Kids Sell Lemonade To Raise Money For Drozdz Family

The recent hit-and-run that took the life of 18-year-old Gabby Drozdz has reached far into hearts of the Lake Zurich Community. 

The memorial on Church Street is still brimming with flowers, balloons, stuffed animals and candles, and more than 100 comments from friends and strangers alike already have been posted on the website set up in her memory, www.gabbydrozdz.com.

And on Aug. 1, six children worked together and raised more than $300 for the Remembering Gabby Drozdz Fund by selling lemonade on a neighborhood street.

When 10-year-old Gabrielle Vitale woke up Monday morning, she told her mother she wanted to set up a lemonade stand with a cause, in front of their residence on Echo Lake Road between Church Street and Miller Road.

“She asked me if she and her friends could donate the money they made to the memorial fund for Gabby, and that sounded like a very sweet idea to me,” said Reenee Vitale, Gabrielle’s mother.

So Gabrielle and her friend, 11-year-old Cheyanne Gwizdala, spearheaded the effort with the help of their two younger brothers, 5-year-old Cason Gwizdala and 6-year-old Vito Vitale, along with two friends, Jenny Miller and Mikayla Bugsby, both 12.

The stand opened at 10 a.m. with bright-eyed youngsters and bright yellow signs clearly stating all profits would go to the memorial fund set up in memory of Drozdz. 

The fund was created to aid the Drozdz family and to offer a cash reward for information leading to the arrest of the driver who hit the young woman and two of her friends, also sisters, as they walked to Alpine Fest on the gravel along Church Street July 22.

“We had signs and told people we were raising money to remember Gabby, and everyone said to keep it up and it was nice that we were trying to help her family,” said Cheyanne.   

“I know that her family must feel really bad, so we did this to help them raise money and to get through their loss,” Gabrielle said.

Both girls said they and all of their friends know about Gabby’s death, after driving by the memorial countless times and hearing about it in the news.

“Everyone knows about it, and we are all so sad for the family,” Gabrielle said.

By the time the stand closed at 4 p.m., the children had raised more than $300, and the change had yet to be counted.

Vitale said she and her father are going to Chase Bank, 1289 S. Rand Road, Lake Zurich, on Tuesday to donate the money to the memorial fund set up there.

“It’s just amazing what young hearts can do for someone they didn’t even know, through generosity and kindness. I am so glad they showed that compassion and that will hopefully pass on to others,” said Tabatha Gwizdala, Cheyanne’s mother.

“My daughter put stuffed animals at the memorial and we said a little prayer. A lot of the moms have talked about this horrible tragedy and we are stunned. It could have been one of our kids and our hearts bleed for the Drozdz family,” said Reenee Vitale. 

At the end of the day, the girls realized they received something priceless from the whole experience.

“I wanted to show Gabby’s family that we care about them and I think it is very sad that she died,” said Gabrielle. “We had fun while we did something good, and I hope it makes her family feel loved.”

“God bless the Drozdz family, and I think Gabby would be really happy that we are doing this,” Cheyanne said.