Dunn sisters use business venture to help homeless , elderly Story by Glenda Sanders
From Lemons to Lemonade
Dunn sisters use business venture to help homeless , elderly Story by Glenda Sanders
Elle and Andi Dunn are all smiles early on Saturday morning , selling glasses of lemonade at their stand set up at the Sammie Davidson courts where a pickelball tournament is underway .
The young entrepreneurs are familiar faces to many residents in the Meridian community with their lemonade stand a regular vendor at the first-of-the-month Earth ’ s Bounty Festival , as well as other outdoor spring and summer events , including the city ’ s annual Juneteenth Festival .
“ I have been doing Earth ’ s Bounty for six years ,” said Elle , who started when she was 5 years old . The sisters ’ little white booth with “ lemonade ” hand painted in yellow at the top , along with their tall jar of the refreshing , ice-cold drink , are a much welcome sight on really hot Earth ’ s Bounty market days .
The money raised from their lemonade stand , Giva Kids Lemonade , goes toward their community service platforms , Hope for the Homeless and Memory Matters .
The projects were started as a way for Elle and Andi to get involved in the community and to learn to give back , an initiative promoted by beauty pageant programs , which both sisters are involved in .
Elle is the reigning National Universal Miss Preteen , and Andi was named Miss
Customer Vanessa Collins seeks a refreshing glass of lemonade during the pickleball tournament
Mississippi Universal Young Miss earlier this year . They are the daughters of Ashley and Tony Dunn of Meridian .
Hope for the Homeless is a project started by Elle , a Lamar School student who will be in the sixth grade in the fall . “ I make care packages , and I go to Love ’ s Kitchen for the drop off ,” she said . “ The packages have like gloves and hats and hand warmers and jackets for the winter . I also give Love ’ s Kitchen canned foods and laundry detergent and all of that .”
She uses funds raised from the lemonade stand to purchase the items , and she also has helped serve food at Love ’ s Kitchen in the past .
“ I love helping people ,” Elle said . “ Like the homeless people , I love giving them little things just to help them out even if it ’ s not a whole house or something . They deserve to have things too , just like we get .” Memory Matters is a project of both Elle and Andi ,
I love helping people .
- Elle Dunn
Andi Dunn serves up lemonade at Earth ’ s Bounty
who just finished first grade at Lamar School . Them project is aimed at bringing awareness to those who suffer from dementia , Alzheimer ’ s disease and other disorders that affect memory .
Through their
Memory Matters initiative , the sisters visit area nursing homes to meet with residents and hand out little puzzles and word search games .
“ I love doing Memory Matters . I get to go to nursing homes . I perform a little talent , and then I announce www . meridianstar . com
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