CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – While many children spend their Fourth of July running through sprinklers or watching fireworks, sisters Kina and Thea were busy serving lemonade, homemade muffins and fresh fruit from a stand outside their home.

For them, the annual lemonade stand isn’t about earning spending money.

“It’s kind of a tradition now,” Kina told Cville Right Now.

On Independence Day, the sisters, eight and nine years old, set up their stand with one goal in mind – raising money for animals at the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA.

“We always do a lemonade stand on the Fourth of July because we love it, and we love the SPCA and animals,” Kina said. “We just wanted to help.”

This year, neighbors stopped by throughout the day to buy refreshments and support the girls’ mission. By the end of the fundraiser, the sisters had raised $146, all of which they donated to the shelter.

“We love the animals, and we want all the animals that need help to have help,” Thea said.

The community response left a lasting impression.

“Seeing how everyone cares about the animals at the SPCA made me really happy,” she said.

Delivering the donation was one of the girls’ favorite moments.

“I was really excited to give the money to them,” Kina said.

The girls hope the money will help animals receive the care they need while waiting for permanent homes.

“I hope all the animals that need our support get the help they need,” Thea said.

For Lauren Thomas, events and fundraising manager at the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA, it’s not just the donation that stands out—it’s the example the girls are setting.

“We’re really thrilled because it’s moments like this that give us a lot of hope,” Thomas told Cville Right Now. “When kids grow up learning that kindness and action matter and they’re backed by their community, they know they can create brighter futures and a more compassionate world.”

Thomas said donations of every size help provide food, medical care, pet pantry assistance and other resources for animals at the shelter.

“Seeing kids develop that philanthropic mindset at such a young age is really wonderful and we’re so grateful,” she said.

She said the fundraiser also reflects the generosity of the Charlottesville community.

“It really is a community effort. We can’t do this work alone,” Thomas said.

The shelter welcomes volunteers starting at age 14, she added, and younger children can often get involved alongside parents or by organizing neighborhood fundraisers like the sisters did.

“It truly starts young,” Thomas said.

As for Kina, she hopes other children won’t be afraid to try something similar.

“If you’re scared or shy to ask people, don’t be, because people are really nice,” she said.

Thea also offered simple encouragement to anyone thinking about giving back.

“You’re doing awesome, and you can do it.”

With one lemonade stand, supportive neighbors and a desire to help animals they may never meet, the sisters turned a holiday tradition into something much bigger—a reminder that generosity doesn’t have to come with a big price tag to make a meaningful impact.