It evolved from a sidewalk lemonade stand to selling hot dogs and then to gift birthday bags – quite a summer project for a quartet of Menomonie youngsters.
These enterprising cousins started by hosting a fundraiser on National Hot Dog Day (July 17). In addition to setting up a stand to sell hot dogs, they also offered passersby lemonade and homemade chocolate chip cookies in exchange for freewill donations.
With the proceeds from the sale of 32 hot dogs and the donations they received, Gavin, Landon and Madeline Mittlestadt and their cousin Olivia Peterson purchased the ingredients to create 32 colorful birthday bags. Those ingredients — cake mix, frosting, candles, banner and card — became birthday gifts for the children of Stepping Stones’ food pantry patrons.
The Mittelstadt kids spend every Wednesday in the summer with their Aunt Casey (Olivia’s mom). She encouraged them to pick a summer project from Mayo Clinic’s list of suggested activities that would reduce young people’s screen time on devices like cell phones and tablets.
“What started out as a lemonade stand quickly morphed into a hot dog stand,” Casey said.
She noted that after the event, the whole crew had a great time matching each cake mix with just the right flavor of frosting as they assembled the special bags.
Those bags have now arrived at Stepping Stones, 1602 Stout Rd. They will be distributed to children of the organization’s food pantry clients before each child’s birthday.
Jill Seichter, Stepping Stones’ Community Connections Program Coordinator, said she thinks “more parents really do want to get their kids off of screen time and into doing something more for their community.
“This is going to be such an inspirational message to those other families,” she said.
Note: The submitted photo on the home page shows (left to right) Gavin, Landon and Madeline Mittlestadt and their cousin Olivia Peterson, with the birthday bags.
This story is based on material provided by Barbara Lyon, the Development and Communications Specialist at Stepping Stones of Dunn County (http://www.steppingstonesdc.org/). The organization’s food pantry, shelter and community connections programs aim to prevent hunger, homelessness and isolation throughout Dunn County.