East Palestine Elementary students Blake Stauffer, left, and Blake Allison sell lemonade on Sunday. The boys raised $100 and donated the funds to The Brightside Project. (Contributed photo)

EAST PALESTINE — As water, donations and other crisis relief continues to arrive in East Palestine from all over the country in the wake of February’s Norfolk Southern DeRailment and controlled vent and burn of chemicals over the village, two East Palestine boys took the initiative to pay it forward.

Blake Allison and his friend and neighbor, Blake Stauffer, put together a lemonade stand and sold lemonade on Sunday. The boys raised $100 during their charitable endeavor.

The two East Palestine Elementary students then presented a check to The Brightside Project when the Brightside Bus paid a visit to the East Palestine City School District on Wednesday. The Brightside Project is a non-profit based in Salem created in 2016 by Scott Lewis and his daughter Lisa Wallace to help the underserved, low-income children in Columbiana County.

Blake Allison is the son of East Palestine resident Misti Allison who gave testimony on Capitol Hill during the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation hearing on improving rail safety in March. Allison has been a vocal advocate for the community since the rail disaster and is a member of the Moms Clean Air Force.

The apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree.

“I am so proud of our boys and I am grateful to The Brightside Project for being a beacon of hope and joy for our children during this difficult time,” Allison said of the boys’ donation.

selverd@mojonews.com