Residents in Boston suburb raised $20K after town officials shut down boy’s ice cream stand

NORWOOD, Mass. (AP) — Bored and on the lookout for one thing to do that summer time, Danny Doherty hatched a plan to lift cash for his brother’s hockey staff by promoting selfmade ice cream.

However a number of days after establishing a stand and serving up vanilla, shaved chocolate and fluffernutter to about 20 individuals, Danny’s household acquired a letter from the Norwood Board of Well being ordering it shut down. City officers had acquired a criticism and stated that the 12-year-old’s scheme violated the Massachusetts Meals Code, a state regulation.

“I used to be shocked and upset,” he stated of the letter that got here Aug. 5. “I don’t perceive as a result of there are so many lemonade stands and so they don’t get shut down.”

Danny’s mother, Nancy Doherty, who had inspired her son to start out the stand so long as he donated half of the proceeds to charity, additionally was stunned.

“Any person complained. That was essentially the most disappointing half for us was that any person thought it essential to complain a few little one’s stand,” she stated. “It appeared a bit of, you understand, loopy should you ask me.”

Slightly than quit, Danny determined to provide away the ice cream and settle for donations for the Boston Bear Cubs, a staff that includes gamers with bodily and developmental disabilities — together with his brother, who’s autistic.

That’s when the neighborhood fundraiser blew up and have become the speak of Norwood, a suburban city about an hour from Boston.

The primary day they gave away the ice cream, provides ran out in 10 minutes and $1,000 was raised. Then, phrase started to unfold concerning the fundraiser and Danny’s conflict with the city. Native media ran tales concerning the stand, prompting scores of native companies to carry their very own fundraisers for the hockey staff.

Amongst them was Furlong’s Candies, which teamed up with Boston radio station WWBX-FM to carry a fundraiser of their parking zone. They raised $3,600 on a day when strains stretched out the door.

“Danny was attempting to do a superb factor for his brother’s staff — and it’s not only a common hockey staff,” Nancy Thrasher, the shop’s co-owner stated. “They want much more gear … We have been like this can be a good scenario for us to become involved in.”

Thrasher stated she understood why the stand needed to be shut down however she nonetheless felt unhealthy.

“My coronary heart broke for the child. He was simply attempting to do good for his brother’s staff,” she stated.

City officers, in the meantime, stated they acquired hate mail and loss of life threats over the dispute, which they prompt has been badly mischaracterized within the media.

They argued the household had offered their selfmade ice cream earlier than and even promoted it on social media. The letter, officers stated, was solely despatched after the city acquired a number of complaints and unsuccessfully tried to contact the household — one thing the Doherty’s dispute.

“We needed to take care of workers who have been upset that they have been being threatened. Individuals had gone on-line and located their addresses merely for sending a letter after having reached out to any person and stated, look, there’s a violation right here,” stated Tony Mazzucco, Norwood’s city supervisor. It’s the “first time in latest reminiscence” that the city has shut down an ice cream stand, he stated, including that Massachusetts legislation permits for issues like lemonade stands and bakes gross sales however not selfmade ice cream.

Mazzucco additionally stated there was a “reputable well being concern” since selfmade ice cream may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes or different micro organism.

Danny’s scenario isn’t altogether uncommon. Youth elsewhere have additionally seen their lemonade stands or pop-up bake gross sales shuttered — typically for failing to have a enterprise or well being allow. A number of states have responded by shifting to minimize restrictions on such ventures.

Nancy Doherty stated it was “distressing” to listen to the city workers had acquired threats. She stated the household had by no means offered ice cream earlier than however acknowledged that Danny created an Instagram account to advertise the stand.

“I’m not upset with the city for responding to a criticism,” she stated. “I’m shocked somebody complained. This was a tiny operation. Us serving 20 mates, household and neighbors isn’t a public well being motion. That’s somebody complaining to be a complainer.”

For Danny, all the eye has been a bit of unnerving. “There have been so many individuals after which they began chanting my identify,” he stated of the fundraiser at Furlong’s. “I didn’t prefer it, so I ran away. All the eye was on me and I didn’t prefer it.”

In the long run, about $20,000 was raised for the hockey staff — greater than the quantity the membership spends in a complete yr. The infusion of funds ought to make sure the membership shall be on “sound monetary footing” for the following decade or extra.

“The group response has overwhelmed us,” stated John Quill, the director and coach of the Boston Bear Cubs, as he accepted a verify from an auto group on the Dohertys’ home.

“There are a whole lot of good individuals on the market,” Quill added. “Danny impressed a complete lot of individuals to do good and to be sort and to assist us out.”