Brothers Noah and Cole Dingels of Eden Prairie, Minn., did something five years ago that many children have done for generations: start a lemonade stand. What they didn't know is that years later, their efforts would help raise more than $60,000 for U.S. military veterans. When the siblings were just 7 and 4 years old, they set up a stand at a golf event in their own backyard sponsored by Tee It Up for the Troops, a national nonprofit organization founded in 2005 and based in Burnsville, Minn., that engages veterans and raises awareness for causes through golf events, outreach programs and fundraisers. That first year, the brothers sold $359 worth of lemonade and gave every cent to veterans. But rather than rest on their laurels, they set their sights even higher. Noah, now 11, and Cole, 8, kept going and ultimately raised tens of thousands of dollars—including $23,000 in just one day. Angela, the boys' mother, told Military.com that it all began in 2022 when a flyer was put in the family's mailbox that said, "Show your American pride on the golf course side of your house."
The Dingels family poses at the Tee It Up for the Troops event. (Billy Perrier)
For them, that's their backyard. She and her husband, knowing their kids' wanted to set up a lemonade stand, suggested doing it during the Tee It Up for the Troops golf outing to raise money for veterans. The organization was contacted and thought it was a great idea. They raised $359 that day. "They were really excited," Angela said. "They got to go to the banquet and present the funds they had raised, and a spark was lit for our family. We decided we loved doing that, loved giving back in that way, and so each year—this past year was our fifth year—the boys have talked about, how do we beat our goal from last year? What else could we do?"
