Area children make money at Lemonade Day

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press

All over Copperas Cove, along major roadways and along residential streets, new small businesses popped up over the weekend as children participated in Lemonade Day.

Usually held the first Sunday in May, the venture has expanded to Saturday for an option for young entrepreneurs as well, who all plan to “spend a little, give a little, save a little,” according to the Lemonade Day motto.

Area participants in Lemonade Day posted their stands’ locations on an interactive map at the Lemonade Day website.

Preparation for some of the kids began months ago, with Lemonade University, where they and their families learned about making a business plan, marketing, and more. Area businesses like Heights Lumber in Harker Heights provided the opportunity for children to build tip boxes and also a chance to win their own stand.

Sisters Julianna Broughton and Lilianna Binsfeld set up their business, Julz’ and Lilz’ Galactic Lemonade, on Saturday and Sunday outside Grill Daddy’s restaurant on Avenue D. This is their fourth year participating, said their grandmother, Chris Binsfeld.

This year, the girls plan to use some of this year’s revenue to fix up the ATVs which they purchased last year with the help of their Lemonade Day earnings.

On their menu were lemonade slushies, made with the help of a slush maker. The sisters took turns crushing the ice, then adding their own lemonade recipe topped with “shooting stars” – poprock candy.

Their cause this year is Operation Stand Down Central Texas.

“We chose them because they help homeless veterans and we want to help,” said Lilianna.

In addition to the lemonade, the sisters also sold nacho chips with chili and cheese, as well as all-beef hotdogs with toppings.

Like the sisters, other children offered more than lemonade at their stands. Some, like Kayla West and Kaydence Roberts, also had bobbing for lemons. Successful participants could win prizes if they dunked their heads in the water and came up with a lemon.

West and Roberts had separate lemonade stands on Saturday, but on Sunday teamed up at Preferred Plaza, home of the Leader-Press offices, on East Business 190. West is raising funds for Santa’s Workshop on Fort Hood, which helps provide gifts for children of military families, and Roberts raised funds for the Copperas Cove Animal Shelter. West added that she is also paying her sister, Ella, $5 for her help, so Ella can purchase a toy.

Fiddler’s Lemonade, run by seven-year-old Hayley Sawyer, was set up at AutoZone, where Sawyer played the violin for her customers. Sawyer, like Roberts, is donating a portion of her sales to the Copperas Cove Animal Shelter. She has been playing the violin for two years and is also saving some of her earnings to pay for violin training at the Greater Austin Suzuki Association’s Summer Institute.

Sawyer’s stand also displayed a trophy, with Sawyer’s berry-infused lemonade winning the prize of Most Unique Lemonade in the tasting contest recently held in Harker Heights for all Killeen-Fort Hood Area Lemonade Day participants. Along with the award, Sawyer won a $50 H-E-B gift card.

In total, there were about 23 stands operating over the weekend in Copperas Cove, and more than 50 stands in Killeen and Harker Heights.