back childhood memories.

In addition to getting out and meeting people, Moore said she enjoys the job for another reason: "I get to see all the flower gardens."