ST. GEORGE —When two kids decided to create a lemonade stand to benefit others, they had no idea it would still be a tradition 10 years later or that it would touch everyone from Washington County to Ukraine.

“This is an awesome opportunity,” Cassie Riding, the mom behind the children’s lemonade stand, told St. George News. “We always want our kids to feel like they can make a difference in the world. Sometimes people think they’re small and question what they contribute, but they are awesome examples of being youth and making a difference.”

In 2013, siblings Lydia Riding and Emmett Riding started the not-so-traditional lemonade stand. It all began when Lydia Riding’s music teacher put on her own charity concert to benefit Haitian children whose families couldn’t afford to put them through school. When she found out it was $50 to send a child to school for an entire year, Lydia, who was 7 years old at the time, was determined to earn the money herself. 

“Lydia has kind of a heart of gold,” her mother said. “She’s a compassionate soul. She sees someone else hurting and she just has to help them.”

After discussing how she could earn the money, Lydia Riding decided to run a lemonade stand. With her 4-year-old brother Emmett in tow, they used a box jump as a lemonade stand, stood outside with a sign asking for donations to a good cause and earned a total of $30 – something they were extremely proud of. That year, parents Dan and Cassie Riding donated an additional $20 to help their kids achieve their $50 goal.

“And they were there at the high school with this little jar full of money,” Cassie Riding said. “It was the sweetest thing. In between performances, they called Lydia and Emmett up on stage and said, ‘If these kids can raise 50 bucks, then surely you guys can all do the same.’”

Each summer, the family does “Thoughtful Thursdays,” where they complete service projects for people in the community. One day, they went to the Washington County Children’s Justice Center to help clean and organize. The kids received a tour and learned all about the facility, including how the interview rooms are like playrooms and police officers dress in plain clothes to avoid frightening children.

“It just opened my kids’ eyes to like, ‘Oh my gosh, there are kids in our community that have to go through hard things and don’t have a lot,’” Cassie Riding said. “I feel like it changed them. They became more aware.”

When they found out they were in need of supplies like snacks, tissues and paper towels, the kids decided to use their 2014 lemonade stand to raise funds for the Children’s Justice Center. The stand made around $80 and funds were used to purchase supplies.

In 2015, their lemonade stand earned money for a neighbor who needed funds to serve his religious mission. In 2016, they earned $150 for refugees in Turkey, which was enough to feed 15 families of four for a week. 

In 2017, they earned $218, which was used to purchase toys, games and activities for St. George Regional Hospital’s (then Dixie Medical Regional Center) pediatric unit. They loved the experience so much that they donated to the hospital again in 2018.

“That was our goal – for our kids to learn that you can put in a little bit of work and make a big difference around the community or the world,” Cassie Riding said.

When the two younger siblings Millie and Elise Riding joined the family, they began participating in the charity lemonade stand every year with plans to keep the tradition going. 

In 2019, the Helping Hands Lemonade Stand donated all proceeds to a teenage neighbor diagnosed with cancer. They skipped the stand in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions and in 2021, they donated to the Washington County Childrens Justice Center for a second time. That year, they earned close to $500, which allowed them to purchase all items on the children’s wishlists and donate gift cards.

In 2022, Cassie Riding said their neighbors were in Poland helping Ukraine refugees. When they were told that young kids were receiving an outpouring of donations and teenagers were not, they knew where they wanted to donate. They raised around $800 for activities such as basketball courts, tarps, turf, volleyball nets, soccer mats and more, which were installed outside at a hotel that housed over 200 refugee families.

“It was really cool because when we sent the money over, our neighbors sent us pictures back,” Lydia Riding said. “We saw where it went and the people who were benefitting.”

The family just did their lemonade stand for 2023, but they aren’t done collecting donations. This year, all proceeds go to the charity To Ukraine with Love. The organization helps rebuild houses for families whose homes have been destroyed by war. Each small home through the program costs roughly $35,000 and allows families to get back on their feet. Supplies are purchased in Ukraine, which also supports the local economy. 

“The more we raise, the sooner the family gets their house,” Cassie Riding said.

The family has earned $752 so far and will gladly accept additional donations from the community. Donations can be made through the Helping Hands Lemonade Stand’s Venmo here: @helping-hands-lemonade-stand.

It’s been 10 years since the kids started the charity lemonade stand, and thanks to an outpouring of support from the community, they have increased the amount of money raised with each passing year.

“I think it’s cool when a total stranger — they won’t get anything but maybe a cookie — and they give $20 or $200,” Emmett Riding said. “Just like super generous and not wanting anything in return. They just know it’s going to a good cause.”

Both Cassie and Dan Riding said they are proud of their children’s desire to donate to those in need and are thankful for the community’s support in their efforts. They look forward to many more donation-filled years.

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