Grafton lemonade stand raises more than $2,500 for veterans services

GRAFTON, Mass. — A 7-year-old Grafton boy loves to support veterans, and now his community is showing they support him in doing so.

Tyler Hardiman’s biggest dream is to join the Army, but he told FOX25 it makes him sad to see disabled vets not getting the services they deserve.

Tyler set up a lemonade stand in his front yard with all the proceeds benefiting Project New Hope, a local non-profit that works to provide services to veterans and their families.

“We were so honored to have Tyler choose our organization,” said Bill LeBeau of Project New Hope. “We’re losing 20 veterans a day to suicide, there’s a lot of divorce, and a lot of our veterans are isolated and don’t know what they’re entitled to. They’ve earned those benefits.”

Word got around that Tyler was doing big things, so the community planned a surprise to show Tyler that it means a lot. A convoy of 40 jeeps, a 5-ton Army tanker, police escorts, and hundreds of supporters in need of lemonade, all bearing donations for Tyler’s cause.

“I just want to help the Army men so they can survive,” Tyler said.

Among those who came out were Tyler’s second-grade teacher and principal, officers from the Grafton Police Department, Army veterans, neighbors, and family members.

“There’s just no words. He’s got such a big heart, he’s such a good kid, and it’s just what he loves to do,” said Tyler’s mom, Danielle Hardiman.

In total, Tyler’s lemonade stand raised $2,500 in one afternoon, all going to Project New Hope.

Tyler's mother Danielle said this is not the first time Tyler has wanted to give back. Last year his lemonade stand raised $1,600 for a Grafton police officer with cancer.

For more information on Project New Hope's services for veterans and their families, visit www.projectnewhopema.org.

Cox Media Group