Cheshire Twins' Lemonade Stand Inspires Cancer Charity
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Four-year-old twins Eva and Emma Msibi lemonade stand has taken off as fundraising vehicle to help families dealing with cancer. Less than a week after setting up their lemonade stand, the project's come to include a wish bracelet, too. |
CHESHIRE, Mass. — Not long ago there was a commercial about a little girl who grew her lemonade stand into an industry giant with the help of a certain phone.
Emma and Eva Msibi are rapidly growing their stand, too — but with love and plenty of helping hands.
The 4-year-old twins have kickstarted a successful campaign to raise money for local people and their families who are struggling financially because of cancer. And they've done it in barely a week.
"We were planning to have a yard sale over the weekend, so I asked if they would like to have a lemonade stand," said their mom, Kelly Msibi. "I asked them what we should do with the money we raised.
"They both said we should give it to Anthony's dad."
Anthony's dad is 31-year-old Michael Talora of Cheshire who was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic melanoma. The community has rallied around Talora — friends recently raised enough money for the family to go to DisneyWorld — and Eva and Emma wanted to help, too.
Msibi didn't expect much for a last-minute fundraiser.
"I thought they would raise maybe $50," she said. "Instead, we raised $300. The girls and I brought it over to their house."
Eva and Emma's Lemonade Stand's success created another goal: Help more families.
But the girls can't operate the stand every day. And they're set to start preschool at Cheshire Elementary School this week.
So the nascent charity branched out with the help of Msibi's friend Ashley Priester, a crafter and owner of AP Home Decor at the corner of Ashland and Main streets in North Adams.
More than 100 of the "No More Cancer Wish Bracelets," launched just this week, have been sold at $2 a piece.
"People are asking about them, they're coming in off the street looking for them," said Priester on Friday, as she prepared to package 40 or so of the hemp bracelets. Three were ready at around noon; by the end of the day she was sold out.
The bracelets are simple hemp twists with a card that asks you make a wish to end cancer and when the bracelet falls off (it is biodegradeble) someone's cancer will be cured."It lasts longer than you think," said Priester. "The wetter the hemp gets the stronger it gets."
Msibi has been taking orders for the bracelets and Priester, who designed the card, is trying to keep them in stock.
The project has taken off so quickly that Msibi and Priester are racing to keep up. They're talking with Moments House and Pop Cares, local nonprofits that provide support for cancer patients and families, about participating on sales. They're also planning to set up a lemonade stand at some craft fairs this fall. Priester said woodworker Corey McGrath of Corey's Country Creations in Cheshire, who made her store displays, had offered to build a lemonade stand.
Msibi said the girls are excited about the project. On Friday, they opened a bank account for the proceeds that are pouring from the lemonade and bracelet sales.
"One hundred percent is going to help people," said Msibi. "We want to help families who are struggling with cancer to pay their bills."
Tags: benefit, cancer support, fundraiser,
