OCONOMOWOC, Wis. (WTMJ) — A lemonade stand in Oconomowoc is showing just how much good two little girls can do.
Six-year-old Lainey and 4-year-old Millie Mieden had a powerful message at their fourth annual LemonAID stand on Aug. 27: "Hearing aids are cool!"
The Oconomowoc sisters, who both have hearing loss and have worn hearing aids since they were babies, hosted the event at their home, with the help of their parents.
Their mother, Jess Mieden, said the response was overwhelming.
"We haven't been able to process it all yet, but we received over $11,100 in donations, with donations still coming in," Jess said.
The community turned out in a big way, and so did supporters from as far away as Ohio, like Jonni Parker. Parker represents Chasing Greatness, one of the organizations that has benefited from the girls' annual fundraiser. She is a former Division I volleyball player who grew up wearing hearing aids herself.
"I received my first hearing aids when I was 4 years old and when I was younger, I would say it was hard to embrace that," Parker said. "Lainey and Millie are truly inspirational — they're saying hearing aids are cool and shouting it from the rooftops."
Chasing Greatness says its mission goes beyond helping with the financial cost of hearing care. The organization also works to show kids that hearing loss doesn't have to stand in the way of their dreams.
Matt Haerter with the K9 Tesla Foundation also came out to support the girls. His nonprofit supports K-9 and therapy dog programs for first responders. Haerter said he wanted to show up for two young girls who are using their own story to help others.
"We support the communities that are around us, period," Haerter said. "We search out lemonade stands every time because you can't drive past one and not get it. That's just the American thing!"
This year's proceeds will be split between the Audiology Department at Children's of Wisconsin and Chasing Greatness. The virtual stand remains open for donations through Sept. 5. You can donate via Venmo by sending payments to @Jessica-Mieden.
Last year, the girls raised more than $4,400. Cumulatively, prior to this year's event, the girls had raised and donated nearly $5,700. Money from last summer's fundraiser went to the UW Speech and Hearing Clinic - WISHES Program and to Chasing Greatness.
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