lemonade stand

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Jayden told her father that she wanted to set up a lemonade stand to help a charity. After doing research, they settled on Equality House because of its mission and efforts, not its location across from the Westboro compound, her father said. "She saw pictures of it and thought it was the most beautiful house in the world," Jon Sink said. The father and daughter arrived about 11:30 a.m. Friday and set up shop. Jayden set up hand-made signs including one that said, "Pink lemonade for peace. $1 suggested donation." Hammet said he saw Westboro members pacing up and down the sidewalk and repeatedly making phone calls. He believes they tried to call the police, who declined to shut down the lemonade stand. "They use every legal power possible to shut down any kind of opposition," he said. He said they also yelled rude comments at those buying the lemonade. A group of motorcycle riders from Fort Riley came by and bought lemonade, and also ruffled the feathers of Westboro members, Hammet said. One soldier stepped on Westboro property while taking pictures, prompting at least one person to yell profanities at the soldier, who responded that he fought for his freedoms, Hammet said. Jonathan Phelps, son of Westboro founder Fred Phelps Sr., said the lemonade stand has given the church "a great preaching opportunity." "Because every time you tell the story about the lemonade, you have to tell about the eternal hatred and wrath of God towards the impenitent sinner, and the popular sin of the day is the sin of sodomy," he said. The group repeatedly tweeted a picture of wording on their marquee outside the Westboro compound. The wording, which uses a homosexual slur, says homosexuals and their enablers will burn in hell and "lemonade won't cool any tongues." After the Huffington Post picked up the story about Jayden's lemonade stand, donations picked up. The goal was originally $500. "It just resonates really well," Hammet said. "But we were shocked by how much money it raised."