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Making a stand

Annual fundraiser squeezes out $8,500 for charity

Correspondent photos / Russell Brickey The Marlowe family has made charity a tradition. From left are Shelly Marlowe, Jenny Kennedy and her grandchildren, Harper Marlowe, 11, and Landry Coffin, 5, who work together every year to help people in need. On Sunday, the family hosted a lemonade stand, with proceeds being donated to Project MKC’s Best Foot Forward Boot Program.

This was the sign on the sidewalk, written with chalk, outside the Cloisters Drive home where Sunday’s annual Lemonade Stand fundraiser took place.

CANFIELD — A steady trickle of donors arrived at a house on Cloisters Drive for two hours on Sunday to provide needy children with winter footwear during the ninth annual Lemonade Stand Fundraiser, which is a family tradition.

Jenny Kennedy, mother and grandmother of Canfield’s Marlowe family, started the tradition when her charity partner, granddaughter Harper, 11, was only 2.

“I had met somebody who had been in a motorcycle accident,” Kennedy said.

The man was paralyzed but could drive with a specially outfitted van. However, van conversions for disabled drivers can run in the $60,000 range online.

“So, I thought, let’s just do a lemonade stand and help him make some money,” Kennedy said. “We made just 400 bucks, but I thought that was great,” she said.

Kennedy decided to include her grandchildren — Harper, Palmer, Landry and Owen — in each year’s charity drive so that they too could have the experience of helping others.

“It’s nice for them to learn to help people and to give back,” Kennedy said. “And last year, we ended up making over $11,000. Every year has gotten better.”

Last year’s beneficiary also was a motorcycle crash victim — Rick D’Amico, who ended up losing one of his legs.

Shelly Marlowe, who is board president of Animal Charity of Ohio and Harper’s mother, also takes part.

“Every year, they (Jenny and Harper) talk and pick a different charity and a different cause,” Marlowe said. “They’ve done animal charities in the past, they’ve supplied items for local school pantries. They helped someone last year who had been in a bad car accident just to get some help to help pay for some medical bills. It’s really important for (children) to not just pick where things are going, but to learn how to give back.”

Money raised will be given to Project MKC for its Best Foot Forward, which donates boots, shoes and socks to children in Mahoning County.

Marlowe said $8,500 was raised on Sunday and donations will be accepted through July 31 at www.projectmkc.org.

The event is important, Harper said, “Because sometimes in the winter when it is cold, some kids don’t even have shoes that they can wear, and it is nice to do this so they can have something to keep them warm. I like giving back to the community and those who don’t have as much as me and my family does, and so I just like giving back.”

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