ALAMOSA (AP) – Thirty gallons of lemonade – and a boy’s big heart – generated more than $5,000 this summer for Denver Children’s Hospital programs and a local anti-bullying program.
Peyton Sanchez, who has spent more than his share of time at Children’s, came up with the idea all on his own to set up a lemonade stand at Summerfest on the Rio and raise money to provide toys for other young patients at Children’s Hospital.
The 8-year-old rural Alamosa resident also set up his stand at his church this summer.
In all, he, his family and supporters made 30 gallons of lemonade and raised more than $5,000, with $1,000 going to fellow Alamosa Elementary student Isabella Griffin’s Be a Buddy Not a Bully program and $4,400 going to Children’s Hospital in Denver.
Peyton said he served up 20 gallons of lemonade at Summerfest and made another 10 gallons for a fundraiser he set up at his church.
“I know why the lemonade stand made so much money,” Peyton said. “Because people were really thirsty.”
Another explanation could be found in the young salesman himself.
At 6 months, Peyton was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis, which he explained created “tiny, tiny, tiny little tumors in the back of my brain,” and the signs of the disease began appearing about the time he was 3. At age 4 tumors were detected on his optic nerve, and his vision has been deteriorating since then.
For four years he has made regular trips to Children’s Hospital and still has to visit the hospital for check-ups but is now able to take his chemo treatments through pills. During his most recent visit to the Denver hospital he learned that the tumors had remained stable since his last visit in April, but he will have to go back for surgery in November.
Because he had spent so many hours in Children’s Hospital, Peyton decided he wanted to buy items like stuffed animals, coloring books, paints, cars and movies for other children who were patients there.
He also wanted to help an arts and crafts program run by “Miss Pat,” whose funding was in a tenuous position.
Those were the reasons for his lemonade stands this summer, where he gave out lemonade on a donation basis.
Unfortunately, Peyton was not allowed to actually buy and distribute the toys himself, since Children’s Hospital policy prohibited items being brought into the hospital for health and privacy reasons. Peyton had been looking forward to loading up shopping carts and taking the toys to the hospital.
He had to settle for a promise from Children’s Hospital that his $4,400 donation would cheer up many young patients with toys, games and movies.
“First, second, seventh, third and fourth floors all those floors have a treasure chest, and the nurses are going to buy gifts and put all the toys in the treasure chest,” Peyton said.
Miss Pat had tears of gratitude for the boost in funding for her creative arts therapy program, too.
“She said Peyton’s money came at such a good time because they didn’t know how they were going to keep some of the programs going,” said Peyton’s mother Sheila Sanchez.
She added that Peyton’s gift to Children’s Hospital was the largest amount any child had raised and donated.
“Lots of kids donate money,” she said. “Nobody as a kid has ever donated that much money. Miss Pat, the therapist, cried because it was looking so grim.”
Sheila said the folks at Children’s told them this was such a blessing because so many people donate at Christmas time but in the summertime the funds are often depleted, so Peyton’s donation came at the perfect time.
Sheila and Peyton thanked all those who helped him make such a generous donation. Peyton’s entire family, dad Charlie and younger brother Landon, pitched in to help as well.