ToquiNotes: Girls' Lemonade Sale is Sweet for Right Cause; Raises $1,000-Plus for Inclusive Playground
By Jeff Toquinto on August 12, 2023 from ToquiNotes
Children are inherently good. And if they are brought up right, that goodness will shine.
Nostalgia is something that makes you feel good. And if you were brought up right, nostalgia will make you smile from your soul outward.
Children being nostalgic is something that is an oxymoron. However, combining an adult’s fond memories of the past with the wholesome goodness of kids has the potential to create something special, or in this case, something wonderful.
That happened here in Bridgeport a little more than a week ago – on Thursday August 3. Narrowing it down further, it happened between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Brightridge Drive.
It was on that day, time period, and street that youthful goodness and nostalgia came together at “The LemonA*s Stand.” For those wondering, that is a creative take on “Lemonade Stand.”
The LemonA*s are for Annabel, Audrey, and Alex Francis – ages 9, 7, and 5, respectively, and all to be students this year at Johnson Elementary School. The nostalgia comes from a 1982 Bridgeport High School graduate, who just happened to be Miss BHS that year, in Stephanie Steele.
Steele, who now lives in northern Virginia, comes in regularly to help take care of her parents. They live across the road from the mother of those three just mentioned, Hannah Francis. Needless to say, Stephanie Steele has taken a liking to the trio and vice versa.
“When we were little growing up on Long Street, my brothers Tom and Chuck and I used to do the (Muscular Dystrophy Association) carnival with the kids in the neighborhood and donate the money. That stuck with me, and I kept telling the girls every time when I would come in, we were going to do something,” said Stephanie Steele. “Eventually, it led to the lemonade idea.”
Of course, the idea turned out to be more than a lemonade sale. But the mother of those youngsters – Hannah Francis – already had experience in the matter in the not-so-distant past.
“We did a lemonade stand a couple of years ago for the citywide yard sale, and the kids loved it,” said Hannah. “I think the kids made about $50 and kept it so having a lemonade stand got brought up a few times. This time they brough the idea to me and it is wonderful. So, it was a go.”
The idea? The proceeds would not go into the pockets of the children. Rather, all funds raised would go to the soon-to-be-built Medbrook 
Children’s Charity All-Inclusive Playground at The Bridge Sports and Recreation Complex.
Children’s Charity All-Inclusive Playground at The Bridge Sports and Recreation Complex.
“They wanted to pick a cause and that was the one that just stood out. I remember Stephanie and I, as we planned this, saw that in order to get recognized for contributing that you had to donate at least $1,000,” said Hannah. “We figured if we could get a few hundred dollars it would be great and it would be worth it.”
The girls were all in. So was mom. So was their visiting former neighbor from Virginia who is an admitted “go big or go home” person. So was Stephanie’s family.
“Chuck (Steele’s) daughter Rachel made a flyer, and had it printed out and I think they gave one to every single house in the neighborhood,” said Hannah.
The girls went out with baskets spraypainted yellow and filled with flyers. In short order, the baskets began to empty as they ran from mailbox to mailbox. On top of that, both Hannah and Stephanie posted the flyer on social media to let people know what was taking place and what it was for.
“Hannah and I were both thinking a few hundred dollars would be great. I was hoping for $300,” she said. “Then, the event came and the line on Brightridge was incredible. We were the Chic-fil-A of lemonade stands.”
If the line wasn’t reassuring that some dollars were coming in, then the pre-sales even without a product had to be.
“We made $50 or $60 before it even started … my mom’s best friend in Morgantown even donate $150,” said Hannah. “There were more than 50 people that came through in those two hours and they were averaging about a $20 donation for the lemonade. I kept thinking about that $1,000-mark and that it might just happen.”
When 4 p.m. came, the numbers were totaled. The result? The LemonA*s Stand made $1,326.
“The girls were so happy. They couldn’t believe it. It was more than triple the highest I thought we could get. There were neighbors, so many from our Simpson Baptist Creek Church, and just a lot of people who saw it on Facebook and came,” said Hannah. “It was like a two-hour block party.”
The party paid off. Now, thanks to the efforts of three little girls, a special place for children with special needs is going to get a financial boost to make it reality. The entire scenario makes Hannah Francis, and husband and father Dave, proud.
“As parents, the only thing you hope for is that your kids are kind and want to give back. This isn’t the only thing they’re involved with because they love doing Operation Shoe Box where they fill boxes for children in need at Christmas,” Hannah said. “They truly already have a heart for it, and to see them willingly want to give that money to that playground in our hard world today, is something that makes us proud. We hope this will make them want to continue to give back.”
In the weeks ahead, Hannah said she hopes the girls will be able to present the money to the city, perhaps at a Bridgeport City Council meeting. Something, I suspect, tells me the response to the question will be as sweet as lemonade.
Editor's Note: Top photo shows Alex, Annabel and Alex Francis, while the next two photos shows some of the crowd that arrived that day to help make the lemonade sale a huge success.
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