Sisters Raised Funds for Cile Steward at ACL Festival
The lemonade stand brought in thousands for the foundation after a tragedy at camp.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Philanthropy
Two sisters raised money for the Cile Steward Foundation Fund by selling lemonade at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. The effort honored the memory of 7-year-old Cile Steward, who was killed in a 2025 Texas Hill Country flood.
Why it matters
The fundraiser reflects a community response to the 2025 Camp Mystic tragedy that affected Zilker Elementary School families. The Ross sisters and their classmates aimed to provide financial support to the memorial foundation created in Steward's name.
A lemonade stand operated by two sisters raised $2,300 in one day at the festival, building on $874 collected during the event's first weekend. The total contribution supports a foundation honoring a 7-year-old student lost in 2025.
The players
Camille Ross
A 7-year-old student who co-organized the lemonade stand.
Charlotte Ross
A 5-year-old who assisted in running the fundraiser.
Cile Steward
A 7-year-old student who died in a 2025 Texas Hill Country flood.
C3 Presents
The festival promoter that invited the sisters to set up at Austin Kiddie Limits.
The details
Seven-year-old Camille Ross and 5-year-old Charlotte Ross operated the stand at their Kinney Avenue home and within the Austin Kiddie Limits area. C3 Presents invited the girls to sell at the festival during the second weekend after their initial success. Classmates and friends joined the sisters to work shifts, charging $5 per cup to support the fund established for Steward.
Timeline
July 2025: Flooding occurred at Camp Mystic in the Texas Hill Country.
October 2026: The Ross sisters operated their lemonade stand at ACL.
The Texas Context
This effort follows a pattern of community-led local fundraising that emerged in the wake of the 2025 Camp Mystic flooding. The campaign highlights how local families have mobilized to support foundations established after the regional tragedy.
Residents who attended the festival may have encountered the stand at the Austin Kiddie Limits area. The funds collected now directly support the memorial foundation created following the loss of the Zilker Elementary student.
The takeaway
The effort highlights how neighborhood connections in Zilker continue to support the Steward family through grassroots action. Supporters may look for future updates from the Cile Steward Foundation Fund regarding their ongoing activities.
Further reading
Learn more about local charitable initiatives in the Philanthropy section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Austin American-Statesman.
