You have heard of that new-old proverbial phrase, right?

When Florida State football gives you lemons, make lemonade to help pay for Seminoles coach Willie Taggart’s $17 million buyout.

That’s what four-year-old Grayton Grant did early Sunday, setting up a “Free Willie” lemonade stand outside of his grandmother’s Tallahassee home and raising $241 in just under three hours.

Grayton charged $20 per cup, with one customer donating $100, before running out of lemonade in the sunny, 90-degree weather.

Grayton’s father – FSU graduate and Platinum Chief Daniel Grant - teamed up with his son. He matched the total and stroked a check for $482 to Seminole Boosters, Inc.

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The check - earmarked for “Taggart Buy Out!” - was accompanied by a formal yet tongue-in-cheek, typewritten letter signed by Grayton to Seminole Boosters, Inc.

It explained that “I am tired of losing football games and being made fun of at school for being a Seminole fan. At four, I am already starting to gravitate towards the color orange. You don’t want that for an innocent kid like me….”

The letter closed with “I hope this helps other Noles fan (sic) have hope that we can once again have a football team and program to be proud of!”

Grayton’s signature, though illegible, was made with an orange marker.

From last year:Eight GoFundMe accounts created for FSU football coach Willie Taggart's buyout

The Seminoles have struggled under Taggart, who is in the second year of his six-year contract that pays him $30 million. FSU lost at No. 25 Virginia 31-24 Saturday night to drop to 1-2 on the season and 6-9 overall under Taggsert.

Taggart is owed 80 percent of his remaining salary balance if fired by FSU.

“I hope what I did helped because it was really hot,” Grayton said of his fundraising effort that was posted and widely shared on social media.

A local television station also interviewed Grayton, whose lemonade stand was accompanied by two, large white poster boards that featured Taggart’s career marks. The blonde, blue-eyed Grayton sported a Seminoles cap and No. 4 jersey (his favorite player is former FSU tailback Dalvin Cook, now with the Minnesota Vikings).

Grant's wife Jamie was amused by her husband and son.

"Oh, the joys of having two FSU crazy boys in the house," she said and laughed. "A simple lesson of not being a complainer sure escalated quickly."

Daniel Grant said the sales were legit and the check, letter and photograph of Grayton standing near his lemonade stand will be mailed to Seminole Boosters Monday. Grant also stressed the fundraising endeavor served as a teaching lesson for his son.

“I was sitting there last night watching the game – and I was complaining, complaining and complaining,” said Grant, whose annual booster level is the second-highest behind Legacy Chief ($25,000 giving amount). “I talked to Grayton about it. This was all in fun, for sure, but a person can’t complain and not try to pitch in and help fix it.

"We had fun doing it."

Grant, known for his emotional, passionate social media posts about his beloved Seminoles, and his family plan to be in their Doak Campbell Stadium suite Saturday to cheer for FSU against Louisville. Kickoff is 3:30 p.m.

“We will be there screaming for them to beat Louisville and every Saturday after that for them to turn it around,” Grant said. “We won’t ever stop supporting them. It’s in our blood.

"But, man, it gets tougher and tougher. “

Reach Jim Henry at jjhenry@tallahassee.com.