Robert Gilbert has been working to help youth in and around Athens for a long time now.

He spent 15 years as a youth football coach, five years as an Upward basketball coach and two years as a travel ball coach.

“I have just always been tied to the youth,” he said. “I love to be around kids and make them happy. My son (Jaylen) was playing football, and I always loved football. I started announcing the games before I started coaching. It was a life-changing decision, because I got a chance to do things I wouldn’t normally be able to do. It opened up a lot of avenues for me.”

After losing his job, Gilbert was looking for a new business venture. Between that and his love of helping youth, he came up with the idea of having an ice cream van.

He dubbed the new business “Chief’s Treats & Ice Cream” after his longtime nickname.

“’Chief’ came from when I was in eighth grade,” he said. “I was playing football for Athens Middle School. We were playing North Jackson, and they had a big old Indian chief in the center of the field.”

After making a tackle near the midfield logo, Gilbert said he pantomimed a Native American war call, people started calling him “Chief,” and the nickname stuck.

It only took Gilbert a week from having the idea to sell ice cream and treats out of his vehicle to having the business up and running. He said he invested “everything” into the venture.

“I was always looking for something to do to be tied back to the community and the youth,” he said. “I figured that if I got some ice cream, I would be in touch with the youth. It’s something I wanted to do, and I like to bring smiles to kids’ faces.”

So far, Gilbert said he’s trying to get his name out in the community. He has already found some takers in his new business, saying the Athens Boys & Girls Club had him come to their weekend basketball games and act as a de facto concession stand.

Gilbert said he plans to attend some upcoming local events and visit popular summer hangouts like the city pool, kid’s dugout and other youth events. When he’s not working on his new business, Gilbert said he is usually studying the Bible and hanging out with his family.

He said he plans to visit some of the smaller churches in the community and donate ice cream to the youth every other Sunday.

“I know what it it’s like to not have anybody, and when the ice cream man pulls up, it makes kids’ day,” Gilbert said.