Simply Lemonade

Lemonade and books—the pair may evoke memories of lazy days on the beach or a cool spring afternoon in the park. Not for Avery Salmon. Avery, a seven-year-old Promising Pages Youth Ambassador, used a small neighborhood lemonade stand/ book drive on a Saturday afternoon to give a big helping hand to Promising Pages. And it all started with a love of reading.

Avery first began to read at age three, and she continues to be an avid reader today. Her favorite books are the Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park. When asked why she decided to have a lemonade stand/ book drive to raise books for Promising Pages, she says her mother, Ginger Salmon, originally came up with the idea. Ginger attended a Christmas party where she learned about Promising Pages. Avery had wanted to have a lemonade stand for a long time, but adding the book drive element really made it a success. Within just one hour, they were able to collect $23 and more books than Avery had imagined: “I thought I could collect 100 books. Instead, we collected 361.” Collecting 361 books within a single hour is astounding!

Once everything was collected, Avery recalls feeling “pretty proud and really happy.” Excitingly, Avery does not plan on making this her last partnership with Promising Pages. Avery says, “I think we may have a hot chocolate stand with mini marshmallows. I think it would be great to do a Halloween one too. I would collect books rather than giving candy. We have a street party and asking for donations for that party would be pretty cool.”

For her efforts, Avery has been inducted into the Promising Pages Youth Ambassador’s Club. Check back with us to hear more about Ambassador Avery’s contributions to Promising Pages in the future. We’re sure there will be many more to come!        (For more pictures friend us on facebook! www.facebook.com/PromisingPages )

--Faith Lippard, Promising Pages Blogger