Norwood 5-Year-Old Runs Lemonade Stand To Raise Money For Police

NORWOOD, MA — After seeing a news report on the recent police officers who were shot while on the job, 5-year-old Seamus O'Neil decided he wanted to do something.

With help from his mom Colleen McCready, the young Norwood resident set up a lemonade stand last week to raise money for police officers. He raised $90.25 by selling 50 cent drinks and dog treats for a quarter.

McCready told Patch that the news report was the first time her son became aware of the recent shootings, leading to a talk between the two.

"I had to say there are mommies and daddies who put their lives on the line to keep your safe," McCready said.

The stand also brought out several members of the Norwood Police Department, who also showed O'Neil around one of their new cruisers and taught him a fact or two about the vehicle after the boy dropped off his donation with them.

"The police were just really building him up, saying what a great job he was doing. Where there is so much negativity around police they were really happy to have a positive thing to go to," McCready said. "They were just so wonderful to him, and they were so nice."

The donation was made to the Norwood Association, which will use the funds to assist the families of Weymouth Sgt. Michael Chesna and Yarmouth K-9 Officer Sean Gannon.

McCready credited her son's taekwondo training at US Taekwondo in Norwood for teaching him discipline, focus, concentration, and positive thinking, which lead him to undertake his small donation stand.

O'Neil is planning a second lemonade stand fundraiser on School Street near Railroad Avenue this Saturday starting at 11:30 a.m. rain or shine The fundraiser will be moved to Sunday in the event of thunder and lightning.

Images taken by Colleen McCready.