Three Olds children, along with two kids from Banff, raised just over $200 for Fort McMurray evacuees via a lemonade stand.
Ellie Johnstone, 11, along with sister Adelaine, 9, and brother Ethan, 7, plus two kids from Banff who were visiting at a neighbouring house, manned the lemonade stand on 57 Avenue in Olds a few weeks ago from about 10 a.m. to about 4:30 p.m.
Ellie says they got the idea because they were “bored.”
“We were out back in the neighbour's yard and we were colouring, but then we ran out of paper and we were bored. And then we thought, ‘rose petals' and decided to make really weird perfume,” she says.
“Then we realized we wouldn't make that much money on it. We didn't make any money off of that. So we decided to have a stand or something.”
The kids also tried selling candy, but only one person bought some.
In total, they raised $200.30.
Adelaine says it was an easy decision to direct the money to help out Fort McMurray evacuees.
“Well, we kind of felt bad for them and a few people that we know have friends there and cousins and stuff, and so we just wanted to help them out,” she says.
The Johnstone kids' parents – Troy and Naomi – were amazed and impressed with the kids' entrepreneurial spirit.
“We didn't know anything about it until we started noticing the kids going by, carrying a little table and chairs,” Troy says. “We finally asked them, ‘what are you guys doing?' They told us they were going to sell some stuff for Fort McMurray.”
“Naomi and I were doing yardwork that day and we would see cars drive by, stop, turn around, and drive back; people hop out and talk for a bit,” he adds. “It was a nice surprise.”
“They would go up and down,” Naomi says. “They had signs; they coloured on the sidewalk and made signs on the sidewalk. They waved their arms at trucks and cars going by and that sort of thing too. They'd go up and down the sidewalk on their scooters, trying to attract attention (to their stand).”
Naomi helped the kids out by putting the sale on Facebook. A friend in B.C. saw it and donated $50 to the cause.
“I think that's where most of our money came from,” Ellie says.
However, one couple also gave them $20.
“The lady said that she was quite moved to see the kids (doing that),” Naomi says. “I think everyone in the province in general, but the kids specifically – feel a need to help Fort McMurray.”
"Naomi and I were doing yardwork that day and we would see cars drive by, stop, turn around, and drive back; people hop out and talk for a bit. It was a nice surprise."TROY JOHNSTONPARENT
