An act of kindness captured on camera by a Toronto Transit Commission employee at a lemonade stand in Scarborough is getting some positive attention online.
Andrea Sears posted a photo on Facebook of TTC driver Jason Dick pulled over at the side of the road on Sunday.
“Walking home from the park and see (sic) the TTC bus driver stop at the lemonaid (sic) / cookie stand and buy several cookies and hand them out to his passengers. It made my day,” she wrote.
Nathalie Sinson told Global News her seven-year-old son asked her for two years to setup a lemonade stand in front of their home.
“For once I bought him the big container and I said, ‘OK, let’s do it, let’s sell it in front of our house … it was a really last minute thing,” she said.
“I have four kids so they all helped me prepare the cookies even my mom was there and she helped me prepare the cookies.”
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Dick, a seven-year TTC employee who has driven out in Scarborough, said he saw the stand — complete with signs and balloons — during his second run of the 38 Highland Creek route that day.
“I thought to myself, ‘Gee, I remember doing that and I remember not being terribly successful at it and I thought it would be a nice thrill for these kids if I could just take a moment and pull over and buy some lemonade (and) got some cookies,” he told Global News.
So throughout his shift, Dick ended up stopping at the stand four times.
“I‘d stop and I’d say, ‘Hey guys, there’s a lemonade stand setup over here and some cookies and if anybody would like to take a moment and support these kids and buy some refreshments, we’ll wait. A few times passengers either didn’t have cash on them or a few people had to get going and we respect that, and we got going again,” he recalled.
“But then I’d say the last two trips were really remarkable because passengers were excited to go over and help out. There was one young couple who got off and scooted on over and got cookies and drinks and they came back just hands full.”
Sinson said another TTC driver stopped by the stand on the same day. She noted a couple of the passengers came back to buy items. Sinson said the simple gesture by Dick and his colleague left a lasting impression on her young family.
“We’re all human, we have jobs, we work hard and it’s OK to stop, smell the roses, pick up a cookie, drink some lemonade.”
Sinson said the proceeds were split between the four children and the money was put in each of their ‘piggy banks.’ In addition to showing kindness and attention, she said she hopes her children learned other lessons.
“Entrepreneurship, being independent, being good in front of people, not shy and knowing how to do what they love,” she said.
Meanwhile, Dick said the interactions with Sinson, her children, and his passengers simply made his day.
“I made it a point to just to because every time there were smiles on the faces. Every time it was just such a welcome feeling. I could have stopped and sat there and talked for hours, but clearly I had to keep going. I can’t say I’ve ever met such a genuine or nice family,” he said.
“If you see children out selling lemonade and cookies, please run and get some cash and stop — it doesn’t hurt. A small act of kindness can really brighten somebody else’s day and I think it’s just exactly what the world needs and what we as a city need –- just more positive.”
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