From my colleague Tim O’Brien:

As a thank you to customers for their support of the its ailing owner, Toll Gate Ice Cream in Slingerlands will give away free ice cream on Saturday (1/28).

Owner Rob Zautner is in St. Peter’s Hospital following emergency surgery for an intestinal mass. Zautner also suffered from advanced diverticulitis and septic shock after a hole in his small intestine was discovered.

The restaurant closed earlier this month due to his illness and a GoFundMe page was launched to help cover his medical expenses.

Torre Rivers, Zautner’s niece, said the family will open the doors from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday to give out free cones and dishes. Half-gallons will be for sale.

“They have tons of ice cream right now,” Rivers said. “We figure rather than throw it away, we would open our doors because people were so generous.”

Rivers, who met her husband while working at Toll Gate, said many former employees are coming back to help serve that day.

Her uncle remains in critical condition, she said.

He is the third-generation owner of the business, which opened in 1949. His father and grandfather, both also named Robert Zautner, were the previous owners of the New Scotland Avenue eatery.

“The focus now is on getting him better,” Rivers said. “He did everything there. Not much can go on without him.”