Local 8-year-old Chandler Templeton and 7-year-old Kennedy Strehl knew they wanted to help their community, but they never imagined they’d end up raising $2,800 in just a few days.
Templeton and Strehl, who are next door neighbors and students at Meadow Lands Elementary School, set up a lemonade stand in their driveway and made cardboard signs asking for donations that would benefit a local homeless shelter and as well as their own school — where some families might have trouble providing Christmas.
Chandler’s mother Blake said she and Kennedy’s mother “are moms working from home trying to do the best we can. When the kids got this idea to get cardboard signs and wanted to sell lemonade, we had no idea what it would lead to.”
Within the first hour, they raised $108. The next day, two more neighbors — Sophia Robertson, 9, and Aven Mulligan, — joined in on the cause.
Usually the Templeton’s sponsor an “angel family” at MLES, but they were unable to do so this year because of COVID-19. The girls realized that if they raised enough money, they could give it to MLES and the homeless.
“By Monday, we were at $2,600 or $2,700 dollars,” Blake Templeton said. “I think people are wanting something to give to this year. This year has been so terrible.”
Recently, the girls presented a check to Harry Pedigo at the St. Benedict’s Women and Families day shelter, as well as MLES Prinicpal Kevin Lowe.
“That shelter doesn’t get as much attention as (St. Benedict’s) men’s shelter. They took a hit and had to close it at noon because of COVID,” Templeton said. “We knew we should give half of the money to them to help with operation costs. People walk the streets until they can find a bed at night.”
Templeton said the kids are also excited. They stood outside four to five hours each day despite the cold and wind.
“My heart just melted and was so moved by their spirit and love for others,” Lowe said. “I also knew that I had to get over there and cheer on their efforts. … I love their can-do attitude and their spirit of generosity that is not only instilled by their own families but also each day by their teachers.”
Future plans include making this fundraiser an annual tradition, with the goal to make it bigger each year. After Lowe shared a few stories about the needs at MLES, Templeton said it and opened their eyes to the need locally.
“They didn’t realize how great the need was,” she said. “Each year, we’d like to keep shooting for the moon. It gives me goosebumps. Our dream in this house is to maybe one day help run something like that.”
