Community Corner
Turning Lemonade into Wishes
Willie Fraser, 10, raised $630.08 selling lemonade, money he will give to Make-A-Wish Foundation.
NASHUA, NH - Ten-year-old Willie Fraser and his dad have spent one random day each July for the past four years making wishes come true.
Together they set up a lemonade stand that Willie's dad made for him. They tie some balloons, set up some chairs, fill a cooler with ice and lemonade, and then, they wait for the magic to happen.
With little fanfare and no formal advertising – except for word of mouth – last year, Willie raised $147 at his stand.
This year – probably thanks in large part to the scorching heat – people were extra thirsty.
"The grand total today was $630.08," said Willie's mom, Susan Fraser, explaining that a car with Texas license plates stopped and scraped together what change they could find in the car for some lemonade, accounting for the eight cents.
Running a lemonade stand for charity is not a new idea. But for Willie and his dad, it's become a ritual of summer. Willie's dad, Wilfred, has for years owned and operated The Gas Connection in Nashua on Airport Road, until recently.
"We sold the business a few weeks ago," said Susan Fraser.
Willie appears to have inherited the family business savvy. He ticks off every sale on a chart taped inside the stand. He greets each customer with a smile, asking if they'd prefer pink or yellow lemonade – or a mix, his specialty. He also informs them that each cup is $1, and that refills are free.
"Would you like a lemon slice with that?" he asks, using tongs to drop a citrus chunk into each drink.
He then hands out a paper Make-A-Wish star for them to write their name on, and then he staples it to the outside of the stand.
"Let's see, it's 12:30 and this is customer – five, ten, twenty, thirty-three," says Willie, referring to his chart. "It's going great!"
Together they set up a lemonade stand that Willie's dad made for him. They tie some balloons, set up some chairs, fill a cooler with ice and lemonade, and then, they wait for the magic to happen.
With little fanfare and no formal advertising – except for word of mouth – last year, Willie raised $147 at his stand.
This year – probably thanks in large part to the scorching heat – people were extra thirsty.
"The grand total today was $630.08," said Willie's mom, Susan Fraser, explaining that a car with Texas license plates stopped and scraped together what change they could find in the car for some lemonade, accounting for the eight cents.
Running a lemonade stand for charity is not a new idea. But for Willie and his dad, it's become a ritual of summer. Willie's dad, Wilfred, has for years owned and operated The Gas Connection in Nashua on Airport Road, until recently.
"We sold the business a few weeks ago," said Susan Fraser.
Willie appears to have inherited the family business savvy. He ticks off every sale on a chart taped inside the stand. He greets each customer with a smile, asking if they'd prefer pink or yellow lemonade – or a mix, his specialty. He also informs them that each cup is $1, and that refills are free.
"Would you like a lemon slice with that?" he asks, using tongs to drop a citrus chunk into each drink.
He then hands out a paper Make-A-Wish star for them to write their name on, and then he staples it to the outside of the stand.
"Let's see, it's 12:30 and this is customer – five, ten, twenty, thirty-three," says Willie, referring to his chart. "It's going great!"
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