Kids in Texas have raised thousands for flood victims through lemonade stands
Faima Bakar
Featured Image Credit: NBC
Children are more brave and compassionate than we may give them credit for, and a group of kids in America proved just that in the wake of great tragedy.
The Texas floods, which saw the devastating deaths of 133 people, saw exactly that after one camp, who lost their leader and many campmates, rallied together to raise money for victims of the disaster.
Camp Mystic, in Hunt, Texas, lost a number of its camp members as well as its executive leader Richard Eastland, who died in the July 4th flash flood. Since their lives were tragically lost, many Mystic campers set up lemonade stands to raise the funds.
One set of siblings mobilised their friends in the area and managed to raise more than $20,000 for the victims, meanwhile another set of twins in Fort Worth were able to amass $5,000, selling lemonade and cookies.
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Debra Fishenich, who sent her five daughters to Mystic, said her eldest Natalie convinced her that they had to do something for the flood relief efforts.
“She convinced me that we did need to do something for Camp Mystic," Debra told TODAY, "which has meant so much to our family over the last 4 years."
The mum and daughters squeezed 300 lemons, boiled 20 pounds of sugar into simple syrup, and used berry puree for their strawberry lemonade.
“My floor was so sticky,” says Debra, “but we didn’t care. People told us they drove by several times and had to come back later because it was so busy.
"Paying it forward, that’s something they learn and practice at Mystic, and then bring home. It’s just been such a special part of their lives, and when it was hurting, they knew they had to help.”
Over in Fort Worth, mum Lisa Camp who sent her daughter Corrigan to Mystic while brother Cannon went to the neighbouring all-boys camp, says they knew they had to do something, especially for their leader Richard, who died, and his wife Tweety who also worked at the camp.
"It's just heartbreaking. I mean, as a mother, it's heartbreaking," Lisa told NBC. "We just feel very helpless and are hurting and praying for all those involved."
Corrigan and Cannon, both 9, also set up a lemonade stand and sold cookies to raise money.
"When you first come [to camp], you feel so happy and feel so comfortable and all the sports there, and it's really fun," said Corrigan who attended the camp for the first time.
"They're 'Tweety Cookies' they're like chocolate oatmeal cookies," described Corrigan.
"On the last day, every year, she makes these cookies and we call them 'Tweety Cookies', and whoever wins inspection, so whoever cleans the cabin the best, gets 'Tweety Cookies," she added.