You might anticipate a third-grader to want to buy themselves a gift or indulge in a special dessert after spending an entire spring day making and selling sweet lemonade.
Not every nine-year-old wants to give their hard-won money to a local animal shelter. But it was precisely for this reason that Ben Miller began his annual lemonade stand in the first place.
Ben had no trouble making this selection. He started his lemonade stand to make the lives of the rescue cats at his local animal shelter a little easier and to get the shelter’s oldest, long-term residents adopted. Ben was inspired to start his fundraising efforts three years ago after visiting the Idaho Humane Society with his grandma.
Ben, who is an animal lover, saw that some of the rescue cats were without toys. As a result, he decided to step in and provide a hand. Ben put up his first stand and sold his first cups of lemonade when he was just seven years old. He was grateful for the opportunity to assist and pleased to have raised $200, which he instantly contributed to the Idaho Humane Society.
He aimed to exceed his previous efforts last year and was able to donate $600. Ben set a lofty aim of raising $1000 this year! As a result, he and his family went all out.
They worked together to put up the booth, fundraise via Venmo, write a Facebook post, bake fresh chocolate chip cookies, and even offer two excellent lemonade tastes (classic and lavender). They even had tasty treats on hand for any visiting pet buddies.
Ben and his family were extremely overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from their neighbors. Not only did Boise residents flock to his booth, but supporters who couldn’t make it in person donated via mail and Venmo. After hearing Ben’s fundraiser announced on the radio, a full carload of people showed up.
Ben smiled from ear to ear as he proudly stepped inside the Idaho Humane Society with a large Ziploc bag full of cash. He went over and beyond his $1000 objective, donating a whopping $1,150!
The long-time animal enthusiast was delighted to donate his earnings to help care for animals waiting for their forever homes.
“If I had let him, he would have spent every dollar here, adopting every cat.” I am so proud of him and his character. “It makes me so happy,” Ben’s mother expressed her delight.
Ben has donated just under $2,000 to the Idaho Humane Society during the last three years. And, as you might think, Ben isn’t going to stop selling lemonade anytime soon. He intends to continue raising funds for the animals in his town each year.
Watch the amazing video to know more:
