TURN LEMONS INTO LEMONADE FOR DEBBY
Donation protected
9-17-2017
Campaign Update #2
"TURN LEMONS TO LEMONADE FOR DEBBY"
Well, the boys got a real taste of how awesome it is to help others in need. They already want to do more!
The total raised during their 1-day campaign will be donated this week to Samaratins Purse (1/3 ) and the Cajun Navy (1/3). (Pics to come!)
They are REALLY excited to give Ms. Debby her 1/3 of what they raised. But...they think they can do more for her!
They've decided to keep their gofundme page active for 2 more weeks and increase their online goal to $2,000! They want to give all $2,000 to help Ms. Debby "make her house a home" again.
They are now on a new mission to sell another 1,720 cups of "virtual" lemonade! With your help they believe they can!
Ms. Debby lives in Dickinson, TX (between Houston and Galveston). Hurricane Harvey dropped 50" of rain at Ms. Debby's house and her town was one of the hardest hit areas. Nearly everything in her single-story home was destroyed.
The personal story of Ms. Debby Kittredge (aka Kris Knapek on Facebook) really touched them.
Ms. Debby lives alone with her dog "Max", struggles with lupus, and needs to replace everything in her home. She does not like to ask for help so when she does she REALLY needs it!
Most people don't even know Ms. Debby needs help because she never complains, counts her blessings, stays positive, and is trying to help other people!
Please consider a donation of any amount to help them help Ms. Debby.
Thanks for joining the boys on their incredible fundraising journey!
==========================
9-17-2017
Campaign Update #1
WHAT AN INCREDIBLE DAY!!!!
Dominic and Cristopher both describe yesterday as "the BEST day of their life!" Between their at-home lemonade stand and their sale of "virtual" cups of lemonade online they...(drumroll)....
SURPASSED THEIR 1 DAY GOAL OF $1,000 AND RAISED $1,105!!!!!!!
In less than 24 hours!!!!
Thanks to these amazing kiddos - Samaratins Purse, the Cajun Navy, and Ms. Debby K. from Dickinson, TX will all receive $368.33!
Believe it or not MANY people (of all ages) told them their goal was too high, not realistic, and to be happy with any amount raised if they don't reach it. They didn't listen to anyone who thought it was impossible because they believed it WAS POSSIBLE! They are BEYOND thrilled and VERY proud of themselves (as they should be).
Thank you to everyone near and far for supporting their cause. It meant A LOT to them. They cannot wait to tell their Principal they passed their goal and have it shared in Monday morning announcements at school!
They ran their lemonade stand non-stop for 6 hours. They were VERY happy 5 other neighborhood friends came over and stayed ALL DAY to help. They all worked their butts off! They all made signs and spread out down the road waving at every car. Cristopher's mom and Dave Murphy, our 56th District Representative did too! This was certainly no ordinary lemonade stand!
Many cars stopped immediately, some drove around the block to come back, families rode their bikes over, neighbors walked over, people saw signs around town and came by, hard-core bicyclists were rejuvenated with ice-cold lemonade, families from their school, baseball, and football teams made special trips here, and Dave Murphy and his brother Jerry made "some calls" and encouraged folks to swing by.
We were all shocked when piping hot pizzas showed up because we didn't order any pizzas! The boy's were wide-eyed and staring...praying the driver had not accidently arrived at the wrong address. They were in dramatic anticipation while the delivery woman checked the ticket. The boys couldn't believe their ears when she said, "this is the right place...phoned in order by a Mr. Tim Elsner." Dominic yelled out, "We just got pizza delivered from Maryland!" They devoured those pizzas in no-time. Frankly, we were surprised they didn't eat the cardboard. ALL of the boys are VERY grateful for Mr. Elsner. He gave them the fuel they needed to push hard and stay energized during those crucial final few hours. Mr. Elsner was also the 1st to donate online by purchasing 30 cups of "virtual" lemonade via gofundme. The boys were truly inspired knowing they had support and encouragement all the way from Maryland. Mr. Elsner way key in pushing these boys over the finish line!
Not only did the boys raise an awesome amount of money for charity, but this experience taught them some of life's most valuable lessons. The impact of these two determined 10-year olds is immeasurable.
A 2 boy lemonade stand turned into a 7 boy campaign. All 600 students at their school know about their mission. Their story was broadcast on WBAY Action 2 News at 6pm, 10:30pm, and featured this morning as the "Make A Difference" story of the week. WLUK Fox 11 broadcast their story last night at 9pm and they will be the "Photo of the Day" featured in the Appleton Post Crescent newspaper. The boys learned priceless life-lessons about selflessness, community, determination, compassion, civic responsibility, and how people at any age can be stellar citizens.
They were a beautiful example of patriotism and how Americans always unite to find ways to care for fellow Americans. That is not only an important concept we must instill in our youth, but also something we must never forget to do ourselves!
The boys are already here brainstorming again. I'll keep you updated on any new developments.
Thanks again to everyone!
==========================
9-16-2017
Original Campaign:
HELP KIDS RAISE MONEY FOR HURRICANE RELIEF!
STOP OVER TODAY 11-5
2012 W. Capitol Dr. Appleton, WI
OR PURCHASE "VIRTUAL" CUPS OF LEMONADE ONLINE HERE!
Dominic Ruzzicone (right) and Cristopher Agaton (left) are two incredible 10 year old boys in Appleton, WI. They are neighbors in the same 5th grade class at Houdini Elementary School and play on the same Fox Valley Pop Warner football team. They've set out on an incredible mission to raise money for hurricane relief and show the world that kids can make a difference!
Dominic and Cristopher have followed Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma on the news. They were in disbelief and shocked by the destruction these storms caused. They wanted to help! Being 10 years old and living all the way in Wisconsin
... they had to use their brains and get creative. Low and behold - they figured out a way! Sell lemonade, of course! But this is no ordinary lemonade stand. Dominic and Cristopher will be selling lemonade today at our house and anyone can purchase "virtual" cups of lemonade right here today!
My name is Missy and I've been helping both boys carrying out their awesome cause! Dominic's dad, John Ruzzicone, and I have been together for 6 years. We assure Dominic and his older brother Anthony are aware of current events and the importance of being responsible citizens. When Dominic our neighbor Cristopher had this incredible idea we were very proud and threw 100% support behind them. As we prepared for today's lemonade stand other kids in our neighborhood started stopping by asking if they could help too! How awesome is that?!!! We will assure all monies raised go directly toward relief efforts they selected to donate proceeds to (explained below). We will update and post photos and videos of their progress and of course, whe. the boys send their donations out.
Today is the BIG day and here's how it works:
They will operate their lemonade stand here in Wisconsin at our home from 11am - 5pm.
ANYONE can purchase "virtual" cups of lemonade right here! As many as you want! They have an unlimited supply of "virtual" cups of lemonade. The cost is $1 per cup and they hope people will buy many "vitrual" cups for all of their family and friends!
Between their lemonade stand sales and their "virtual" lemonade sales they need to sell at least 1,000 cups to reach their goal!
Dominic will be going "live" throughout the day via his YouTube channel to make everyone feel like they're here! He will give updates and is hoping to capture an awesome turnout. He asks everyone to "like" his page and subscribe to follow along and tune into today's event. His YouTube name is "RUZZBO" and his page can be found via this link: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCZcwgY0qQYj5gPkfh2nzD5A
Dominic and Cristopher are shooting BIG with this one-day goal of $1,000!!! They are confident they can do this! Between people in our community coming stopping by their lemonade stand and people and businesses from all over the world purchasing "virtual" cups online
...they are VERY EXCITED to show everyone that kids CAN do amazing things from anywhere to help others in need!
They have done SO much to prepare!
*Asked their Principal to tell their whole school about their mission during yesterday morning's announcements
*Recruited help from our 56th Assembly District Representative, Mr. Dave Murphy
*Used Rep. Murphy's campaign signs and turned them into "Hurricane Relief Lemonade Stand" signs to attract support from our community
*Received donations from Festival Foods (2,000 cups, 78 containers of lemonade mix, and bags of ice)!!!
*Received donations from Ace hardware for items to make their signs
*Recruited family and friends to help by borrowing tables, chairs, canopy's, 5 gallon jugs, cash boxes, etc.
Dominic and Cristopher put a lot of thought into how/who they want to donate the proceeds to. Of course, 100% of the total amount raised at their lemonade stand and online will be donated! They decided to give what they raise to (2) organizations and (1) personal victim of Hurricane Harvey.
The total amount they raise will be divided evenly and donated directly to:
- Samaritans Purse
- Cajun Navy
- Individual victim of Hurricane Harvey (Debby Kittridge)
Debby Kittridge - a woman in the Houston area (Dickinson, TX) who lost nearly everything in her home. Debby and her dog Max returned to their home after mandatory evacuation orders. Unfortunately, she returned home to find that many feet of water had filled her home. Debby's town was one of the hardest hit and got 50" of rain during Hurricane Harvey! 98% of the contents of her home were unsalvagable. Due to bacteria, toxins, sewage, etc. in the floodwaters, nearly everything had to be disposed of. Her home is empty. She is in need of everything (furniture, bed, etc.). Dominic and Cristopher hope their donation will help make things easier since she also suffers from lupus. They want to help her make "her house a home" again.
This cause is not only raising money for hurricane relief, but it is also about supporting Dominic and Cristopher in their mission to help others. It is supporting our youth when they want to do something to help others. It is about proving to Dominic and Cristopher they can achieve anything they set their mind to. It is proving they can accomplish amazing things. It is about them knowing, even at 10 years old, they can set an incredible examples to other Americans. It is about returning to school Monday and having your Principal during morning anmouncents tell the whole school you reached your goal and raised $1,000 for hurricane relief. It is about teaching our youth civic responsibility. It is showing them what Americans do to take care of fellow Americans in need.
Thank you for reading the story of Dominic and Cristopher's mission to raise money for hurricane relief today! Any number of "virtual" cups of lemonade you purchase here is greatly appreciated (in so many ways!)
Campaign Update #2
"TURN LEMONS TO LEMONADE FOR DEBBY"
Well, the boys got a real taste of how awesome it is to help others in need. They already want to do more!
The total raised during their 1-day campaign will be donated this week to Samaratins Purse (1/3 ) and the Cajun Navy (1/3). (Pics to come!)
They are REALLY excited to give Ms. Debby her 1/3 of what they raised. But...they think they can do more for her!
They've decided to keep their gofundme page active for 2 more weeks and increase their online goal to $2,000! They want to give all $2,000 to help Ms. Debby "make her house a home" again.
They are now on a new mission to sell another 1,720 cups of "virtual" lemonade! With your help they believe they can!
Ms. Debby lives in Dickinson, TX (between Houston and Galveston). Hurricane Harvey dropped 50" of rain at Ms. Debby's house and her town was one of the hardest hit areas. Nearly everything in her single-story home was destroyed.
The personal story of Ms. Debby Kittredge (aka Kris Knapek on Facebook) really touched them.
Ms. Debby lives alone with her dog "Max", struggles with lupus, and needs to replace everything in her home. She does not like to ask for help so when she does she REALLY needs it!
Most people don't even know Ms. Debby needs help because she never complains, counts her blessings, stays positive, and is trying to help other people!
Please consider a donation of any amount to help them help Ms. Debby.
Thanks for joining the boys on their incredible fundraising journey!
==========================
9-17-2017
Campaign Update #1
WHAT AN INCREDIBLE DAY!!!!
Dominic and Cristopher both describe yesterday as "the BEST day of their life!" Between their at-home lemonade stand and their sale of "virtual" cups of lemonade online they...(drumroll)....
SURPASSED THEIR 1 DAY GOAL OF $1,000 AND RAISED $1,105!!!!!!!
In less than 24 hours!!!!
Thanks to these amazing kiddos - Samaratins Purse, the Cajun Navy, and Ms. Debby K. from Dickinson, TX will all receive $368.33!
Believe it or not MANY people (of all ages) told them their goal was too high, not realistic, and to be happy with any amount raised if they don't reach it. They didn't listen to anyone who thought it was impossible because they believed it WAS POSSIBLE! They are BEYOND thrilled and VERY proud of themselves (as they should be).
Thank you to everyone near and far for supporting their cause. It meant A LOT to them. They cannot wait to tell their Principal they passed their goal and have it shared in Monday morning announcements at school!
They ran their lemonade stand non-stop for 6 hours. They were VERY happy 5 other neighborhood friends came over and stayed ALL DAY to help. They all worked their butts off! They all made signs and spread out down the road waving at every car. Cristopher's mom and Dave Murphy, our 56th District Representative did too! This was certainly no ordinary lemonade stand!
Many cars stopped immediately, some drove around the block to come back, families rode their bikes over, neighbors walked over, people saw signs around town and came by, hard-core bicyclists were rejuvenated with ice-cold lemonade, families from their school, baseball, and football teams made special trips here, and Dave Murphy and his brother Jerry made "some calls" and encouraged folks to swing by.
We were all shocked when piping hot pizzas showed up because we didn't order any pizzas! The boy's were wide-eyed and staring...praying the driver had not accidently arrived at the wrong address. They were in dramatic anticipation while the delivery woman checked the ticket. The boys couldn't believe their ears when she said, "this is the right place...phoned in order by a Mr. Tim Elsner." Dominic yelled out, "We just got pizza delivered from Maryland!" They devoured those pizzas in no-time. Frankly, we were surprised they didn't eat the cardboard. ALL of the boys are VERY grateful for Mr. Elsner. He gave them the fuel they needed to push hard and stay energized during those crucial final few hours. Mr. Elsner was also the 1st to donate online by purchasing 30 cups of "virtual" lemonade via gofundme. The boys were truly inspired knowing they had support and encouragement all the way from Maryland. Mr. Elsner way key in pushing these boys over the finish line!
Not only did the boys raise an awesome amount of money for charity, but this experience taught them some of life's most valuable lessons. The impact of these two determined 10-year olds is immeasurable.
A 2 boy lemonade stand turned into a 7 boy campaign. All 600 students at their school know about their mission. Their story was broadcast on WBAY Action 2 News at 6pm, 10:30pm, and featured this morning as the "Make A Difference" story of the week. WLUK Fox 11 broadcast their story last night at 9pm and they will be the "Photo of the Day" featured in the Appleton Post Crescent newspaper. The boys learned priceless life-lessons about selflessness, community, determination, compassion, civic responsibility, and how people at any age can be stellar citizens.
They were a beautiful example of patriotism and how Americans always unite to find ways to care for fellow Americans. That is not only an important concept we must instill in our youth, but also something we must never forget to do ourselves!
The boys are already here brainstorming again. I'll keep you updated on any new developments.
Thanks again to everyone!
==========================
9-16-2017
Original Campaign:
HELP KIDS RAISE MONEY FOR HURRICANE RELIEF!
STOP OVER TODAY 11-5
2012 W. Capitol Dr. Appleton, WI
OR PURCHASE "VIRTUAL" CUPS OF LEMONADE ONLINE HERE!
Dominic Ruzzicone (right) and Cristopher Agaton (left) are two incredible 10 year old boys in Appleton, WI. They are neighbors in the same 5th grade class at Houdini Elementary School and play on the same Fox Valley Pop Warner football team. They've set out on an incredible mission to raise money for hurricane relief and show the world that kids can make a difference!
Dominic and Cristopher have followed Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma on the news. They were in disbelief and shocked by the destruction these storms caused. They wanted to help! Being 10 years old and living all the way in Wisconsin
... they had to use their brains and get creative. Low and behold - they figured out a way! Sell lemonade, of course! But this is no ordinary lemonade stand. Dominic and Cristopher will be selling lemonade today at our house and anyone can purchase "virtual" cups of lemonade right here today!
My name is Missy and I've been helping both boys carrying out their awesome cause! Dominic's dad, John Ruzzicone, and I have been together for 6 years. We assure Dominic and his older brother Anthony are aware of current events and the importance of being responsible citizens. When Dominic our neighbor Cristopher had this incredible idea we were very proud and threw 100% support behind them. As we prepared for today's lemonade stand other kids in our neighborhood started stopping by asking if they could help too! How awesome is that?!!! We will assure all monies raised go directly toward relief efforts they selected to donate proceeds to (explained below). We will update and post photos and videos of their progress and of course, whe. the boys send their donations out.
Today is the BIG day and here's how it works:
They will operate their lemonade stand here in Wisconsin at our home from 11am - 5pm.
ANYONE can purchase "virtual" cups of lemonade right here! As many as you want! They have an unlimited supply of "virtual" cups of lemonade. The cost is $1 per cup and they hope people will buy many "vitrual" cups for all of their family and friends!
Between their lemonade stand sales and their "virtual" lemonade sales they need to sell at least 1,000 cups to reach their goal!
Dominic will be going "live" throughout the day via his YouTube channel to make everyone feel like they're here! He will give updates and is hoping to capture an awesome turnout. He asks everyone to "like" his page and subscribe to follow along and tune into today's event. His YouTube name is "RUZZBO" and his page can be found via this link: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCZcwgY0qQYj5gPkfh2nzD5A
Dominic and Cristopher are shooting BIG with this one-day goal of $1,000!!! They are confident they can do this! Between people in our community coming stopping by their lemonade stand and people and businesses from all over the world purchasing "virtual" cups online
...they are VERY EXCITED to show everyone that kids CAN do amazing things from anywhere to help others in need!
They have done SO much to prepare!
*Asked their Principal to tell their whole school about their mission during yesterday morning's announcements
*Recruited help from our 56th Assembly District Representative, Mr. Dave Murphy
*Used Rep. Murphy's campaign signs and turned them into "Hurricane Relief Lemonade Stand" signs to attract support from our community
*Received donations from Festival Foods (2,000 cups, 78 containers of lemonade mix, and bags of ice)!!!
*Received donations from Ace hardware for items to make their signs
*Recruited family and friends to help by borrowing tables, chairs, canopy's, 5 gallon jugs, cash boxes, etc.
Dominic and Cristopher put a lot of thought into how/who they want to donate the proceeds to. Of course, 100% of the total amount raised at their lemonade stand and online will be donated! They decided to give what they raise to (2) organizations and (1) personal victim of Hurricane Harvey.
The total amount they raise will be divided evenly and donated directly to:
- Samaritans Purse
- Cajun Navy
- Individual victim of Hurricane Harvey (Debby Kittridge)
Debby Kittridge - a woman in the Houston area (Dickinson, TX) who lost nearly everything in her home. Debby and her dog Max returned to their home after mandatory evacuation orders. Unfortunately, she returned home to find that many feet of water had filled her home. Debby's town was one of the hardest hit and got 50" of rain during Hurricane Harvey! 98% of the contents of her home were unsalvagable. Due to bacteria, toxins, sewage, etc. in the floodwaters, nearly everything had to be disposed of. Her home is empty. She is in need of everything (furniture, bed, etc.). Dominic and Cristopher hope their donation will help make things easier since she also suffers from lupus. They want to help her make "her house a home" again.
This cause is not only raising money for hurricane relief, but it is also about supporting Dominic and Cristopher in their mission to help others. It is supporting our youth when they want to do something to help others. It is about proving to Dominic and Cristopher they can achieve anything they set their mind to. It is proving they can accomplish amazing things. It is about them knowing, even at 10 years old, they can set an incredible examples to other Americans. It is about returning to school Monday and having your Principal during morning anmouncents tell the whole school you reached your goal and raised $1,000 for hurricane relief. It is about teaching our youth civic responsibility. It is showing them what Americans do to take care of fellow Americans in need.
Thank you for reading the story of Dominic and Cristopher's mission to raise money for hurricane relief today! Any number of "virtual" cups of lemonade you purchase here is greatly appreciated (in so many ways!)
Organizer and beneficiary
Missy Gibson Wells
Organizer
Appleton, WI
Debby Kittredge
Beneficiary
