Lemonade Stand Becomes Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship

Bennett's Lemonade Stand Proceeds Donated to Busch Wildlife Sanctuary

Palm Beach’s Bennett Stone turns 10 any day now but already by nine he successfully completed his first introduction to social entrepreneurship with help of his mom an environmental lawyer, Lesley Blackner Stone, the very same Lesley who is working to fight for the Indian River Lagoon Manatees in fact .

Bennett has set up a lemonade stand twice thus far, once December 2013 solo and then again February 2014.

Bennett’s Lemonade Stand to date offers two flavors of lemonade (traditional and raspberry) for .50 cents and the Stand’s marketing strategy included take-away educational literature for nonprofit wildlife cause,  lemonade signs, word-of-mouth and direct salesmanship to all who passed by.

Bennett was not shy to also advertise that 80% of the Stand’s proceeds would go to local Busch Wildlife Sanctuary at Loxahatchee River District off Jupiter Park Drive. When asked that day what his most memorable moment was, Bennett proudly shared, “One woman liked what I was doing so much she gave me a $20. and told me to keep the change!”

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Deer at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary licking salt off Bennett's arm

Left: Andre, Right: Bennett

Seeing Bennett’s enthusiasm from the first Stand’s experience, Bennett’s mom, Lesley, decided the second Stand needed help of one of Bennett’s closest friends, Andre. Bennett told Blue Marble Views when interviewed:

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 “While I really liked the woman who donated $20., I definitely liked  working the second stand with Andre. It was even more fun to do it with a friend and we doubled our sales and told twice as many people about the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary.”

In the end, both boys said they had so much fun they decided to donate all the proceeds to the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary.  Both Bennett and his mom invited Blue Marble Views to accompany them on a visit to the Sanctuary to drop off the funds and take a tour to see some of the Wildlife Residents.

Bennett said he didn’t think the donation would make a difference but the Sanctuary tour guide, Melissa, explained how much money it cost to feed their endangered Green Turtles to give an example of how every donation helps. Blue Marble Views thinks it should be noted The Stand’s two day proceeds will help feed one of their several turtles for an entire year!

During our tour Bennett had the salt from sweat on his arm licked off by a friendly deer and Bennett got to pet a baby Alligator.

Bennett said he definitely plans to continue to create businesses to help his community and our Blue Marble!

Blue Marble Views thanks his mom, Lesley, for making Bennett’s first introduction into entrepreneurship a 'Blue Social' one.

Blue Marble Views has made Bennett and his friend Andre honoree members.
We look forward to reporting more social entrepreneurship experiences with Bennett and his friends.
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