Second-grade boys at Hyer Elementary School came together on Saturday at a pink lemonade stand to honor Janie Hunt, the big sister of their classmate Henry.
The boys and their mothers shared the sweet drink along with pink cookies, donuts with pink frosting and sprinkles, flowers, bookmarks with Janie’s favorite Bible verse, and bumper stickers, all at a stand covered with a pink tablecloth.
“Henry’s big sister absolutely loved pink,” said Jenny Harris, the mother of a second grader. “And we loved her.”
The community kept the stand so busy that the boys sold out of flowers twice, had to restock their cookies three times, and exhausted their supply of stickers.
By the end of their five hours in business outside Hyer, the incoming second graders had raised $18,464 for the Janie Hunt Foundation, which benefits both their school and The Day School at Highland Park Presbyterian Church.
“My best friend lost his sister, and I really wanted to cheer him up,” explained James Harris, who was one of 25 boys who signed up for a shift at the stand. The boys served customers while wearing pink shirts adorned with a heart and Janie’s initials, “JH.”
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Every second-grade boy who was in town wanted to assist with the effort, Jenny Harris said. The helpers included Henry, who worked with his cousin, Gage, to sell all the flowers at the stand in less than an hour.
“Janie was one in a million, and she left an indelible mark on all of our hearts,” Jenny said. “She will never ever be forgotten.”
The Robert S. Hyer Elementary School sign, a popular first-day photo spot for parents, had become a spontaneous memorial to Janie, who was one of 27 Camp Mystic girls who did not survive Kerr County’s catastrophic flood. By Saturday, the sign was covered with photos, ribbons, hearts, butterflies, pink wreaths, and notes from friends.
Parents lingered near the lemonade stand to talk in the shade of trees, while children played nearby on Hyer’s playground.
Janie’s aunt, Morgan Hunt, visited the stand with her daughters, Hartley, whose best friend was Janie, and Scarlett. Morgan said that the family was thankful for both the stand, and the community’s support.
“It brings us all to tears,” she said. “We really miss our girl.”
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