Health Inspector Shuts Down Charity Lemonade Stand, Mom Says

Photo credit: Lemonade Brigade GoFundMe page

A McHenry County health inspector closed down a lemonade stand in Crystal Lake Saturday, citing concerns over a lack of a canopy and hand washing station, a parent told the Northwest Herald.

The inspector also threatened to fine the group of girls, ranging in ages of 8 to 13, $70 in order to get a permit and cover the cost of a late fee, parent Chrissy Christianson told the newspaper. The group, the Lemonade Brigade, has raised over $30,000 by selling lemonade for $1 a cup and has donated the money to charity.

Christianson said the health inspector called a couple minutes later to say they had decided not to issue a fine and that the lemonade stand could remain open because children were running it, the newspaper reports.

Debra Quakenbush, spokeswoman for the health department, contends the lemonade stand was never actually shut down and the inspector was a newer staff member who was completing a required permit check on Saturday, according to the Northwest Herald.

On a Facebook post today, the Lemonade Brigade said it ”100 percent understands and agrees with the health department.”

“We were getting all ready to comply with their requests when we were told children are exempt,” according to the Facebook post. “ But, in the future, we will definitely have a hand washing station.....because that is actually a really good idea.”

Read more on the Northwest Herald