KOTA Territory NewsChildren First: Charitable entrepreneur in the Northern HIlls

Children First: Charitable entrepreneur in the Northern HIlls

Ten-year-old Alexia Wright carefully counts out her daily earnings of dollar bills at her lemonade stand in a driveway in downtown Deadwood.

The soon to be 5th grader from Lead is open for business, selling snacks and drinks outside her mother's hair salon, but she's not keeping the money, she's donating it.

"Everyday I add up the money, then I know, and I kind of get excited, and I just feel like, I feel good because I'm helping people," Wright said.

Wrights says after she learned her friends sister was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, she decided to do her part to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Wright gathered muffins, soda, popsicles, made some lemonade, and opened up shop.

"She's doing great," Wright's mother Jody said.

Jody says she's proud of Wright. She never imagined her daughter modest idea would snowball like it has.

"Her original goal was twenty-five dollars and now she's up to one-hundred-sixty and she just keeps going up higher and higher every day," Jody said.

Jody says her daughter's charitable ambition sets a good example for the rest of her children, and other kids in the community.

"She has a big heart and I hope other kids her age learn from it and follow and do good," Jody said.

Wright says she agrees with her mother. She enjoys running a business for charity, and has a message for other kids who may have trouble staying busy this summer.

"Get out and go and do stuff like this and help people out and don't just sit at home and watch TV," Wright said.