TOLEDO, Ohio — As a kid, when life gives you lemons, you make a lemonade stand.
The Miller family took the coronavirus outbreak as an opportunity to let their creativity shine. They managed to make the best of an otherwise "crappy" situation by creating "Theo & Sully's TP Stand."
The idea began when parents Kathleen and Andy Miller realized the gravity of their situation. The stay-at-home order was serious business for Kathleen, who is immunocompromized and her husband Andy. Both have anxiety and depression, so looking out for their health not only physically, but mentally as well, was a major concern.
They sat down one night to brainstorm how they would face this while also raising their two young boys.
Instead of fear, anxiety or uncertainty, they chose to laugh. Together they started an Instagram account, KidsAndCorona, and began to document their life in quarantine.
"We want to bring smiles to as many people as possible during this crazy time. So many are facing a variety of different things -- people out of jobs and worried, people with jobs who are scared to catch something, healthcare workers on the front lines, immunocompromised. There’s something for everybody to be worried about right now," said Kathleen. "We want to be something for everybody to laugh about."
It took a little extra help to get their idea rolling. "
"I was on the phone with my mom trying to figure out something fun for our boys to do that would make people smile and maybe teach our son, Theo, something about loving our community well--especially in scarier moments," added Kathleen. "My mom came up with the idea of selling toilet paper and I said 'Let’s just give it all away.'"
And thus, the Theo & Sully's TP Stand was born.
The Old Orchard residents prepared everything in a sanitary fashion and set up shop on the corner of Kenwood and Middlesex Roads.
The idea proved to be very "poo-pular."
Dressed as a certain relevant emoji, Theo brandished a stick and declared he was a wizard to a member of the Toledo Police Department who stopped by for a look.
Kathleen was quick to correct him: "No, you're poop."
As for Andy? He was a porcelain throne. Little Sully was relegated to be toilet paper himself, wrapped up like a mummy.
"We were surprised people stopped to chat and take pictures. Everyone was so encouraging. A woman met us and then came back and added to the free toilet paper pile. A handful of runners and walkers grabbed some water and one gentlemen stopped and told us he has had no toilet paper for five days. We were happy to help," said Kathleen.
Keep an eye out, there are plans for Theo and Sully to keep doo-ing their business.