ODESSA, Texas — Time and time again first responders not only do what they have to do to protect our community and families, but also go that extra miles to connect with all sorts of people in Odessa, including a little girl at a lemonade stand.
If you take a second to stop by 10th and Golder in Odessa, you may find a young entrepreneur and budding business, founded by Genalyah.
"Well she got it because where we live there's a little boy, who had his own lemonade stand and she seen him wanting to do it and it encouraged her and its actually been like a month already and she was asking us every weekend can I have a lemonade stand," said Michelle Silva, Genalyah's mom.
Genalyah started her lemonade stand but standing out in the hot West Texas sun is not easy. Thanks to the Odessa Fire Rescue though she got some relief from the sun.
"I was covering her with an umbrella and the Chief drove by, he got off, bought a lemonade from us but he didn't mention anything," Silva said. "He just bought the lemonade and went on his way and like 15 minutes later, he showed up surprising us with a tarp and then all the fire fighters showed up to support her."
The extra mile meant a lot to Genalyah and her family, and this lemonade stand is just the beginning of Genalyah's career.
"I wanted to cry I was like I couldn't believe it," Silva said. "Her dream is to have her own snow cone stand so that's what she's going for but she does want to be a police officer. She said that when she's older she's going to give a kid that stand and she wants to become an Odessa Police Officer."
On Saturday she got a visit from OPD themselves, they bought lemonade and hot dogs.
"Just come out and support and hopefully we get her dream come true with her snow cone stand," Silva said.
If you missed Genalyah's lemonade stand this weekend, you can stop by the corner of 10th and Golder on Saturday and Sunday throughout the summer.