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Marshall Pinkney Wilder, dwarf actor picture here (Source: Wikipedia)
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_life_gives_you_lemons,_make_lemonade

By Steven Gordon, Lemonade Day National President

“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” is a proverbial phrase used to encourage optimism and a positive can-do attitude in the face of adversity or misfortune. The phrase was initially coined by Christian anarchist writer Elbert Hubbard in a 1915 obituary that he penned and published for dwarf actor Marshall Pinckney Wilder. The obituary, entitled “The King of Jesters,” praises Wilder's optimistic attitude and achievements in the face of his disabilities:

"He was a walking refutation of that dogmatic statement, Mens sana in corpore sano,  His was a sound mind in an unsound body. He proved the eternal paradox of things. He cashed in on his disabilities. He picked up the lemons that Fate had sent him and started a lemonade-stand."

Making lemonade out of lemons is exactly what Denver mom Jennifer Knowles and Lemonade Day have been doing for weeks now. Lemonade Day is supporting Jennifer in raising awareness via media, elected officials and supporters of youth and entrepreneurship of the need for “reasonable” laws and guidelines for kids and their adult chaperones who want to host a lemonade stand in the city of Denver and in other cities in North America. At the same time, we are recognizing and thanking many cities and states for waiving or reducing lemonade stand permit fees for kids.

Many of you likely know the back story, but for your convenience, I will share the synopsis of the issue in this news story that aired earlier today on CBS This Morning. The news story gave a mention of Lemonade Day’s role in mobilizing elected officials and community leaders to make it easier for kids to set up a lemonade stand:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-a-denver-mom-is-taking-a-stand-for-lemonade/

Additionally, ABC Radio in New York, FOX & Friends morning TV show and the Wall Street Journal have been just a few of many high-profile media outlets that are covering Jennifer’s efforts to Denver elected officials and those of other cities while also sharing information about the Lemonade Day program. 

Check out the links to this amazing news coverage since Sunday, July 22:

FOX & Friends Video #1

http://video.foxnews.com/v/5813158425001/?#sp=show-clips

FOX & Friends “After the Show Show" Video #2 

http://video.foxnews.com/v/5813151509001/?playlist_id=930909787001#sp=show-clips

CBS This Morning

https://youtu.be/Rj7QRoOyD70 or https://www.cbsnews.com/video/advocacy-group-aims-to-make-it-easier-for-kids-to-sell-lemonade/

The Wall Street Journal:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/grown-ups-fight-for-childrens-right-to-sell-lukewarm-lemonade-1532285720?emailToken=45fdfd7bc8aa1c41d774c566653242998RheaJ7VFBErwkxflqTrfMwtym6OYvtcyKGz1AwV1xVfZIFZguAFPlpnU8LUqopc1NaJRYRL8LPPDncGGbZ9PpLTUQX0S72P5OrfGGjs5uqE+/fPgRlP/FxSmZOUDPBA&reflink=article_email_share

An Attitude of Gratitude

I am especially thankful to Lemonade Day Brooklyn City Champion Bryan Guadagno and to Brooklyn Lemonade Day teen Taylor Thomas and her mom, Michelle Hanley, for being available early this morning and going to the heart of Manhattan for a live TV appearance on FOX & Friends. I also thank Jennifer Knowles for engaging Lemonade Day in this issue and opportunity, the Lemonade Day national board and staff, all city directors and city champions, and every media representative, individual,  organization, school and business that supports what Lemonade Day stands for. We are making a difference.

Please share this blog post and these links with others. Lemonade Day is a movement that is growing throughout North America. With your help, we will reach our goal of 250,000 registered Lemonade Day business owners per year by 2023.

ABOUT LEMONADE DAY

Founded in Houston in 2007 by Michael and Lisa Holthouse, Lemonade Day is a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching every child across North America the business and financial skills that are the key ingredients of entrepreneurship.  By learning these skills early in life, children will be better prepared to be successful, financially healthy adults.  Through our fun, hands-on program, kids K-5 are empowered to start their very own business—a lemonade stand—and experience the feeling of earning real money, using 100% of their profit to spend, save and share based on their own goals.

Lemonade Day is hosted in 72 territories in North America and is growing. Over the past 10 years, we have served more than 1 million kids in our youth entrepreneur programs. Within the next five years, Lemonade Day leaders estimate that 250,000 mentors and millions more kids will be hosting lemonade stands in North America and on other continents throughout the world.  Please visit lemonadeday.org to learn more.