BLACK FOREST — Cotton Blossom Caramel, a business in Black Forest, is offering a chance for local kids to get a bit of entrepreneurial experience by operating a small cider (and lemonade) stand; there's no setup required, all the beverages are already paid for, and the kids get to take home their profit.
According to Liz Deen, the owner of Cotton Blossom Caramel, the idea came from a desire to give kids a chance to learn while engaging with the community.
"All the supplies are included," said Liz, "and families can just show up and have this wonderful confidence-building experience, something that allows the kiddos to connect with their community."
Liz started with a lemonade stand in late May and was able to partner with the Northgate Chick-fil-A, which donated the lemonade; she says that she was pretty quickly inundated with requests from local families to participate in the program.
"When I first started this, I only had 22 slots available, and I had nearly 400 families reach out and want to be a part of that, and that's something that I will never forget."
Following that initial success, Cotton Blossom Caramel is now starting up a more autumnal version of the stand, dubbed Cider Lane Littles, offering cider alongside the lemonade; each cup costs a dollar, and the kids get to take home the profits.
In total, Liz hopes to be able to provide the chance for approximately two dozen families to participate in the program this year.
The stand operates each Saturday from 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., allowing for enough time for two families and their would-be entrepreneurs to get in on the experience; the stand will operate through mid-October.
"It's a way to support children," said Liz, "it's a way for them to know that they're important and that they are special and that they are heard and that they are seen."
While this year's Cider Lane Littles program is fully booked, Liz hopes to return with summer and fall programs next year as well.
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