Lucy Pink of Clear Lake pulled in $431 from her two-day lemonade stand last week to support the family of Chuck and Cassy Maurer who died in a two-car accident in Becker Twp. a few weeks ago.

 

Lucy’s goal was to raise at least $250.

 

Another dynamic duo — 10-year-old Halle Bluhm and her eight-year-old friend Ella McDonald of Becker held a lemonade stand and bake sale last week (Aug. 12-13) also to raise money for the Maurer family. Many people donated baked goods, lemonade and cups for the girls’ event and a Halle’s dad, Luke built the stand for the girls to hold their sale.

 

Halle and Ella raised $598.34 in the two-day sale. 

 

But they didn’t stop there. The girls set up their stand at the South Santiago Lutheran Church Sunday and raised another $237.92.

 

That’s $838.26!

 

Between the two stands — these youngsters raised over $1,269 for the Maurers.

 

Both stands got frequent visitors thanks in large part to social media. Facebook posts got the word out and people from near and far ventured out to help the girls be successful and show their support for the Maurer family.

 

“The girls would love to help anyone in need again,” said Halle’s mom Jenn. “They were overjoyed when a vehicle would pull up or someone from the neighborhood came our way. They really could not believe how many people came to help the Maurer family.” 

 

Lucy Pink and Halle Bluhm had been classmates of  10-year-old Cassy Maurer.

 

“Both Ella and Halle were very saddened by the accident,” said Jenn. “Halle had a hard time thinking of what it would be like for our family to lose our Dad and felt terrible that the Maurer family had to.  Once Cassy passed, it was a whole new rollercoaster of emotions.”

 

Jenn said her daughter experienced a lot of anger and confusion about why Cassy had to die and why did it have to be someone so young. 

 

“Ella said she couldn't imagine how hard it would be to lose two family members and felt really bad for Chuck and Cassy's family,” said Jenn. “She was however happy that Cassy would not be alone in heaven, that she would have her Dad and neither would be in pain anymore.”  

 

So after a couple days of talking about it with the girls  Jenn and the youngsters decided to turn something tragic into something good. That’s when the idea of a lemonade stand came to mind. 

“Never would we imagine the response from family, friends and our community,” said Jenn. “They (the girls) grinned from ear to ear the entire time.”

 

 The girls were so busy they asked another friend from next door to help too.  

 

“We had so many people volunteer baked goods and lemonade, my phone kept buzzing with requests to help,” said Halle’s mom.

 

The girls were unsure how successful their little lemonade stand would be and on Wednesday, Halle asked her mom if it was possible to raise at least $100.

 

“ I said I was pretty sure we could, but honestly didn't know what to expect,” said Jenn. However, by Wednesday evening we were really lifted up and humbled by how many people reached out.” 

 

Halle then asked her mom if she thought they could hit $600.  

 

“We were all very proud to see the girls being the hands and feet of Jesus,” Jenn said.

 

Fifty-six-year-old Chuck Maurer and Cassy were killed when a teen driver ran a stoplight in Becker Twp. last month. Six others were injured when a Ford pickup — allegedly driven by 18-year-old Deven Garlock of Little Falls — ran a stoplight on Hwy. 10 and Co. Rd. 11 at around 8 p.m. late July. Each vehicle had four occupants.

 

A benefit for the Maurer family is Aug. 23 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at St. Marcus Church in Clear Lake in which the young girls will endow the Maurer family with their proceeds. The benefit is a free-will offering event featuring a dinner, silent auction and lots of kids activities.