Kids aid endangered species with lemonade stand at zoo
Two budding philanthropists are using a summertime staple to support endangered species.
Lemonade stands are a go-to for kids looking to put a little cash in their pockets for the summer months, but nine-year-old Dylan Woods and her best friend, eightyear-old Jacey Molinalli, decided to start their small business to raise funds for endangered species at the Calgary Zoo.
“We made up the idea because we wanted to help these animals,” Woods said. “We thought these animals need our help and we don’t want them to be extinct,” added Molinalli.
Woods, Molinalli and their parents approached the zoo with their lemonade stand idea and were met with support from Calgary Zoo staff. So much support that the zoo has decided to run with Woods’ and Molinalli’s idea by starting two new fundraising campaigns.
“We went to the powers that be and it kind of snowballed into a big peer-to-peer campaign that we’re going to launch here at the zoo, and we’re really excited about it,” said Tanya Kaynes with the Calgary Zoo.
In the coming months, Kaynes said the zoo will launch the “I Blank for Wildlife” campaign, encouraging Calgarians to raise funds for wildlife by doing whatever it is they do best.
“You could lose weight, you could run a marathon, you could drink wine, a bake sale; whatever you are most passionate about to help support wildlife,” Kaynes said.
Kaynes said the lemonade stand inspired the zoo to make space available for any fundraisers similar to the brainchild of Woods and Molinalli, as long as the proceeds go back to the zoo.
Kaynes said she hopes the girls’ good deed will encourage other youth and adults to get involved with conservation and protecting wildlife.
You could lose weight, you could run a marathon, you could drink wine, a bake sale.”
“They’re kind of our poster children, for lack of a better term,” Kaynes said. “They’re really showing that anyone can make a difference and do whatever they’re passionate about to help support wildlife.”
Kaynes said Calgarians can support conservation by visiting the zoo, or by making donations to the Calgary Zoo and its conservation programs by visiting CalgaryZoo. com.
“Just by coming to the zoo is a huge support to us,” Kaynes said. “If you buy a membership, if you buy a daily admission, all of that goes back to our daily operations, to feeding the animals, and it also goes toward our conservation projects.”