When the winter months come, there will be 21 students at Marshall Elementary who will be warm and snuggly in their new coats. For some children, the winter can be harsh because their parents, guardians or relatives may not be able to afford a new coat. Something many teachers know all too well.
A Carroll Academy student had the idea to do a lemonade stand to help other kids in need.
Wade Sanders said many of the students wanted to have a lemonade stand to raise money for things like an Xbox but Sanders, and his friend Ainslee O’Bryan wanted to have one during the Pilgrimage and donate the money.
“He never mentioned it again, so I forgot about it,” mom Casey Sanders said. But, Sanders didn’t and reminded her the night before the Pilgrimage.
“I contacted a friend, and her family let us set up right in from of their family store, the Gee’s store,” Casey Sanders said. She said she and her boys, Wade and Jayce, worked the stand during the Pioneer Day Festival.
“[Wade] just had to decide where to donate the money,” Casey Sanders said. But, he didn’t have to look too far away to find an idea. She said every year, Wade’s grandmother, Pam Sanders, collects coats to donate to different schools.
Casey Sanders said she and her husband, Clint, try to teach their boys to put people before themselves. “We always tell our boys you should help your community first,” she said.
So, she said Wade decided to donate the coats to kids who may not have one.
She said the turnout for the lemonade stand was better than she expected.
“We had a great turnout and raised a lot more than I expected. Everyone was willing to donate when they heard the cause. The lemonade stand earned around $125 and we had a few people see his picture on Facebook and wanted to donate. So, he ended up with $150.”
Casey Sanders said they wanted until coats went on sale and his grandmother Jan Nabors purchased 21 coats.
Wade took the coats to Marshall Elementary on May 15, and the students were very appreciative and wrote their own small story about Wade’s kindness.
Wade said many were appreciative of his delivery but the one reaction that stuck out to him when he delivered the coats to the students at Marshall was a little boy who said “Thank you Lord for putting Wade in this world to buy coats.”
“It was a great feeling knowing that 21 children will have coats this winter,” Wade said.
When asked if he’ll keep donating, Wade said yes.
“Yes ma’am, I will keep donating coats until every child has a coat,” Wade said.
Sanders said Wade will be back at the Carrollton Pilgrimage this year with free lemonade and bottled water.
Here’s the story from Marshall Elementary second grader Madison Vining, and third graders Joshua Fleming and Kameron Givens.
Kindness & Coats
By: Madison Vining (MES 2nd grade student), Joshua Fleming (MES 3rd grade student) & Kameron Givens (MES 3rd grade student)
A little boy named Wade Sanders set up a lemonade stand in Carrollton. He used the money to buy 21 coats.
Wade came to Marshall Elementary School on Wednesday, May 15th and announced that he bought the coats for students who come to school without a coat to wear in the winter.
The students of Marshall Elementary School are thankful for Wade’s coats and his kindness. Always remember to be kind because giving will come back to you.
