His lemonade stand features a hand-painted sign, along with cookies and brownies. Oliver Bean Thome, 6, doesn't charge for drinks or snacks, but rather, simply asks for donations—with all money going to the Team To End AIDS (T2), the endurance-training program of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC), of which his mom, Jamie, is a coach for the program.
The youngster, known to most as "Bean," admires the T2 participants and knows the basics of why they run marathons, compete in triathlons and do countless hours of fund-raising for AFC.
"So people can get their medicine," Bean answered when asked why he—like all T2 participants—raises funds for AFC. "The money is used for buying the medicine that people who have AIDS need."
Bean is the youngest fundraiser for T2, and this is his second year supporting the cause. Last year, Bean raised about $600. This year, he has already raised more than $1,000.
His goal is $3,000, though he wanted to raise $1 million.
Again, these are words of a 6-year-old.
"I actually don't have him fundraising. It was his choice," said Jamie Thome, 40, who lives in Evanston, has run seven marathons and been coaching for T2 for three years.
"Last year, when we were registering him for his first dualthlon, the Splash and Dash at the McGaw YMCA, he asked me who it was for. Confused, I said, 'It's for you. You're doing this race.' And he replied, 'No, who am I raising money for?'"
She then asked him who he wanted to raise money for, and Bean shrugged and said, "T2, of course."
Bean even asked his mom to make a fund-raising video, similar to one he saw of T2 participant Paul Kilian.
"I think the impetus for his generosity and choice of cause was that he's grown up around fundraising for AFC," said Thome, whose first marathon was when he was 9 months old.
Thome admitted that explaining HIV/AIDS to a 6 year-old can be, "tricky in a lot of ways."
"Of course, it's inappropriate to bring up the sexually transmitted part of the cause to a 6-year-old, but we talk a lot about what HIV and AIDS actually are, medically, not specifics about how it's contracted, either sexually or through tainted needle use, etc.," Jamie Thome said.
"That said, we do talk about prevention and that some of what he raises for AFC goes to educational programs and prevention. We have talked about how babies with HIV-positive mothers can benefit from his fundraising, with the result of being born without HIV. Naturally, helping babies and other kids interests him. His biggest concern, though, is that people with HIV/AIDS are able to afford and receive their medicine."
Jamie said she truly believes Bean understands that he's raising money to help people who need to be helped.
"He's got such a huge heart and a generous spirit. He always has," Thome said. "He's a sensitive and caring kid, the one in the classroom who is the diplomat, the negotiator of peace. It's really hard to put into words what it means to us that he's such a great guy and that he just naturally wants to help others. My heart swells."
Earlier this year, when Jamie and her husband, Doug, asked Bean how much he wanted to raise for T2, he randomly replied, $1 million. Mom and Dad laughed.
"I have absolutely no idea how he came up with that number," Thome said.
It now stands at $3,000.
"T2 is an amazing group of people; the athletes are not only raising their own funds for AFC, but a lot of them have donated to his fundraising, [too]. I think that's terribly sweet and pretty much par for the course with T2. You won't find a more supportive, generous group of people.
"Not to sound sappy or like a crazy person, but I hope that Bean is truly learning what it means to be of service, to help other people. We're not particularly religious as a family, but do put a great deal of faith in kindness and quiet charity."
Bean will be in first grade in the fall at Dr. Bessie Rhodes Magnet School of Global Studies in Evanston. His hobbies include LEGOS, Hot Wheels, reading and swimming.
"My favorite thing about fundraising has been raising all the money. Also, I like hanging out with everybody at my lemonade stand," Bean said. "I think [the T2 marathon runners] are all fast and speedy."
To support Bean and his fundraising for T2 and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, go to afc.aidschicago.org/netcommunity/thome.
