What began as a simple goal for a six-year-old to raise $10 for charity has now come to an end, leaving the local community with tens of thousands of dollars in charitable support.
asserted
old → begin → support
Grace Hendrian and her younger sister, June, have finished the final season of their “Lemon-Aid Stand for Good” in Quincy, Illinois.
asserted
Hendrian → finish → Quincy
What started as a small idea in 2019 grew into a fundraiser that brought in about $55,000 for The Salvation Army.
asserted
that → start → Army
WGEM reported that 2026 was the stand's final season.
asserted
2026 → report → ?
A modest ambition takes root
asserted
ambition → take → root
The project began in 2019, when Grace was six years old and asked her mother, Kellea Hendrian, if she could run a lemonade stand and give the money to a local charity.
uncertain
she → begin → charity
Grace first set a goal of raising $10.
asserted
Grace → set → 10
Her father, Adam, suggested adding a zero and making the goal $100.
uncertain
goal → suggest → zero
The family ultimately raised more than $1,000 that first year.
asserted
family → raise → 1,000
According to regional coverage from WGEM News, the first fundraiser far exceeded Grace's original goal.
uncertain
fundraiser → accord → goal
In 2019, the money donated to The Salvation Army's Family Services was enough to provide about 400 meals.
asserted
money → donate → meals
In 2021, Grace's younger sister June joined the effort.
asserted
sister → join → effort
Together, the sisters set out to raise enough money to provide 500 meals.
asserted
sisters → set → meals
The sisters gave all of the money they raised to The Salvation Army Quincy Area Command.
asserted
they → give → Command
The funds support Family Services programs that help people facing hunger, homelessness, and other hardships in the area.
asserted
that → support → area
Expanding across the county
As interest grew, the sisters turned the project from one lemonade stand into a community event.
asserted
sisters → expand → event
Beginning in 2022, Grace and June invited other children and families to run their own Lemon-Aid stands.
asserted
Grace → begin → stands
Local groups, including churches and sports teams, could also take part.
uncertain
groups → include → part
By 2023, the project had expanded to multiple stands around the community.
asserted
project → expand → community
The Salvation Army helped support the expansion.
asserted
Army → help → expansion
Registered stands received starter kits with supplies such as an official Red Kettle, a tablecloth, Lemon-Aid Stand signs, and information for collecting donations.
asserted
stands → receive → donations
By 2026, the event had grown beyond a single location.
asserted
event → grow → location
WGEM reported that 14 independent stands operated alongside Grace and June during the final 2026 fundraiser.
asserted
stands → report → fundraiser
The stands appeared across the Quincy area and into Missouri, showing how far the sisters' idea had spread.
asserted
idea → appear → Missouri
Over seven summers, Grace, June, their family, and other community participants raised about $55,000 for The Salvation Army.
asserted
Grace → raise → Army
The total had passed $33,000 by 2023 and more than $45,000 by 2025.
asserted
total → pass → 2025
WGEM reported that the total reached about $55,000 by the end of the seven-year effort in 2026.
asserted
total → report → 2026
Their work also earned the sisters formal recognition from The Salvation Army.
asserted
work → earn → Army
Grace and June were named the 2022 Salvation Army Volunteers of the Year for the Quincy area.
asserted
Grace → name → area
Speaking about the project's impact, Salvation Army Quincy Area Command Development Director Matt Schmidt said the fundraiser had grown from one lemonade stand into a community-wide effort.
asserted
fundraiser → speak → effort
He told WGEM that the event showed how young people can make a real difference and praised Grace and June for their leadership.
asserted
people → tell → leadership
Moving on to new chapters
asserted
Moving → move → chapters
With Grace and June getting older and taking on more activities, the family decided that 2026 would be the final official season of the Lemon-Aid Stand for Good.
asserted
2026 → get → Good
Grace was 13 and June was 10 when the final season ended.
asserted
season → end → ?
WGEM reported that the sisters plan to continue helping The Salvation Army as volunteers and mentors for future fundraisers.
asserted
sisters → report → fundraisers
The money raised through the fundraiser goes to The Salvation Army's Family Services programs.
asserted
money → raise → programs
Those programs help local families with food, shelter, financial assistance, and other support.
asserted
programs → help → food
The sisters' original idea, which began with a simple lemonade stand, has now become a lasting community tradition.
asserted
which → begin → stand
The Aporia
