Northwoods sisters sell cocoa for a cause

MARINETTE - Two young girls spent the day slinging hot chocolate at a stand in Marinette Saturday.

But they weren't pocketing the proceeds for themselves. A tragedy in the area sparked the idea.

"I don't know if I really can say enough," said Ellen Grabian. After a long pause, she continued, "You can just really see the Lord working."

Grabian's Town of Peshtigo house was destroyed by fire last weekend. A firefighter near the scene told her about the blaze upon the family's return from church on Sunday.

"I said, 'Well, is it 2716?' is our house number, and he just said, 'Well you guys, you're safe, and you're in your car, and you've got what you need right here. Nothing else can be done,'" explained Grabian.

But the children of a family friend feel there is much to be done now. They're using their entrepreneurial skills to help.

"It's really cold outside and it's, hot chocolate, is good," said nine-year-old Faith Tebo of Menominee, Michigan.

Faith and her seven-year-old sister came up with the idea to set up a cocoa stand at the River Cities Habitat for Humanity Restore.

"I was just so touched and proud, and thought of course of course I want to help," said the girls' mother Cassie Tebo.

Cassie Tebo helped her daughters run the operation Saturday, which offered hot chocolate with marshmallows for a dollar, plus baked goods for sale.

"What turned into this sweet, little, innocent hot chocolate stand has now, we've had over 200 people, we've raised a lot of money, and it's all going for this family who lost everything in a fire," Cassie Tebo said.

The girls said it's definitely better to give than to receive.

"It makes me feel really good and it's like, it just, it's really happy that we did this and stuff," said Faith Tebo.

And their support, along with a huge outpouring from the community, is comforting for Ellen Grabian.

"It just, you feel like you're in a blanket. I do I feel like I'm in a blanket and we're able to focus on our family and the things that we need and they're all taking care of everything else," Grabian said.

The Tebo family said nearly 300 people stopped by the hot chocolate stand Saturday.

The girls raised more than $2,300, and also collected clothing and household items.