A lemonade veteran offers tips

We've had some early questions today about Mission Possible's Lemonade Brigade - our invitation to Charlotte kids to raise money for charities that help other kids.

People want to know: What's the best way to set up a lemonade stand? How much should you charge per cup? Does the lemonade have to be squeezed?

Our advice: Keep it fun.

To better explain, we bring you The Cliff's lemonade stand veteran, 6-year-old Finn Rissanen. "It's easy," says Finn, who has operated a stand several days this year in his Southeast Charlotte neighborhood.

Finn has a simple setup: a black table with a plastic cash register, some cups, and a pitcher of Country Time expertly made by his mom, Tammy. Finn's spaniel, KC, keeps him company.

Finn charges 25 cents per cup. (He would charge $1 if he had lemonade in cans, but he's run out.) He notes that the best day to run a stand is Monday, because "the recycle man comes and fills up a gallon." Also, Wednesday is good. "Because it's hot," he says.

If you're thirsty, Finn will be back at it this Wednesday at 5 p.m. - a good time to catch workers on their way home. The stand will be in his front yard at 9109 Kalanchoe Dr in the Sardis Pointe subdivision off Sardis Road, a half-mile north of Hwy 51. (A tip from other veterans: If your neighborhood has a common area, a stand there might snag more traffic.)

If your family would like to have a stand for charity - you pick which agency - we'd love to let readers know where they can find it. If you want to let us know after business is over, we'll report to folks how it went. Email us at localnews@charlotteobserver.com and put "Lemonade Brigade" in the subject header. Don't hesitate to send pictures.

If lemonade isn't your cup of tea, let us know about any other kind of money-raising effort your child is making, and we'll tell folks about that, too.

Finn says his stand's proceeds will go toward the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte. When his dad, John, asked him why, he said that sometimes people are sad and hurt, and he wanted to help them feel better.

And, he says: "I know how to sell lemonade."

Want to help kids? Make some lemonade

We wanted lemonade, and we got something sweeter.

Last week, the Observer asked you to tell us about lemonade stands your children were operating for charity. You sent enough of those to make us very thirsty, but also stories of neighborhood carnivals, bake sales, yard sales – all held by kids, and often for kids’ charities.

Now, the Observer and our media partners at Charlotte Mission Possible have an idea: With children’s agencies and programs among the hardest hit by United Way cuts, let’s invite our area’s kids to raise money for those charities.

We’re calling it the Lemonade Brigade.

Here’s how it works: Tell us about a lemonade stand you’re planning, and we’ll give parched readers a nudge your way by publicizing your stand’s location in the Observer and on CharlotteObserver.com.

When you’re through, send us pictures (or, if you’re ambitious, a YouTube video link), and we’ll publish them, too, along with how much money your children raised and which agency they’ll be giving it to. A few suggestions, if you need one: Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Greater Charlotte, A Child’s Place, Salvation Army’s Boys and Girls Clubs of Charlotte.

Here's a Charlotte Mission Possible logo to attach to your child’s stand.

If a lemonade stand is not your thing, tell us about whatever money-raising effort you might want to try. Perhaps it’s a bake sale/yard sale, which is what 5-year-old AnneLeigh Twer included with her South Charlotte lemonade stand for the Make-A-Wish foundation. Maybe it’s collecting money for birdies, which is what Huntersville’s Garrett Ray decided he’d try. He’s a junior golfer, and he’s signing people up to donate money for each birdie he makes in June and July tournaments, with the money going toward breast cancer research, in honor of a cousin who was diagnosed with the disease last year.

At the St. Onge house in the University area, our 8- and 5-year-old sons will be operating a lemonade stand next week. Nothing fancy – just a table, some cups, and good lessons about giving. They’re being learned across Charlotte each week.

On Saturday, the Montana family – including 10-year-old Katie, 8-year-old Max and 2-year-old Rose – ran a lemonade stand in Myers Park. They raised $25 for Loaves & Fishes, which they visited earlier in the week. That total will buy groceries for 33 meals for families in crisis.

“I think they know they’re very lucky,” said Karen Montana of her three children. “They learned that helping isn’t hard, but that it’s very important.”

We’ll lift a plastic cup to that. Won’t you? It’s a hot, holiday week. People are thirsty. Start squeezing.

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To let us know about an upcoming lemonade stand, email pstonge@charlotteobserver.com or call 704-358-5029.

Your very own Mission Possible logo

News coming soon on a fun way you and your children can help Charlotte's struggling nonprofits.

A hint: We asked you this week to tell us about lemonade stands for charity.

A second hint: Here's a PDF of the Charlotte Mission Possible logo, should you ever decide to raise money, perhaps with a future lemonade stand...