Young Ladies Organize Lemonade Stand to Benefit 105 Veterans

CONROE, TX -- Montgomery County has plenty of talented kids, whether it be by athletics, arts, maths, entertainment, the rhetorical, medical or scientific arts, or even charitable concerns. Of course there are others as well, but there is a particular group of young ladies in Bentwater, who are gifted in giving to others while retaining a spirit that will serve them well when they achieve adulthood. From the idea of a simple lemonade stand dedicated to giving back to Our Veterans, they are learning that charitable endeavors; in putting in a hard effort on a hot day, can be as fulfilling as receiving a gift on their birthdays.

For Katie and Hannah, whose grandparents own Bartholet Home Furnishings, in Conroe’s furniture district on I-45, they are no strangers to charity. Following Hurricane Helene’s devastating flooding in North Carolina back in Fall 2024, their mother Sarah Gwin, realized that following deliveries from the state, that empty trucks dead-heading back to NC can be sent back with relief supplies. So Sarah and her daughters went into action, with Hannah, 11, and Katie, just 10 at the time, really finding her way in regards to organization and leadership. BHF put out the word on social media, and in time sent over two truckloads of supplies back to Tar Heel land, in appreciation to the Carolina state that supplies much of their inventory. Just a few months later, a toy drive for Christmas was set into action, and both Katie and Hannah were in action sending another truckload for the kids.

Fast forward several years later, with Hannah now a teenager, and Katie, 12, the sisters again with friends, formulated an idea to help a group of Veterans their family is fond of, the Lone Star Honor Flight Veterans Group (105), so a plan was hatched to hold a refreshment stand at a recent golf tournament at the Conroe Country Club. The young ladies sold lemonade and Gatorade to the golfers as they passed, and with the proceeds and plenty of donations from the golfers raised approximately $2,000 dollars for the 105 Vets. The group then purchased many Kroger’s gift cards for the Veterans and presented them to the Veterans this past Wednesday.

“These men fought for Our Country. This is the least we can do,” said Hannah, in describing her and her friends’ efforts. “They deserve way more.”

The Veterans were appreciative of the gift from the young ladies, who were having a last summer hurrah before they start their new school year on August 12th.

“We really are thankful to the girls for their efforts,” said 105 Veteran Joe Tessari, a Marine who served in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. “I expect those young ladies to stand out in our society in the future.”

With an excess of gift cards on-hand, they will be given to Veterans around Montgomery County, who served in defense of Our Nation.

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