Goodness At The Corner Where Lemonade and Community Meet
August is upon us. School buses are making their practice rounds. Everywhere you turn, back-to-school sales are luring you to check the school supply lists. The crickets are singing their summertime swan song. I can hear the Centerville High School Marching Band from my back patio as they practice new half-time routines. Teachers are dusting off their lesson plans and students will be preparing their backpacks with freshly sharpened pencils.
As we eek out the last few days of summertime fun, I was thrilled to learn my granddaughters were planning to host a lemonade stand. There’s nothing better than seeing kids sitting in lawn chairs behind a folding table on the side of the road. Hand crafted signs on poster boards invite one and all to stop by for a refreshing glass of cold lemonade. I think the going rate for each glass is somewhere around 50 cents. I mean, who doesn’t want to partake in such an iconic summer tradition? I remember when my kids hosted a lemonade stand at the end of our driveway in a cul-de-sac. Not much traffic. If not for the next door neighbors and grandparents who stopped by because of the “heads up,” the quest for entrepreneur success would have been a total bust. Lesson learned.
Preparing to host a lemonade stand requires a plan. That’s pretty great for budding entrepreneurs ages eight and 10. I’m certain there was some parental help in baking cookies, carrying supplies from the garage, and unfolding the table. However, the personal and business transactions were all owned by the girls. Their poise in greeting people, pouring the lemonade and asking whether they preferred chocolate chip or snickerdoodle were all building blocks to figuring out bigger life. This was a great opportunity to feel good about themselves while making a few dollars earmarked for some updated bedroom decor. The warmth and support of those who stopped boosted confidence even more. Even those passersby who had no cash on hand were so supportive of the girls’ initiative wishing them all good luck.
It was a beautiful day with lots of people out for a stroll. It was heartwarming to see so many stop to acknowledge the small business endeavor. Many passed by in their cars, noticed the lemonade fanfare sign swaying in the gentle breeze and pulled over to partake in the fun. It was also fun to see my granddaughters in full business mode; learning the art of how to combine sales with genuine expressions of gratitude and direct eye contact.
The highlight of their lemonade stand experience was when a police car pulled to the side of the road. Two Washington Twp. Sheriff Dept. deputies got out of their car and approached the stand. Not only did they support the effort by purchasing lemonade and cookies, they lingered in conversation with the girls and their parents, chatting away about this and that. They even shared their business card with the girls instructing them if they ever need any help from the sheriff department to just give them a call. I couldn’t help but think of the layers of goodness that came from the spontaneity and willingness to bring their uniformed presence in support of a neighborhood lemonade stand. My granddaughters will never forget.
All in all, the afternoon was a complete success. The lemonade pitchers are washed and put away until next summer. Within a few days, my granddaughters will pivot to homework schedules and soccer practices. I think they will be in the glow of lemonade for at least a little while. I hope they’ll never forget the goodness that comes from the corner where lemonade and community meet.