Local youth raise over $500 for Outreach birthday boxes

TRYON—A group of local young students had a vision to provide birthday boxes for underprivileged children in the county and it was an astounding success. 

The children set up a lemonade stand outside of a Taste of Olives and Grapes last Friday night during Tryon’s 4th Friday event in downtown Tryon. 

The children raised over $500 and collected a large bin of food and birthday decorations to donate to Thermal Belt Outreach. 

Most of the children have raised money previously through lemonade stands and this time decided that all children deserved birthday parties. 

Boxes the children made to donate to Outreach included cake mix, frosting, birthday candles, plates, a birthday banner and other birthday surprises. 

Children who participated included Addie Buss, Riley Gallagher, Penny Schweizer, Abby Lewis, Hayleigh Shaw, Logan Shaw, Blakelee Smith, Gabriella Betancourt, Ava Betancourt, and Emma Rose Selbee. 

Gallagher said last week that she thought every kid in Polk County should get to celebrate their birthday. 

Buss said it makes her happy to help other kids. She helps the Feed-A-Kid program too, and said she wanted to help kids all year long, not just in the summer.