7-Year-Old Starts Free Lemonade Stand for the Homeless—
Emouree Johnson, 7, spent her Friday after school selling lemonade at a homemade stand not to get a new toy or the latest clothing trend but to help raise money for a headstone for her mother. Read full story below
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Emouree’s mother, Karli Bordner, died unexpectedly in March, according to the family.
Jennifer Bordner, Emouree’s grandmother, said the young girl came up with the idea of raising money on her own.
“Emouree is so special. If a lady over here was hurt, she would take something to help her,” Jennifer Bordner said.
When a social media post spread about Emouree’s cause, members of the community flocked to her stand to help.
Neighbors, firefighters, nurses and deputies stopped by for a cup at $1 each, but many gave a bit extra as a tip for her hard work.
At one point in the afternoon, Johnson received multiple $100 bills from community members.
“I’ve just been amazed. Cried happy tears,” Jennifer Bordner said.
According to the family, Emouree’s fundraising effort helped raise nearly $10,000.
And after hearing the family’s story, monument companies have also stepped forward to donate headstones for Karli Bordner. The money raised can now go toward other expenses the family is handling.
“Like she knows that mommy is OK now. She knows that she’s going to be OK, and everybody cares and loves her,” Jennifer Bordner said. “All these people showing all this and trying to help, it’s actually helping heal the whole family.”
Emouree said her mother would be proud, “Yeah. She would say I’m doing good.”
The family has a GoFundMe account to further help with funeral expenses.
