thedrifter
07-29-07, 08:14 AM
Posted on Sun, Jul. 29, 2007
Lemonade brings funds for Freedom
By WENDY DAHLE
Special to the Herald
Charles Zimmerman drop- ped dollars into the cups of several Freedom Elementary students Saturday for a cup of lemonade as he was leaving the Publix on State Road 64 and Lakewood Ranch Boulevard.
It was money spent for a good cause, he said. The students were selling lemonade to help raise money for the Let Freedom Ring memorial courtyard for their school.
"I think it's great they're doing this," Zimmerman said. "I think it's great to have something to honor our military. It will raise awareness for the kids and be a connection to our past."
The lemonade stand was the brainchild of 9-year-old Danielle Rusnak and 8-year-old Logan Cagle, who wanted to help raise the $17,000 needed to build the memorial courtyard. Work on the project is scheduled to start in September with a ribbon-cutting planned for Nov. 12.
"All the kids have a heart for it and are working hard for it," said Danielle.
The students chose to sell lemonade because selling other things was "not as healthy," said Logan, a third-grader at Freedom.
"We sell lemonade at garage sales all the time," said Logan.
The courtyard was conceived by Freedom Elementary fifth-grade teacher Jeff Wilson about six months ago, said Sharri Cagle, chairwoman for the project. Wilson wanted to have something in the front of the school that honored servicemen and women, police, firefighters and emergency workers and at the same time teach students about history and patriotism, she said.
"It's for the people that fought in wars, to say, 'Thank you,' " said Nicholas Pastujov, 9, who was busy selling lemonade to patrons leaving the store.
Let Freedom Ring will be a place students can enjoy and honor America and all of the branches of the military, Cagle said. Memory bricks will line the walkway, and seven park benches will be available for sitting. Memory bricks are on sale for $50, she said.
It will have a brass bell dedicated to those who have died, and display flags from each military branch, plus flags honoring former prisoners of war and first res- ponders, said Cagle. The children plan to design a first responder's flag once back in school, she added.
Several businesses have already donated supplies and services, and through sponsorships, the committee already has raised almost half of the funds needed for the project, said Cagle.
"It's a great cause," said Greg Rusnak, Danielle's father, who donated the lemonade, ice and cooler for the sale. "It honors our troops, particularly at times like these with the war and wars past."
The students opened their first lemonade stand a week ago at the store, and the total of their two-week earnings will pay for a patriotic mural to be located behind the flags, said Cagle. The mural will resemble a scene from Lynne Cheney's book, "America: A Patriotic Primer," similar to Joe Rosenthal's famous photo of U.S. Marines raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima, she said.
The children netted $682 in their first attempt at selling lemonade, just $180 shy of what they needed for the mural, said Cagle. Saturday they were doing their best to sell the more than 200 gallons of lemonade they had prepared to reach their goal.
Almost everyone leaving the store threw change and dollars into their little red, white and blue cups. Cagle said it is a great project because it involves the community, parents, teachers and the children.
"Everybody wants to show their patriotism," she said. "The excitement is contagious. It's going to be awesome."
How to help
For more information about Freedom Elementary School's "Let Freedom Ring," memorial courtyard, to sponsor a part of the courtyard or purchase a memory brick, contact Sharri Cagle at 749-0786 or 685-5502, or e-mail her at scagle@tvbinc.com.
Ellie
Lemonade brings funds for Freedom
By WENDY DAHLE
Special to the Herald
Charles Zimmerman drop- ped dollars into the cups of several Freedom Elementary students Saturday for a cup of lemonade as he was leaving the Publix on State Road 64 and Lakewood Ranch Boulevard.
It was money spent for a good cause, he said. The students were selling lemonade to help raise money for the Let Freedom Ring memorial courtyard for their school.
"I think it's great they're doing this," Zimmerman said. "I think it's great to have something to honor our military. It will raise awareness for the kids and be a connection to our past."
The lemonade stand was the brainchild of 9-year-old Danielle Rusnak and 8-year-old Logan Cagle, who wanted to help raise the $17,000 needed to build the memorial courtyard. Work on the project is scheduled to start in September with a ribbon-cutting planned for Nov. 12.
"All the kids have a heart for it and are working hard for it," said Danielle.
The students chose to sell lemonade because selling other things was "not as healthy," said Logan, a third-grader at Freedom.
"We sell lemonade at garage sales all the time," said Logan.
The courtyard was conceived by Freedom Elementary fifth-grade teacher Jeff Wilson about six months ago, said Sharri Cagle, chairwoman for the project. Wilson wanted to have something in the front of the school that honored servicemen and women, police, firefighters and emergency workers and at the same time teach students about history and patriotism, she said.
"It's for the people that fought in wars, to say, 'Thank you,' " said Nicholas Pastujov, 9, who was busy selling lemonade to patrons leaving the store.
Let Freedom Ring will be a place students can enjoy and honor America and all of the branches of the military, Cagle said. Memory bricks will line the walkway, and seven park benches will be available for sitting. Memory bricks are on sale for $50, she said.
It will have a brass bell dedicated to those who have died, and display flags from each military branch, plus flags honoring former prisoners of war and first res- ponders, said Cagle. The children plan to design a first responder's flag once back in school, she added.
Several businesses have already donated supplies and services, and through sponsorships, the committee already has raised almost half of the funds needed for the project, said Cagle.
"It's a great cause," said Greg Rusnak, Danielle's father, who donated the lemonade, ice and cooler for the sale. "It honors our troops, particularly at times like these with the war and wars past."
The students opened their first lemonade stand a week ago at the store, and the total of their two-week earnings will pay for a patriotic mural to be located behind the flags, said Cagle. The mural will resemble a scene from Lynne Cheney's book, "America: A Patriotic Primer," similar to Joe Rosenthal's famous photo of U.S. Marines raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima, she said.
The children netted $682 in their first attempt at selling lemonade, just $180 shy of what they needed for the mural, said Cagle. Saturday they were doing their best to sell the more than 200 gallons of lemonade they had prepared to reach their goal.
Almost everyone leaving the store threw change and dollars into their little red, white and blue cups. Cagle said it is a great project because it involves the community, parents, teachers and the children.
"Everybody wants to show their patriotism," she said. "The excitement is contagious. It's going to be awesome."
How to help
For more information about Freedom Elementary School's "Let Freedom Ring," memorial courtyard, to sponsor a part of the courtyard or purchase a memory brick, contact Sharri Cagle at 749-0786 or 685-5502, or e-mail her at scagle@tvbinc.com.
Ellie