Cove youngster wins stand at Lemonade Day workshop

Special to Leader-Press

Little Mister Five Hills Swayze Gray, 5, and his father, Jonathan Gray, worked together to build his tip box for the lemonade stand that he planned to host on National Lemonade Day Weekend May 1-2. But, the tip box was just the beginning of the project.

“Our family attended the lemonade stand workshop so that we could learn to build a stand because Swayze is so excited to participate in Lemonade Day for the first time this year,” Swayze’s mother, Sara Gray said. “We were a little nervous if we could actually build a nice stand for Swayze. But, then he was chosen as the lucky winner of the stand built and donated by Heights Lumber. We are so thankful and Swayze is over the moon. Now, we can focus on decorating and making great tasting lemonade.”

Swayze Gray and other young entrepreneurs attended the Lemonade Day Stand Building Workshop at Heights Lumber and Supply to learn how to use tools and create their stands. Swayze Gray and his parents plan to decorate the stand in a tropical theme that will be hosted at Nice Cutz on Avenue D.

Junior Miss Five Hills De’Ziyah Gilbert, 8, and her sister, Preteen Miss Five Hills Dorianna Gilbert, 11, will host their stand at Copperas Cove’s Jersey Mike’s Subs.

“I thought it would be very hard to use the tools, but it was very easy when they showed us how to do it. I was able to use what I learned with my own lemonade stand,” Gilbert said. “This was so nice of them to take time out of their busy day to teach us how to build stands. Lastly, we walked away with our own personal money box that we built together.”

Little Miss Five Hills Braelyn Liles, 4, participated in Lemonade Day last year but is able to take a bigger role now that she is older.

“It was so fun to build my own box for tips this year and get to paint it all by myself,” Liles said. “I even got to use a hammer with my mom's help.”

Liles will host her stand at Heights Lumber from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, May 1.

“Watching her get to join in this year and seeing her enthusiasm through it all is like starting over with my older kids,” Braelyn’s mom, Christy Liles said. “I am just loving how she is learning so much and absorbing it all.”

National Lemonade Day Weekend is scheduled May 1-2. Parents can sign up their children to participate in the free event at www.lemonadeday.org.