A few weeks ago, we had the 6th Annual Mae & Friends’ Lemonade Stand to benefit the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society.

Eight little girls, who have a passion to help animals, sold lemonade, donated baked goodies, T-shirts (which was a new item this year) and some crafts to make money to help our local shelter animals.

Our goal is always to do better than the year before with last year making over $2,600. This year was simply amazing. At first, our total raised was more than $7,000 which was absolutely incredible. Since that first count, we have received more sponsor money and additional donations which now brings the total raised for the shelter to more than $9,500! Yes, you read it correctly!

We had donations from $1 all the way to $350, and this is a true testimony that every, single dollar really does add up. We were amazed at all the people who came to the stand to either buy something or just simply make a donation.

Mae said, “It was like a party!”

It truly was. Friends and family of the Lemonade Girls and people who just wanted to support their cause came by for four solid hours.

We had a friend drive in from Woodville to contribute to the stand. We even had several employees from CCA, the correctional center off of U.S. 84, drive in to make a donation of $350 which was raised by employees contributing to “Jeans Day,” a day to wear jeans to work.

Their donation was brought in an adorable dog bank made by the inmates. I can’t tell you how touched we all were by their genuine thoughtfulness to help the shelter animals. Our small community always comes through to help those less fortunate — animals and humans alike.

It is a wonderful feeling to help those in need. I know of a few other recent fundraisers within Natchez where the amount raised surpassed the anticipated goal. I recently read in the magazine Conde’ Nast Traveler where Natchez was voted No. 7 in the Top 10 Friendliest Cities in the United States.

Not only is Natchez a friendly city, but it is also a giving city. Thank you so much to our 53 sponsors and everyone who was able to help support Mae & Friends’ Lemonade Stand this year. We were told the funds raised would greatly benefit the shelter’s transport program.

Transport allows many of our shelter animals to go to other shelters where their chances of adoption are much greater.

Also, a huge thank you goes to all of the people behind the scenes at the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society.

They work hard every day to keep the shelter doors open. They take in animals in need and care for them until hopefully they are adopted or transported.

They save lives through pet adoptions, clean cages, give medication and vaccinations, make sure adopted animals are spayed or neutered and the list goes on and on of the daily duties necessary to care for the animals which arrive there. They also have to make tough decisions.

They take care of details many of us cannot handle. They do it because of their love and passion to help animals and I cannot tell you how much I greatly appreciate each one of them. Thanks again to everyone for making the 6th Annual Mae & Friends’ Lemonade Stand a huge success. We will see everyone again next summer!

 

Ginna Holyoak is a Natchez resident and the mother of Mae Holyoak, who along with her friends, operates the annual lemonade fundraiser.