How One 5-Year-Old Raised Over $16k For Maui Fire Victims With Lemonade
Five-year-old Edison Juel likely had no idea what to expect when he opened his "Lemonade For Lahaina” stand in his family's north Seattle neighborhood.
Earlier this month, an enthusiastic Edison approached his parents with the idea to open a lemonade stand to help victims of the fires in Maui. Little did he know that his small idea would bring in thousands of dollars in aid.
While speaking with Seattle's K5 News, Edison's mom, Ami Juel, detailed the moment when her son first expressed interest in opening a lemonade stand. She also shared that her family had a connection to Lahaina, given that they had just visited the town earlier this year.
"We were in Hawaii last week on the Big Island and we heard about the fires in Maui. And we had also been in Lahaina back in January. So we talked a lot about what was happening and the fires. And then on a family walk on Thursday night, he was like, 'Mom, maybe we can do one of the stands,'" Edison's mom revealed.
What started out as a neighborhood lemonade stand quickly began to bring in hundreds of dollars. Even Ami Juel wasn't entirely confident that they'd raise much more than $100.
“I thought maybe we could raise $100 and didn’t know people would be so generous,” she said.
The family also began accepting donations via Venmo, and both parents reached out to their employers about matching donations. Lemonade sales were matched 3:1 from their corporate giving programs. In total, the amount raised by Edison is pleasantly shocking.
"With our matching donations, it becomes $16,500," Ami Juel shared.
We love to see it. Is someone cutting onions in here?
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