Lyndsi Hatfield of Swainsboro operates a lemonade and hot chocolate stand to raise money for
first responders. She buys snacks and drinks for every public safety department in Emanuel
County.
Lyndsi Hatfield, an 11-year-old from Swainsboro, GA, cares deeply about the well-being of the people who keep her community safe. She spends her summers and weekends raising money to ensure that first responders have the supplies they need to stay physically prepared to do their job.
"They risk their lives for us and keep us safe, but no one is taking care of them," says Lyndsi. "I want to show them love in return to keep them going."
Lyndsi runs a lemonade stand to raise money to buy snacks, water and sports drinks. She's raised more than $600 this year and provided refreshments to every department in Emanuel County including the Swainsboro Police and Fire departments; the Emanuel County Sherriff's Department and EMS; and the police departments in Twin City, Garfield, and Stillmore.
Of course, the lemonade is free to any police officer or first responder who stops by her stand. She's known as the "lemonade girl" and loves to give out free hugs with the lemonade. In the sweltering summer heat she opens her stand at 7:30 a.m. and stays open until 9 p.m. because she's determined to raise enough money to serve every first responder in the area.
Lyndsi's mother, Hazel Hatfield, says her daughter was born tender hearted and caring. When Lyndsi was eight years old, a news story about police officers killed in the line of duty deeply affected the child, Hazel says.
That's when Lyndsi devised her plan to provide refreshments and create an Adopt-A-Cop program. She knows how busy the first responders get and that they can't always stop for meals and drinks while on duty, so her donated snacks and drinks are easy to store in their vehicles.
Recently, Lyndsi and her mother saw firefighters hard at work battling a burning structure on a hot day. Lyndsi was ready with a cooler of ice-cold water, and fire fighters lined up to get them.
As the weather turns cooler, Lyndsi will sub hot chocolate for lemonade, continuing to raise money for those protecting the community.
Learn more about Lyndsi's Adopt-A-Cop effort on her Facebook page.
About Circle & Shield
Cingo means to surround and secure — to protect. That's what we do. And we have a lot of respect for those who take it upon themselves to make protection a part of what they do, too. That's why we've launched Circle & Shield, our award to a member of the community who helps make the world a better place, a safer place.
Click here to nominate someone for Cingo's Circle & Shield. We'll do the rest.
Cingo provides home protection services throughout Georgia and South Carolina, including Atlanta, Augusta, Charleston, Douglas, Dublin, Milledgeville, Savannah, Vidalia, Waycross and all points in between. Cingo was named a Best Place to Work in Georgia by Georgia Trend Magazine and listed as a National Best & Brightest Company to Work For. Learn more at www.cingohome.com.