Jenna Johnson’s lemonade stand has become much more than a summer activity. In fact, the 10-year-old has even renamed it a “lemon-aid stand” as she raises money for the Birmingham Zoo, with help from those of us on the Hilltop.

Jenna, daughter of Randy Johnson, the director of facilities at Birmingham-Southern, held the stand with her friend Evan in front of Striplin Fitness Center multiple times this summer, each sale more successful than the last.

“Jenna and Evan had previously done a small lemonade sale out of boredom early in the summer on campus with very small success due to the virus,” Johnson says. “Then Jenna thought she would try again with the campus now having more people out and about.”

When she learned that the Birmingham Zoo was struggling during the pandemic and would be closed Mondays and Tuesdays, Jenna decided to donate all of her profits to the zoo to help support its events and programs. The turnout increased as more people have returned to campus, with her most recent stand raising $207.

After Southern Environmental Center Director Roald Hazelhoff learned more about Jenna’s “lemon-aid” stand, he connected her with the Birmingham Zoo staff to share what she’s been doing. The zoo came through with a behind-the-scenes tour as a thank you for Jenna and Evan’s hard work.

“The director of events at the zoo treated Jenna and Evan to an up-close feeding inside the tortoise enclosure, where they fed the turtles and learned all about them,” Johnson says. “Then they were taken to view the lions receiving their treat of bones and learned many interesting things about both species.”

Johnson started at BSC in February – the family moved from Illinois – and Jenna has quickly made herself at home in the BSC community.

“Jenna has a wonderful group of college students keeping her company,” he says. “They helped spread the word via their social media accounts so others knew where to come if they wanted to help Jenna on her mission.”