A VERY SPECIAL VENTURE
Lemonade stands don’t get any sweeter than this.
Neither does the generosity of the three young entrepreneurs who turned their idea into gifts for our kids.
This was a neighborhood roadside lemonade stand, but not your typical one that asks 5 cents for a cold glass.
Instead, Charlotte, 13, and her sister Vivienne, 10, and friend Kamryn, 10, asked for donations to Caitlin’s Smiles. They advertised ahead of time on Instagram and their neighborhood Facebook page in Hampden Township, and, of course, they put a sign in front of their stand for passersby.
As the temperature hit 91 degrees and the heat index soared past 100 on July 16, they ignored the sweltering heat for five hours to make their venture a success. With a hand from parents Jess and Bob, the young ladies also sold popcorn, watermelon and cupcakes to go with the lemonade.
We couldn’t help but smile as they talked excitedly about their business success. “Someone gave $50,” Charlotte said.
Then, after closing up shop, they went shopping.
They later came to Smiles Central bearing more than $150 worth of gifts to brighten our kids’ hospital stays. They brought bags of plush animals and books. They also brought “more than 100” spiralbound notebooks to be used as patients’ journals in our Bags of Smiles.
“We bought out the whole aisle (of notebooks),” Kamryn said, happily.
Why did they do it?
“We wanted to have a lemonade stand and we wanted to help Caitlin’s Smiles,” Vivienne said.
We are so grateful that they did.
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In the photo, from left to right:
Vivienne, mom Jess, sister Charlotte, and Kamryn
