For three summers children in the neighborhood of Fifth and Heplar streets in Ironton sold lemonade, Kool-Aid and pop on the corner for $1. Originally the intent was raising spending money for themselves. What it became was a fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

The young people used a chalkboard to display the menu and danced with signs to attract attention to Lindsey Mahlmeister’s yard. They used the same tactics to raise money during the summer of 2013 and this summer. With an original goal of raising $200, some of the nine involved in the fundraiser made a trip to Columbus on July 19 and presented a check for $1,200 to St. Jude.

“We don’t really need the money,” Emma Whaley, 12, said. “So we decided to donate it for a good cause.”

The effort also aided 13-year-old St. Joe student Maddy Whaley’s acceptance into the National Junior Honor Society.

“We will probably start another fundraiser next summer,” Jordyn Koerper, 14, said. “Most likely we’ll raise money for an animal shelter or something.”

The youth have maintained an element of humility throughout the three-year fundraiser, however, and recognize that those who donated did so with St. Jude in mind.

“We know we wouldn’t have raised that much if we weren’t donating it,” Koerper said. “Once word got out about why we are doing it we got a lot more people coming by.”

The idea for donating to St. Jude came from Emma, Maddy and Jack Whaley’s dad, Josh, who plays in a bluegrass band that is in involved with Musicians Against Childhood Cancer, which also raises funds for St. Jude.

Aside from the Whaleys and Koerper, Trent Hacker, Addison Philabaun, Lexi Wise, Evan Koerper, Faith Mahlmeister and Braden Stamper were also involved in the effort.