The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Morris boy starts farm stand to benefit ALS research
MORRIS — Charlie Groht, 7, has been dedicated to two goals since the age of four — he wants to be a farmer and he wants to help find a cure for ALS.
Both of these goals are realized through a farm stand in front of his home. When his Uncle Bob died from ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) several years ago, the family became involved in fundraising for ALS-TDI (Therapy Development Institute), the world’s first and largest nonprofit biotech research lab focused solely on ALS research.
Charlie’s relatives participate each year in the TriState Trek, a grueling 270mile bicycle ride from Boston to Greenwich, earning between $30,000 to $60,000 for the cause.
The proceeds from Charlie’s farm stand are 100 percent donated to this cause as well, along with “matching grants” from his parents Margie and Jeffrey Groht, and other relatives. Charlie’s fiveyear-old sister Patty helps with the harvesting of various crops he raises in a fenced-in area on the small farm with two horses, two goats and one very elderly duck.
Their mother, Margie Groht, has been involved in 4-H for twenty years and both children have inherited that pursuit. Charlie and his sister are raising their own Nigerian dwarf goats and help care for the other animals on the farm.
Charlie’s Farm Stand is in front of his home at 67 Isaiah Smith Lane in Morris. Seasonal offerings include plants, tomatoes, squash, popcorn and sweet corn, sugar snap peas, artichokes, mini-peppers, loose leaf lettuce and basil. A donation jar sits on top of the repurposed garden cart and all proceeds benefit ALS-TDI, whose mission is “ending ALS in our lifetime.”