Oil City girls sell lemonade and baked good to support troops overseas
When Sandra Bartlett's daughter Sammie said she wanted to do something to help others, the mother of the nine-year old beamed with pride. Having a lemonade stand during the planned family yard sale in Oil City seemed like the perfect way to facilitate her youngsters philanthropy.
After several discussions and remembering her Papa Richard Palm had been a Navy Vet, and her friend's father was also in the military, Sammie decided she wanted to raise money to send packages to the troops.
She enlisted the help of some friends and with her mom's assistance started to get the word out about the effort.
On Thursday, despite the horrible forecast calling for possible tornadoes, Sammie and her friends Katie Luxbacher, Lilly and Corabel Shiley, and her little sister Suzie, peddled their fresh-squeezed lemonade and sweet treats. They raised more than $700 in donations that day. Friday they brought the total up over $1,500 and filled the yard with youthful energy and cartwheels in between customers.
"We couldn't appreciate the community more," Sandra said in spite of being tired from all the lemon squeezing and baking in the hot weather. "I am so proud of these girls."
After several discussions and remembering her Papa Richard Palm had been a Navy Vet, and her friend's father was also in the military, Sammie decided she wanted to raise money to send packages to the troops.
She enlisted the help of some friends and with her mom's assistance started to get the word out about the effort.
On Thursday, despite the horrible forecast calling for possible tornadoes, Sammie and her friends Katie Luxbacher, Lilly and Corabel Shiley, and her little sister Suzie, peddled their fresh-squeezed lemonade and sweet treats. They raised more than $700 in donations that day. Friday they brought the total up over $1,500 and filled the yard with youthful energy and cartwheels in between customers.
"We couldn't appreciate the community more," Sandra said in spite of being tired from all the lemon squeezing and baking in the hot weather. "I am so proud of these girls."
Customer Susie Armstrong agrees. She thought a lemonade seemed like "the perfect thing to do on a hot day." She showed up a little after noon on Friday and told the girls she had been driving all over Oil City looking for the lemonade stand. She was determined to find it after reading about it in the paper. "I saw their picture in The News-Herald and thought, now that is a good cause," the Hendersonville resident said. She knew it was a 27-mile drive but wanted to meet the kids and thank them for what they were doing. "I'm proud of you girls," she said. "This was so unique that these young girls thought of this. It was well worth the trip."
Sandra was amazed by Armstrong's long trip. She made sure to thank her again by yelling up the block as Armstrong was leaving.
Sandra was amazed by Armstrong's long trip. She made sure to thank her again by yelling up the block as Armstrong was leaving.
The girls will be at it again Saturday morning bright and early at 8 a.m. They will tend to the stand until 3 p.m. as the family yard sale continues in the back of the house.
The money raised will be put towards care packages for a military unit recently deployed to Kuwait. The group serendipitously learned of the unit when one of the kid's family went out to eat in Hermitage. Talking with their waitress, they learned her boyfriend had just been deployed to Kuwait. The coincidence of hearing this story at the same times the girls were planning their lemonade stand seemed to be a perfect sign, Sandra said.
They are planning to reach out to local groups that routinely ship boxes to troops for details on what they should pack to be sure they fill them with the right items. But they will have a couple grand to put toward this effort thanks to the lemonade sales and the community response.
Sandra said anyone who wants to come by Saturday can get some lemonade and entertainment from the girls. They will even gladly sign their autograph for those who ask.
Sandra also said people who cannot visit the stand in person can send donations to the house - 309 Cowell Ave, Oil City Pa. 16301.
UPDATE: They raised $2,043.73 in their three day effort. Sandra says she believes more is coming from other donations from people who couldn't make it.
The money raised will be put towards care packages for a military unit recently deployed to Kuwait. The group serendipitously learned of the unit when one of the kid's family went out to eat in Hermitage. Talking with their waitress, they learned her boyfriend had just been deployed to Kuwait. The coincidence of hearing this story at the same times the girls were planning their lemonade stand seemed to be a perfect sign, Sandra said.
They are planning to reach out to local groups that routinely ship boxes to troops for details on what they should pack to be sure they fill them with the right items. But they will have a couple grand to put toward this effort thanks to the lemonade sales and the community response.
Sandra said anyone who wants to come by Saturday can get some lemonade and entertainment from the girls. They will even gladly sign their autograph for those who ask.
Sandra also said people who cannot visit the stand in person can send donations to the house - 309 Cowell Ave, Oil City Pa. 16301.
UPDATE: They raised $2,043.73 in their three day effort. Sandra says she believes more is coming from other donations from people who couldn't make it.
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