Last Saturday, Bailee Miner ran a fundraiser to raise money for those impacted by the devastating fires in Fort McMurrary, Alberta.
Miner is a local Guelph resident. She’s also six.
With members of her family, Miner set-up a lemonade stand at the bottom of her grandmother’s driveway on Mountford Drive. On May 21, during the long weekend, Miner sold sweet lemonade to residents for Guelph in exchange for a donation to the Canadian Red Cross.
“It was my Grandma’s idea,” said Bailee, who ran with the idea of the lemonade stand fundraiser.
In September 2014, Bailee also organized a fundraiser for an ill neighbour who was hoping to seek alternative cancer treatments. Lilly Graham was the neighbour, and Bailee met her beneficiary at the lemonade stand and shared a tearful embrace with her.
Bailee raised $850 at her first lemonade fundraiser, and all funds were given to Graham, who sadly lost her battle with cancer at 52 in October 2014.
A family member shared that Bailee’s goal for her Fort McMurarry fundraser was $100,000.
Although she didn’t meet her generous goal, she did raise a happy $352.25.
“It went pretty good on social media,” added Bailee’s aunt, Marley Miner.
Marley said thanks to Mayor Cam Guthrie, who shared a Facebook post made by Bailee’s Grandmother, Gwen Miner, many people heard about the fundraiser and dropped by.
Some even came after the lemonade stand was packed away, just to donate to the cause, added Marley Miner.
Bailee didn’t just attract attention on social media, she also attracted the attention of media.
When asked what her favourite part of the fundraiser was, Bailee answered, “That I got to see the mayor.”
It seems that Mayor Cam might be as big a fan of Bailee, as she is of him. He posted various social media updates about the fundraiser, and even published a blog post.
He arrived Saturday morning in his casual sweat pants and t-shirt, eager to take photos and videos with Bailee, and encouraged and congratulated her.
Less than a week after Bailee’s fundraiser, she went to TD Bank to deposit the funds. Branch Manager Mark Kelland greeted Bailee and her family, and escorted her to the front of the line, where Addam Odgen, Customer Service Representative, processed the funds, applying them to the Red Cross, Alberta Fire Relief Fund.
“It’s nice she has so much support,” said Gwen Miner, Bailee's Grandmother, has supported and encouraged her fundraising campaigns. Gwen purchased 36 cans of lemonade for the fundraiser and wound up serving 20 cans in total.
There’s no doubt that the entire close-knit Miner family is special, but there’s not much sweeter than a six-year-old girl selling lemonade for a good cause.
When asked what she wants to be when she grows up, Bailee said she wasn’t sure. She did say that she loved selling lemonade, and hopes to continue doing future fundraisers.
