This summer, Danny Doherty got bored. So he hatched a plan. He decided to sell homemade ice cream to raise money for his brother’s hockey team.

Danny set up a stand near his home in Norwood, Massachusetts. He served up vanilla, chocolate, and fluffernutter to about 20 people. A few days later, Danny’s family received a letter from the Norwood Board of Health. It ordered the stand to shut down. Town officials had received a complaint. They said the 12-year-old’s scheme broke a law in the Massachusetts Food Code.

“I was surprised and upset,” Danny says. “I don’t understand because there are so many lemonade stands and they don’t get shut down.”

Danny’s mom had encouraged her son to start the stand. She asked him to donate half the money he made to charity. The letter surprised her too. 

“I’m not upset with the town for responding to a complaint,” Danny’s mom says. “I’m shocked someone complained.” 

Danny didn’t give up. He decided to give away the ice cream. He accepted donations for the Boston Bear Cubs. The team features players with physical and developmental disabilities. That includes Danny’s brother, who is autistic.

Soon the fundraiser became the talk of the town.

The first day Danny and his family gave away the ice cream, supplies ran out in 10 minutes. They raised $1,000. Word spread. Local media ran stories about the stand. Local businesses held their own fundraisers for the hockey team.

Town officials say lemonade stands and bake sales are allowed in Massachusetts, but selling homemade ice cream is not. 

Danny’s situation is not unusual. Kids in other places have also had lemonade stands or pop-up bake sales shut down. Often it’s because they don’t have business or health permits. Officials in several states have tried to get rid of some of these restrictions. 

In the end, Danny and others raised about $20,000 for the hockey team. That’s more than the amount the club spends in an entire year. The money should help support the club for the next 10 years or longer. 

John Quill coaches the Boston Bear Cubs. He says, “Danny inspired a whole lot of people to do good and to be kind and to help us out.”

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. — Philippians 2:4