Sisters who set up a lemonade stand to fund a Father’s Day gift on Monday were shut down by the police due to a lack of permit.

 

Andria Green, 8, and her sister, Zoey, 7, set up the lemonade stand to raise the $105 they needed for tickets to the Texas water park Splash Kingdom. They were selling lemonade for 50 cents and kettle corn for one dollar on their street in the town of Overton, but about an hour after opening, police showed up and told the girls they needed a permit to sell the lemonade. Police agreed to waive the fee of the permit, which normally would cost $150. “The officer told them they had to go to city hall to get a permit,” Overton Police Chief Clyde Carter tells Yahoo Parenting. “Then the city told them they had to check with the health department, which they didn’t do.”

 

According to a Texas law, the sale of food that requires temperature control to prevent spoiling is illegal without a permit. “It’s because of the bacteria that can grow in the lemonade,” Carter says. “The popcorn they were selling was perfectly legal.”

 

But Sandi Evans, the girls’ mom, told KLTV that sending the family to the health department was too much. “I think that’s ridiculous,” Evans said. “I think they’re 7 and 8 and they’re just trying to make money for their own cause.”

 

Evans did not respond to Yahoo Parenting’s request for comment.

 

On Facebook, Evans wrote that she was feeling defeated. “The police department was very nice to us and provided us with the correct paperwork to get a ‘lemonade selling permit,’” she said. “This is unreal! It’s just lemonade! I almost feel slapped in the face as a return for the effort my family puts into our community!”

 

Instead of pursuing the permit, the girls will set up a new stand this Saturday, according to KLTV: free lemonade, donations welcome.

 

I bet they make more money by donations than they would have otherwise...

And I will also bet the city updates their law soon if it doesn't include free giveaways meant as end-arounds to circumvent the law. Terrible lesson for the parents to teach their children.

Yet another example of common sense losing out to stupidity....

Yet another example of common sense losing out to stupidity....

 

Not really I actually understand why the law/permit is in place on this. Furthermore the police went out of their way to get them the paperwork they needed.

 

Much to do about nothing, follow the rules. Parents should have been more on top of things.

Yet another example of common sense losing out to stupidity....

 

Not really I actually understand why the law/permit is in place on this. Furthermore the police went out of their way to get them the paperwork they needed.

 

Much to do about nothing, follow the rules. Parents should have been more on top of things.

Just a hunch, but it wouldn't shock me if a vigilante neighbor called and reported them; thus, requiring the officials to take action. You would be surprised how many of those exist.

Just a hunch, but it wouldn't shock me if a vigilante neighbor called and reported them; thus, requiring the officials to take action. You would be surprised how many of those exist.

 

Perhaps, easiest way to get at that neighbor was to have the permit.

 

People think they can just up and do things with no recourse and they cant. Simple process, filed permit, have lemonade sale. Not a hard thing to do.

Permits for lemonade stands. How ridiculous.

It's a lemonade stand for goodness sakes. The fact that it requires a permit is absurd.

Perhaps, easiest way to get at that neighbor was to have the permit.

 

People think they can just up and do things with no recourse and they cant. Simple process, filed permit, have lemonade sale. Not a hard thing to do.

To the first point, health codes or business license permits exist everywhere. Most officials would view it as an innocuous exercise as evident by them waiving the fees, regardless of the regulations.

 

I concur with the second sentence.

It's a lemonade stand for goodness sakes. The fact that it requires a permit is absurd.

 

And by the action of the local officials it appears they agree.

And by the action of the local officials it appears they agree.

 

If they agreed they wouldn't have shut down the stand.

And I will also bet the city updates their law soon if it doesn't include free giveaways meant as end-arounds to circumvent the law. Terrible lesson for the parents to teach their children.

 

Isn't that essentially what lawyers do?

Nowadays Lucy would probably get arrested on the spot for practicing medicine without a license at her 5-cent psychiatry stand.

Isn't that essentially what lawyers do?

 

Hiring a lawyer for a genuine legal matter vs. teaching your children civil disobedience rather than civics just doesn't feel like a proper analogy.

I want to live in the town where the police have time to handle lemonade stand problems.