With summer just underway and temperatures reaching into the 90s, industrious neighborhood children have already started dragging tables and chairs out onto their lawns. Signs are being prepped and batches of lemonade are being mixed up in kitchens, all in hopes that some thirsty drivers with cash to spend will be willing to stop.
And it’s not just neighborhood kids who are getting into the business, teachers in the area have jumped on board and stands are being constructed in front of local schools, all in hopes of getting residents to drop by.
Of course, if you’re thirsty, going through a fast-food window and ordering a cold beverage is the easiest way to solve the problem, but there are solid reasons why supporting your local neighborhood lemonade stand just makes sense.
1. The kids selling the drink may have grand plans for the money. Last week, several kids at the Alex’s Lemonade Stand at Irving School told me of their own drink stands and their plans for their riches. Maverick Thurston had a lemonade stand a few years back and he raised money for a trip. Kinsleigh Finin remembered a yard sale and lemonade stand her family held and they were able to buy some things her family needed. Lizeth Barragan was a go-getter and raised the money to get a manicure. Lucy Frantzen wanted to raise enough to buy a swimming pool.
2. You could be helping to mold a future titan of industry. Lemonade stands are small businesses after all. Brisk sales could spark an entrepreneurial drive. A kid selling lemonade in your neighborhood could be destined one day to become a CEO of a multi-million dollar company. All it takes is for enough people to pull over to the curb and buy a cold glass of sunshine.
3. Charities could benefit. Many local organizations and kids turn over their profits to charities. The stand at Irving School last week raised money for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation to help fight childhood cancer. According to lemonade stand organizer, Tiffany Platz, the event raised over $750 for that organization. Well done everyone!
4. Lemonade is just delicious. Whether it be the powdered mix, bottled, fresh squeezed with sugar, pale yellow or pink, lemonade is a refreshing summertime drink, especially so on hot days. And the prices at local stands are usually so low, they’re a bargain. The Irving stand sold both pink and yellow, although yellow was clearly the more popular option, and for 50 cents a glass, you really couldn’t go wrong. Just don’t forget to tip your servers.
5. Won’t you think of the moms and dads and teachers? Let’s face it, no lemonade stand organizes itself. It takes teamwork, plotting, planning, markers, poster board and of course, someone behind the scenes. The kids may be the face of the stands, since cuteness always sells products, but it’s the kind-hearted moms, dads and teachers who were generous enough to front all the costs that’s the beating hearts behind the operations. So next time, you think about passing by kids selling lemonade, think of those kind-hearted grown-ups in the kitchen mixing up the next pitcher.
