I’ve visited three lemonade stands this summer. The first was at a house on a corner of our block. I pass that way when walking home if I take the bus, so I stopped one day and bought a cup from the two young boys to drink the rest of the walk home. Of course, I paid them more than they were asking (as I always do) because I want to encourage young entrepreneurship any chance I get.
The second was on one of my walks with the dog just a few blocks from our house. Two young girls were staying with their grandma who helped them set up a table on the sidewalk and even had the bonus of fresh-baked cookies available. It was the weekend of the annual Crusade for Children and all the proceeds were going to the Crusade. Score one for Grandma for teaching her granddaughters to give back to the community.
The third one was today. The children of some dear friends were raising money to support the drilling of wells in different areas of Africa so people can have clean water. This is a quality family I dearly love and we don’t get to see each other near often enough. They live in another part of town, but it was my pleasure to pay them a visit and chat for a while, enjoy the cold lemonade and make a donation to the cause.
When my children were too young to drive, I thought it would be good to give them a taste of entrepreneurship, so I bought several large gumball machines and they helped place them in businesses, keep them stocked, gather and count the money and pay the business owners their percentage. I hope some lessons from that experience stuck with each of my sons.
Whether the cause is young entrepreneurship or giving back to the community or world, I suggest you stop at lemonade stands. Encourage young hearts and minds. Give more than is expected. Your example may shape their future and that of others they impact.
Leap year lesson #202 is Stop at lemonade stands and be generous.
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