This year, Washington youngsters Sam and Gabriel Stewart are going to Busch Gardens.

One may have seen these familiar faces, selling lemonade and other treats, such as dehydrated vegetables, baked goods and canned goods, at Washington’s Farmers’ Market or in their Paul Street neighborhood.

The Stewarts — Sam is 14; Gabriel is 12 — have been running a stand for years. The money they raise could go to someone in need one year, and then go toward a beach trip the next. This time the goal is a trip to Busch Gardens.

Both boys have autism spectrum disorder, meaning they struggle with social skills, with focusing and understanding concepts, according to their mom Joi Stewart.

“I find it real important to socialize them and teach them how to interact,” she said. “Children who have a hard time with empathy and connections and all that, it’s good to see them find something outside of their own little world to connect.”

The two boys tag-team when running the stand, but Stewart said Gabriel is more comfortable talking with the customers, and Sam prefers to make the lemonade and handle the money. Half-sister Katherine and neighbor Anna also pitched in to help.

“I like doing the lemonade part myself,” Sam Stewart said.

Joi Stewart said the best part of it all is seeing the boys’ big hearts and teaching them the importance of giving back.

“They would probably give every dime away,” she said. “I try to go back and forth with, ‘OK, boys, why don’t you do something for yourself?’”

Residents are starting to take notice, too.

The Stewart boys have regulars who come back year after year, including employees from AAF Flanders. Some come just to donate to the cause, or to take the annual lemonade stand photo.

“It’s been really nice seeing more and more people who really look forward to it,” Joi Stewart said. “They tend to touch a lot of hearts.”

With school about to start, the boys likely won’t have another stand this year, but thanks to good sales and an anonymous donor, they aren’t far away from their original goal. Stewart said she hopes to make up the rest by saving money from work.

“It’s hard to budget that kind of thing,” she said of the trip. “I want to plan out every penny, and we can’t really do that.”

“I’ve never been anywhere like Busch Gardens, so I thought it would be fun,” Gabriel Stewart said.

The boys have already lined up next year’s fundraiser — the money raised will go toward an organization that helps endangered species.

“That is the right thing to do,” Sam Stewart said.

Gabriel loves animals, and Sam said he wants to help protect turtle hatchlings from seagulls.

Until then, though, Busch Gardens awaits.