BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.–They might be young, but Mackenzie, 9, Mason, 8, and Logan, 6, are already doing their part to give back to the community one small sale at a time. For the last two years, they’ve made it a tradition of sorts to raise money for Lowcountry first responders by selling good ol’ lemonade.
Making a Difference
“They worked their lemonade stand for eight hours. It was miserably hot, and they were exhausted, but they didn’t give up. They made a commitment to help the heroes and, boy, did they honor it! We have never been so proud of them!” stated Theresa Faircloth, the children’s mother.
Approximately 60 people stopped by the driveway Sunday to purchase the sweet, refreshing drink along with some tasty treats from the comfort of the family’s Summerville driveway.
“It was a great teaching experience for us as parents, to show them that hard work truly does pay off and after seeing how proud they were of themselves that night, I’d say we haven’t seen the last of the 9/11 Heroes Run Lemonade stand,” smiled Faircloth.
In total, Faircloth’s children, who attend Nexton Elementary School, raised $213 at their lemonade stand on Sunday. Of that amount, $90 was raised specifically through the sales of the 15th anniversary – 9/11 Heroes Run – Charleston challenge coins. The other $123 was raised through lemonade, bottled water, sweet treat sales and additional donations.
“They had a blast doing the lemonade stand, knowing they were raising money for local heroes, just like their daddy,” explained Faircloth. “It was definitely hot, and they would get a little frustrated when people would drive by without stopping, but when someone did stop, their faces lit up!”
9/11 Heroes Run: One Couple’s Commitment
For the last five years, Faircloth along with her husband, Jesse, have served as race directors for the 9/11 Heroes Run on Daniel Island. For them, planning the event is a year-round, full-time commitment.
“The kids have grown up knowing that this is something we are truly passionate about,” Faircloth said. “They’ve often asked us how they can help us with the Heroes Run and just recently, our daughter Mackenzie said she wanted to get more involved in helping us raise money for the heroes.”
With that said, the children’s parents thought it would be perfect to set them up a lemonade stand in the driveway to help raise money for the 9/11 Heroes Run – Charleston, while at the same time, handing out flyers and information to fellow neighbors about an event that’s near and dear to her heart.
“Growing up, I have always had a deep appreciation for those that take an oath to serve our country and our community. My father was a firefighter in Cincinnati, Ohio for 13 years before I was born, and my parents always taught me to appreciate the men and women that risk their lives to save complete strangers,” stated Faircloth.
In the fall of 2010, her husband decided to make a difference in his community by becoming a firefighter. At the time, the couple had three very young children, all under the age of four.
“With him becoming a firefighter, it meant a huge decrease in pay for our one-income family of five. However, it was something he really wanted to do, so we took a leap of faith and he applied to become a firefighter for City of Charleston,” Faircloth stated.
Over the next several months, Faircloth watched her husband push himself to the limit in every way possible, trying to make his dream a reality. At the time he applied for the job, there were more than 600 applicants from all over the country and only the top 40 were given the opportunity to attend the CFD Recruit School. He was chosen, and that ended up being the easy part, according to Faircloth.
“From there, he completed 6 months of the most grueling firefighter recruit school in the country and on June 24, 2011, he graduated the recruit class and was hired as one of Charleston Fire Department’s newest firefighters!” Faircloth stated proudly.
A Bittersweet Moment
While Faircloth was excited to see her husband graduate, it was also very bittersweet. From that day forward, her husband would be putting his life on the line every time the tone dropped.
“At any given time, he could be running into a burning building, or putting himself in another dangerous situation, all to try to save someone we have never met and will likely never see again,” explained Faircloth. “First responders miss birthdays, holidays, special occasions and milestones. They miss awards days, soccer games, anniversaries and doctor visits…they aren’t there in the middle of the night when your child is sick or there’s a strange noise outside. They aren’t there for these things because they took an oath to serve and protect the citizens of their community and on any given shift. They are willing to lay down their life for a complete stranger, thus taking them away from their families forever. Because of this, they are heroes.”
And that’s just one reason why Faircloth feel it is so important to bring the community together during the Lowcountry’s 9/11 Heroes Run – Charleston. She wants first responders to know they are appreciated for their sacrifices.
How to Take Part
The 5th annual 9/11 Heroes Run – Charleston will take place on Saturday, September 10th on Daniel Island. This event honors all those lost on 9/11, their families and the service and sacrifices made by our military and first responders. This year will mark the 15th anniversary of the September 11th attacks.
While the upcoming event is a 5K, organizers encourage runners and walkers of all ages and experience levels to come out and be a part of the patriotic, family-friendly event and strollers are welcome.
“Our Charleston community has come together through times of tragedy and has set an example for others across the world, on how we can overcome adversity when we stand together,” stated Faircloth. “What better way to once again show the world that we are #CharlestonStrong than by uniting together again for those we lost on 9/11, and all of our true American heroes?!?”
According to Faircloth, over the last 4 years, event organizers have partnered with eight different first responder agencies in the Charleston area and have proudly donated almost $50,000 for the purchase of additional life-saving equipment, counseling and financial assistance for local heroes.
“In addition, we have contributed almost $50,000 to assisting the Travis Manion Foundation in supporting our veterans and families of the fallen across the country,” stated Faircloth.
For more information about the event, click here.
