Commissioners Celebrate First Annual Franklin County Youth Lemonade Day

Hundreds of Franklin County young people will be setting up lemonade stands throughout the county today as part of the first annual Franklin County Youth Lemonade Day.

The project is a free entrepreneurial education initiative of the Franklin County Commissioners for children aged 5-18, and part of National Lemonade Day, a movement to get kids across the country to set up lemonade stands on the same day, and to learn some of the skills required to operate a small business.

“A lot of us have fond childhood memories of a summer lemonade stand,” said Franklin County Commission President Marilyn Brown. “It’s something I did when I was young, and it’s a great way for kids to learn about responsibility, meet some neighbors, and have some fun while making a little money.”

Participating young people have attended one of several workshops around the county over the past month to learn about entrepreneurship and a bit about building a lemonade stand, and have received a Lemonade Day backpack with educational materials about leadership, responsibility, and running a small business.

“We are so proud of the electrifying response to the first ever Lemonade Day in Franklin County,” Commissioner Brooks said. “Over 800 children were shown both the joys and responsibilities of owning your own business. Great partners like Commerce Bank, Home Depot, Neighborhood House and especially Curt Caffey and the National C.E.O. Leadership Institute and ECDI, worked closely with our Franklin County Economic Development team to assure we maximized this outreach. I look forward to doubling the number of children next year who will learn about the good jobs our free enterprise system can hold for their future.”

The Franklin County Commissioners are sponsoring the Lemonade Day program through a grant to the National C.E.O. Leadership Institute, which conducted the workshops, provided curriculum, and is monitoring the events. Workshop topics included Developing a Business Plan, Securing Investors, and Giving Back to the Community, and there will be prizes awarded for the most successful, creative, and hardworking lemonade stand executives.

“Franklin County Lemonade Day is building community and fostering an interest in entrepreneurship in youth all over the county,” said Commissioner John O’Grady. “These are the small business owners and C.E.O.s of the future, and the lessons they learn today will stand them in good stead throughout their careers as businesspeople.”