Girl's Lemonade Stand Honors Restaurant Owner's Legacy

When Ava Miesowicz wanted to try running a lemonade stand, she had one condition: all the money had to honor Sam Saberi, the restaurant owner who made everyone feel like family.

Sam Saberi co-owned Tina's Grill in Aurora, Ontario, where he created something special called the "give back wall." The wall provided free meals to anyone in need, with the restaurant matching every donation. Saberi gave away dozens of turkeys each Thanksgiving and Christmas and regularly fed struggling families for free.

The Miesowicz family were regulars at Tina's Grill, where Saberi always made them feel "like he'd known you forever." When he passed away suddenly last April from health complications, the community lost more than a restaurant owner.

Ava's mother, Justine, said her daughter had been wanting to set up a lemonade stand for a while. When Canada Day approached, which also marked the anniversary of Tina's Grill, Ava suggested doing it in Sam's honor.

On July 1, Ava set up shop outside their Newmarket home with lemonade, flavor shots, and snacks. "I was excited knowing that I was going to help other people," Ava said.

The timing felt especially meaningful because Saberi himself championed young entrepreneurs. "If you ever see kids doing a lemonade or bake stand, stop. Support them," he posted on Facebook just months before his death. "Let's give love and kindness to all your future entrepreneurs!"

Sunny's Take

The community responded exactly how Sam would have hoped. Dozens of neighbors stopped by, many donating far more than the cost of lemonade. The Facebook post about the stand collected countless messages of support, with one local writing, "Sam is smiling down on her from up above."

After days of preparation and overwhelming community support, the Miesowicz family delivered all the proceeds to Tina's Grill's give back wall. Every dollar Ava raised will provide a free meal to someone in need, matched by the restaurant to double the impact.

"We hope we're making Sam proud," Justine said. The family plans to continue finding ways to give back, just like Sam taught them.