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Eden Prairie brothers' lemonade stand funds veteran support
As the United States nears its 250th anniversary, two young brothers in Eden Prairie are showing their patriotism by turning a simple lemonade stand into a powerful way to support veterans. FOX 9's Corin Hoggard has the story.
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (FOX 9) - As the United States nears its 250th anniversary, two young brothers in Eden Prairie are showing their patriotism by turning a simple lemonade stand into a powerful way to support veterans.
Brothers use lemonade stand to help veterans
What we know:
Noah and Cole Dingels started their lemonade stand in 2022, when Noah was 7 and Cole was about 4. Dressed in red, white and blue, the brothers have never kept any of the money for themselves. They donate every dollar to Tee It Up for the Troops, inspired by their grandfather Gene Dingels, who served more than 33 years flying helicopters in the Army and National Guard.
Their first year at Olympic Hills, the boys raised $359. The next year, they collected $762, and someone matched that donation, doubling its impact. This year, Noah said, "This year we raised $23,280 or something." Over time, their efforts have brought in more than $60,000 for veterans.
The boys expanded their offerings after the first couple years by adding snacks and golf balls to raise even more money.
"I think it was the third year we did it, we wanted to raise more money and we thought maybe we needed more stuff," said Noah Dingels.
"And all the golf balls are from in those woods (near the course)," said Cole Dingels.
They also started pitching their cause to local businesses, bringing in sponsorship dollars to boost their donations even further.
Raising money for troops
Why you should care:
The money raised by the Dingels brothers helps train service dogs for veterans and supports Loops Fore Troops, a program that trains service members as caddies. Their dedication has also inspired veterans, who have shown their appreciation every year. "We had veterans that came up, and shook their hands, and gave them challenge coins so they learned what challenge coins was all about," said Tom Groom of Tee It Up For The Troops.
Their collection of tokens includes challenge coins, a Silver Star -- the third-highest military honor for valor in combat -- and a letter of recognition from Secretary Pete Hegseth.
"Pretty proud," said Cole.
"I think it's really cool," said Noah.
The Dingels brothers are motivated not by the recognition, but by their desire to give back to those who served.
"They're very selfless," said Groom. "And they understand at a very young age what giving back means."
Local perspective:
The Eden Prairie community has rallied behind the boys, with local businesses stepping up as sponsors and veterans personally thanking them for their support. The boys’ story highlights how even the smallest efforts can have a big impact when a community comes together.
Their lemonade stand has become a fixture at Tee It Up for the Troops golf events, and their patriotic spirit is a reminder of the values celebrated each Fourth of July.
What we don't know:
It is not yet clear exactly how much the brothers hope to raise in the coming year, or which new ideas they might bring to their stand for future events.
If you’re considering a pledge, you can visit teeitupforthetroops.org.
For future Noah & Cole's Lemonade stand sponsorships, you can reach out to lemonade@teeitupforthetroops.org
The Source: FOX 9’s Corin Hoggard spoke with the Dingels family and Tee It Up For The Troops for this story.