Kids raise money for flood victims on Friday

Although it was only 25 cents for a cup of lemonade, local children raised $92.25 in four hours to help local flood victims. But the lemonade stand run by children in the Makemson family is just one example of their charity work.\nJustin and Laura Makemson encouraged their children and their children’s friends to sell lemonade Friday at the IU Outdoor Pool to raise money for the Monroe County chapter of the American Red Cross.\nThe Makemsons have always gotten their children involved in charity ever since they were very young. However, beginning in December, nine-year-old twins Keller and Myer Makemson and six-year-old Ingle Makemson pledged to do volunteer work every month, Justin Makemson said.\nHe said the children received money from their grandparents last Christmas and every month afterward. In exchange, the children were to write their grandparents and explain how they used the money. Justin Makemson said the children chose to use the money for charity work and get their friends involved.\n“Kids have a way to encourage others to help out,” he said.\nIU Outdoor Pool Director Bill Ramos is also on the board of the local Red Cross. He said he was a bit surprised when the family asked him if they could sell lemonade at the pool, but he was even more surprised with the children’s dedication to helping others.\n“We need more people like that,” he said. “It’s easy to be selfish.”\nAll three children have an extensive list of volunteer work that includes donating goods to a missionary organization in Ghana and making efforts to help victims of Hurricane Katrina and the December 2006 tsunami that hit southeast Asia. They have also helped their mother volunteer at various organizations.\nKeller Makemson didn’t mind spending her summer at the stand collecting money for the Red Cross, and said people shouldn’t go without help.\n“People that need things should get what they need,” she said.\nLaura Makemson said it was important to get her children involved in volunteer work so they can experience the reward of helping others.\n“We’re just trying to get them involved,” she said. “It’s doing the little things that make a big difference.”\nWhen they’re not volunteering, the children said they like to read and play sports, such as soccer and baseball. They all said helping others was probably more fun than playing soccer, but they don’t do it for the fun. Ingle Makemson said they help others because it’s necessary.\n“It’s just something that you should do,” he said.