PIEDMONT, S.D. (KELO) — One young boy, along with his family, are running a lemonade stand in hopes to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
This project has been going on since the summer of 2020 and continues to grow.
Each year just outside of Sturgis at the Tilford exit, Wyatt Dennis and his family hand out free lemonade and provide events such as a poker run.
“It’s actually kind of fun, seeing all the bikes, meeting all the people, and seeing where everybody’s from,” Wyatt’s lemonade Creator Wyatt Dennis said.
All you need to do is pull up and Wyatt will greet you with a smile and a cup full of lemonade.
“It’s really easy, you can just pull up, maybe introduce yourself. You don’t have to give a donation but they are appreciated,” Wyatt Dennis said.
While our news crew was at the stand, over 20 bikers came to enjoy lemonade and even put pins on a map to show where they rode in from.
“I thought it was an awesome thing that he does every year. We’ve been out here for about four years and I’ve always wanted to come out so this year we finally made it out. And the proceeds go to St.Judes which we donate each month to, so I’m very thankful for Wyatt,” Rally Biker Debbie Levatino said.
A free lemonade stand that once started out as just wanting to buy a new set of Legos has transformed into this awesome event where they donate money to St.Judes all through free lemonade. And they’re here all rally long every year and so far they have raised over $53,000 coming into this year’s Sturgis Rally.
Organizations like Biker Dad, Biker Justice and others help donate to the cause but they aren’t the only ones. Wyatt’s Lemonade has more than a dozen different businesses supporting him year-round.
“The shed was built by the Eagle Riders and Scull Construction helped with that. We have a new pavilion for shade, so it’s just really neat to see everyone wanting to come together and to have a part in it and to help what’s going on here,” Wyatt’s Mom Robin Dennis said.
Wyatt’s mom wants to let the lemonade stand be a teachable lesson as well.
“You save for whatever you have coming up, for him right now it’s college. And then you spend on bills or what you have to pay and what you want. And once you’re taken care of, you need to help give back and take care of somebody else,” Robin Dennis said.
When asked why he wants to help St. Jude, the answer for Wyatt was pretty simple.
“Well I wanted to help kids and one of my mom’s friends ran for St.Judes so I decided to pick St.Judes. It makes me feel happy that I’m making kids happy,” Wyatt Dennis said.
Wyatt’s Lemonade Stand is a mainstay during the Sturgis Rally and even pops up at different events around the Black Hills throughout the year.
If you would like to help out Wyatt and his goals, you can click here for more information.
