Whether you are a long-time resident or first-time visitor, Midway, Ga. wants you to embrace its history, tranquil allure and Southern hospitality. Sounds like a great place to raise a family.
Unless your children want to open a lemonade stand. Then, you will get shut down faster than a stripper bar on church property.
That's exactly what happened to three girls earlier this month. Their plan was to raise enough cash to finance a trip to Splash in the Boro, a water park in nearby Statesboro. With a piece of plywood, an Igloo beverage dispenser and a keen business sense, the fledgling entrepreneurs figured ice-cold lemonade would be just the panacea for passers-by trying to beat the heat, hovering in the mid-90s.
All it took was a police drive-by to put an end to this questionable business practice, located on private property, the home of one of the children.
“We had told them, we understand you guys are young, but still, you’re breaking the law, and we can’t let you do it anymore. The law is the law, and we have to be consistent with how we enforce the laws,” Midway Police Chief Kelly Morningstar told a local TV station.
Seems the mini merchants failed to obtain a business license, peddler’s permit, and food permit. The permits cost $50 a day and a total of $180 per year. City officials said it’s their job to keep everyone safe and healthy, and there can be no exceptions to the rules.
Cost of admission to the water park: $12 a kid. Thanks, Midway, for screwing up their business plan.
Midway is a sleepy little town dating back to the 1700s. Just minutes from the coast, Savannah to the north and Jekyll Islands to the south, Midway boasts a rich history and a people-friendly attitude. Its Web site states the town is in the process of a "revolutionary revitalization" that will create a safe and prosperous model city in which to live, raise a family or enjoy a peaceful retirement. Just not for kids trying to earn a buck.
Chief Morningstar, ever the cautious law enforcement officer in a climate of international terrorism, went on to say, “We were not aware of how the lemonade was made, who made the lemonade, of what the lemonade was made with, so we acted accordingly by city ordinance."
Evidently the chief received the latest hot sheet that warns "Terrorists are now recruiting white American children in rural towns to carry out their subversive acts in the name of Allah. Be on the lookout for suspicious lemonade stands."
The girls took it all in stride and, not wanting to appear on the FBI's Most Wanted list, complied.
“It’s kind of crazy that we couldn’t sell lemonade. It was fun, but we had to listen to the cops and shut it down,” 14-year-old Casity Dixon said.
Even the mother of one of the girls didn't want to ruffle any law enforcement feathers.
“It’s almost like they don’t have anything better to do," said Amy Roberts, mother of 10-year old Skylar. "I’m going to let it go. I’m trying to teach them good. I don’t think if I keep on, it’ll teach them a good thing."
The stand is now a heap of plywood. The three girls have been doing extra chores to make money for the trip.
Meanwhile, Midway, Ga. is a safer place to live.
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