Kids’ lemonade stand raises $250 for NorCal teen who lost his hand in fireworks accident

A group of Corona del Mar neighborhood kids one night this week transformed the front patio of the Donohoe family on Dahlia Avenue into a lemonade stand to raise money for a teen who lives more than 400 miles away.

The gathering came about after 8-year-old Charlie Donohoe heard about 18-year-old Jamie Groshong of Fair Oaks, Calif., an avid baseball player who lost one of his hands July 4 as a result of an exploding firework. Charlie’s mom, Lauren Donohoe, had relayed the story of Groshong’s accident to all three of her boys after hearing it from a neighbor who is connected to the Groshong family.

Charlie wanted to find a way to help.

“Some of the kids in the neighborhood were talking about fun stuff we could do like maybe a lemonade stand, when my mother told me the story about the teenager [losing his hand],” Charlie said during the fundraiser Wednesday night. “I planned it, made some of the lemonade and bought the cookies. The popcorn was free.”

Charlie explained the money raised could go toward paying medical bills or toward a prosthetic hand for Groshong.

“I told all my friends about it and said, ‘You guys should come to my lemonade stand [because] we’re doing it for charity.’”

Lauren Donohue saw the fundraiser as a good way for the youngsters to learn about reaching out to others facing difficult times.

“It’s good for kids to realize that there are people that unfortunate circumstances happen to and with unexpected bills ... there are ways you can help them through small charities in a neighborhood like a lemonade stand,” said Donohoe.

“We have a lot of kind and generous neighbors who want to support the cause,” she noted.

A sign advertised the “Lemonade Stand For Charity” event. The area, festooned with yellow balloons and surrounded by cute kids dressed in yellow became a site for a neighborhood social gathering. Families enjoyed the summer evening while supporting a teen and his family that they didn’t even know.

There were a dozen or so kids running around along with a handful of parents enjoying a glass of wine as passersby stopped to grab a yellow cupful of homemade lemonade, with most offering more than the 50 cents asked per serving.

Lauren Donohoe reported that they raised $250, which has been transferred to “Team Jamie” GoFundMe account. As of late Friday afternoon, the fundraiser for Groshong had reached $100,606 toward a $120,000 goal.

“Based on the enthusiasm and community interest, we’re going to plan an annual event for a different charity each year” said Donohoe. “We want to keep it going and raise money for those in need.”

From left, Charlie Donohoe, 8, with mom, Lauren, and brothers, Billy, 6, and James, 3, at their “Lemonade Stand for Charity” Wednesday night in Corona del Mar.

(Susan Hoffman)

Kitty Paul and Dave Paul, who live in the Sacramento area, organized the “Team Jamie” GoFundMe drive soon after visiting the Groshong family. They learned that the cost of a prosthetic hand ranges from $50,000 to $60,000, with bionic hands running closer to $100,000.

“My son and Jamie were best friends going off to play college baseball together, and this accident happened on the Fourth of July,” Kitty Paul said. “I am so overwhelmed by the kindness from the families in Corona del Mar, I didn’t even know they were doing that [charitable drive], and now I have tears running down my face.”