Sweet cousins helping child with cancer

Two cousins are coming together for another summer of running an ice tea stand and the proceeds are helping a young boy with cancer.

Brooke Peters and Dakota Riemer may only be 11 and 14-years-old, but they are thrilled to donate proceeds of their stand to help another family with a child battling cancer. This will be their fourth summer running the event.

When it first began, Riemer says, "Our oldest siblings were at camp and we were really bored because we were too young to go to camp. So I suggested we do an ice-tea stand." 

Without thinking much further, Peters suggested they operate the stand for a good cause. 

"When she suggested that, I had a couple of aunties and uncles going through cancer, so we said we should raise it for cancer awareness and that's what we did."

Each year since the first stand, the girls choose a specific child to bless. Last year the girls raised funds for twins battling cancer. This year they are blessing a 6-year-old boy. 

"My mom messaged some of our pastors at our church and one replied that they had a neighbour boy who was almost seven and he's been going through cancer for a year. We decided that would be a good person for our ice tea stand this year."

Marek Hiebert lives in Steinbach, and he was diagnosed with Standard Risk-high B-cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia. 

"Each year we want to raise more money than we did the year before. We're just hoping to get money for this family because they've been going through a lot and we want to help."

Last year the girl's ice tea stand raised $7,700. This year they will be offering Texas brownies, cupcakes, cookies, ice tea, lemonade and bottled water with all donations and sales going to the Hiebert family. To help with the late-night baking sessions, they are offering pre-order pans of brownies ($30).

"[For individual items] everything costs one dollar, except for the water, it's $0.50."

Riemer and Peters share that quite often people will naturally pay a little more because it's a fundraiser.

"Last year one person came and bought a bunch of cookies and cupcakes, and he said he was buying them for his grandchildren. Then he came back with a $50 and bought one cookie. When Koda grabbed the money to give it to me, it turned out to be $500. So someone paid $500 for a cookie," says the cousins.

They also found over 10 local businesses to sponsor the event. The ice tea stand is set up at 418 Walnut Street in Steinbach and both girls will be there from 10 am until 7 pm July 21 and 22.