When second-grader Evan Kean opened the letter, he was excited but nervous at the same time. It only took the first sentence to confirm the document would soon hold a place of prominence hanging on his bedroom wall. The important message he held in his hand began, “Evan, as Principal of Carmel High School, I would like to thank you for your generous donation to our Planetarium.”
A personal letter from Mr. John Williams was not only rewarding but an important validation for the hardworking Carmel Elementary student turned businessman. The letter was the crown jewel and final payoff for the months of planning which netted $427.93 in just one day.
It all started when Kean went to the library and secured the necessary paperwork to become an official entrepreneur. He decided to run a lemonade stand on National Lemonade Day. During this project, he would not only learn what it is like to operate a business, but also to support a project in his community for which he has a special affinity. National Lemonade Day teaches kids about business and then recommends a formula for the profit which includes spend, save and donate.
With Kean’s interest in space travel beyond the moon, the CHS Planetarium seemed like the perfect place to direct any benefit which might come from his labor. It also made sense that the product sold to benefit the Planetarium should not be just ordinary but out of this world, so to speak.
To find lemonade good enough for the universe led Kean to partner with Derek Means, owner of The Local Eatery and Pub. Means seems to have a recipe for celestially great lemonade and Out Of This World Lemonade was born at $2.75 per glass.
Kean would provide samples and the sales pitch outside the restaurant, encouraging patrons to order a glass or two with their meal once inside. As is known to happen in these parts when a bright, enthusiastic and determined second-grader like Evan is involved, the donation box overflowed, supplementing the day’s lemonade revenue.
Jacob Kean, Evan’s dad, said, “His Mother (Alissa) and I are very proud of what he accomplished. We can tell him that, but receiving the letter from Mr. Williams carried a lot more weight.”
Although we don’t know if Kean will become a future Carmel merchant, it is clear he is going great places; exactly where yet remains written in the stars.