Tikili Ice, a family-run business out of Palm Springs, is hoping to bring something sweet (literally) to firefighters across the state of California.

The mobile hut serves assorted flavors of shaved ice and slushies to customers in the Coachella Valley at events like the street fair in Palm Desert. When the creators of the business, the Byars family, heard about the fires torching Northern California, they wanted to do their part.

Cliff Byars, co-founder of Tikili, is a retired law enforcement officer. He said he understands the hard work that goes into fighting the raging fires.

“Everyone out there, I know their heart, and they wouldn’t be doing it if they weren’t trying to help people,” he said. “It’s all about helping people, helping the environment.”

Cliff said serving the men and women on the front lines with a colorful slushy or snow cone during their down time is the least they can do.

“I tell you what, I would’ve loved it,” Cliff Byars said as he reflected on his time as an officer.

The family is from Northern California and said they’re extremely familiar with the areas torched from the fires.

“We’re seeing all the homes getting destroyed,” Josiah Byars, Cliff’s son said. “We’re actually from Northern California, so it kind of hits us at the heart too.”

Tikili is a new business but the family said it hopes to take it to the next level by raising four-thousand-dollars or more to get their product to the fires.

They hope to achieve their goal by the end of the month through donations. Tikili’s GoFundMe page can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/shaved-ice-drinks-for-firefighters.

Doing Something “Sweet” for California Firefighters