A band of young entrepreneurs are gearing up for a busy summer of sales in their Aldergrove neighbourhood.
The Springmans have discovered the fun and philanthropy in selling an array of beverages and treats at a makeshift stand.
The kids – Emma, 17, Ryan, 14, Sarah, 12, and Jacob, 10 – belong to the award winning musical group The Springmans that regularly plays more than 100 venues per year from their popular album Happy Beach.
COVID-19, of course, has put a stop to all in-person performances, but online has been somewhat of a different story.
There, the group has performed weekly, and in lieu of their annual Easter performance at venues like Township 7 Winery or Otter Co-op, the Springmans sang via livestream on the Aldergrove Safe Community and Awareness Facebook page.
Prizes including T-shirts, toys, CDs, and even instruments were given out to viewers.
But a philanthropic gesture has since turned into an outlet that let the siblings flex their creative muscle and community-mindedness in a whole new way while live gigs remain few and far between.
“Our parents sponsored a child through World Vision together,” Sarah explained. “When Emma came along, she asked why there were pictures of children she didn’t recognize on the refrigerator.”
Emma decided to sponsor her own child and has done so for more than nine years. Her siblings decided to all follow in her footsteps and sponsor four children between the three of them.
“It’s a little bit over a dollar a day,” Sarah added, noting that it only cost $39 a month – $156 for the family’s total. “It’s easy to do with friends; you can all join together and chip in. It’s only the cost of a cup of coffee per day.”
In attempts to come up with $156 every month, the Springman siblings opened a roadside stand where they began to sell daffodils.
READ MORE: Springmans bring “Happy Beach” in concert
The business only grew from there; iced tea, candy, hot chocolate, and eventually even select flavours of shaved ice have been incorporated over time.
The family proudly paid off an industrial-grade shaved ice maker – worth $200 USD – by diligently collecting lost change from school bleachers, under vending machines, and on airport floors.
“We now have lime, lemon, grape, birthday cake, and pina colada,” Ryan said about available flavours.
That’s only just the beginning; the crafty kids have gotten into whittling and plan to sell their creations this summer, along with veggies like zucchini and rhubarb – fresh from the family garden.
Lilac flowers may also be incorporated into the sales, too.
They try to open the stand on Friday afternoons during rush hour, but there is no set schedule on when the Springman stand may be in operation.
Keen clientele can always look for their bevy of painted signs posted when their in business on Robertson Crescent, just east of 248th Street.
Ryan also promised that dancing and cartwheels ensue when the stand nears its final 15 minutes.
But as fun as it all sounds, the business remains anchored by the charitable goal.
Sarah encouraged others to get involved with World Vision.
“It’s cool because you get to write letters back and forth, and see what each other are up to,” she said.
“It’s also a good way to meet neighbours,” Ryan added.
Perry, the “proud dad” of the Springman clan, said he loves that his kids do this but has also noticed that the stand seems to take people back to when they were young.
“It reminds them of a similar time when we weren’t all on our phones,” he noted. “People often say that they did it when they were younger and are happy to see that tradition continue.”
COVID-wise, Sarah said the siblings all take extra precaution, staying distanced from patrons, making sure there is no physical contact, and that they frequently wash their hands.
More information on the group can be found at www.thespringmans.com.
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