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.
害羞草研究所淚t feels good,害羞草研究所� said a proud Ryley. 害羞草研究所淣ext time we want to raise money for cancer research.害羞草研究所�
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 害羞草研究所� all donated by SunRype 害羞草研究所� and pulled in exactly $857.
Chloe害羞草研究所檚 mom Tracey Gravel said in past years, they害羞草研究所檝e sold lemonate but because they were hitting large events this year, she wanted to find a more streamlined way to sell juice.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e done lemonade and it害羞草研究所檚 a lot of mixing and prepping,害羞草研究所� she explained. 害羞草研究所淔or a busy event, we weren害羞草研究所檛 sure how that would work. So we thought, 害羞草研究所榃hy don害羞草研究所檛 we look at a local juice company?害羞草研究所� The first one we thought of with SunRype害羞草研究所� and they were on board right away, they delivered 1,000 juice boxes.害羞草研究所�
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 害羞草研究所� not just a table, like they害羞草研究所檇 used in past years.
害羞草研究所淚t worked out really well, looks really cute,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚 stained it, and my son helped by painting a chalk board on the sign, so we can reuse it.害羞草研究所�
This wasn害羞草研究所檛 the girl害羞草研究所檚 first rodeo.
In fact, they害羞草研究所檝e done about eight events previously, by Gravel害羞草研究所檚 count, which have benefited such organizations as Surrey Christmas Bureau and Surrey Food Bank.
害羞草研究所淚t probably started with Ryley when she was around two or three years old,害羞草研究所� 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.
害羞草研究所淪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, 害羞草研究所榃hat else can we do?害羞草研究所� So we put on our first spaghetti dinner and raised more money and more toys for the Christmas Bureau.
害羞草研究所淭hey love it,害羞草研究所� said Gravel of the fundraising. 害羞草研究所淭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. They害羞草研究所檙e all very outgoing girls and they害羞草研究所檙e very passionate about what they害羞草研究所檙e doing and they love helping people.害羞草研究所�
While Ryley and Aubrey are cousins, Chloe is a close family friend.
They jokingly call each other 害羞草研究所渟ister cousins,害羞草研究所� said Gravel.
This was Aubrey害羞草研究所檚 first year and Gravel said 害羞草研究所渟he did wonderful.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淪he was the juice fetcher,害羞草研究所� she laughed, 害羞草研究所渁nd the other girls helped make change.害羞草研究所�
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 害羞草研究所渋nspiring.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淔or me, what害羞草研究所檚 interesting about this, what害羞草研究所檚 most rewarding about it, is seeing children helping children and making an effort,害羞草研究所� he said.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淏eing so proactive about it, it害羞草研究所檚 role modelling for other kids but it also gives you hope as you look forward.害羞草研究所�
He said national trends are showing a dip in charitable giving, but seeing the efforts of these young girls 害羞草研究所済ives me hope for the future.害羞草研究所�
Bremault said the CCD helped 2,700 children last year, and another 200 came through Sophie害羞草研究所檚 Place, who have been abused.
But there are many more children who need help, he stressed.
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 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 what害羞草研究所檚 reported害羞草研究所�.. There害羞草研究所檚 an enormous need.害羞草研究所�
He praised the girls害羞草研究所� spirit, and said they are 害羞草研究所渢hey害羞草研究所檙e real role models for families overall about what we can do to help our neighbours.害羞草研究所�
For more information about the CCD, or to donate, visit
