A little juice can go a long way. Three beaming little girls arrived at the Centre for Child Development Monday morning clutching bags full of money to prove just that.
Aubrey Leeson, 2, Ryley Patterson, 8, and Chloe Gravel-Fallis, 5, together raised more than $800 this summer for the Centre for Child Development at Surrey events with their homemade juice stand.
B次元官网网址淚t feels good,B次元官网网址� said a proud Ryley. B次元官网网址淣ext time we want to raise money for cancer research.B次元官网网址�
The girls had their stand set up at Canada Day, Fusion Festival, all four Movies Under the Stars at Holland Park, as well as the Eat Play Live Well Street Fair.
They sold at least 750 juice boxes for $1 a pop B次元官网网址� all donated by SunRype B次元官网网址� and pulled in exactly $857.
ChloeB次元官网网址檚 mom Tracey Gravel said in past years, theyB次元官网网址檝e sold lemonate but because they were hitting large events this year, she wanted to find a more streamlined way to sell juice.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e done lemonade and itB次元官网网址檚 a lot of mixing and prepping,B次元官网网址� she explained. B次元官网网址淔or a busy event, we werenB次元官网网址檛 sure how that would work. So we thought, B次元官网网址榃hy donB次元官网网址檛 we look at a local juice company?B次元官网网址� The first one we thought of with SunRypeB次元官网网址� and they were on board right away, they delivered 1,000 juice boxes.B次元官网网址�
Then Gravel got to work constructing the juice stand.
After a few visits to Pinterest, she decided to use some pallets and wooden crates to make what looked like a real lemonade stand B次元官网网址� not just a table, like theyB次元官网网址檇 used in past years.
B次元官网网址淚t worked out really well, looks really cute,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 stained it, and my son helped by painting a chalk board on the sign, so we can reuse it.B次元官网网址�
This wasnB次元官网网址檛 the girlB次元官网网址檚 first rodeo.
In fact, theyB次元官网网址檝e done about eight events previously, by GravelB次元官网网址檚 count, which have benefited such organizations as Surrey Christmas Bureau and Surrey Food Bank.
B次元官网网址淚t probably started with Ryley when she was around two or three years old,B次元官网网址� she said.
Ryley and Aubrey are great nieces of Downtown Surrey BIA manager Bonnie Burnside, and Ryley began going to the Christmas Bureau with Burnside.
B次元官网网址淪he would take her there to donate toys around Christmastime. When Chloe got to about two, I took her for the first time and she donated toys. Then we started thinking, B次元官网网址榃hat else can we do?B次元官网网址� So we put on our first spaghetti dinner and raised more money and more toys for the Christmas Bureau.
B次元官网网址淭hey love it,B次元官网网址� said Gravel of the fundraising. B次元官网网址淭hey look forward to it. They do a lot of the planning. The event where we recycling car seats, they came up with all of the activities and all of the ideas. TheyB次元官网网址檙e all very outgoing girls and theyB次元官网网址檙e very passionate about what theyB次元官网网址檙e doing and they love helping people.B次元官网网址�
While Ryley and Aubrey are cousins, Chloe is a close family friend.
They jokingly call each other B次元官网网址渟ister cousins,B次元官网网址� said Gravel.
This was AubreyB次元官网网址檚 first year and Gravel said B次元官网网址渟he did wonderful.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淪he was the juice fetcher,B次元官网网址� she laughed, B次元官网网址渁nd the other girls helped make change.B次元官网网址�
At the Centre for Child Development Monday, the girls dropped the money off and then, as kids should, got in some precious play time.
Standing beside the playground, Centre for Child Development (CCD) CEO Gerard Bremault said the girls are B次元官网网址渋nspiring.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淔or me, whatB次元官网网址檚 interesting about this, whatB次元官网网址檚 most rewarding about it, is seeing children helping children and making an effort,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 always challenging to raise funds in support of charitable causes and for the Centre for Child Development, to have children taking the initiative to reach out to other families, to residents, participants, and say hey, we can support kids together.
B次元官网网址淏eing so proactive about it, itB次元官网网址檚 role modelling for other kids but it also gives you hope as you look forward.B次元官网网址�
He said national trends are showing a dip in charitable giving, but seeing the efforts of these young girls B次元官网网址済ives me hope for the future.B次元官网网址�
Bremault said the CCD helped 2,700 children last year, and another 200 came through SophieB次元官网网址檚 Place, who have been abused.
But there are many more children who need help, he stressed.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 27,000 children with a disability of any type in the South Fraser region. And, recent data came out form the World Health Organization and others indicating that sadly, the number of children who are abused is about 30 times more than whatB次元官网网址檚 reportedB次元官网网址�.. ThereB次元官网网址檚 an enormous need.B次元官网网址�
He praised the girlsB次元官网网址� spirit, and said they are B次元官网网址渢heyB次元官网网址檙e real role models for families overall about what we can do to help our neighbours.B次元官网网址�
For more information about the CCD, or to donate, visit
