Kalamazoo Girl, 11, Sold Homemade Lemonade, Donates Money to SPCA

Ready for something heartwarming?

Just a few days ago, I was scrolling through Facebook when a recent post from the SPCA of SW Michigan popped up on my feed. I love seeing their updates about animals that have been adopted and are now thriving.

However, this post wasn't about a specific animal but rather a young girl and a wonderful act of kindness.

Ella, 11 years old, recently set up a lemonade stand with the sole purpose of raising money that she could donate to the SPCA of SW Michigan. I was, thankfully, able to get in touch with her mother, Jen, to find out more.

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What inspired this decision?

According to Jen, Ella has always wanted to set up a lemonade stand. This year, they had some time so they said, "why not" and decided to open for "business" a few weeks ago. Ella knew other kids that had raised money for local non-profits and knew she wanted to do the same. Everyone in the family is an animal lover. "In fact," Jen said, "we have 2 dogs and a cat that were all adopted from the SPCA."

Jen went on to say that Ella insisted on making the lemonade from scratch. She looked up a good recipe and had a friend come over to help with the stand. Ella even made the sign for the lemonade stand herself and overall felt very empowered. Which, at 11, is incredible.

They charged $0.50 a cup but the community stepped up often declining change while paying $5 or $10 a cup. "We were really lucky with a hot day," Jen said.

How Much Did She Raise?

All in all, Ella was able to donate $36 to the SPCA. And, for anyone that has worked with a charity, we know that every dollar counts. Especially, when it's donated by someone who has a noticeable passion for animals.

I don't remember what I was doing when I was 11. But, I am certain I wasn't sitting around wondering how to make money to donate to my local non-profits. Ella is, clearly, a girl who is caring and selfless. And I know the SPCA appreciates anyone who goes out of their way to help them with their cause to find homes for every single animal in their care.

While Jen tells me that Ella is someone who generally shies away from attention, I hope she won't mind me praising this wonderful act of kindness. It warmed my heart.

If Ella's story has inspired you and you now want to get involved with the SPCA of SW Michigan I can confidently say that they will always welcome the help. Find info on volunteering, donation needs, fostering and more here.

Before you go, if you're having a bad day or simply just love looking at pictures of puppies then this is for you!